Bansko In Your Pocket

arriVing in BansKo The nearest airport to Bansko is Sofia, 150km northwest, although some ch arter companie s use Plovdiv, Plovdiv, 160km to the east. Transfer Transfer time from Sofia is about three h ours in normal conditi ons, and from Plovdiv is four hours - longer  at weekends, or in snowy weather.

By bus Travelling from Sofia to Bansko by bus takes between three and three-and-a-half hours. Buses depart from eith er Sofia’s Central Bus Station (Tsentralna avtogara), near to the train station on bul. Knyaginya Maria Luiza, or from Ovcha Kupel bus station, 5km southwest of the cit y centre (on the route of trams no. 5 and no. 19). Bansko’s bus station is at the northern end of town, a ten minute walk from the main square. There is a taxi rank in the bus station forecourt, and a taxi b ooking office, office, belongin g to local firm Trans Taxi, inside the ticket hall. There is a public toilet, and a small shop, selling coffee, coffee, nibble-snacks nibble-sna cks and soft  drinks,, but no other facilities. drinks

Message from the Mayor Welcome in Bansko – one town with rich history, his tory, wild present and strongly believe – wonderful fu ture. Everybody touched to the magic of Bansko can not forget the narrow cobblestone paved streets, taverns taverns with the delicious specialties of  Bansko, songs and round dances, represented by  the folklore groups, incredible beauty of Pirin Mountain. All those turn Bansko Bansko in an at tractive center in the all four seasons of the year year.. Past and present join here in one. Th e present-day gengenerations have kept th e entrepreneurship and innovation of the older natives of Bansko. The natives nati ves and the investors change Bansko Bansko in a modern and different mountain resort. The European ski zone and the new hotel base offer wonderful conditions for  development of winter and summer sports as well as all kinds of tourism. Welcome in Bansko and let the national magic surround you! Aleksandar Kravarov Mayor of Bansko

Street smarts

By car  Bansko lies two-and-a-half two-and-a-half h ours’ drive from Sofia, although   journey time can lengthen to three or four hours on busy  weekends (when getting out of Sofia is often half the problem). Quickest route is to take the main E79 south to Simitli,   from where a well-marked east-bound turn leads over the Predela Pass to Bansko. Parts of the Simitli-Bansko road have been re-surfaced and offer a smooth ride. Several kilometres in the middle however are still badly surfaced and can be slow going. Construction Constru ction work in Bansko Bansko itself itsel f has made it a difficult town to navigate: some roads are blocked off altogether and road signs are eith er non-existent or unhelpful.

By foot  There are very few things that can ruin a nice evening in Bansko and and getting lost ( with or wi thout b eing drunk ) is one of them. Apart from making a fool of yourself, by helplessly  roaming the streets in search of your hotel, in the winter it i t may  be pretty dangero dangerous, us, wet and annoying. The stone walls and look-alike look-ali ke houses can turn this lit tle town into the Labyrinth of  King Minos, but bu t actually all you will need nee d are good land marks. There are two main streets in Bansko - Pirin and Glazne, all the rest are either parallel, or crossing them. Find your way to the main streets and remember any sh op, hotel or mehana, which is at the be ginning of the street, leading to your your new holiday  residence, or just use th e map on p. 38. Follow the same route every night and everythin g should be just fine.

Street  Square Boulevard Highway  Bridge

Улица (ул.) Площад (пл.) Булевард (бул.) Магистрала Мост

Ulitsa (ul.) Ploshtad (pl.) Boulevard (bul.) Magistrala Most 

Bus schedule Sofia to Bansko – (3hr – 3hr30min) – 07:30, 08:30, 9:45, 11:25, 13:15, 14:00, 16:45 Plovdiv to Bansko (2hr) – 11:00, 14:10, 15:00 Bansko to Sofia (3hr – 3hr30min) - 5:40, 7:00, 8:40, 13:15, 15:20 Bansko to Plovdiv (2hr) – 07:10, 08:20, 10:50 Bansko to Blagoevgrad (1hr) - 8:00, 8:10, 10:30, 11:20, 14:00, 17:20, 18:20, 15:00 and 16.00 (Sunday only) Bansko to Gotse Delchev (1hr) – 08:30, 10:15, 12:20, 16:00, 17:10 For further information for Bansko Bus Station on tel: 82 420 and at tel. 0900 21000 for Sof ia Central Bus Station.

The Bansko telephone code is: 0749 

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arriVing in BansKo Tourist information

By train Nobod y ever takes takes the train to Bansko if they’re in a hurr y. The  journey from Sofia takes over 7 hours and involves a change of trains at the middle-of-nowhere junction of Septemvri. However the trip from Septemvri to Bansko is one of the most  scenic that Bulgaria has to offer, with a narrow-gauge track, snaking its way across the western spurs of the Rhodope mountains. It’s an especially magical journey in winter, with the fir trees tree s covered in frost, and snow-white minarets spearing skywards from the Bulgarian-Muslim villages, sprinkled along the route. Bansko’s train train station is near the bus b us station, an easy 10-minute walk north of the town centre. If you need a taxi and th ere are none in the forecourt, head for the bus station (turn right  outside the train station then bear lef t) to find one. The train station has a ticket hall but no other facilities, although the pair of vintage steam locos, parked outside, add an air of   jollity to the scene.

Bansko Information Centre B-2, pl. Nikola Vaptsarov 1, tel. 88 580, fax 88 633, infocenter@ bansko.bg. Friendly English-speaking staff at Bansko’s tourist information centre will tell you all you need to know about the region and give you advice on local accommodation. They also have a selection of brochures and maps for sale. Bansko Tourist Tourist Information Inf ormation C-2, ul. Pirin 70A, tel. 0886 543 262, Johnny@banskotouristinformation. com, www.banskotouristinformation.com. Commercial tourist information centre provid providing ing information and assistance to all tourists and local business in Bansko. Accommodation, activities, equipment hire, information on places of in terest and excursions. excursions. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00.

