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Bulgaria, Bansko
Situated at the footsteps of the Pirin Mountain, the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena in Bansko welcomes you to its brand new Alpine All-Seasons & Spa Resort... »
Bulgaria, Bansko
Pirin Golf & Country Club is a 5-star resort, which offers vacation properties and luxurious trading areas for sale and rent and manages a top-level golf club. The complex is situated on 150hectare area... »
Bulgaria, Bansko
The brand new hotel located at walking distance from the gondola ski lift station and Bansko's historic centre will openduring the spring 2009, introducing an exclusive mix of luxury accommodation, gourmet dining, superior wellness and spa. . . ... »
Bulgaria, Bansko
Aparthotel Lucky Bansko is the first apartment complex in Bansko designed and built in compliance with the requirements of leading hotel standards... »
BANSKO ROYAL TOWERS ****
Bulgaria, Bansko
ROYAL TOWERS is a charming complex cuddled in the slopes of the
gorgeous Pirin mountain, in Bansko - one of Europe's best skiing
locations. The ski lift is only 50 meters away.
The complex comprises 12 five-storey buildings, each one with a
lift... »
Bansko Spa ****
Bulgaria, Bansko
Bansko Spa and Holidays Hotel provides complex high quality world-class services to its guests and offers efficient and environmentally friendly state-of-the-art service technologies... »
Bulgaria, Bansko
Belvedere Holiday Club is a sumptuous gated complex of super luxurious apartments and chalets, providing a complete range of top class leisure facilities and beautifully situated in the heart of Bansko's premium development area on a territory of. . . ... »
Complex Katarino SPA ****
Bulgaria, Bansko
Complex Katarino is located at the foot of the Rila Mountains, of the picturesque namesake site, about 10 km away from Bansko and 2 km away from Razlog. The complex comprises of a 4 star hotel and 46 holiday houses... »
Bansko
Lying some 40 km east of the main Struma valley route, Bansko is the main centre for walking and skiing on the eastern slopes of the Pirin mountains. It's a traditional agricultural centre and a growing tourist resort, boasting a wealth of stone-built nineteenth-century farmhouses and a growing number of small, B&B-style hotels. Though connected to Sofia and other towns by bus, Bansko can also be reached by a narrow-gauge railway which leaves the main Sofia-Plovdiv line at Septemvri and forges its way across the highlands. It's one of the most scenic trips in the Balkans, but also one of the slowest, taking five hours to cover a distance of just over 100 km.
Bansko centres around the modern pedestrianized pl Nikola Vaptsarov, where the Nikola Vaptsarov Museum (Mon - Fri 8 am-6 pm, Sat & Sun 8 am - noon & 2-6 pm) contains a display relating to the local-born poet and socialist martyr, as well as housing a crafts exhibition where you can purchase distinctive local rugs. Immediately north of here, pl Vazrazhdane is watched over by the solid stone tower of the Church of Sveta Troitsa, whose interior contains exquisite nineteenth-century frescos and icons. On the opposite side of the square, the Rilski Convent contains an Icon Museum (Mon-Fri 9 am - noon & 2-5 pm) devoted to the achievements of Bansko's nineteenth-century icon painters - a school largely centred around the Vienna-educated Toma Vishanov, who, with pupils Dimitar and Simeon Molerov, travelled from village to village decorating local churches.
The easiest way of getting into the Pirin mountains from Bansko is to walk (or take a taxi) west to the Vihren hut (where dorm accommodation is available; ?5-10 / $8-16), a steep 14 km uphill. This is the main trail-head for hikes towards the 2914 m summit of Mt Vihren (Bulgaria's second-highest peak), or gentler rambles around the meadows and lakes nearby.
For eating, there are over forty tavernas offering traditional specialities: Sirleshtova Kashta, Bayrakovata Mehana and Dyado Pene, all grouped around the centre, are among the most atmospheric.
Pictures: Nenko Lazarov
