 Poster: A snowHead
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Plenty of reports and opinions aired on this place; here’s my tuppence worth.
Was in the Bansko area for 5 days following a city break in Sofia.
We arrived in Bansko on 29th Dec, and left on morning of 3rd Jan, by all accounts the busiest week of the season. We stayed in a village called Banya, 2-3 miles from Bansko and, as its name suggests, a spa town. Stayed at a friend’s s/c house there, and if people interested in staying in Banya feel free to PM me, accommodates up to 6.
Our accommodation and location were important factors to our trip’s success; did not spend much time at all in Bansko town and found it a bit chaotic but prob good craic at night. Banya village offers a real insight to rural Bulgarian life, with the twist of access to a most fascinating spa experience (see end).
9 of us in total, ranging from total beginners to early advanced.
Main pluses:
Very nice skiing, with lots of variety for a modest sized area.
Challenges there for good skiers, esp if minded to veer off-piste and bearing in mind v small % of skiers who go there can handle the off-piste – one example being a kind of natural powdery half-pipe above the shaded Tomba black run – great soft snow to play in at least 7 days since last snowfall
Good snow, plenty of snow cannons
Decent lifts re speed and locations
Queues v small, (bar gondola) the longest we experienced was <10 minutes which given it was new year week struck me as exceptional. Once late morning rush hour was over then it was mostly ski right on to the lifts. However, and importantly for learners, the drag lift at nursery slope seemed v busy and one of our group noted a 20-30 min wait at peak times
Cheap booze and food on/off mountain
Loverly mountain scenery, and tree lined up q close to the top
Good value ski hire, lessons and lift passes
Locals in Banya v friendly indeed
Travelling to a country that is chalk to Western European cheese – good luck to EU convergence!
The minuses:
Some aspects of the organisation at Bankso were disgracefully poor and broke down under strain of peak period. The locals continue to make protests to enable a 2nd lift / gondola from the base station and they sure are right. So plenty drive up in an attempt to get up quicker but you then encounter dodgy road access, with really shoddy car parking payment/guidance at top and total carnage with cars overtaking where that was just not on, silly time taken to process payment etc. If I were to go again at a busy period esp in a group of say 3-4 I’d get a taxi up the mountain leaving Bankso town at 8.00, then ski down to base at end of day. If there in late Jan or another low demand pt then get up early and ride the gondola up. Buying the lift pass on first morning at top station took us 2 hours, despite being there fairly early – aaaargh – one person serving a huge queue.
Some of the food options are a bit basic, but with hunting there is good stuff to be had on the mountain
The driving of some of the locals is frighteningly aggressive and lawless and trumps the Sicilians. Spare you the gory details, but our group had an incident with a brash local that led to violence and a police case; without 2 of our group being Bulgarian sorting this would have been horrific. Strongly suggest one leaves any macho posturing at home and just let the madmen overtake you…
Those obsessed with mileage of piste will find area too small for them; for me about 4-5 days would be max in one visit
The % of learner / less experienced seemed the highest I’ve noticed, and you need to keep your wits about you as some are just out of control
Spent little time in Bansko town but first impressions not great, choose accommodation location with care
The other points of note from our particular trip:
Dobrinishte – tiny area about a 30 min drive from Bankso and a real eye opener and a great spot for a relaxed day out. Lift pass is 28 lev, ski hire is 10 lev and 15 lev per hour for instruction. Two consecutive lifts wind their way up to about 2300m from a quaint base station at a v slow pace indeed yet somehow (if sun is out to keep you warm) this seems in keeping with the vibe of the place. Tiny ski area, albeit with some off piste apparent. Loved it as a throwback to another era and an opportunity to rest weary legs. The Bezgog refuge ‘restaurant’ at top of mountain is another feature – pinned up on its ‘daily special’ blackboard was an arctic rabbit fur.
Banya – some historic sights incl restored Roman and Turkish baths, super nice locals, and an also super local Mexhana (Svetti’s) that worked out at about £8 per person for massive and v tasty meals incl free flowing local red wine…
Banya public baths (open, I think, all days bar Tue and Wed, and open circa 8-8 but check) – a living monument to 1950’s communism, literally dripping history. A vast building with mineral heavy spring fed hot waters, one section for men, one for women; originally built to help workers be clean and healthy... This is as far removed from your chic spa as you can get – what little paint remains is peeling, cracked/missing tiles, dribbling ‘showers’, crumbling concrete and the like – there is no way it would be open for business in western Europe. But the most interesting and immersive (sorry) historical thing I’ve ever come across on a ski trip – and wonderful warm/hot waters to soak away the pleasant pains of the Tomba run. We had a few squeamish folks in our group yet once they were in the waters they just loved it. I cannot recommend a visit to it highly enough. Go commando or speedos or whatever! Nb strong mineral waters so can have some after effects.
Poverty – I was shocked to see some grinding poverty in certain rural parts – it is a distant land and some of the lifestyles being experienced there appear from a different age. Fascinating, but took me by surprise.
There have been many comments made on snowheads about Bankso, and even after a short visit it is obvious why views get polarised. Those after mega miles of piste go elsewhere; likewise if you want everything to be slick and in line with the top European resorts; I was not sure how great it is for first timers, as progression from the base nursery slopes to the blues struck me as tad tricky for the nervous learner. I would seek out your own solution to the gondola queue; if you are going at a peak period and don’t want to get up early to circumvent I suggest you go elsewhere until they sort this issue out – which prob ain’t gonna be any time soon.
But with those caveats made, I don't see why it gets dismissed readily or with relish. For a second/third weeker, for the budget conscious, for the boozers, for those seeking some v nice accessible off piste that is not tracked mid-morning post powderfall, for skiers interested in visiting a different part of Europe, then it is certainly worthwhile considering.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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DoubleBombardino, what a great report. Ah come on, we all want to hear about the punch up and the aftermath!!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Frosty the Snowman, it had everything bar the punches, will relay the encounter once the trauma pills have kicked in  It is almost with disappointment that I have to report that the liftpass queue was well-behaved...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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DoubleBombardino, brilliant report! Can't wait for your report from Japan now.
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