It’s notorious for many reasons, including raucous apres ski, cheap lift passes and some crazy long queues for the gondola. Yes, Bansko, Bulgaria’s premier ski resort, is one of those ski locations that divides opinion, even for people that have never been there.
We were intrigued enough to go and find out for ourselves and review Bansko ski resort in January 2025.
Now, as a heads up, our experiences were almost universally good. Almost. In fact, we found that while Bansko certainly does have numerous downsides, on a good day, we think that it could rival any other small ski resort. Notice the caveat there – as this is not a big ski resort.
Let’s get reviewing…
Bansko stats
- Skiable area: 75 kms – or 50 kms, depending on whether you count that chairlift that has never run since the 80s
- Highest point: 2,600 m
- Resort altitude: 960m
- Best suited for: Advanced beginners and intermediates
- Longest run: 12 kms (yes, you read that right – from 2,600m to 965m)
- Closest airport: Sofia (approx 2 hours) or Plovdiv (under 3 hours)
Bansko ski resort sits just above the town of Bansko, which is around 160 kms from the Bulgarian capital (and main airport) Sofia. The town is on a plain within the Pirin National Park, surrounded by impressive mountain scenery.
After decades of investment, there is now a relatively fast road linking Sofia to Bansko, with buses and affordable private transfers making the journey pretty efficient.
You can also connect to Bansko from Plovdiv airport which is around 3 hours away. Or if you’re coming by road, Bansko is on one of the main highways through Bulgaria from Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and other parts of the region.
Transfers from Sofia or Ploviv airport are the most efficient way to get to Bansko. And they’re also quite affordable. Check taxi prices for your party with Kiwi Taxi.
There are also options for buses from the airport – but you might find these are not much cheaper than a taxi, especially for larger parties. Check bus prices with BusBud.
Welcome to Bansko
If you’ve never been to Eastern Europe then the journey to Bansko will be a crash course for you. The landscape is an enticing mix of aging industrial towns and crumbling agriculture, mixed with the odd smattering of modern-ish buildings and a generous sprinkle of abandoned building projects. Saying that, the roads are in surprisingly good condition and the natural landscape varies from beautiful vistas of rolling hills and mountains, through to forests and farmland. It’s all very charming.
As you roll into Bansko, the town’s pedigree becomes apparent. By night, Bansko is lit up like Las Vegas, and even by day the quantity of hotels, restaurants, casinos, spas and strip clubs is in sharp contrast to the rest of the country.
The main drag of Bansko is Pirin Street, which runs south to north from the gondola into the old town. This is dissected by the equally garish and busy Noviyat Grad, or New City Street. If you’re looking for ski rentals, apres ski bars or the higher end restaurants, this is where you’ll find it.
The gondola/base station is pretty much unmissable as it sits at the head of the new town with those gondolas rising up onto the mountain and the bumping beats of generic dance music emenating from the Happy End apres ski bar – just opposite.
It’s the old town which retains that old world charm, with wooden framed traditional houses, cobbled streets and old ladies chatting on the street corners. Also, this is where you’ll find that actual ‘cheap’ food for later on…
First up, whats the riding like?
Bansko review
Our first day on the mountain was a Sunday, the first of several snow days in Bansko and across Bulgaria. Now, I get that powder days are rare in Bansko, but we lucked out and had three – so that might skew this review slightly.
Lets start with the good.
Bansko overview
Running from 2600 metres to around 1600 metres, the main skiable area of the mountain offers a variety of nice easy blue runs and a handful of intermediate runs. There are just two black pisted runs on the main mountain, with another black piste on the Chalin Valog section at mid-mountain – around 1450 metres. That section at Chalin Valog is either accessed by riding down the ski road from Bunderishka Polyana gondola station; a slightly challenging run from the bottom of the Mosta chairlift; or taking the gondola back down the hill one stop.
That lone chairlift and red piste to the left hand side of the mountain (Tsarna Mogila) are not part of the current Bansko ski area and need to be removed. Apparently there is a high avalanche risk and the lifts ran once and never opened since. A shame as that could be a great little freeriding area, in a similar vein to somewhere like La Grave in France.
