Bulgaria
The Country
Bulgarian skiing is booming with massive investment in resorts and the country even bidding to host the Winter Olympics. Western Europeans are snapping up holiday property with promises of a rapid growth in value for their investment.
The country has always had a reputation for low prices, and in recent years it has been shedding its reputation for low quality or out of date rental equipment and lift infrastructure with an ongoing improvement in these areas, whilst prices have remained low making value high for most visitors.
There are four resorts which attract international visitors, mostly beginners or early intermediates. Hotel accommodation is often of a high standard and Bulgarian ski schools have a particularly good reputation for teaching beginners to ski. Ski teachers in Bulgaria are university graduates, each able to speak at least three languages including English!
Most Bulgarian ski areas have friendly and helpful resort staff and highly regarded ski schools. There's a choice of traditional or modern ski centres, either close to the capital, Sofia, or in more remote locations. On the downside there can be high commission on money exchange in resorts and generally limited facilities for families with very young children. Many visitors feel there's not much to entertain more advanced skiers.
Resorts in Bulgaria
BanskoHeight: 936m
Bansko is the big European boom resort of the first decade of this century. The unspoilt traditi...
Borovets
Height: 1,300m
Best known of the Bulgarian resorts, with a wide range of facilities and après ski activities (in...
Pamporovo
Height: 1,650m
Pleasant purpose-built centre in spectacular pine forests. There may be something in the air her...
Vitosha
Height: 1,515m
Close to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, which bid for the 1994 Winter Olympics. A gondola whisks ...