Information Centre of Alliance for Promotion and Development Developmen t of Tourism Tourism in Bansko Region Regi on C-3, ul. Bulgaria 22, tel. 88 480/0898 700 890, [email protected]., www.alliance.bansko.bg. Tourist information, reservations, business contacts. Maps, brochures and oth er materials available.

Car rental Inter Sport C-2, ul. Pirin 37, tel. 0888 703 184/0899 933 343, [email protected], www.intersport-bansko. com. Minimum driver’s age 21, minimum rental period 24 hours. Car deliver y in Bansko for for 10 EUR additional fee. Driver  service for 15 EUR additional per day. Pick-up service from Bulgaria Bulgar ia and Greece. Popov Rent A Car C-2, ul. Garibaldi 15, tel. 0898 226 885.

Train schedule Sofia to Bansko – 6:40 (arrives14:08), 10:40 (arrives 17:48), 15:25 (arrives 22:27). Change at Septemvri Station. Plovdiv to Bansko – 08:00 (arrives 14:08), 12:00 (arrives 17:48), 16:40 (arri (arrives ves 22:27). Change at Septemvri Septem vri station Bansko to Septemvri – 06:59 (arrives 11:53), 10:16 (arrives 19:53), 15:19 (arrives 20:06), 18:45 (arrives 23:36) Bansko to Dobrinishte – 07:35 (arrives 07:50), 14:18 (arrives 14:32), 17:57 (arrives 18:10), 22:32 (arrives 22:46). For further information inf ormation call the railway station on tel. 88 214 and 88 215

Bansko In Your Pocket 

Taxis Trans Taxi , tel. 0886 008 505/885 05. Taxi ranks at the bus station, lift station, hotel Strazhite and hotel Pirin. Vayk Taxi , tel. 865 05/0898 467 777.

BasiCs Alcohol The archetypal national tipple is rakiya or brandy, which usually comes as either grozdova rakiya (grape brandy) or  slivova (plum). It’s usually served up in 50g or 100g shots and is consumed alongside salad or some other form of  nibble – wait-staff will consider you peculiar if you don’t  order at least something to snack on while you’re slugging  down spirits. As far as beer is concerned, Bulgaria produ ces several palatable if unexciting lagers – Zagorka, Shumensko and Kamenitsa are the most reliable of the big brands. Much more impressive are the dry red wines, particularly  Cabernet Sauvign on from Svishtov and Oryahovitsa, Merlot    from Stambolovo, Gumza from Novo Selo, Mavrud from Asenovgrad, and Melni k from the village of same name. The Chardonnays and Traminers from Veliki Preslav are among  the best of the whites.

Customs If you are travelling within the EU those over 18 can now take 10L of spirits, 90L of wine and 110L of beer. Most countries will not allow more than 200 cigarettes from Bulgaria. You’re not allowed to export antiques, artworks or coins of numismatic value unless you have a permit issued by  the Ministry of Culture. Due to fears about child trafficking, travellers with small children may be asked for documenta documentary  ry  evidence of their parental relationship before being allowed to leave the country.

Electricity  Bulgaria runs on a 220 volt electricity supply (so some visitors will need to bring a transformer). Standard continental two-prong plugs are used, so others will need to  furnish themselves with an adaptor if they want to use their  hairdryer hairdr yer/phone/ /phone/ charger charger/laptop. /laptop.

Key phrases The following is a list of some of the most common words and phrases a person is likely to need. H ell o G o o dbye Please You`re wel com e Thank you E xcuse me Yes / No Ch eers I don`t understand I don`t k now Do yo you u spee speekk En Eng glilish sh? ? Wha t`s up? Good mornin g! Good afternoon /  evening! Good ni gh t! Have you got…? Wh ere can I bu y…? How ma many ny / how muc much? h? G o o d / ba d E xpensi ve / ch eap New / old Hot / cold Forgi ve me! You ar are e very pr pret etty ty gi girl rl

Cafès, bars and restaurants restau rants are required require d by law to provide an area for non-smokers. In practice however this will probably  consist of one or two tables surrounded on all sides by  nicotine addicts happily puffing away.

You are very attractive man May I have th e bill? No offence, but it`s too expensive for me I have drunk only two beers! Mister policeman, he is  just a tipsy tourist. I’m feeling sick, where’s the … hotel?

Visas

Days of week

Smoking 

Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA can stay in the country visa -free for 90 days. days. Nationals of other countries should shoul d contact the Bulgarian embassies or  consulates in their home countries ab out visa arrangements. Note that visas cannot be obtai ned at the border. If you wish to extend your stay beyond the 90-day period you should apply for a residence permit from the Immigration Of fice or Bansko Muni cipality, B-2 pl. Nikola Vaptsarov, Vaptsarov, 886 11, www.bansko.bg.

Roads & Traf Traffic fic poli police ce Most Bulgarians turn into psychopath s as soon as they get  behind behin d the wheel of a car, althou although gh given the state of the road network one can hardly blame them. Cow-sized potholes, suicidal pedestrians and drunken cyclists riding on the wrong  side of the road are just some o f the things to look out for – and with hazards like the se you need to swerve around like a stunt driver in order to stay in one piece. In order to drive on Bulgarian roads outside Bansko you’ll need to purchase a vignette which must be glued to the windscreen. You can get these from border crossings, all post offices and OMV and Shell gas stations. For a car or 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Zdravei D ovi zhdane Mol ya Pak zapov yadai te Bla godar ya I z vinete Da / N e Nazdrave Ne ra zbiram Ne znam Govvorit Go rite e li an angl gliiiis ski ki? ? Kak vo stava? D obro u tro! Dobur den / vecher! Leka nosh t! I m a t e l i …? Ku de m oga da kupya…? Kol olko ko / Kol Kolkko struv struva? a? D obro / l osh o Skupo / ev tin o Novo / staro Topl o / stu den o Prostete mi! Vie Vi e st ste e mn mnog ogo o kr kras asiv ivo o momiche Vie ste mnogo privlekatelen mazh Mozh e li smetkata? Ne se obizhdayte, no e tvurde skupo za men Piinal sam samo dve birichki!. Gospodin policai, toi e prosto edin piinal turist. Losho mi e, kade e hotela…?