Take a moment to check out the Bansko piste map and get your bearings.
Looking at this map – you can visualise the most amount of traffic tends to be on the blue pistes. When we were there, it seemed for a lot of the time that the reds were practically empty – with plenty of fresh tracks on them well into our second or third powder days. The black runs were mostly closed for the FIS Snowboard World Cup which was due to take place on the day we left.
Anyways – those blue runs tended to be busy. The lower mountain blues in particular, especially runs 6 and 4 leading into the Todorka/Shiligarink lifts could be a jumble of learners, slow moving beginners and general traffic. At times, especially around lunchtime and the end of the day rush, this section resembled rush hour traffic in a big city – albeit on skis and snowboards.
But, if you ventured further up the mountain you were rewarded with a lot more options and the opportunity to avoid the traffic.
With all that being said, we never found the traffic to be a problem and it never really made a great difference to our day, except to avoid busier runs and ride those empty reds.
Snowboarding in Bansko
As a party of two snowboarders, we weren’t entirely sure what to expect when it came to our trip to Bansko. As it turned out, there was lots of fun to be had across the resort.
For starters, we found the runs themselves, especially higher up the mountain, to be nice and wide and fast. And the odd pocket of powder or tree runs to be found, there was ample opportunity to switch up the experience between each ride. The further down the mountain you got, it could get a little congested, as we mentioned.
There is also a snow park just off the number 11 blue piste, slightly before the Goat restautant and the top of the Mosta chairlift. While we were there, this was quite basic with a couple of boxes and pipes, but no real kickers or half pipes to explore. However, on our last couple of days they started pulling together a bigger kicker with all the snow that was falling, and it looked like there might be some more developed features once we’d left.
Even then, we thought that the park looked quite basic and park lovers will likely be disappointed.
But as we lucked out with the conditions, we were spoiled for choice when it came to off-piste. Talking of which…
Powder runs and backcountry
I mentioned being lucky with the fresh snow, and that really did open up the terrain for us. There were stacks of tree runs at the side of the pistes, powder fields on the top of the mountain and plenty of lines packed full of the fluffy stuff if you wanted to venture just a metre of two off the main runs. It was a lot of fun, and although the ski area is quite small, we made the most of the 6 days we had in Bansko.
Anecdotally, we heard that when the snow was lacking it could be slightly chaotic with less open pistes but the same amount of people. Which would be, frankly, pretty hard going. So I guess my suggestion is to keep an eye on the forecasts if you’re booking a ski trip to Bansko.
However one thing we did do is take an off-piste snowboarding trip with local backcountry guides Split the Mountain. Run by husband and wife team Nikolay and Elena, Split the Mountain have been running backcountry tours for over 20 years. We opted for a lift accessed off-piste tour which took us off the side of the mountain and into some incredible tree runs, couloirs and powder riding. If you find yourself in Bansko and yearning for a little more then we strongly recommend booking a trip with these guys as they clearly know the terrain.
If you have a group of two or more, the backcountry tours can also be very cost effective and well worth the extra spend on top of your lift ticket.
The ski road
Fun fact: Bansko offers one of the longest pisted ski runs from top to bottom anywhere in the world. The ski road! When it’s open fully, you have around 12kms of continuous piste to enjoy.
Starting at the Todorka peak, skiers can drop down a variety of runs, through the main intersection at Bunderiza Polyana and down the mountain to the resort.
This run is typically done at the end of the day which can mean a lot of traffic and some sketchy encounters. But, it is lots of fun! Well, I enjoyed it anyways.
One thing to bear in mind for snowboarders is that there are some flatter and slower sections where you will need to carry your speed, mostly in the middle section and towards the base. For everyone, you’ll need to keep your wits about you as there kids, wayward skiers and superfast skiers and snowboarders ready to take you out.
Check out my full top to bottom run here:
Is there enough skiing for a week in Bansko?
