Great food, drink and entertainment - at excellent prices
Bansko is not just a great ski resort. It is also an authentic and charming old medieval town which attracts numerous visitors to its cultural monuments, museums and exhibitions, as well as its summertime activities which include a traditional Bulgarian Folk Festival and an international Jazz festival (see summer breaks). Its delightful narrow cobbled streets with traditional stone-built houses have a captivating and welcoming atmosphere.
If you have energy left after a full day’s skiing on the mountain, then in winter there is an open air ice rink. The town also has a bowling alley and casino, and many hotels offer additional entertainment facilities.
Bansko’s night life is also lively with several nightclubs, many bars and the authentic ‘mehanas’ (Bulgarian Taverns) which offer genuine Bulgarian cuisine and local wines and beers (with roaring log fires and live folk music thrown in for free) for very reasonable prices which are low compared to most other ski resorts.
Almost everything served in the ‘mehanas’ will have been grown locally and, because chemicals are an expensive luxury in Bulgaria, produce is almost certain to be organic or free range. This means the fantastic grilled meat dishes and salads are particularly tasty, while many of the house wines served will have been made ‘in-house’ and come straight from the barrel.
Prices for a three-course meal with wine in many of the ‘mehanas’ will cost as little as £5 to £10.
Many of the hotels provide more western-style menus. For example the five star Kempinski has three very reasonably-priced (by British standards) restaurants, including a sushi bar. English-style dishes, pizzas, pasta and a mix of local dishes are available in the Emerald restaurant.
Bansko Ski Apartment for Bansko skiing holidays - Rented direct from the owner
Bulgaria’s newest ski resort
Bansko Skiing