Ponedelnik  Vtornik  Sryada Chetvurtak  Petak  Subota Nedelya

Numbers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 100 1000

edno dve tri chetiri pet  shest  sedem osem devet  deset  sto hilyada

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BasiCs SUV vignet tes cost 10Lv for one week, 25Lv for one month, and 67Lv for a year. Talking on a mobil e phone while drivin g is strictly forbidden, as is driving under the influence of more than 0.5/1000 of  alcohol. Foreigne rs are well advised to obey the rules of the road even if they see locals behaving otherwise: the police rarely speak English and are unlikely to show any lenience.

The Cyrillic Alphabet

May 6: St. George’s Day (Gergyovden; Day of the Bulgarian Army)

                               

May 24: St. St. Cyril and Methodius (Sveti Sveti Kiril i Metodyi; Day of the Cyrillic Alphabet and Bulgarian Education and Culture)

Basic data

Policemen checks chec ks on major highways are common, especially  when entering or leaving Bansko. Policemen are allowed to charge on the spot fines up to 50Lv.

Body language The first thing that any visitor to Bulgaria needs to know is that “yes” is indicated by a shake of the head, while “no” is expressed with a nod. It’s a tribute to the resilience of Bulgarian culture over the centuries that  such obtuse habits have been preserved. Foreigners have no choice but to practice the correct Bulgarian gestures in front of the mirror every morning before they go out.

National holidays January 1: New Year’s Day (Nova godina) March 3: Liberation Day (Liberation from the Ottoman rule) (Denyat na osvobozhdenieto) April 19: Easter (V (Velikden) elikden) May 1: Labour Day (Denyat na truda)

September 6: Unification Day (Saedinenieto; marking the unification of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia in 1885) September 22: Independence Day (Denyat na nezavisimostta) December 24,25,26: Christmas (Koleda)

Market values How do costs compare to back home? Here is hand y list  of local prices to give you an idea. Loaf of white bread Snickers bar Litre of vodka Bottle of local beer 20 Marlboros

Leva 1.00 0.80 40.00 2.00 5.00

Euro 0.50 0.40 20.00 1.00 2.50

Exchange rates (as of Decem ber 2008: US$1 - 1.51Lv;  €1 – 1.95Lv; £1 – 2.24Lv

Bansko In Your Pocket 

a b v g d e zh z i y k l m n o p r s t u f h ts ch sh sht a softens ’o’ yu ya

as in as in as in as in as in as in as ’s’ in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in as in

arm bath van go dog  let  mea sure zoo bit  yoke keep like map not  opera pen run sit  tap r ule an f an hand cu ts church short  sma shed but  yoga you yard

Territory: Bulgaria takes up 110, 550 km2 of land. It  shares borders with Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. The country is bordered to the east by a 354km-long stretch of Black Sea coastline. Rivers: The main rivers in the country are Danube, Maritsa, Mesta, Strouma, Iskar, Yantra. There are more than 600 warm and cold mineral springs. Highest Point: Musala (2925m), south of Sofia in the Rila mountains. Population of Bulgaria: 7,385,367 (July 2006 est.) Population of Sofia: 1,377,531 (July 2006 est.) Local time: Bulgaria is part of the Eastern European Time Zone (GMT +2); when it is noon in Sofia i t is 11:00 in Berlin, Berlin, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York City. Religion: Traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria is Eastern Ortho dox Christianity. Christianity. Orth odox 85%, Muslim 8%, others 7%.

Important phone number numbers s Fire station: 160, 88 430 Ambulance: 150, 88 270 Police: 160, 888 60, 888 61 Road assistance: 146 Telephone information: 11800 Mountain control and rescuing service: 88 132 Anti-corruption Anti-corrupt ion unit: 02/982 22 22, www.nocorr. mvr.bg

