Bansko Reviews & Ratings

I spent a few weeks in Bansko in January. Conditions were generally okay, not super icy but not a ton of powder either (it snowed twice in the month). I avoided gondola lines by queuing about 10 minutes before opening and going straight to the top. Other than a couple of merge points, I generally had plenty of space on the slopes. The town has a decently friendly and sometimes rowdy atmosphere.

It was my second time skiing and there was lots of runs to suit someone still trying to learn aswell as runs for more advanced skiers we stay in a ski in ski out hotel was really good and was all fairly priced

Not a big ski area but an absolute bargain in cost to go skiing. Food and drink is cheap, ski passes are cheap compared to other resorts and the evenings are lively, full of bars, live music and general fun

Excellent value for money, the runs near the top were absolutely gorgeous however the one long run back down to the town is slush after about 12, really lively apres ski with loads of options and mostly quite cheap as well

I skied in Bansko end of February 24 and there was good snow. We had heard that there are usually long queues for the Gondalo however we never experienced this as we arrived there early around half an hour before it opened and there wasnt really a queue. The only disadvantage is the lack of black slopes. May be more suited to beginner/intermediate skiers

Great value for money if youre on a tight budget ! Weather can be temperamental with not guaranteed snow in winter. A fun resort probably best for intermediate skiers

Really really enjoyed Bansko!!
Can't wait to go back!
Good accommodation, fantastic skiing for beginners/intermediate and abit for every level really.
Fast lifts, minimal waiting
Après excellent
Want to go back!!

We went early in the season last year ( start of Jan) so the snow was not the best. So because of this not as many runs where open meaning the runs that were open were very busy. So I would go later in the season. There is one lift up which is very old and slow this takes about 40 mins to get up and the queue in the morning can take hour. This wasnt ideal. The nightlife was quite good and the food and drink was cheap so if looking for a cheap ski holiday here is perfect.

Went Bansko recently with my friends. Got to try snowboarding for the first time and the experience was amazing. Although I'm the type that gets frustrated very easily , I enjoyed every second of it.. The snow was amazing, the place looks really good and u have a lot of options for pubs and restaurants. Also I think Bulgaria is one of the cheapest destinations for snow lovers. Overall the experience was amazing, definitely recommend it. And I could say thank you Bansko for showing me how cool snowboarding can be and for helping me discover a new passion/hobby ️

Nice cheap and cheerful place to go.
Good slopes, nice bars. Even cheaper and better if you walk away from the slopes

Great slopes for all levels, affordable prices, lively après-ski, but can get crowded during peak season.

We have just been for new years and it was good overall but there wasnt many runs as it was a small mountain and also the level of runs are not true to what they are. Some are advertised as blue runs when really they red. Be aware. Apres could have been a lot better. The customer service was horrendous I would say that was the worst thing of the whole trip the staff in the bar and restaurants were rude and not helpful. I would potentially go back but only if were with a big group as it was reasonably priced.

Nice resort, good runs, long queues though. Ok once youre up. Good selection of accommodation options and places to eat dinner.

Had a lovely time overall, we ended up climbing up the ridge to go off piste on a powder day, did a lot of under the lift moguls (not very many on the pistes really) & tree runs on the sides. However pistes options for advanced skiers were limited and the blue/ reds were crowded with beginners & unsafe skiing.
The après options are really good, and the town offers loads of really high quality affordable restaurants.
I wouldnt recommend spending more than 3 days here if your goal is to ski a lot, as you will cover most pistes etc fairly quickly.

Very heavy gondola queue in the morning but a nice little resort with beautiful views and plenty of options for all levels of skiing.

As a new snowboarder and visiting Bansko being the first time riding outside of indoor slopes it was a great experience. The lifts were easy to get on and off as a beginner, mainly stuck to the blue runs but they were great a little bit icy in places but other than that the runs were great! Appears to be very family friendly, Bulgaria is quite a cheap country compared to others it was around £120 for a 3 day lift pass which I think is great value especially when my closest indoor slopes its about £35-40 for a 3 hour pass.

Good ski resort that continues to grow. Good option to visit with family with a great value for money

Sadly there was not as much snow so only a few rinds open with only one major beginner green - it was packed with too many inexperienced skiers who lost control and knocked so many people over. The lifts were busy but overall the skiing was good once you got past the people and the bars were great

Get to the bansko lift early if you're in holiday season as the queues can be long.
The gondola up to mid station is about 25/30 minutes long, but it's well worth it once your up there.

The mid station has plenty of facilities and as you creep into the afternoon it starts to go off!

The practice slope and the green just opposite the lifts are a good gateway for beginners, and with a family new to skiing, there were perfect to practice on. We hired a private tutor who was excellent and balanced our requirement and slope readiness as he saw the improvement in our skiing. The selection of blues is good and as they intersect it means that you can mix up your runs down to create variety and build your experience in whichever way you want. All the run end back at mid station so it's easy to navigate the pistes.

Getting back down to the bottom is a low blue/green run about 5km long. Most people will opt to do this rather than waiting for the lift back down. As you get towards the end it may involve a bit of poling so make sure you have them on you!

A couple of words or warning. Ski etiquette is not quite the same as if you're used to skiing in somewhere like France. Lots of new skiers/boarders due to the more affordable costs. It means you just need to be a bit more wary of slope users behind as well as Infront. Also, if you choose to ski down, try to avoid the end of the day as the post lunch party crowd tend to ski down then as well. Leave a little earlier to make it safer, esp if you have kids.

That said, we loved Bulgaria and definitely looking forward to going back.

bansko was a gem truly. we werent expecting much since the prices were so low but it can be compared to even some places in france. they had a variety of fixtures in the ski resort all at the same area. i went to spindleruv recently in czech and even though it is supposed to be the biggest ski resort in the area bansko was just something else. i had never really stepped foot in eastern europe before that but would definitely go again . though it cant compare with the scale of val thorens which may be available at a low cost in a big package (with lesser facilities), it certainly incorporates the best parts of any ski resort. they even have a regularly groomed snow park with a good amount of tricks!