The gateway to Pirin

Bansko is one of the most beautiful mountain towns in South-eastern Bulgaria. It is located in Blagoevgrad District, near Razlog, 160 km from Sofia. The town is situated at the foothills of the North Pirin, at 927 meters above sea level. Bansko has the status of a unique settlement of international importance for business tourism (since 1979). The excellent combination of a cool mountain climate in the summer, wonderful conditions for skiing in the winter, the availability of a modern hotel base, excellent infrastructure, and ideal conditions for cultural and health tourism have identified the town as one of the most attractive and desirable mountain resorts in Bulgaria, with opportunities for a year-round holiday.

The climate of Bansko is mountainous. Average January temperatures are -1.9 ° C. In winter the snow cover is kept on average for 6 months a year (from December to May) and the alpine character of Pirin provides excellent conditions for professional and amateur skiing. Summer Bansko will offer temperatures between + 25 ° C and + 35 ° C and the unique coolness of the mountain.

History

In the past Bansko was a big and rich settlement with developed crafts, trade and art. In the middle of the 18th century the Bansko Art School was formed, which spread its fame to the Balkans and Central Europe. In many of the Bulgarian cities there are monuments left by the masters of Bansko. In the 60s and 70s of 19th century, the municipality headed the struggle against the Greek Church authorities for the independence of the Bulgarian Church and for the development of the educational work in Bansko. At its initiative in 1857 a new school building was built, the mutual school was reorganized in class, newspapers and literature were published. The municipality organized the construction of the bell tower of the Holy Trinity Church in 1850 and the installation of a clock mechanism in 1865.

Summer tourism

When the snow melts in early June, Pirin reveals its incredible peaks and lakes with well-built marked paths. In the summer Bansko becomes a wonderful destination for mountain walks, climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting and fishing. The combination of sharp peaks, glacial lakes, clean mountain springs and spacious alpine meadows make Bansko summer truly unique. The town is famous for its original unique architecture, picturesque two-story stone houses and flower gardens, the icon-painting and wood-carving school, and its local cuisine. The region also offers the warm mineral pools of the neighbouring village of Dobrinishte.

Cultural sites

There are about 150 cultural monuments in Bansko. Of national importance are the Church of the Holy Trinity with the clock tower-bell tower, the "Velian's House" with artistic decoration one of the most prominent representatives of the Bansko Art School Velian Ognev, the houses-museum "Neofit Rilski", "Benina House", " Nikola Vaptsarov ”, the Church of the Assumption. You can also visit the House of Art and Poetry here, as well as the iconic Bansko Icon Painting School exhibition in the Hilendarski Metoh [Hilendar’s convent]. In the area are located the historical museum in the village of Eleshnitsa with rich findings from the Neolithic period (VI - IV thousand years BC), as well as the UNESCO-protected church of St. Theodore Tiron and Theodore Stratilat in the village of Dobarsko.

Information about the ski slopes

Up-to-date information on the condition of the slopes.

List of lifts and ski slopes in Bansko according to their complexity.

Winter tourism

There are 75 km of ski trails in Bansko, designated for beginners, advanced and experienced skiers and snowboarders. The highest point of the ski centre is 2560 m and the lowest 1000 m. The ski season lasts from December to May, thanks to 170 artificial snow cannons and snowblowing machines, and the well-lit ski slopes also provide nighttime use. . On the territory of the resort there is a modern system of lifts that transports skiers to the ski slopes - a gondola, eight chair lifts, six ski lifts for adults and ten for children. The resort is equipped with a special Half Pipe facility, providing new opportunities for snowboarders.

Additional information

During the winter season, lifts operate according to the following time schedule:

Cabin lift - first lift from Bansko at 08:30 - last lift from Banderishka Polyana at 17:00
Lift - first lift at 08:45 - last lift at 16:15

Astera Bansko Apartment Tourist Complex & SPA works with Pirin 2000 ski school.

The hotel offers a free shuttle bus to Gondola Station from December 15 to March 31 with the following timetable:

At 08:00 from hotel to departure station every 30 minutes till 11:00
At 15:00 from departure station to hotel every 30 minutes till 16:30

Attractions nearby

Cultural sites	Distance from the hotel
Church of the Holy Trinity, Bansko	2 km
Velian’s House	2 km
House - museum “Nikola Vaptsarov”	2 km
Neophyte Rilski Museum - Bansko	2,3 km
Permanent Icon Exhibition "Bansko Art School	2 km
Landmarks
Vihren Hut and Baikusheva Mura [Baikushev's pine]	14,8 km
Belitsa Park for Dancing Bears	35,2 km
Vihren Peak – 2914 m	15 km
The Nameless City Fortress - Dobrinishte	8,6 km
The rock formation "Svatbata [the Wedding]”	26,7 km
Glacial lakes	15 km
Waterfall St. Nikola	7,2 km
Banderishka Polyana Ski Centre	11,1 km