history History  Antiquity In antiquity, Bulgaria, the land of Orpheus and Spartacus, belongs to the Kingdom of Macedonia. 4th century BC The territory of contemporary Bulgaria is conquered by the Macedonians, lead by Philip II and his son Alexander the Great. During During the first century AD th ese lands become Roma Roman n provinces. 632 The History of Bulgaria as a separate country begins with the establishment of Old Great Bulgaria (also known as Onoguria). 681 68 1 First Bulgarian Kingdom is established by Khan Asparuh. 865 Bulgaria becomes a Christian country. Tsar Boris I accepts Orthodox Orth odox Christianity. th 9 -10th centuries “The Golden Age” period under the rule of  Tsar Simeon the Great. The Slavic writing is of officially ficially accepted throughout through out the countr y. Literature schools, imposing temples and monasteries are built. Bulgaria has an outlet on three seas - the Black sea, Aegean Sea and th e Adriatic. The capital is moved to Veliki Preslav, which during that period could be compared with the beauty and glory of Constantinople. 1018 Bulgari Bulgaria a falls under By zantine rule until 1185. Se cond Bulgarian Kingdom (1185-1396) is founded 1185 The Second after two brothers, broth ers, Asen and Peter. Peter. The capital cit y of the new kingdom becomes bec omes Velik Veliko o Turnovo. 12th-13th centuries Under th e rule of the Tsar Tsar Kaloyan (11971207) and Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218-1241), Bulgaria becomes a dominant power in the Balkans Balkans.. 1393 The Ottomans occupy the Bulgarian capital Veliko Turnovo after a three-month siege. 1396 The Kingdom of Vidin is occupied, bringing the Sec ond Bulgarian Bulgari an Empire and Bulgarian independence to an end. 14th -18 th centuries By the end of the 14 th century, the Turks control all of Bulgaria. Ottoman rule continues for five centuries. A ge of the Bulgarian National Revival Revival begins. 18th century The Age In spite of the resistance of th e central Turkish Turkish authori ties and the Greek clergy (th e so-called phanariots), phanariots), the struggl stru ggle e for an independentt church, the publication of books and, later on, of  independen periodicals in the th e Bulgarian language, language, the establishment of lay  Bulgarian schools and the official recognition of the language and culture, become real steps to the revival of the nation. One important landmark was the writing of the Slav-Bulgarian History (1762) by monk Paissi of Hilendar. 1876 Bulgarian revolutionaries launch the April Uprising at  Koprivshtitsa. The Turks suppress it with unprecedented brutalit y. Abou t 15,000 Bulgarians Bulgarians are massacred at Plovdiv and 58 villages destroyed. Outraged European allies come to Bulgaria’s rescue in th e late 1870s. Russia, the chief savi our our,, suffers 200,000 casualties in the conflict. 1877-1878 The Russian-Turkish war leads to the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire. March 1878 The Treaty of San Stefano provides for an independent Bulgari Bulgarian an state, which spans the geograph geographical ical regions of Moesia, Thrace and Mace donia. July 1878 The Treaty Treaty of Berlin, under th e supervision of O tto von Bismarck of Germany and Benjamin Disraeli of Britain, splits Bulgaria Bulgaria into three par ts: an independent Principa Principality lity of  Bulgaria Bulgari a based in S ofia, the autonomous O ttoman province province of Eastern Roumelia; and Macedonia, which remains under  direct Ottoman rule. Turnovo Constitution is passed by the First  April 1879 The Turnovo Grand National Assembly. June 1879 Alexander Battenberg becomes be comes prince of Bulgaria, and Sofia bec omes the capital of the new Bulgarian state. September 1885 Eastern Rumelia declares union with Bulgaria. 1887 A coup replaces Alexander Battenberg wi th Ferdinand Ferdinand of Sa xexe-Coburg-Gotha. Coburg-Gotha.

Recent History In June 2001, the Bulgarian monarchy makes an unprecedented comeback when former king Simeon II is elected prime minister minister.. Unable to ease economics hardships for the majority, however, he too sees his popularity plummet after a few months in power. In the same election, the country’s Turkish minority is represented in the government for the first time, and the president  encourages Bulgarians to be more tolerant of TurkishBulgarians. Progress continues under President Georgi Parvanov,, albei t slower than most hope. Membership Parvanov Memb ership of  NATO is granted in 2004, and entry into the European Union follows in 2007. July 27, 2005 the Bulgarian Parliament chose Sergey  Stanishev of the Bulgarian Socialist Party as the new Prime Minister in a coalition government government with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. August 15, 2005 the BSP and National Movement Simeon II formed a stable government, along with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. This grand coalition comprises the three largest parties. This coalition has a large majority in parliament with 169 of the 240 deputies. September 1908 Ferdinand upgrades Bulgaria from principality to kingdom and declares himself Tsar. 1912-1913 The Nationalist Prime Minister, Ivan Geshov,  forms an alliance with Greece and Serbia to attack the Ottomans and to drive drive them out of Macedonia and Thrace. Th e Balkan Wars are sparking. The alliance soon fall out, with Greeks and Serbs expelling Bulgarian Bul garian forces forces from Macedonia, and then dividing up th e spoils. 1915-1918 Bulgaria joins the German side in World War I. A  Serb-French-British Serb-French-Briti sh offensive offensive in Macedonia causes cause s Bulgaria’s collapse. Ferdinand abdicates in favour of son Boris III. Aleksandar  1919 Elections are won by the Peasant party of Aleksandar  Stamboliyski promising widespread social change. Democraticallyy elected governments are toppled toppled 1923-1934 Democraticall via coups that bring authori authoritarian tarian regimes to power. power. 1941 Bulgaria enters World War II on the side of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The country is the only ally of  Hitler’s Germany which did not allow the killing of its Jewish citizens. It was thanks to king Boris III and to the Bulgarian governments gov ernments that no h ostilities are waged waged in the countr y’s territory. 1944 After World War II, as a result of the Yalta agreements between the Great Powers, Bulgaria ends up in the field of  influence of the Soviet Union. 1953-1989 Years of the communist rule of Todor Zhivkov who headed both the party and the state. 10 November 1989 Under pressure from domestic and international circumstances Todor Zhivkov is forced to resign. Bulgaria once again takes the road of democratic development. 7 December 1989 The Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) is  formed as a unifi cation of 13 opposition organisations. June 1990 First free parliamentary parliamentary elections. 12 July 1991 A new democratic Constitu tion is passed. 13 October 1991 First free local authorities elections. 1992 First free presidential elections. Zhelyu Zhelev is elected h ead of state. 3 November 1996 Petar Stoyanov, proposed by the SDS, is elected with President of the Republic of Bulgaria with a landslide majorit y. 19 April 1997 The Parliamentary elections are won by the Democratic Forces United. A government is formed heade d by Ivan I van Kostov Kostov as Prime-Minister Prime-Minis ter.. Bulgaria starts star ts on the road of genuine democratic refo reforms. rms.

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introduCing BansKo Bansko lies upon the ruins and artifacts of different  cultures, among which Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and Slavs, who built fortresses and strongholds and burial mounds around the river Glazne.

