Europe is home to nearly 4,000 ski resorts! With so many options here, never mind further afield like the States, how are you supposed to choose? In my search last July, I found Bansko using a tried and tested method…
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Believe it or not, the budget-friendly nature of Bansko isn’t even its greatest asset. The locals speak excellent English, making it accessible to most international tourists, and it also delivers the best skiing views I’ve ever seen.
Most unique of all, with 48km of piste, Bansko has one of the world’s longest continuous slopes. Clocking in at 16km from the top of the mountain Todorka all the way to the bottom of the gondola, these continuous routes are an absolute treasure.
Better yet, while you can take red (intermediate) or black (hard) runs on the way down, it’s possible – via multiple routes – to take blue (easy) runs the whole way down!
That’s right – even beginners can ski uninterrupted from the very top of the mountain, an unfathomably rare opportunity. No longer are they stuck on little slopes at the foot of the hill, having to ride chairlifts up and back down for the views!
Bansko is cheap, stunning, and has something for everyone, not to mention all the other excursions in the area. Read on for how much it actually costs, as well as my top 5 tips.
Skiing in Bansko is remarkably affordable, which makes it the perfect place for beginners to try skiing for the first time without breaking the bank, or just a great resort for budget-conscious pros.
A daily lift pass for the gondola and all ski lifts costs 79 BGN or roughly £34, and the cost per day decreases the more days you buy. For context, Three Valleys in France costs roughly £55 a day, and Jackson Hole, WY, USA starts at £111 a day.
Equipment hire prices depend on the age and quality of the equipment you choose, but a common mid-range price is £17 a day, with daily prices again becoming better value the more days you book.
Conveniently, many rental stores offer packages with lift passes, equipment hire, and lessons at a reduced cost!
Flights to Sofia, transfers to Bansko, and the accommodation options available in town are all just as reasonable. Visiting in January, I was able to book flights, a private airport transfer, and 7 nights in a 4-star spa hotel for just £340 per person.
If you’ve heard of Bansko, you’ve heard of the gondola issue. Stories of 2-hour queues every morning are enough to put anyone off this resort! But are they true?
On our trip, we arrived at different times each of our 6 slope days, all between 8 am and 10 am. It’s true that the later we arrived, the worse the queue was. But the longest we ever waited was 10 minutes! And before 9 am, we just walked straight on. Not a problem at all.
That’s not to say the 2-hour queues don’t ever happen. Factors like travelling during covid, during the quiet month of January, and just before Bulgarian holidays may all have helped.
That being said, don’t let the infamous gondola put you off. Why? Because a line of taxis sit outside the gondola offering to drive you up the mountain for roughly £10/15! Even cheaper, local equipment rental shops offer lifts up the mountain for as cheap as 10 BGN (£4)!
Rather than set an alarm for 7 am every day to miss the queue, just factor a potential extra £50 into your budget so you can catch a ride up the mountain if you need one. That being said, getting up early to be one of the first on the freshly groomed mountain, skiing empty runs, is worth doing at least once.
Bansko ski season runs from December to mid-April, but the best snow is often reported from mid-January to the end of February.
As with most destinations, January is a quiet month to travel. However, be sure to avoid the local Bulgarian holidays at the end of January when the slopes become much busier.
Bansko may be affordable, but snowsports are never a cheap holiday, especially when gear hire and lift passes are factored in. If you’re travelling light and need to save space, strap your helmet onto your hand luggage. This is common practice and even super-tight airlines like Ryanair don’t seem to mind.
Most importantly though, if this is your first time skiing or snowboarding and you need to buy all the clothing from scratch, I would suggest you buy your gear in Bansko!
Salopettes, jackets, helmets, goggles, thermals – the streets are chockablock with stores selling everything you need for the slopes, all of high quality, and for a much more reasonable price than in the UK. Many stores even rent out helmets and goggles along with their equipment, so all you need to buy is clothing.
Snowsports are by no means Bansko’s only activity! Book out at least one day in the middle of your trip to rest your muscles and see something new. Local highlights include thermal pools that many tour operators offer affordable transfers to, snowmobiling, horse riding in the snow, a historical tour of Bansko town, or of course a much-needed spa day.
If you’re anything like me, food plays a big role in the holiday experience. Bansko is well known for its incredible food, both in the lively area at the bottom of the slopes and in the town itself.
The tourist-centric restaurants near the gondola almost all serve steaks, burgers, pasta, risotto, and other international options that were genuinely cooked to perfection every time, and very affordable by European standards. The busiest of these is Ginger, and with a deliciously long drinks menu and live music every night, it deserves its popularity.
While the huge range of options at the foot of the slopes are fantastically convenient, please at least once wander the 10-minute walk into town and eat at a real Bulgarian restaurant.
Not only do the prices plummet, but the local cuisine found there isn’t on the slope restaurant menus. Bulgarian food is known for its meat, but there are plenty of vegetarian options too! If you’re stymied for choice, try Kasapinova Mehana, a family-run restaurant just off the main square full of lively locals with a cosy fire, incredible service in fluent English, and some fun family traditions that I won’t spoil for you!
Now that you’re raring to go, how long should you go for? Bansko is a cheap enough trip that any number of days is worth your while.
An action-packed long weekend arriving early and leaving late with 2.5 days on the slopes will be exciting and memorable. If possible though, stay at least 5-6 days, spending 3-4 days on the slopes and 1-2 days in spas and memory-making excursions that don’t give you bruises.
On that note, it is worth the extra money to book a hotel with some spa facilities. Your muscles will thank you that they’re able to soak in jacuzzies and steam rooms every evening before dinner!
Both my blue-run loving self and my red-run snowboarder husband are chomping at the bit to go back to Bansko. The price, variety of slopes, beauty, and crazy good food make it a worthwhile trip for all skill levels.
If you’ve been, or have any other questions about Bansko, let me know in the comments!
