The essence of the problem
Bansko wants a second booth - reads the sign at the entrance to the city. It means that the city is struggling with "green" for the right to build a second kabinovy elevator to the mountain for skiers. The fact is that Bansko is a ski resort - the largest in Bulgaria and not the last in Europe. The World Cup is held here every year in skiing and snowboarding, biathlon and Canadian wrestling.
This is a full-fledged winter resort, which over the past few years has grown to such an extent that it lacked the number of lifts. That is, the village of Bansko itself has tripled at the expense of hotels and restaurants, the ski slopes are set up the steepest and longest in the Balkans, and the lift connecting the city and the slopes is only one: one cabin lift with 8 places.
Such lines are lining up to him, that the authorities even let special buses and tourists take them to the nearest saddle lift (there are 8 of them and a bunch of small other constructions). Build a second cabin lift does not allow Greenpeace.
Because of this whole topic, Bulgaria does not like green people very much and considers them "accomplices of the imperialists". In all seriousness, it is rumored that Switzerland is bringing Greenpeace to Bulgaria in Bansko to prevent the Bulgarians from improving their infrastructure. Otherwise, de, Bansko will become the coolest of all Swiss resorts)
Every year, residents of Bansko, who only live with this tourism, organize strikes and rallies demanding the construction of a second lift. But all is useless.
However, this does not stop tourists. Even when the ruble fell, and the Russian tourists did not go to Bansko in such a mass, as usual, the Germans came to their place.
Every year I visit Bansko in the winter and have never noticed that the tourists have greatly decreased. Yes, restaurateurs and hoteliers complain, but it’s impossible to book places in good hotels - everything is taken six months ahead, it’s impossible to walk around the city - crowds of people everywhere! For me, this is a big stress and I endure all this a few days a year, just to meet with my relatives, who come every year from Russia to ski in Bansko, and are very pleased.
Bansko
Bansko is located in the South-Western part of Bulgaria, just 150 kilometers from Sofia. But do not believe the tourist sites that write that you get there in two hours on the transfer from the airport. In fact, the transfer carries tourists at least 3.5 hours, the regular bus also travels the same. Only by private car can you reach Bansko in less than two hours.
The city arose at this place first as the school-church organization of the Bulgarian Exarchate in 1850. This organization served as a local government and was a continuation of the village public council that was formed here in 1833 and was engaged in the construction of the Church of the Trinity.
In 1867, 4-5 thousand inhabitants lived in Bansko, and by 1900 the village turned into the largest settlement in the Razloz region with more than 6,000 inhabitants. Razlog is the administrative center to which Bansko belongs. Now an average of 8,000 people live in the city. In the high season - in winter, the population of Bansko increases by several times.
Bansko is located at the foot of the Northern Pirin mountain range at an altitude of 927 meters above sea level, that is, in a valley surrounded by mountains. On the other hand stretches the ridge of Rila. The ski slopes are even higher and you need to go there by a lift, unlike the resorts of Pamporovo and Borovets, where hotels are located between the slopes.
Skiers ride between 2560 and 1000 meters. There are 75 kilometers of tracks in the resort, which are divided into three types: for beginners, for experienced and for advanced ones.
I do not ski, so I’m of little interest in the charms and facilities for skiers, but I’m interested in restaurants, museums and balneology.
Restaurants
This is just an abundance. In essence, the city consists of hotels and restaurants. I travel to Bansko for many years, but still have not bypassed all the restaurants. The food here is great, though, we must take into account the resort extra charge. After Sophia here may seem expensive. The average dinner check for three people without alcohol will be 70 levs (35 euros). Of course, there are also quite cheap canteens for true athletes - there you can have dinner for three leva for 30 (15 euros).
Bansko has its own kitchen with Macedonian nuances. Because in time immemorial, this territory was Macedonian. Also here the tastes of the Greek and Turkish neighbors were strongly reflected. Therefore, the kitchen in Bansko will differ in taste and prescription nuances from the kitchen in Plovdiv or on the coast. By the way, the Bulgarian language in Bansko also has its own nuances. However, none of the foreigners need anything, because all languages are spoken in Bansko. And you will not be able to practice in Bulgarian. Anyone inviting instantly determines our nationality and begins to speak Russian. Sometimes, it seems to me, better than me)
Museums
Bansko is the birthplace of the Bulgarian folk heroes Neofit Rilski, Paisiy Khilendarsky, and the poet Nikola Vaptsarov, so there are their houses here that have been turned into museums. There are also exhibition centers, historical museums and several beautiful churches in the resort.
Balneology
There is no thermal water in Bansko itself, and do not trust anyone who will prove to you the opposite. Many hotels in Bansko write that they have mineral water in the pools - they are cunning. Everything happens this way: twice a year, the hotel pours into the reservoirs of the pool thermal water brought in cisterns from the neighboring village of Banya, which has thermal springs. And then bleach is poured into this water and the water circulates inside the system from cleaning to cleaning. That's all. I believe that there is no therapeutic effect from such water.
However, there are thermal springs around Bansko. For example, in the village of Banya or in Dobrinishte. There were built hotels with thermal outdoor pools, and in Dobrinishte there are even public thermal baths, the entrance to which costs only 1.6 leva (0.80 euro). You can easily get to Dobrinishte by taxi - it’s just 8 kilometers away.
Summer in Bansko
Do not think that there is nothing to do in the summer in Bansko. For me it is much nicer than winter Bansko: less dirt and people, lower prices, because the low season, incredible landscapes and the ability to walk on eco-trails - they are not overwhelmed with snow.
And there are a lot of ecological trails in Bansko for hiking. For example, there are 21 mountain routes and 4 eco-tours. All of them are equipped for relaxation and more convenient passage. You can walk not on foot, but on horseback.
You can still write a lot of things, but I'm afraid I already loaded readers, I finish.
I hope and think that for the first time is enough.
Thank you for your time and attention.
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