The surroundings
Bansko and the Pirin mountains
Bansko lies in south-west Bulgaria, 160 kilometres from Sofia, at the point where the Pirin, Rila and Rhodope ranges meet. The town sits at 925 metres; the ski area above it runs between roughly 2,000 and 2,500 metres.
In numbers
- 925 m
- Altitude of the town
- 160 km
- To Sofia
- ~70 km
- Of ski runs
- Dec–Apr
- Ski season
- 150+
- Mountain lakes in Pirin
- 120
- Listed monuments
Winter
The season normally runs from the middle of December to the middle of April. The ski area offers around seventy kilometres of runs, reached by a gondola from the edge of town, with terrain for beginners as well as for people who know what they are doing. International snowboard, ski and biathlon competitions are held here regularly.
Summer
The Pirin national park, on the UNESCO world heritage list, starts above the town. There are more than 150 mountain lakes, two peaks above 2,900 metres, and mineral springs in the valley. Hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, fishing and white-water rafting all happen within easy reach. The Greek coast at Thessaloniki is 210 kilometres away.
The town itself
Bansko is a heritage town of about seven thousand inhabitants with some 120 listed cultural and historical monuments, and it has a life that does not depend on the season. The Holy Trinity church is among the most striking orthodox churches in the region. More than a hundred traditional taverns, called mehana, serve local food with live folk music, and the Bansko Jazz Festival in August draws international musicians into the old town.