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The Mosta chairlift station below the snowy limestone peaks of the Pirin, Bansko

Resort guide · Bulgaria

Bansko: Our Ski Guide

Bulgaria’s best-known ski resort: a 6.2-km gondola from a stone-walled Revival town into the Pirin, whose peaks are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Season 1 Dec 2026 – 11 Apr 2027, with Kempinski luxury and some of the Alps’ best value in one valley.

Plan your trip:Lift passes & ski area Our Sofia guide

The back story

Season 2026/27: 1 Dec 2026 – 11 Apr 2027, weather permitting (banskoski.com) · Operator: Ulen AD · Gondola: 6,233 m long, 601 m rise (banskoski.com) · Season pass: Adult €870 if bought 1 Oct – 1 Dec 2026 (banskoski.com) · Lift hours: Gondola 8:30am–5pm; chairlifts 8:45am–4:15pm · From Sofia: 150 km; Sofia Airport is the closest (banskoski.com)

  1. The back story

    Bansko: the back story

    Bansko·In depth: history

    A Revival town of merchants’ stone houses at the foot of the Pirin, a UNESCO national park, and Bulgaria’s favourite ski mountain: the story of Bansko.

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Lift passes, ski schools and hire

  1. Gondola from town

    Bansko Ski Area (Ulen)

    Bansko·Ski resort·€€

    The Pirin ski area run by Ulen AD: a 6,233-metre gondola from town, two six-seaters and six four-seat chairlifts, with runs from Banderishka Polyana to Todorka.

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  2. Official prices, 2026/27

    Bansko lift pass

    Bansko·Lift pass·€€

    Season passes for 2026/27 at autumn presale prices until 1 December 2026: adults €870, students, teens and retirees €820, children 7–11 €460.

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  3. ISIA instructors, 450+ sets

    Ski Mania

    Bansko·Ski school and rental·€€

    A Bansko ski and snowboard school with group, private and one-to-one lessons every day, and more than 450 sets of hire equipment.

    92A Pirin Str., Bansko 2770Explore View on map

  4. Small, English-speaking team

    Method Snow School

    Bansko·Private ski coaching·€€€

    Private and one-to-one coaching only, from a small English-speaking team on new Head equipment, steps from the gondola.

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  5. Run by the lift company

    Ulen ski rentals

    Bansko·Ski hire·€€

    The lift company’s own rentals at the gondola base station, at Banderishka Polyana and the Elite Ski Rental in the Kempinski.

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  6. One booking for the week

    Ski Bansko packages (Traventuria)

    Bansko·Hire, lessons and transfers·€€

    Ski and snowboard hire, private lessons with local schools, lift passes and transfers from Sofia Airport in one booking.

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Where to stay, every budget

Who it suits. On a budget: Family hotels in the old town such as Mura and Bansko, with mehana dinners and lessons and hire at Balkan prices. Mid-range: Regnum and Lucky Bansko, with spas, pools and complimentary shuttles to the gondola. Luxury: Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena, right beside the gondola station, with its spa, Italian dining and piano bar.

  1. Beside the gondola · In depth

    Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko

    Bansko·Five-star ski and spa hotel·€€€€

    Bansko’s five-star spa hotel beside the gondola, with the 1,200 m² Kempinski The Spa, one indoor and two outdoor pools, and Come Prima, a sushi bar and teppanyaki grill.

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  2. Suites with Pirin views · In depth

    Regnum Bansko Mountain Resort

    Bansko·Suite hotel·€€€

    An all-suite mountain resort at the foot of the Pirin, with Thera SPA (indoor pool, hammam, salt room), six restaurants and bars, and a complimentary scheduled shuttle to the gondola.

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  3. Pools, salt room, cryosauna · In depth

    Lucky Bansko SPA & Relax

    Bansko·Aparthotel·€€€

    A spa aparthotel by the Glazne river, with two indoor and two outdoor pools, a salt pool, saunas, a cryosauna, Leonardo and Fondue restaurants, and a complimentary shuttle to the gondola.

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  4. Between the gondola and the centre · In depth

    Four Points by Sheraton Bansko

    Bansko·Hotel·€€€

    A four-star on Glazne Street between the gondola and the old town, with a wellness centre (indoor pool, sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi), Garden View and La Terrazza restaurants and a summer outdoor pool.

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  5. In the town centre

    Hotel Pirin

    Bansko·Town hotel·€€

    A 150-room hotel in the centre of Bansko, ten minutes’ walk from the gondola, with a pool, sauna, mehana and night bar.

    68 Tzar Simeon Str., Bansko 2770Explore View on map

  6. Close to the gondola

    Hotel Bansko

    Bansko·Town hotel·€€

    A friendly hotel five minutes from the centre and close to the gondola, with an indoor pool, sauna and studios and maisonettes.

    37 Glazne Str., Bansko 2770Explore View on map

  7. Value with a spa

    Hotel Mura

    Bansko·Town hotel·€

    Modern but cosy double rooms with balconies, a jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath, ten minutes’ walk from the gondola.