History  wh en several 9th and 10th century - Bansko is established when hamlets merged together. 16th century - Bansko is first mentioned with the name Baniska in the Ottoman registers of sheep breeders. It is also a craft center for carpentry and leatherworking, with workshops, using the power of the river. It served as an important stop on th e caravan caravan trade-routes from the coasts of the Aegean Sea and Central Europe. During During the O ttoman Rule, the town was among the richest in th e Bulgarian Bulgarian lands and local en trepreneur trepreneurs s opened suc cessful trading offices in Budapest, Wien, Leipzig, Marseille and London.

Bansko In Your Pocket 

Facts, figures and Mayor The population of the Bansko municipality is about  13700 1370 0 in the year 2005. It has ei ght settlem ents on its territory. The average annual temperature in Bansko is: 10,4 degrees Celsius, so expect snow and always bring  extra warm clothes, even in the brief, but cool summer. The mayor of Bansko is Aleksandar Kravarov. October 5th 1912 - Bansko is liberated at the start of the Balkan Wars. Wars. After th e Russo-Turkish Russo-Turkish war the town was left l eft in the Ottoman O ttoman province of Macedonia. Maced onia. Two Two major anti-ottoman uprisings took place in the area - the one in Kresna and Razlog  in 1878-79 1878-79 and the th e so called Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising  in 1903. These events fuel the revolutionary spirit an d pride of the locals and inspire a huge part of the lo cal Macedonian  folklore songs.

CuLture & eVents Bansko isn’t big enough to have a theatre or a cinema. However numerous cultural events are organized by the local municipalit municipalit y to coincide with the winter tourist season. In addition, annual Bulgarian folk rituals, combined with the saints’ days celebrated by the Or thodox Church, provide plenty of excuses for a party.

Macedonian music Bansko is in the Bulgarian part part of Mace donia, a huge region stretching from south western Bulgaria to the eastern borders bord ers of Albania, Albania, and taking in portions of n orthern Greece besides. Macedonia became politically fragmented in the political turmoil of the early t wentieth century. Macedonian music and  folklore still form form the bedrock be drock of local Bansko tradi traditions, tions, however,, and the ever th e music h eard in local restaurants or performed by local h eritage societies is subtl y different different from that found in the rest of Bulgaria. The use of bagpipes, shepherds’ flutes and a huge booming drum known as the tupan combine to give Macedonian music a lyrical majesty that you’ll be hard put to find anywhere else. The majority of the band’s playing in Bansko’s folk-style restaurants concentrate on a crowd-pleasing repertoire of  sentimental songs which feature the word “Macedonia” in the lyrics l yrics as many times as possible. Main subject matter of  such songs appears appears to be th e plight of Mace donian maidens awaiting the return of boys who h ave left to join anti-Ottoman guerrillas. The majority of Mace donian songs contain seven or  or  nine beats to the th e bar rather than th an the customary four four,, making it  well-nigh impossible impossi ble to tap your foot to them unless you have a degree in mathematics. Although female solo singing is an important part of the musical landscape in other parts of Macedonia, Macedonia, it is th e male group that rules th e roost in Bansko. In fact there’s a distinct  style of male singin g in Bansko, with a solo voice backed by  strident, raw-sounding harmonies.

Events and Holidays Apart from national holidays, there are several local   festivities on Bansko territory, which should not be missed by any self-respecting tourist. For those who   find Bulgarian art, music and dance more interesting  than a day of skiing or hiking, Bansko’s museums and  festival stages will give somethin g to remember. remember. If playing instruments, made of skinned sheep is not your cup of tea, then listen to some good jazz on the annual Jazz   festival, or go eat and drink as mu ch as you can on our  personal favourite favourite Sudzhuk Sud zhuk Festival – Bansko’ Bansko’s s own way  of celebrating good food. December 25th – Christmas Concert – Community  Center Hall – 17.00h December 25th – Christmas Mass – “Holy Trinity” Church - 8.00 – 10.30h January 1st 2009 – “Happy New Ne w Year” Year” – A Holiday H oliday Folklore Concert Concer t and Kukeri Festival– Festival– Central Square January 14th 2009 –A Festival of the Banski sudzhuk  and red wine – Central Square – 17.00h May 17-25th 2009 – Days of the Bansko traditions – dedicated to notable enlighteners, concerts of amateur  artists, display of traditional outfits and cuisine from Bansko, art exhibitions, best hotel, street and summer  garden garde n competitions, Fl ower holiday  May 24 – 25th 2009 – “Between Three Mountains” – Folklore festival for authentic Bulgarian songs May 24th 2009 – Day of the Slavonic Culture and Alphabet – O fficial start of th e Summer tourist season June 19th 2009 - Celebrating the day of St. Paisiy  Hilendarski

since th e execution of Nikola July 23th 2009 – 67 years since Vaptsarov and 57 years of museums in Bansko August 8-13th 2009 – International Jazz Festival “Bansko 2009” September 2009 – Pirin Folk Bulgaria – Bansko International Festival for Original Bulgarian songs October 5th 2009 – Day of Bansko, 97 years from the liberation from Turkish rule November 1th 2009 – Day of the th e Bulgarian Bulgarian Enlighteners, 216 years since since the th e birth of Ne ofit Rilski

Winter festivals Winter brings out th e weirder side of Bulgarian folklore, folklore, with the menfolk of small towns and villages donning animal masks and cow bells to perform daft-as-a-brush dances to ensure peace and fertility in the coming year. Known as kukeri or mummers, the dancers aim to drive away mal evolent  spirits, who use the long dark nights of winter as cover for  their pranks. Kukeri rites are enacted in many areas of Bulgaria around January Janua ry 1, although some communities celebrate on January  January  14 (New Year’s Day according to an old Orthodox Christian Calendar which still endures in some areas). Bansko traditionally celebra tes the kukeri rituals on January  1. On the same day, even bigger kukeri processions take place in the nearby town of Razlog, where neighbourhoo ds compete to dress up in the most outlandish costumes. Kukeri rituals marking the end of winter take place on Easter Sunday in Eleshnitsa 20km east of Bansko, where men in huge hairy headdresses scamper crazily crazily round the main square.

