| Roughly equidistant - at around 100 miles
| |
| | regularly, and a "high-tech" approach to
|
| - from the major cities of Sofia, and
| |
| | lift passes means that waiting, and
|
| Plovdiv, the region of Bansko has a good
| |
| | queuing, times are reduced to a minimum.
|
| local infrastructure, and is well served
| |
| | Attractions
|
| by air, road and rail links. Bansko is
| |
| | Visitors to Bansko will soon discover the
|
| home to many prestigious sporting events,
| |
| | meaning of the word "mehana" - local
|
| including national championships in
| |
| | taverns - featuring affordable food and
|
| snowboarding and Alpine skiing, during
| |
| | drink, music and dancing, and providing
|
| its winter season.
| |
| | the nucleus of après ski activity, which
|
| Skiing
| |
| | does tend to be fairly low-key.
|
| The terrain in the Bansko region is,
| |
| | Other attractions include the Holy
|
| perhaps, more "Alpine" in character than
| |
| | Trinity Church, the Bansko Art School,
|
| elsewhere in Bulgaria, with some peaks in
| |
| | and Velyanova House, reconstructed at the
|
| excess of 8,000 feet. 17 runs, of varying
| |
| | turn of the 19th century, by master
|
| difficulty, with a total length of over
| |
| | craftsman, Velin Ognyanov.
|
| 40 miles, mean that Bansko has something
| |
| | One of the more exciting events of the
|
| to offer skiers of all abilities.
| |
| | year takes place on January 1st each
|
| The gentler slopes of Todorin Vruh are
| |
| | year, when the "Koukeri" - the young,
|
| suitable for beginners, and expert
| |
| | single men - don masks and bells, and
|
| tuition is available from a multilingual
| |
| | roam the streets, to frighten away evil
|
| ski school, while for more demanding, or
| |
| | spirits (and imbibe vast quantities of
|
| experienced skiers, the run from Todorka
| |
| | "rakia", the locally-produced, and
|
| Peak - itself, over 10 miles in length -
| |
| | potent, plum liquor, into the bargain).
|
| or the higher altitude Shiligraniki Piste
| |
| | To the south of Bansko, the Pirin
|
| - of international competition standard,
| |
| | National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage
|
| for giant slalom - offer sufficient
| |
| | Site - is a popular destination for
|
| variety, and level of difficulty.
| |
| | tourists, featuring lakes, waterfalls,
|
| All of the runs in the Bansko region are,
| |
| | caves and fragrant pine forests.
|
| generally, well-maintained, and groomed
| |
| |
|