Although the mountain itself isn’t the largest, we found lots to enjoy during our Bansko stay. Our favourite runs were from the top of the mountain down the right hand side to the Mosta chairlift – with the last piste (12) being relatively untouched and empty for most of the week.
We also enjoyed the red side of the mountains, runs 4 and 2, which also tended to be relatively empty – with wide pistes and side hits for days.
There is also a small snow park which was mostly underdeveloped while we were there. They started to build a large kicker on the day before we left, but other than that they had a couple of boxes and pipes and that was about it – fine for basic tricks and honing your skills.
If you don’t mind doing the same runs, finding new lines and taking the time to enjoy the fine art of snowboarding or skiing, then yes there is plenty to do in Bansko over a week.
Is Bansko good for beginners?
Bansko certainly looks like it’s focused on beginners – although it looks like some parts of the terrain could be a little intimidating. Especially if there isn’t much snow further up the mountain.
At the main Banderishka Polyana gondola station there are a cluster of bunny hills and forgiving blue runs which were packed whenever we went through. It also looked like the ski road was used for some of the ski schools and there was quite a lot of activity around the Kolarski lift which seemed to feed learners into a quite intense corridor (pistes 6 and 4 on the map). This was a squeeze point on the mountain, with heavy traffic passing the 180 Bar down to the Todorka chairlift pretty much all day.
With all that being said, the mountain does offer a good variety of pistes for people to develop on and I think if I’d learned here, it would have been fine.
One of the main reasons people choose Bulgaria to learn to ski is the affordability – and it looks like lessons and equipment hire are good value – especially when you weigh up against the other European alternatives.
Controversial opinion alert: I think Bansko might be a better option for learners than Chamonix. Check out my post about learning to snowboard in Chamonix for more info on that.
So the terrain is good with some nice variety – lets move onto the elephant in the room.
Getting onto the mountain
When it comes to any Bansko review, there are several elements you need to consider before you even get on the mountain. Lets dig in…
Lift passes
Prices for a Bansko lift pass in 2024/25 are currently 110 Bulgarian Leva for one day (approx £46 or €54). It’s actually not that much cheaper to buy a multi-day lift pass either – which might come as a shock to anyone expecting Bansko to be a bargain for the ski pass. This is definitely not in the cheap ski resort category, with that lift price effectively the same as somewhere like Chamonix.
And, for the Bansko lift pass, no you can’t buy it online. You’ll need to come to the ticket office window at the gondola base station, choose the number of days you want and pay your money. There are no options for half days, so you’ll be charged as many days as you request – consecutive only. Want to have a rest day in the middle? You might need to factor that in and pay for only what you need.
There are self-service machines opposite the gondola where you can buy your lift passes, but we didn’t use these. It seemed that only one (of four) was in service when we were there.
There is also an option to buy your lift pass with your hotel package if you’re using a holiday provider like Crystal Ski or Balkan Holidays, or for premium resorts such as the Four Seasons or Kempinsky. For anyone travelling independently, you’ll need to get your lift pass yourself. We strongly recommend getting your lift pass the day before you plan to go skiing, for reasons which will become apparent in a moment.
Check up to date Bansko lift pass prices
Ski/snowboard equipment rental & lessons
We came with our own equipment, but there is no shortage of places to rent ski or snowboard gear around the town. I did consider renting before we arrived, and prices are actually pretty good. It also seems that the standard of rental gear varies hugely between places – I saw people riding what is clearly top spec gear with the rental shop barcodes, and some other boards and skis that looked like they’d seen much better days.
Shop around, but it seemed like SkiMania and Tsakiris had a monopoly going on.
If you’re looking for the best quality rental gear, then SkiSet are always a good bet with a branch right next to the gondola.
There are also lots of places to book your ski or snowboard lessons, with a wide range of prices. A private 2 hour lesson could cost anything from BGN110 (approx €55) or a group lesson can cost as little as 175BGN (approx €90) for up to 6 people – shop around and check reviews.
The gondola and THAT queue
The Bansko gondola opens at 8.30 am every day with a 20 minute ride up to the main mountain station at Banderishka Polyana (the drop off point for the mountain gondola), with a stop en route via the Chalin Valog sector which is lower down the mountain.