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CuLture & eVents Name days

Famous Bulgarians

In Bulgaria, one’s name day is considered as importan t as a birthday. It is customary to buy treats for family members and colleagues. collea gues. Take Take note of the dates b elow and ingratiate in gratiate yourself with any Bulgarians you meet by buying them a shot of rakia on their name day. day. Either Eith er that, or exploit your  own by getting lashings of free drinks drinks from your friends and acquaintances. When in Rome and all that.

Nikola Vaptsarov

• 5th December –St. Sava - Sava, Savka, Slavi, Slavka,

Vladislav, Vladislava • 6th December - Nikulden (St. Nikolai ’s Day) – Nikola,

Nikolai, Nikolina, Nenka, Neno, Nina, Kolyo. • 9th December – St. Anna – Anna, Ana • 24th December – Badni vecher (Christmas Eve) – Eve-

A controversial controversial national hero, praised as a poet, despite of his communist ideas, Nikola Vaptsarov was born in Bansko on the 7 th of December 1909. His family name originates from his grandfather’s craft, who was dying   fabrics (in Bulgarian “vaptsam” means to paint or dye). He attended atten ded the Naval Mechanical School Sch ool in Varna, Varna, which was later turned into a Naval Academy and named a fter  him. His only poetr y collection “Motor Songs”, praising the machines and th e working class was translated into 60 languages and earn ed him a World Peace Award Award in 1952. Unfortunatelyy, due to his anti-Nazi revolutionary activi Unfortunatel ac tivities, ties, he was executed by a firing squad in 1942. Letter

genia, Evgeni, Biser, Bistra, Bozhin, Bozhana, Bisera, Bozhan

Do you remember 

• 25th December Decemb er – Christmas – Hristo, Hristina, Radostin,

Sea and engines

Radoslav, Radomir 

Holds, full of 

• 1st January – Vasilyovden - Vasil, Vasilena, Veselin,

Vasko, Vesela

Sticky gloom?

• 6th Januar y – Yordanovden Yordanovden (St. Jordan’s J ordan’s day) – Yordan, Yordan,

And that wild longing 

Yordanka, Dancho, Danka, Bozhan, Bozhana, Dana, Bogdan, Bogdana.

For the Philippines,

• 7th January – Ivanovden - Ivan, Ivanka, Vanya, Vanya, Yoan, Yoan,

For the big stars

Yoana, Yova, Zhan, Zhana

Over Famagusta?

• 17th January – Antonovden – Anton, Andon, Antoniya,

Tonch o, Tonka • 18th January – Atanasovden - Atanas, Atanaska,

Translate ranslated d from:

Tanas, Naso, Nasya • 1st Februar y – Tri rifonovd fonovden en - Tri rifon, fon, Tri rifonka fonka • 10th February- St. Haralampi – Haralampi, Valentin,

Писмо

Valentina

Ти помниш ли

• 13th February – Evlogi, Zoya • 1st March – Marta, Martin, Evdokia • 4th March – Gerasim • 9th March -The Holy 40th Mart Mart yrs - Mladen, Mlad-

морето и машините и трюмовете, пълни с лепкав мрак?

enka

И онзи див копнеж

• 10th March – Galya, Galin, Galina • 19th March – Daria, Nayden, Nayda • 25th March – Blagoveshtenie (the Annunciation) – Bla-

по Филипините, по едрите звезди

govest, Blagovesta, Bla goy goy,, Blaga, Bla ga, Evangelina, Evangelina, Vangel • 28th March – Albena, Boyan, Boyko, Boyka

над Фамагуста?

Bulgarian Obituaries – Signs Of The Dead Have you ever ever wondered what all those black and an d white posters are with pictures of people, names, dates and short text  beneath them? You have seen them all over doors, street  corners, kiosks and bus stops throughou t Bulgaria. These are neither neith er wanted criminals, criminals, nor candidates for for the next elections, elec tions, some of whom are too young or old. As morbid as it may be  for some of you, these posters have been commemorating  deceased relatives and friends for decades. Instead of putting  obituaries in newspapers, Bulgarians print print these the se grim notices so everyone concerned would know if someone had passed away. There are several types of “nekrologs” as they are called: one for the family, for the relatives and frien ds, one for  the colleagues…the ones without pictures are usually made immediatelyy after the person’s demise and after 40 days, the immediatel  family of the deceased makes a new obituary with a picture of their loved one. Usually, the short texts are sombre poems po ems about how good the person was and how much they are missed. These nekrologs are typical for smaller towns and villages, but you can still see them in big cities too.

Bansko In Your Pocket 

Where to stay Fif teen years ago Bansko boasted one hotel and a Fifteen scattering of rooms, offered privately by local grannies. Nowadays the number of tourist beds in town stands at  an estimated 25,000 and is still rising. With a rash of  hotels in every category, it shouldn’t be too hard to find something that suits.

Symbol key P Air conditioning 

 A Credit cards accepted

O Casino

H Conference facilities

T Child friendly 

Facilities ities for the disabled U Facil

Cream of the crop

R Internet 

L Guarded parking 

Yavor, Shipitsko area, tel. 0878 909 Guinness C-1, ul. Yavor,

F Fitness centre

Non-smoking ng rooms G Non-smoki

805, [email protected], www.hotel-guinness.com. Looming above the south western suburbs of town, Guinness Guinness is one of the most talked-about hotel developments of recent years, and is well worth taking a l ook at wheth er you’re considering staying here or not. With panoramic elevators overlooking an inner court yard, and a 20-metre-high 20-metre-high fireplace, a sprouting from the centre of the lobby, lobby, the building is ei ther  masterpie ce or monster. monster. The rooms themsel them selves ves are in warm beige-brown colours, and many boast mountain-facing balconies. Additional 5-star indulgences includ e Spa centre, indoor  ind oor  swimming pool, sauna, gym, and wireless internet connec tion  for your laptop. Q120 rooms (singles €111 - 148, quads  €259, suites €74 - 126, apartments apartm ents €79 - 290, Studio €100 - 128). HARIFLKDCW hhhhh

