Bulgaria Ski discussion board

We have just returned from our 1st ski holiday in Bansko and want to share a few facts with those looking to go there. All in all, if you are 1st time skiiers/beginners then the skiing facilities are excellent and I cannot fault this element of the holiday. We have definately caught 'the bug' and will set aside one of our holidays each year to skiing now.... but we will not return to Bansko... or Bulgaria for that matter. Why?..... Bansko is a building site. Very grubby, dusty and muddy with unfinished roads and wild dogs and chickens running about. Each morning coach loads of builders arrive in their masses and flock the streets as you make your way to the gondola. Of an evening, there are a number of curious characters lurking about the streets. I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder feeling quite uneasy. Many restaurants and bars have people stood outside trying to get you to go in. OK - I understand that that format works in The Canaries or The Balearics - however, 50 year old men wrapped in blankets looking like KGB are not the tempting type in my book. Once inside the restaurants and bars, the service like everywhere in Bansko is poor. Mostly, there is very little English spoken and people will either just grunt, or stare and ignore you. The choice of food is very repetitive and shockingly bad. Peasant food springs to mind... a bland selection consisting of a staple of boiled cabbage, chick peas, cold potatoes and various flavourless salads and the odd chicken skewer. We went self catering in Casa Milla Apartments which luckily were finished on our arrival, but they did not quite have all the facilities that were advertised and were surrounded by wasteland and buildings under differing stages of construction. My advice if you havent already booked your accomodation is to book Half Board into the highest star hotel and stay indoors every night after a visit to Happy End. Most of the night clubs we passed had an 'erotic' theme to them - we gave them a miss, if the local blokes were anything to go by!

Well ...it's only my opinion ...but anyone reading this report ...just skip straight past it ..... You might have one or two facts right but in the main .. what a load of old tosh!! I came back from Bansko only a few weeks ago with three children in tow and NEVER once felt intimidated walking around the old town of Bansko in the evenings... It might be a building site at the moment but you have to look through all of that ...

May I suggest Switzerland or Austria in future for you and your family

I had a bit of a dig at Bansko in my previous report, but I do feel I just chose a bad week - but one thing I have NEVER felt in over 20 visits to Bulgaria is intimidated.

The only time I have ever felt the need to look over my shoulder in Bulgaria is to admire a pretty girl - and believe me I have put myself in some pretty remote places over the past 15 years.

However, you cannot deny anybody the right to express their own personal opinions, but having spent the best part of a year of my life there, I believe it is one of the safest countries I have ever visited.

PP

Ski Legend--you are indeed entitled to your opinion. I only saw bansko in the summer and was appaled. To be fair you do sing the ski praises. i am surprised ( as Pp also said) tha you felt threatened...I find Bg both 'safe feeling' and generally friendly BUT BUT it does depend on how you also approach the locals (you know--common courtesy/respect etc). The trouble with many 'tourist areas' is that some of the businesses are definitely out to make a quick buck off 'rich tourists' and sometimes a little local knowledge can help you see the much friendlier and traditional side of Bg that you seem to have missed.