    39 Glazne Str., Bansko 2770Explore View on map

  8. On the slopes at 1,721 m

    Chalet The Forest Lodge

    Bansko·Mountain chalet·€€

    A small family chalet at the Shiligarnika ski station, at 1,721 metres, with a sauna and a fireside restaurant.

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Restaurants and mountain huts

  1. Where four runs meet

    180 Degrees Ristorante

    Bansko·Mountain restaurant·€€

    An Italian restaurant at the crossroads of four ski runs, above Shiligarnika, with chef Mirko’s pizzas and desserts.

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  2. Italian on Banderishka Polyana

    VIP Room Club

    Bansko·Mountain restaurant·€€€

    A premium Italian restaurant on Banderishka Polyana with a mountain panorama and chef Giovanni Porcu.

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  3. Open kitchen at the Kempinski

    Come Prima Ristorante

    Bansko·Restaurant·€€€€

    Mediterranean dining with an open kitchen and a serious wine list at the Kempinski Grand Arena.

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  4. Traditional dishes, mountain views

    Ethno restaurant at the Kempinski

    Bansko·Bulgarian restaurant·€€€

    Traditional Bulgarian dishes with a mountain view in the Kempinski complex.

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  5. Teppanyaki in the Pirin

    Sushi Bar & Teppanyaki Grill

    Bansko·Japanese restaurant·€€€

    Japanese specialities and a teppanyaki grill with Asian chefs at the Kempinski.

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  6. Italy meets snowy Bansko

    Soprano’s Ristorante

    Bansko·Italian restaurant·€€

    One of the resort’s most popular spots, cooking Mediterranean food to authentic recipes.

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  7. Hearty food on Banderishka Polyana

    Restaurant Bachvite

    Bansko·Mountain restaurant·€

    “The Barrels”, a friendly restaurant on Banderishka Polyana for a long, hearty lunch.

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  8. On Shiligarnika

    Bla-Bla Restaurant

    Bansko·Mountain restaurant·€€

    A restaurant on Shiligarnika, close to several runs, with a good choice of red and white wines.

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Après-ski and bars

  1. Bansko’s biggest après

    Happy End

    Bansko·Après-ski bar and club·€€

    The biggest après-ski bar in Bansko, right next to the gondola bottom station, with a restaurant, a disco and a big patio.

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  2. Live music at the Kempinski

    Sing Sing Piano Bar

    Bansko·Piano bar·€€€

    Live music, cocktails and champagne at the Kempinski: the heart of the evening in winter.

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  3. See-through domes on the pistes

    Umbrella bars

    Bansko·Slope bars·€

    Inflatable see-through bars on the slopes, with hot tea, cold beer and views of the whole mountain.

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  4. On Banderishka Polyana

    Cafe Chajnika

    Bansko·Mountain café·€

    A cosy café on Banderishka Polyana for a hot drink between runs.

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Shops

  1. Pirin Street

    Ski Mania shop and rental

    Bansko·Ski hire and service·€€

    More than 450 sets of skis and boards from leading makers on Pirin Street.

    92A Pirin Str., Bansko 2770Explore View on map

Spas and wellness

  1. The four seasons

    Kempinski The Spa, Bansko

    Bansko·Hotel spa·€€€€

    The Kempinski’s state-of-the-art spa, with a journey inspired by the European cycle of the four seasons.

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  2. Salt room and cryosauna

    Lucky Bansko SPA

    Bansko·Hotel spa·€€

    Finnish and infrared saunas, steam bath, salt room, cryosauna, jacuzzi and pools.

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  3. Body, mind and spirit

    Regnum Bansko spa

    Bansko·Hotel spa·€€

    The wellness area at Regnum Bansko, for unwinding after the slopes.

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Getting there

  1. For Bansko and Borovets

    Sofia Airport (SOF)

    Bansko·Airport·€

    Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, the closest airport to Bansko (150 km) and to Borovets.

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  2. 150 km from Sofia

    Driving to Bansko

    Bansko·By road·€

    150 km from Sofia, 220 km from Thessaloniki and about 200 km from Skopje.

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  3. Slow but beautiful

    The narrow-gauge railway

    Bansko·Rail·€

    The Septemvri–Dobrinishte narrow-gauge line stops at Bansko: slow, but one of Europe’s loveliest mountain railways.

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Property: the neighbourhoods

  1. Stone houses and mehanas

    Bansko old town

    Bansko·Neighbourhood

    Cobbled lanes of fortified stone houses, the Holy Trinity church and the mehanas, a walk or shuttle ride from the gondola.

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  2. Walk to the lift

    The gondola quarter

    Bansko·Neighbourhood

    The newer streets around the gondola bottom station and Pirin and Glazne streets, with the big hotels and apartment buildings.

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Share your Bansko tips

Been there? Share your runs, huts and tips with other skiers.

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