So you might have heard about the incredibly long queue just to get onto the gondola in the morning. And you might also have heard it can take one… two… sometimes even three hours just to get into the gondola and up onto the mountain for your first run.
We were there on what was apparently a quiet week, ten days after the new year. Our first day on the mountain was a Sunday, and it was dumping fresh powder as we stood in the queue. And on that first day, we did stand in the queue for around an hour and a half – apparently because there were issues with the lifts.
BUT… After that Sunday, we never stood in the queue for more than 20 minutes, with one day being just ten minutes. Our approach was to take a leisurely stroll to the gondola, and let that 8.30-9.30 rush hour subside. It seems that from 8.30, you get the rush of all the ski schools and priority passes who clog up the queue and hamper those efforts to be first on the mountain. So if you’re committed to getting the gondola, we recommend rocking up after half-9, maybe even 10am, for less chance of getting frustrated.
Eager beavers who want fresh tracks might be frustrated, Unless…
Really wanna be first up the mountain?
Ski bus or taxi
There is clearly a booming trade in helping people skip the gondola queue, as there are stacks of yellow taxis and minibuses whizzing up the hill from opening time. We actually took the ski bus twice, which was fast and efficient and cost just 12 BGN (around £5 or €6). Yes, you already paid for your gondola pass. But if you can’t be arsed to wait in line – a 15 minute minibus ride is well worth it.
You buy your ticket from the little booth and as soon as the bus is full (usually within 5 minutes) you’re on your way.
I have heard tales of traffic at peak times – but we found the ski bus options to be efficient and fast. You might also find your accommodation puts on a ski bus, if you’re lucky.
Where to stay in Bansko
Perhaps the main reason to choose Bansko is the affordability when it comes to accommodation. There are lots of options scattered across the town, from cheap apartments to hotels and catered chalets.
Bear in mind also that Bansko is quite a big town, with a bit of a sprawl, so if you’re a long walk from the main gondola, you might want to either use the lockers at the lift station to store your ski boots, or see if your hotel can provide a shuttle to the gondola.
Some of the best options in Bansko include:
Explore Bansko Chalets
Run by a friendly British couple, Martin and Leanne, Explore Bansko have been running for several years and operate three excellent catered chalets. Well located just off the main drag of the Old Town, Explore Bansko’s three chalets include Snow Pine, River Pine and Ginchini. They’re best suited for groups, especially families, schools or bigger bookings as the chalets are mostly designed for communal living.
All of the Explore Bansko Chalets are based on a traditional aesthetic, with a wooden chalet vibe. They use a lot of upcycled items as both furniture and decor – and they even have a hot tub on site for guests to soothe their aches.
Martin and his team prep home cooked food for their guests every evening. And, they also can provide a ski bus for guests to the gondola or, at busy times, up the mountain.
Find out more and book your stay at Explore Bansko Chalets.
Kempinski Hotel
For those looking for the premium option, the Kempinski Hotel is the only ski to door hotel in Bansko and the closest hotel to the gondola. Rooms are all tastefully decked out in a mountain style, meaning plenty of wood panelling and animal rugs. Most of the rooms also include a balcony and views across the mountain, or toward the town.
There is also a spa on site and a choice of top quality restaurants for guests to choose from.
For those keen to skip the lift queues, the Kempinski Hotel is one of the few hotels where you can buy a VIP lift pass, allowing you priority access to the gondola in the morning.
Find best prices for the Kempinski Hotel at Booking.com.
The Dumanov Hotel
If you’re after a more affordable hotel and you don’t mind a five minute walk to the gondola, the Dumanov Hotel is a solid option. Rooms are simple but comfortable and there is an on-site bar, hammam and jacuzzi/spa.
While you’re not getting the full luxury treatment, you’re well located for some great eateries and shopping and a mere five minutes walk from the gondola and much of the best of the apres ski.
Find best prices for the Dumanov Hotel Bansko at Booking.com.
Where to eat in Bansko?
