Bansko Ski Resort Travel Notes

Greetings from the famous Ski Resort Bansko in Bulgaria!

As the semester holiday approaches, we decided to make a visit to Bansko, the ski resort most frequented by Turks! 

Naturally, when it comes to our expectations, such as costs, accommodation recommendations, dining options, and more, we've compiled some notes for you. This way, we also had the chance to compare Bansko with Turkey. Be sure to take note of this guide!

Firstly, let us mention that we set out from Istanbul by car. The total duration, including border waits and meal breaks, to Bansko in neighboring Bulgaria is eight and a half hours ⏰ by car. It's 10 hours by bus tours!

With its nightlife, snowfall rates, Olympic-standard slopes, transportation, accommodation, and dining prices, Bansko is among the rising ski resorts in recent years. Bansko boasts an ideal climate for winter tourism, with snow on the ground from December to the end of May. Those who want to enjoy the spa, massage, and indoor thermal swimming pools after skiing on state-of-the-art slopes prefer Bansko Ski Resort. The fact that it takes nearly three hours from Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, to Bansko Ski Resort, and there are direct flights from Turkey to Sofia, also greatly contributes to Bansko's rise. A considerable number of Turkish vacationers choose Bansko for their winter holidays by comparing hotel accommodation and dining prices, which are in demand in Turkey's famous ski resorts. Click here for Bansko Hotel Recommendations!

Bansko's nightlife is also noteworthy in terms of variety and color. Another interesting aspect of Bansko is that while it is a modern winter sports resort on one hand, it is also charming as a city and hosts many historical structures. Its antique cobblestone narrow streets and a 150-year-old clock tower have earned it a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Bansko is a skiing paradise that ski enthusiasts must experience without delay. It's not possible to ski at such affordable prices in a ski resort of this capacity in other EU member countries. Bansko has hosted Winter Olympics with its infrastructure, long slopes, and activity facilities. It will continue to host many Olympics and professionals in the future. There are 44 artificial snow machines ready at Bansko Ski Resort just in case. Bansko is not only a ski resort, but trekking is also done in the surrounding forests. Therefore, tourism activity is observed not only in winter but throughout the year.

What are the Costs - How Much Does It Cost?

 If we were in your shoes, we would get the Schengen Visa ourselves without using an agent. We're writing the prices in euros to keep them up to date.

  • •Visa and visa agent: 307 euros (for 2 adults and 1 child)
  • •International departure fee per person: 7.5 euros
  • •Car insurance: 61 euros
  • • Toll card fee to be obtained from the gas station until Bansko on entry to Bulgaria: 7.5 euros (one way)
  • • Car disinfection: 4 euros (disinfection is done at the customs when entering Bulgaria)
  • • Round trip gasoline: 153 euros
  • • Hotel nightly rate: 45 euros (Belle Vue Residence Apartments - room only)
  • • Ski pass: 36 euros per day per person. Daily 70 leva per person in Bulgarian currency. They take a deposit for the ski pass, and 5 leva is refunded when returned.
  • •  Lesson fee per hour: 30 euros.
  • • Ski rental daily: 10 euros per person.
  • Meals and extras per person daily: 25 euros.

  • • International roaming fee per person per day (we use Vodafone): 5.5 euros.

     •The slopes are fantastic, about 52 km in total. There is a beautiful and colorful ski town. There are ski slopes and ski areas suitable for everyone in the ski center. In the town, there are also restaurants, cafes, bars, and live entertainment.

• The ski slopes at Bansko Ski Resort are 70 kilometers long in total. You can find slopes of all difficulty levels from beginners to professionals at Bansko.

Before boarding the gondola (6-person lift) to reach the ski slopes, you should purchase a Bansko Ski Pass. Bansko Ski Pass fees are not included in the gondola price. Some hotels also sell Ski Passes for their guests. Bansko Ski Pass offers options such as half-day, full-day, and weekly depending on the duration you want to ski.

The Bansko ski slopes are as follows: 

Chalin Valog: You can reach the Chalin Valog area, where there are two very easy ski slopes, by getting off at a stop after 15 minutes of riding the gondola or by skiing to this area after completing a 30-minute gondola ride.

 Banderashka Polyana: In the Banderashka Polyana area, which is notable for its restaurants and cafes, there is a 7 km long ski slope. In this area with a unique view, you can both ski and take photos.

Tomba: Known for being one of the best black slopes in Europe, Tomba is famous for hosting the 2012 Men's World Championships and welcoming world champions. You can enjoy skiing on the champion's slope at the Tomba Ski slope. 