K Restaurant 

M Nearest metro station

D Sauna

C Swimming pool

6 Animal friendly 

W Wi-Fi connection

Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko E-1, ul. Pirin 96, tel. 88 888, fax 88 560, reservations.grandarena@ kempinski.com, www.kempinski-bansko.com. Looking  like an alpine chalet inflated to palatial proportions, the Austrian-run Kempinski is perfectly placed at the cable-car  end of town. The spacious and comfortable comfortabl e rooms come with luxury bathrooms, ba throoms, each of which which has both shower cubicle and bathtub. bath tub. Each room has a balcony, balcony, many with sweeping views vie ws of the Pirin mountains. There are two excellent if slightl y pricy  restaurants, numerous bars, and both outdoor and indoor  heated pools. The bright, mood-enhancing Spa centre has  floor-to-ceilin g windows wi th mountain moun tain views, and offers Turkish steam bath, solarium, massages and other post-piste muscle-soothing treatments. Q159 rooms (132 doubles  €135 - 250, 27 suites sui tes €380 - 540). PTHAIFEG�

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Upmarket  BelleVue Residence Hotel D-2, ul. Vardar 15, tel. 86 660/0882 429 493, [email protected], www. bellevueresidence-hotel.com. Along with its modernistic lobby which reminded us of a James Bond movie set, this hotel boasts apartments with unique individual designs. Each of the spacious guest quarters satisfies the taste of i ts owner and designer, but is there for your luxury and offers an atmosphere, closest to any contemporary contemporary apartm ent. There is a big pool and a superb Spa, massage and and fitness fitn ess centre   for your leisure and four conference rooms, ready to meet  any corporate working demands. Q59 rooms (22 1 room apartment €44 - 100, 24 2 room apartmen t €28 - 58, 13 big  apartment €58). HA6FLKDCW hhhh

Evelina Palace B-2, ul. Ikonom Chuchulain 34, tel. 86 428, fax 86 430, [email protected], evelinapalace.com. Recently-built hotel, incorporating traditional architectural touches, on the right bank of Glaz ne ri ver ver,, just   five minutes’ walk from from the old town. The large bright rooms

The Bansko telephone code is: 0749 

come in a combination of b eige and red-brick hues and an d feature wooden furnishings. You You can play billiards or dar ts in the th e sports spor ts bar.. Room prices include use of the bar th e fantastic big swimming  pool with kids’ corner, corner, fitness fitn ess hall and sauna. Q48 rooms (43 doubles €52 - 118, 3 suites €60 - 144, 2 apartments €84 180). TJAR6UIFLE TJAR6UIFLEKDCW KDCW hhhh hh hh fa x 88 029, Glazne C-1, ul. Panayot Hitov 2, tel. 88 022, fax [email protected], www.gla zne.bansko. zne.bansko.bg. bg. Over on the west  bank of the Glazne river river,, the Glaz ne offers offers stylishly design ed rooms in beige, blue and grey. grey. All the rooms come with b athtubs - which is good to know, if you nee d a soak after a day  on the pistes. The complex also offers seven family houses, built in tradional style, bu t featuring featuring swanky mod ern interiors. The hotel’s top-floor sky bar offers a spectacular panorama of Bansko and the surrounding mountains. There’s both a European-style Europea n-style restaurant and a traditional mehana on site, as well as Rossignol ski rental. Q23 rooms (8 doubles €56 - 84, 8 suites €94, 7 villas €176 - 184). TJHA6I�

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Lion E-2, ul. Georgi Nastev 1, tel. 86 800, fax 86 868, [email protected], www.hotelslion.com/index_bansko.php. Opened in December D ecember 2005, the Lion offers offers reasonably spacious rooms in a building which mixes traditional design elements with contemporary touches and swanky  bathrooms - most of which are equipped with a full-size tub. Apartments and family rooms come with small kitchenettes. Relaxation areas include a lounge with open fireplace, various bars and a restaurant. restaurant. Rates include use of the gym and shut tle transport to the lift station. Q191 rooms (167 doubles €90 170, 8 apartments €120 - 250, 16 family room €105 - 200).

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Martin C-3, ul. Neofit Rilski 28, tel. 88 301, fax 86 510, [email protected], www.banskobg.org/goto/ ki tted-out hotel in calm hotelmartin/index_bg.html. A newly kitted-out residential streets, ten minutes’ minu tes’ walk east of Bansko’s historical centre. Contemporary design and Italian ceramics in the bathrooms give the place a moderately swanky feel. The big  10-person Jacuzzi can be rented out by anyone with wit h a particular  kind of party par ty in mind. Transfers Transfers from/to Sofia are available upon request. Q32 rooms (26 doubles €90 - 123, 6 apartments  €120 - 140). THARLEKDCW hhhh

Mountain Paradise C-1, ul. Moratovo ezero 10, tel./ fax 88 179, [email protected], www. mountain-paradise.org. Large apartment complex on the western side of town offering a good choice of well-equipped apartments, from 2-person studios with with ki tchenette to twobedroom family af a ffairs. There’s also a small indoor pool po ol and a beauty centre. Q89 rooms (18 Studio: €40 - 110, 58 1-bed apartament €53 - 150, 13 2-bed apartament €81 - 210).

