Bansko - Community Reviews & Ratings

If you go during school holidays / peak times, expect to queue for up to 2 hours for the gondola if you like to get on the piste nice and early; however, a short taxi ride takes you to the mid station in 10 minutes. Alternatively, get up late, have a leisurely breakfast and get straight on the gondola at 0930-1000. Then you get the pistes almost to yourself while everybody else stops for a mid-morning coffee/beer/gluhwein. North facing slopes ensure great conditions up the mountain. Unfortunately, it can get rather sticky if you want to ski all the way back down, with the last 400-500m being a workout in itself. Catering facilities are fairly basic, but relatively cheap (compared to the Alps) and provide a light lunch / snack option to keep you going through to afternoon tea & cake or 'Apres', as preferred. Getting more expensive, struggling to keep lower pistes usable, and overcrowded in peak season / school holidays as the resort has been overdeveloped (just not enough room on the slopes for everyone if all the hotels are full - gets dangerous). I would probably return for the right price, but Andorra competes on price and has generally better skiing, and Italy is also becoming more competitive on price and is definitely more beautiful than both Bulgaria or Andorra.