Jeff Mills Coastal Vacations Club Blog

Bulgaria has increasing become a favourite holiday destination in Europe and deservedly so. It has a 300 km coastline along the Black Sea with numerous beach resorts and small villages. Also, about half the country is mountainous with three major ski resorts – Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo. Hundreds of thousands of international tourists flock to those each year.

Bansko is by far the largest of the three ski resorts. It is located about 120 km from the capital Sofia at the intersection of three mountains – Pirin, Rhodopa and Rila. Basko’s splendid center still preserves the ancient architecture typical of houses and other buildings in that part of Bulgaria. After Bulgaria started its transition from communism, opened its economy for international investment, and allowed privately funded projects in its tourism destinations, Bansko took off. Within a few years, it was transformed into a sprawling ski resort with dozens of hotels and condo buildings. British, Irish, and Russian investors flocked in to purchase holiday properties which then became available for rent. The city and private investors developed the ski runs which, while available under communism, did not have the modern facilities required by international skiers.

Borovets and Pamporovo were the most prominent ski destinations during communism and continue to be such despite taking second place to Bansko. Borovets is easily accessible as it is located only 60 km from Sofia. One car rent a car to visit Borovets or use the regularly scheduled public transport. Borovets takes its name from Bor, a large needle tree that dominates the landscape. The enormous trees that become heavy with snow in winter months shield the walking paths giving a feeling of warmth and coziness. The resort did not develop many new facilities, partly due to its location within the mountain that does not allow much new development, but it is a great destination nonetheless.

Pamorovo is in the southern part of Bulgaria, about 100 km from the second largest city of Bulgaria Plovdiv. It is situated in what many Bulgarians and international visitor consider to be the most pristine and beautiful mountains in Bulgaria – the Rhodopas. The spectacle of this mountain is renowned internationally for its large rolling hills stretching into the distance. Pamporovo is a bit different from Borovets. While Borovets is nested between hills with hotels and restaurants bundled up close to each other, Pamporovo is more spread out, with some distance between the large hotels.  Between Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo, the Bulgarian ski resorts offer not only skiing opportunities but also different settings and ways to experience nature.    

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