Ski Holidays in Bulgaria
Bulgaria first came to prominence in the late 1990s when much money was invested in its ski resorts in the post-Socialist era. The quality of its resorts was improved, but prices remained low, attracting many skiers looking for a budget ski holiday. Skiing in Bulgaria is popular and the most popular ski resort is the modern Bansko.
In recent years there has been major investment in the resorts and this is rapidly transforming the facilities and the quality of skiing available. The main resorts of Borovets and Bansko are growing in popularity and Bansko in particular has seen a marked improvement in its lift systems, skiing conditions, new hotels and resort facilities.
However, despite all these improvements Bulgarian resorts still lag behind West European resorts in terms of things to see and do. In some resorts it can be hard to even find a supermarket. One advantage the resorts do have is that most are reasonably close to some of the major Bulgarian cities such as Sofia. So if you are interested in Bulgarian culture a skiing holiday can be combined with a trip to the capital or a local town.
The night life is varied and whilst some of it might raise an eyebrow, there is generally something for everyone. The cuisine is not up to the standards of Italian or French ski resorts, but as Western culture is embraced pizza restaurants are appearing.
Bulgarian ski schools have been praised in recent years and the small piste ski areas are ideal for beginners. For intermediate skiers who are a bit adventurous skiing in Bulgaria can offer a completely different experience to that of the average European ski holiday. A sense of humour does help.