In short, Bansko is a ski resort for confident beginner-intermediate skiers, travelling in from within a single flight radius of Sofia, that are looking for a good time, with fabulous food, in a place where the quality of the snow & skiing doesn’t really matter, and the budget wont break the bank. So, in short, it is not really our ‘cup of tea’. However as with everywhere, Bansko does have quite a few things going for it.

To get to Bansko, we originally tried to use the national carrier, Bulgaria Air, but after a few too many flight cancellations & timetable changes, we ditched them in favour of Austrian Airlines (which worked seamlessly). The drive to Bansko was frenetic to say the least. Clearly the driver wanted to spend as little time as possible on the road. He even joked (at least I think he was joking) about being a Michael Schumacher protégé. The drive back to airport was just as interesting …..

Somehow arriving safely at our digs in the Chalet Diana Ross, we were comfortably in our room and on the way to dinner in no time. Chalet Diana Ross is a Snomads lodge with private rooms & shared lounge/dining space. We shared the lodge with a very funny Irish crew, making the stay even more pleasurable. Whilst the lodge was a good walk from the ski lift base, it wasn’t a deal breaker for us.

Breakfast every morning was included, and it included at least one local, hot dish which provided a good introduction to that most wonderful of Bulgarian pastimes, eating. Eating at Bansko is one of the main highlights of the trip. Whether it was a fresh baked banitsa filled with potato & mushrooms, or a multi-course BBQ lamb feast in a mehana (tavern), the food experience is incredible here. Eating evening meals in the taverns of the old town laneways is a Bansko MUST DO. A dinner at Uncle Georges Mehana whilst it was snowing hard outside was as near a perfect ski resort dining experience as we have ever had. An eccentric host, great company, beer & wine, amazing, authentic food & service, plus traditional décor for a relatively paltry sum. Or if you are not cuisine inquisitive like us, there are plenty of standard take-away and ‘western’ restaurant options as well.

From a ski perspective, at the base of the mountain we quickly learned for ourselves that waiting in the gondola line had knobs on it, and getting in a taxi, pronto, was the only way to start the day. Which is a shame, because the lift system is reasonably good quality, but the base gondola, plus some hectic volume issues on the mid-mountain lifts, detracts from its review score. After the first day’s reconnaissance, we were picked up by a taxi (arranged by our Snomads host) early every morning before first lifts and transported to the mid-mountain base of Shiligarnika. Early morning lift lines had waits of nearly 3hr on some mornings.

When the icy wind at the 2,600m highest lifted point wasn’t blowing its heart out, the off-piste skiing was superb, particularly up high where other humans were mostly absent. The snow depth was not huge, so off-piste skiing was limited. Plus, a little research informed us that it was illegal! That’s a bit of a cross against Bansko for Powderhounds.

The groomed runs in Bansko are as good as anywhere in the world. Shame there isn’t a little bit more for advanced riders, but such is life. Once the Ski Road back to the village opened, being able to ski the full vertical of the resort was fantastic. We skied a couple of closed runs for some off-piste fun. Was humorous how everyone watching then followed, whether they were up to it or not. In the end for our group, as experienced skiers, we lost interest by lunchtime. Could hear a banitsa calling my name.

Après ski at Bansko is as good as Austria. Most people end up in the huge, throbbing ‘Happy End’ bar. We preferred the quieter Pisten Bully Bar for a few bevvies. There are clearly lots of entertaining nightclubs & late-opening bars in Bansko, but after some huge dining experiences, we never stayed up long enough to check them out. Judging by the hangovers some of our fellow lodge guests were carrying some days, we assume the late-night options were well satisfying.

And so, to the top 10 most annoying (or disheartening, frustrating, saddening, unbelievable) things about Bansko.

1. The drivers from the airport to the resort are borderline lunatics and generally do not appear to have the comfort or safety of their passengers in mind.
2. The line for the gondola at the base of the resort is an exercise in extreme patience and outright corruption. Having to pay for a taxi to get one up to the mid-mountain car parks to avoid the gondola lift line at the base compounds the issue.
3. The trail map includes an amazing looking chairlift (Tzarna Mogila) & piste run that has never been in operation during winter. That’s just false advertising of the highest order.
4. Incredibly busy & dangerous on the many beginner runs (particularly 4, 6 and 1 above mid-mountain)by the middle of the day once everyone has finally got up the hill from the gondola base.
5. Beginner snowboarders carrying their snowboards in their hands on chairlifts. WTF? Would not be allowed anywhere else in the world (but it does happen in Georgia too, perhaps says a lot about Bulgaria!).
6. In a resort with such amazing food in the village, the on-mountain offerings are an insult.
7. The long Ski Road at Bansko is wonderful for beginners and intriguing for everyone else. The people watching is fascinating, particularly in the lower half of the trail. However, (here comes the annoying bit) the hordes of pedestrians walking on the snow-covered and groomed Ski Road run completely blocking the way for skiers & snowboarders is …… aaargh!
8. Most of the best lift-accessed off-piste skiing usually involves breaching local National Park laws, something we are not prepared to do.
9. The resort village around the gondola base (as opposed the delightful old town further down the hill ), whilst lively with fun bars cocktail lounges, nightclubs & restaurants, is also full of strip joints & lewd bars - so unnecessary in a good ski resort.
10. Booze (bar prices), lift passes, taxis and some other services are not as cheap here as they used to be.

A few other quirks worth mentioning. The resort village is full of roaming, but friendly, dogs. Be kind to them. Also, there is an insane amount of ATM cash machines throughout the town, often in quite random locations. Even though much of Bulgaria is still a cash only society, avoid using those ATMs as the fees associated with them are extortionary. Use only proper bank ATMs. There are a few in the bottom end of town where all the locals shop.

Come to Bansko with the attitude of having a good time, at a fun place, with magnificent cuisine, and where there will be skiing available once you wake up late in the morning. Don’t take the grim visages of the locals personally, because its not. Smile and wave, smile and wave ……

See our video here

My first experience of Bulgaria - wow.
The "old town" architecture, culture, food and drink is full of history, colour, flavor and characters.
Plus, there's something about the name, "Bulgaria", that makes me smile.
Whilst a smile might not be a common reaction from a local, there is great warmth, generosity and kindness in actions.
The area around the ski infrastructure is bright flashy lights, lots of after hours options for drinking, socialising and dancing into the early hours. Access to the hill can be challenging as the line up for the gondola can be horrendous with little management outside the gondola station. There are ways to mitigate this but they involve right time, knowledge and funds.
Unfortunately, when I visited, there was little snow (although the photos appear otherwise!), access to side country was not possible and the best option for beginners was not open. Based on this, in my opinion, this ski hill is best suited to intermediate skiers, and/or those who are seeking other experiences in addition to skiing such as food, traditional architecture, catching up with friends or making new ones, apres etc
See our video here