Bulgaria Ski discussion board

i havent stayed there but have driven through it several times. it is a typical Bulgarian village. there is some very nice scenery in the valley that it is located in. yes there are bars and restaurants. the restaurants are of the very local type but nothing wrong with that. There is a new hotel about 2km outside the village on the road to Malyovitsa which is very nice. I think it is called the Saint Georgi hotel. There is a old ski slope in Govedartsi but I'm not sure that it actually opens. You would be better going to Malyovitsa which has 5-6 runs accessed by button lifts and t-bars. Malyovitsa is about 10km from Govedartsi I think. It is a good option if you don't want to go to Borovets but the lift system is basic. there is talk of a chair lift there next year but i would wait to see about that. Borovets is about 20km/35minutes from Govedartsi. Samokov is alos a very good option for restaurants. Good selection there and prices/quality much better than Borovets

hope this helps

I live about 7km from Govedartsi. Personally, i would not want to stay there, apart from not liking the village particularly, it is quite a way from Borovets. You could drive from Govedartsi through Beli Iskar to Borovets on the back roads, but living here and knowing the road, i would never try it in winter unless i had an awesome 4x4. The only other way is to drive from Govedartsi to Samokov and Samokov to Borovets and you are looking at a good three quarters of an hour on a good day. Maliovitsa is a pretty place and the entrance to the Rila National Park is at the Maliovitsa resort, but as said above, very basic and only button lifts - i think there is only one run - but am sure someone will correct me if i am wrong.

Mikey

I can judg very nicely thankyou. I live in the village of Dospei, i have views of Borovets, Maliovitsa and 50m opposite my house is pine forest, i think i can say i have undisputed views and location. I know Govedartsi very well Mikey, i have friends who live there and at one time (6 years ago)we were looking at property there to buy but as i said above, i did not like the village of Govedartsi and most certainly would not want to live there. My own personal opinion, entitled to - freedom of speech and all that jumbo. And not even I am disputing your FACT that the area is one of the nicest in the region, just commenting on Govedartsi. By the way, am not sure what speed you are driving to get to Borovets in 20 minutes from Govedartsi. It's 15 minutes at least from my house in Dospei to Borovets and likewise from my house to Govedartsi and Govedartsi is most certainly more than a 5 minute drive from Samokov.

Hi Jim,
I live in the village of Beli Iskar near Govedartsi. I know many people who live there and it is a beautiful place. Admittedly it is not the most convenient for Borovets but is perfect if you prefer to be away from the craziness of Borovets. There are a number of restaurants but as previously stated they are very local and maybe would not appeal to everyone. There is one ski slope that is open at the weekends but not sure ab out the rest of the time. I run a restaurant in Beli Iskar and personally much prefer being in a quieter village where i think the people are much more friendly. If i can help you with anything else let me know!

Jim

Govedarci is quite spread out in a very picturesque area. Most of the restaurants/bars looked traditional from what I have seen but that would suit me.

You don't say if you are self catering or what transport will be available to you but there is a bus service into Samokov. As you approach Samokov on the left is a supermarket called Billa, you can't miss it, if you need to stock up on food and drink. If you have transport you can investigate restaurants further afield, if Govedarci doesn't suit.

There is a small ski run on the far side of Govedarci away from the river but from what I saw, it wouldn't be worth bothering with and I'm not an expert skier Further on is Malyvitso, which I think is definitely worth a trip for a change. Very pretty little resort with great scenery. 5-6 runs mainly for beginners and intermediates with one black section. As previously said, the lift system is basic but it does have its own working piste basher

If you have your own transport, you could always stop off in Beli Iskar or other small villages on route back to Govedarci from Borovets to eat, or try Samokov. They will all be better value than eating in Borovets.

Depending on snow conditions, I would allow at least 20-40 minutes to get to Boro, especially at the weekend.

It will definitely give you a feel for the traditional Bulgaria, as it is predominately a farming area with some development. It's very pretty down by the river.

Hope you enjoy the experience