A picturesque town located 925 m above sea level. It is one of the most popular ski resorts in Bulgaria with tourists from all over Europe. It is situated in the south-western part of Bulgaria in the Pirin Mountains, 170 km from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The winter sports conditions here are splendid. Bansko is situated at the foot of the Vihren mountain [2914 m above the sea level] amd Todorin Vrukh [2646 m above the sea level]. The ski runs have various levels of difficulty – for beginners and professionals. You can also experience the atmosphere of old Bulgarian villages – Bansko is a beautiful historical town.
There are 120 historical places and monuments, the regional museum and ethnographic exhibition. The Trinity Church with a 30-meter- high tower is the most beautiful place here. There is a lot to be seen around here: Melnik and the famous winery, the Rila monastery – the largest religious center of the medieval Bulgaria; you can also visit hot springs in Ognianovo or go to a folk party with music, wine and dancing. You can relax in local taverns listening to Balkan music and have a glass of heated wine.
SKIING CONDITIONS
Millions of EUR have been invested in new ski runs and facilities over the last few years. The works were conducted by Yulen Company, which has licenses for managing ski centers. Bansko has the largest snow falls and longest ski season [December 15 – May 15] in all Bulgarian resorts. Bansko experiences a massive investment boom – new luxurious hotels, resorts and apartments. A 7 km long cable railway [2400 people per hour] that carries skiers from the city straight to the slopes was built here. There are ski equipment rental shops with 1200 skis; new chairlifts [15 km], 50 km of ski runs; a restaurant for 1200 people, ski schools, ski schools for children, biathlon – in the Bunderishka clearing. There are 10 machines for snow packing [they operate 24 hours a day]; 26 machines [artificial snow for 12 km of runs]. The season lasts from December to April. The skiing areas: 1100 – 2500 m above the sea level. The lifts: 1 cable railway, 5 chairlifts, 9 ski tows.
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