Shiligarnika: In this area where there are slopes of moderate difficulty, you can also enjoy spending pleasant time in restaurants and cafes. Plato: The highest ski slopes of Bansko ski slopes are located in the Plato area. In this area, you have the opportunity to ski for a full 16 km. Bansko ski slopes have an altitude ranging from 900 meters to 2,650 meters. There are 15 ski slopes in Bansko. Bansko ski slopes appeal to people of all age groups from beginners to professionals.

You don't need to be a professional skier to enjoy skiing in Bansko. Anyone with a passion for skiing can benefit from affordable training programs by visiting Bansko. Bansko is also famous for its spa centers, therapy and treatment centers, and nightlife. Bansko has a cosmopolitan structure. You can discover local dishes in Bulgarian's famous tavern restaurants.

  • Restaurant recommendation: Since generally all meals are suitable for our taste, you won't have any difficulty. For a Turkish cuisine-like meat restaurant, I recommend Familia Restaurant, for a Big Chefs style one, Ginger is great in terms of both food and prices. If you want a restaurant with live music, I suggest Penguin. For meat and pizza, Ethna is superb, and there's also Victoria Restaurant.
  • If you like rock music, I highly recommend Amigo Bar.

Visit https://www.thesmallhotels.com/bansko-hotels for Bansko Hotels and Accommodation Recommendations!

Hotels in Bansko provide their guests with top-notch service. They save their guests from the hassle of carrying their ski equipment. There are shuttle vehicles providing transportation to the cable car. Moreover, leading hotels in Bansko host spa salons that will do justice to Eastern therapy methods. Bansko hotels do not send their guests away without resting. In addition to thermal indoor swimming pools in many hotels in Bansko, there are specially designed spa salons to relax their guests. In some Bansko hotels, you can also find outdoor swimming pools for visitors who visit Bansko in the summer months. Hotels are equipped to meet all the needs of their guests in order to make them feel good. In addition to being Bulgaria's newest ski resort, Bansko's abundance of thermal sources also offers spa and similar therapy facilities in hotels.

 BANSKO-HOTELS: There are many entertainment opportunities in Bansko beyond what you think. Bansko is famous for its ski slopes as well as its clubs with advanced lighting and sound equipment. In open buffets at hotels, you can find not only Bulgarian cuisine but also tastes from German and Bavarian cuisines. In addition, game meat services are also among the unique presentations of Bansko. There is also a greeting service and private vehicle service from Sofia and Thessaloniki airports at hotels. Hotels have special passes for direct access to cable cars for an extra fee. Guests can obtain cable car tickets from the hotel without waiting in line. In Bansko Ski Resort, there are tourist accommodation centers suitable for every budget and preference, from mountain houses to super luxury spa hotels. The locational planning of Bansko hotels and Bansko ski slopes is different from Turkish ski resorts. Bansko hotels and Bansko ski slopes are two separate areas located at different altitudes. From hotels close to the Gondola, which provides panoramic views of an unforgettable journey to the ski slopes from the hotel area, you can easily access the Bansko Ski Center. It's advisable to choose hotels close to Gondola for easy access to the Bansko Ski Center and to avoid carrying ski equipment for a long time. Free shuttle service is also provided for continuous transportation from hotels far from the Gondola.

Bansko ski tours will turn your dream winter holiday into a gastronomy festival. Bansko offers a wide variety of dining and entertainment options. Such boutique and unique flavors contained in Bansko tours will allow you to discover different tastes without straining your budget in 2017 programs. Bansko is not only a ski center but also an unmatched flavor center with wine, delicious red meat specialties, and various delicious cheese varieties. The game meats and local sausage/pastrami varieties, the plentiful "Kashkaval" cheese specific to the region, and Bulgarian wine varieties are just a few of the local flavors you can buy for your loved ones when you return to Turkey.

Everywhere you go, there are Turks and someone speaking Turkish, it is true. If you also have notes, leave them in the comments section :)

What Does Bansko Ski Resort Promise to Its Visitors?

  • Bansko ski resort offers visitors the opportunity to ski 24 hours a day.
  • Illuminated slopes, 650 meters long, offer a unique opportunity for night skiing enthusiasts.
  • There are slopes for all difficulty levels in Bulgarian ski resorts.
  • While the distance from the hotel area to the Bulgarian ski areas corresponds to a very short time, you can reach Bansko ski resorts in a short time by covering a half-hour distance.
  • You can have access to skiing in modern ski facilities at almost half the price of what is paid for European and Turkish ski slopes.
  • The Alberto Tomba slope, which is the world champion slope, is located in Bansko.
  • You can have the opportunity to ski all the time from December 15th to May 15th.