Bansko, Bulgaria: A Perfect 1-Day Skiing Adventure in Pirin

Before planning a trip here in Bansko, at least during the winter try to do your own research on what activities will suite your party. I had this on my list for a long time but my primary objective was to hit the 75 km ski slopes, which is a great choice if you plan it right. We kinda of didn’t since we overlaped with a lot of Romanians, which decided to spend their winter school holiday break here as well. So you can imagine that the crowds were on, big time, with long cues.

Getting to Bansko

Our drive here was a little bit off route, since we decided to visit my parents first, in Mangalia. But from Bucharest, the route is more straight forward but still long, about 7 hours and 550 km between. Except for the neighboring countries, which can easily reach Bansko by car, the rest of you who are interested in exploring Pirin National Park, whether in winter or summer, will need to take a flight to Sofia, which is just a 1.5 hour drive away.

Planning wise especially during ski season, to avoid crowds:

Weekends	Sofians are enjoying a relaxing weekend
Holiday Season (Christmas, February)	Romanians, Serbians are here in big numbers

Organize your Ski Day

To fully enjoy your day here, safety is key, so knowing your skiing skills is essential for a memorable experience. That being said, the way they are categorizing the slopes its wrong so don’t get fulled by the so called color codes they promote. Just to be clear 100% blue slopes are near Banderishka Meadow, number 1 to be more exact but even that on some parts at least for the last section can turn into Red. So if you don’t feel comfortable enough, but would like to ski in a slow pace, the Orange Trail that starts here and goes for 7 km all the way down to the Gondola staring point, its the way to do it.

Even if it looks backwards, now i’m going to share our experience in how you reach the Banderishka Meadow, the place where basically you start your exploration. So here are the things you need to plan ahead:

Equipment

If you don’t have your own, there are plenty of place to rent but again depending on how much you’d like to spent some offer high quality, some are giving you things that you might through to garbage if it was yours. You can either take it from the starting point or even from the Banderishka Meadow. The prices for combos like skis / boots / sticks ranges from 20 BGN to 40 BGN / pers / day, with helmets and other accessories being extra. You can have better deals for renting it for more then 2-3 days with 10-20% discounts. Try to book it in advance, at least 1 week before from websites like Tsakirisski or Bsrskiren.

Ski Passes

Now, this is a tough one. First, because you need to be in good shape to plan 2-3 days of skiing. Second, if you encounter crowds, you might waste money on full-day passes and only ski for a few hours. Our choice was for the half a day, from 12:30 till end, for 85 BGN / adult or 45 BGN / kid. We managed to get to the top, but it took a lifetime to reach the lower ground since we fell for the bait and thought the so-called plateau was for beginners. And end it in style using the 1st route and completed the 7 km ski trail to the very end. This was good for us, as we managed to cover a lot of the resort and also provided some memorable, relaxing time on skis for Clara and my wife.
So, you know yourself and your party better, I don’t have any advice since the moment you’re here is vital for your decision. Keep in mind that you also have a ticket booth on the Banderishka Meadow. For more info on the pricing check their official website, also you can check the webcams or calendar of events. Also leaving this here:

Ski Pass Type	Adult	Kid under 7 yo
1/2 day (after 12:30)	85 BGN	45 BGN
1 Day	110 BGN	55 BGN
2 Days	215 BGN	105 BGN
3 Days	320 BGN	155 BGN
4 Days	425 BGN	205 BGN

Gondola vs Shuttle vs Taxi vs Personal Car

Let’s say you solved with the Ski Pass and got your equipment ready. If you are here during the low season then you are all set, you’re probably jumping in the Gondola and in 10-15 mins you’ll be reaching Banderishka Meadow to start your ski session.

If the place is packed, then you’ll need to brace yourself with some patience, as you’ll spend between 1 and 3 hours in one of these queues. So let’s detail a bit each one pros and cons:

Gondola

Pros	Cons
included in the pass	longest queue, 2-3 hours (depending on period)
no parking hassle

Shuttle

Pros	Cons
less waiting time, 1.5 hours	pay extra, 12 BGN / pers
can accommodate a bigger groups

Taxi

Pros	Cons
less waiting time, 1.5 hours	most expensive 80-100 BGN
can accommodate a bigger groups	maximum of 3-4 pers / ride

Personal Car

Pros	Cons
most confortable	wake up early, to get a parking spot
no queue freezing	could find yourself blocked in traffic

For Banderishka Meadow parking, you either reach the place early morning, 7-7:30 AM. Or after 1-2 PM after the madness goes away. Otherwise you might find the road blocked by the local Police.

Bottom line: the earlier you’re there, the faster you get the powder under your skis/snowboards. Also, for better coordination, if you’re in a group, try assigning different tasks to each person so you’re not losing time in each queue but handling them simultaneously, like we did.

Another option to avoid the queues would be to book your stay at one of the nearby hotels, but if you ask me, you’ll spend a fortune. Even though they offer plenty of services, the prices are comparable to resorts in Austria, France, or Slovenia, which I believe is a bit excessive and doesn’t reflect the reality.

The Food

Après-skis

Plenty of spots where you can definitely enjoy some drinks and good music under the blazing sun if time permits. In terms of food the offer is much reduced and from my POV, it’s not that great and pretty expensive. So grab your skiing backpack with some snacks like nuts and sweets, and you’ll be fine for the day. This way, you’ll save some money and time, since obviously, the queues will be there as well, at least around noon when everyone needs a recharge.

The Restaurants

The food options here are quite generous, especially when it comes to traditional dishes, which are widely available, particularly in the downtown area. Whether you’re looking for a hearty meal after a long day on the slopes or just want to experience authentic local flavors, you’ll find plenty of choices. During our visit, we had the chance to try several places, and the ones we personally experienced are the following:

The House	Dinner	100 BGN
Euphoria	Dinner	70 BGN
Station Bansko by Tsakiris	Breakfast	35 BGN

Conclusion

If you come here for skiing during the low season, then you are for a treat. Plenty of slopes for all levels, lots of places to dine in and even great specialty coffee, the one i recommend Black Honey Specialty Coffee Shop.

If your plans overlap with your fellow Romanians or Serbians, or if you’re planning to fly in and rent a car, I would think twice, since I believe nearby locations could offer more fun and relaxation instead of spending so much time on the road and then in the queues.