Borovets

Borovets is the oldest and the biggest mountain resort in Bulgaria. It is located 1350 above sea level on the northern slopes of the Rila Mountains among age-old pine woods, at the foot of peak Mousala. The resort is conveniently located just 73 km from Sofia and is easily accessible by car or bus. The town of Samokov is 10 km from the resort. The average temperature during the coldest month, January, is -4.6 ° C.

Borovets boasts a number of fine hotels, providing amenities like swimming pools, sauna, jakuzzi, steam room for your relaxation. The night life here is very good, with scores of restaurants, bars and night clubs offering unforgettable experiences to the guests of the resort.

Borovets is a resort of alpine type and provides excellent opportunities for a whole range of winter sports. The resort has twice hosted World Cup Alpine skiing rounds. It is also famous for its world-class biathlon track. The slopes of Borovets have a permanent snow cover from November to May, more than 1.5 m thick.

Ski runs of various difficulty provide opportunities for the full range of skill levels. The slopes and runs are maintained in perfect condition and are designed with international markings and multilingual signs. The resort provides a ski school with highly trained English speaking instructors, as well as state of the art ski and snowboard equipment rentals.

In the summer Borovets is just as marvelous as it is in the winter. It offers everything a perfect vacation takes: clean and fresh air, serene centuries-old pine forests, green meadows sprinkled with fragrant flowers and herbs, blue lakes and majestic snow-capped peaks. For nature-lovers the resort is a favorite vacation spot and starting point of many hiking routs in the Rila Mountains.

Bansko

Nestled between the Pirin, Rila and Rhodope mountain ranges, Bansko is located at the foot of the Pirin National Park, listed in the World Register of Natural Heritage. It is a climatic mountain resort with a short hot summer and long mild winter. Snow falls are abundant, providing a constant winter snow cover up to 2 m thick. The region is famous for its cuisine and colorful folklore and offers various entertainment opportunities. The access to Bansko is convenient even in winter conditions. The distance to the nearest airport – the Sofia Airport - is 160 km, and is covered in just 2 hours by car.

Bansko is the youngest and the best developed ski resort in Bulgaria. The skiing conditions are excellent. The slopes offer runs and tracks for all types of skiers, from starters to experts, and the ski runs are maintained in excellent condition. The resort is equipped with machines for artificial snow. The two major ski regions of Bansko - the lower called Chalin Valog (1,100 - 1,600 m) and the higher Shiligarnika (1,700 - 2,500 m) - are situated above the town, on the northern slopes of the Pirin Mountains. Slalom and giant slalom runs are available in the Shiligarnika region. The total track length is 55 km with plans to expand this to 75 km by 2006. A gondola lift provides convenient access from the town to the ski slopes. Bansko is applying for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Bansko is a great place to visit during the warmer months from May through October. The Pirin National Park combines breath-taking views with excellent opportunities for hiking and sightseeing, including plethora of lakes, waterfalls, caves and historical sights. The town and the nearby villages are known for their healing mineral water springs, providing opportunities for rest and relaxation.

The town of Bansko attracts visitors with its 120 cultural monuments. It is famous for its fortified and artistically decorated houses, museums and the Bansko School of Art. A very interesting site is the Holy Trinity Church, with its 30 m high bell-tower and clock, splendid murals and woodcarvings. Every August Bansko hosts the National Jazz Fest. Museum houses and collections, souvenir shops and romantic holiday residences, hotels and taverns complement the unique atmosphere of this splendid Bulgarian resort.

Bansko has attracted exceptional tourist and investor interest in the last three years. Among the most notable developments are the expansion and modernizing of the ski runs and equipment, as well as the construction of new hotels and residential developments. Regardless of the increased capacity, Bansko is generally fully booked during the winter months with Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek and British tourists making up the bulk of the visitors. With its year-round activities, rich history and traditions, and mineral water springs, Bansko represents not only an attractive tourist destination, but also a great opportunity for the seeing investor.

Pamporovo

Pamporovo is located at approximately 1650 m above sea level in the Perelik range of the Western Rhodopi mountain range in one of the most beautiful places of the Orpheus mountain. Sofia is 260 kilometers to the northwest, Plovdiv is 85 km to the north Smolyan is 15 km to the south. The nearest airport (Plovdiv) is 1.5 hours away and Sofia airport is 3 hours away by car.

Pamporovo is the sunniest high mountain resort in Bulgaria. It enjoys more than 240 sunny days a year and in winter the snow layer is around 150 cm. The climate has Mediterranean influence which ensures low variations in daily temperatures. The surrounding high peaks keep it from the winds and in winter preserve the snow cover on the northern slopes of the Snejanka and Murgavetz peaks. The region has negative air ionization which is very beneficial to the health.

Pamporovo has rich traditions in welcoming tourists from all over Europe and providing for an unforgettable holiday. The combination of location, nature and weather makes it a sought after ski area for starters and advanced skiers alike. The resort has 17.5 kilometers of Alpine ski runs with different degrees of difficulty, 34 ski runs for long Nordic skiing, equipped with 6 different seat chair lifts and 13 ski drags with a total capacity of 9,500 people per hour. Modern ski equipment and experienced English-speaking instructors are available should you need them.

The resort features an array of fine hotels as well as chalets. The average take-up for the 2003-2004 winter season was almost 85%. In the numerous restaurants one can try typical Bulgarian cuisine and dishes characteristic specifically to the Rhodope region. Pamporovo has traditionally been very well accepted by British skiers.

In the summer months the tourist associates Pamporovo with mountain quiet and calm, multi-colored and lush meadows and evergreen coniferous forests. Among the nearby sites worth visiting are the Smolyan Lakes and the wonderful village of Shiroka Laka /an architectural, folklore and ethnographical reserve/ 12 km away. Along tourist trails with excellent marking one can walk to: Izgrev Chalet /about 6 hours/, Perelik Chalet /below the top summit of the Rhodopes bearing the same name, 4 to 5 hours/, the Rozhen saddle /2 hours/, the nearby Orpheus' Cliffs and many other scenic sights.