The general vibe is to head to a Mehana (also spelled Mexana) which are basically local tavernas, often serving grilled meat and hearty salads and stews. If you’re a meat eater you’ll be well served here, although there is also a decent selection for veggies and vegans too.
On the road, you’ll usually have guys flagging you down, touting for business and inviting you in to check out the menu. They’re not overly intrusive, and actually often the restaurants are decent quality too. But we dined at:
- Family Tavern: Was very good – barbecued meat, big salads and freshly baked bread was all winning.
- Dedo Tase: Very rustic with trinkets on the wall and an open fire in the main restaurant.
- The House: Lots of meat plus live music. Good choice.
- Whatever this place is called: We didn’t go in but the food looked great, and the guy was roasting a whole lamb outside the front door.
For most of the mehanas, a meal for two with drinks seemed to be around BGN100 (approx €50).
The rule seems to be the further down the road, past the church, the cheaper the food gets. We dined at Eagles Nest one night which was more than half the price of everywhere else, with a fun surly waitress for good measure.
There are also lots of cheap kebab and pizza restaurants where you can fill up for cheap. They’re all decent quality fare for under €10 – usually something like a gyros or shawarma style wrap.
Is Bansko good for apres ski?
In a word, yes. Very. There are numerous lively bars scattered across the town, with the obvious choices being the Happy End Bar right next to the base station gondola. This is where skiers and boarders soothe their end of day legs to the sounds of thumping house tunes and copious beverages.
There are also several options before you get to the bottom of the mountain, including the 180 Bar on the mountain itself and Peshterite – which is hidden slightly off piste at Chalin Valog.
Once you’ve done your apres ski, there are tons of places to grab a drink, including:
- Amigos Bar: Gets going around 10pm and has a lively band every night – with a lead guitarist who drinks a lot of whisky!
- Ginger: Large restaurant and bar on the main road with live music most nights.
- Pirin 75: Slightly more chill place to enjoy some drinks in pleasant surroundings.
- Queens Pub: Kitsch pub serving beer and burgers – but looks like it’s actually a supermarket due to the huge Aldo sign above it.
- Morris Bar: Popular British style boozer showing Premier League football and serving local and international beers.
Once you’re deep into party mode, you’ll find plenty of nightclubs and late night music venues to get your teeth into, including:
A word about strip clubs too. There are several dotted around town, but they seem to be notorious for scams and we were warned off visiting any. Do so at your own judgment.
What to do in Bansko apart from skiing?
Bansko is a lively mountain town with lots of options for non-skiers, or even for just entertaining yourself after a day on the mountain. One of the best ones is definitely a trip to a thermal spa. The nearby town of Banya is dotted with many thermal baths – it’s even actually called Bath!
You can simply turn up, pay your entry fee and soak away. We paid around BGN20 for entry to Villa Victoria. This was a really nice experience with a selection of different baths and a bar too.
Many of the thermal baths are also spa hotels, so you can stay in Banya and commute into Bansko for your ski days if you want.
There are also other outdoor and nature options such as:
- Horse riding tours
- Lake and mountain hiking
- Local Bansko walks up the mountain beside the ski road
- Sledging at the ski road
Is it worth visiting Bansko?
We had a great time in Bansko. Helped massively by the great snow conditions when we arrived. We found plenty of snow to ride for a week, and had a lot of fun both on and off the mountain.
If you’re looking for tons of terrain to explore and miles to munch with 100% snow sure conditions, then this might not be your resort. But if you want a fun and affordable ski trip with a buzzy cultural experience in the town then this is definitely a trip to consider. This is also a good resort for mixed ability skiers/snowboarders, and for parties where not everyone wants to ski – or at least ski every day. The compact nature of the resort means it’s easy for the serious riders to go and enjoy the terrain while learners or kids take it easy on the lower slopes (or at the bar).
Many people booking a trip to Bansko are most likely just looking to get the most from their ski trip budget, and I think on that front that Bansko delivers. Food is cheaper, there is tons of apres ski, affordable luxury options such as the thermal baths and if the snow is even half decent then you’ll have a good time.
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