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Where to stay Perun E-2, ul. Georgi Nastev, tel. 88 477, fax 88 485,

Elegant D-1, ul. Peyo Yavorov 31, tel. 88 860/0886

[email protected], www.hotelperunbansko. com. Hotel Perun seems to offer all the amenities that its 4-star categorization categorization deser ves - a great Spa and swimming  pool, and a great location only 10 minutes’ walk from the cable-car station. Rooms are swish and come with decentsized bathrooms with full-size tubs. Many rooms come with mountain-facing balconies. Table-tennis, billiards and electronic games are available in the games hall. Room price includes use of swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gym, sauna and steam bath. A shuttle bus service to the gondola station, a ski wardrobe equipment rental are also available. Q145 rooms (145 doubles doubl es €158 - 190). THARIFLEG�

337 789, fax 88 861, [email protected], www. elegant.bansko.bg. No matter which of the Elegant hotels you choose or if you go for the apartment complexes, they  really do live up to their name. Between th e Lux, the Spa and the Elegant i tself, every wish is catered for from Jacuzzis to pools to full bod y chocolate wraps. All of the Elegant rooms and apartments are very tastefully tastefully design ed and decorated and come with all mod cons. They offer studios, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. Service is excellent excellent and a wh ole range of cuisine is on offer offer at their various restuaran ts. It’s possible possibl e to get everything you need for a top class holiday covered by the Ele gant empire. empire. The Elegant Spa is also th e home of  The Crown Irish Pub. Q33 rooms (1 single €41 - 113, 23 doubles €52 - 225, 9 apartments €76 - 248). PTAI�

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Pirin C-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 68, tel. 88 051, fax 88 044, [email protected], ww [email protected], www.hotelpirin.ba w.hotelpirin.bansko.bg. nsko.bg.In the centre of Bansko, conveniently placed for the old town and its inns and about 2k m north of the cable-car station (shuttle service is provided). Modern,pastel-coloured rooms with TV, minibar, and shower. There’s a games room with table tennis and billiards, along with ski and snowboard rental  facilities.  faci lities. Room price includes use of th e swimming pool, gym and sauna. Q68 rooms (4 singles €66 - 104, 56 doubles   €92 - 158, 8 suites €117 - 184). PTJHARI�

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Elegant

FLEKDCW hhhh off icebanShato Bansko D-3, ul. Solun 23, tel. 95 015, [email protected], w ww.shatobansko.com. A pretty elegant  [email protected], place on the outskirts of town which incorporates parts of  a By zantine fortress wall. wall. Rooms are light, com fo fortable rtable an d extravagantly furnished, some with sweeping mountain views. All bathrooms have bath tubs and multicoloured marble-effect colour schemes. The Spa area offers massage, steam bath and sauna. The hotel’s two restaurants include a traditional-style mehana, kitted out in rustic style. Baby-sitting, ski rental, and a minibus shuttle to th e lift station are among the extras. Q70 rooms (6 singles  €35 - 109, 60 doubles €48 - 110, 4 apart apartments ments €60 - 150).

Elegant 3 ul. Peyo Yavorov 31, 0897 950 210. 5 One bedroom b edroom apartment: €40, 5 Two Two bedroom apartment: €55. Elegant Boutique ul. Nayden Gerov, 86420, 0886 337 789. 21 Apartmen ts: €50.

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Strazhite D-1, ul. Glazne 7, tel. 88 700/88 040, fax 88 118. At the southern end of town on the way to the cable-car station, Strazhi te is more of a self-containe d resort, than a hotel, with numerous bars, restaurants, restaurants, discos and a bowlin g alley to keep you occupied. A favourite of tour  groups, it’s often packed to the gills wit h Balkan Holidays clients. Additional facilities include a Spa centre offering  massages and beauty treatments, and a small medical centre, equipped to deal with piste-related strains and bruises. Room price includes swimming pool, sauna and gym. Q160 rooms (135 doubles €100 - 140, 25 apartments €130 - 160, 160, maisonet tes). OHAFKDCW

Elegant Lux - apartment Hotel ul. Nayden Gerov, 0886 337 789. 9 Studio: €40, 27 One bedroom apartment: €60, 11 Two bedroom apartment: €70.

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Tanne D-2, ul. Georgi Nastev 7, tel. 88 100, fax 88 101, [email protected], hotel-tanne.com. Bulgarian-German resort complex near the cable-car station, with modern stone buildings grouped, traditional style, behind a gated stone wall. Rooms combine traditional Bulgarian folksiness with contemporary comforts, and all the bathrooms are equipped with tubs. The ‘Viennese lounge’, with its Austrian-style cakes and pastries, is a major feature. Kids will be kept occupied by a games room, stocked with toys, ele ctronic games, table football and other distrac tions. Use of gym, swimming pool, sauna and steam bath is included in the price. Q 33 rooms (25 doubles €80 - 100, 5 apartments €145, 3 maisonettes €155 - 175). THA6UIFLEKDCW

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Bansko In Your Pocket 

Elegant Spa ul. Nayden Gerov, 86420, 0886 337 789. 3 Studio: 40 Euro, 27 One bedroom apartment:  €60, 7 Two Two bedroom apartm ent: €70, 1 Three b edroom apartment: €80.

Where to stay Hotel Avalon El Tepe No. 4 , Bansko 2700 Bulgaria Tel (00359) 74988399 • Fax (00359) 74988398 www.avalonhotel-bulgaria.com Vihren Palace behind the parking lot of the Gondola,

Banderitsa C-1, ul. Han Asparuh 2, tel. 86 600/0889

tel. 87 777, [email protected], www.vihrenpalace.com. Just a minute’s walk from the Gondola, this hotel is just big enough to get lost inside. The l obby bar is superb with leather couches an d a huge fish tank. The Spa centre and the indoor pool are tastefully and luxuriously  decorated. Th e big suites and apartmen ts offer offer comfort comfort and picturesque views. Apart from the restaurant, there is also a mehana, which incorporates the best from the traditional and modern design and style. Q145 rooms (9 singles  €79 - 136, 58 suites €124 - 372, 63 Studio €96 - 160, 15 maisonettes €136 - 422). TAFKDCW hhhh

623 704, [email protected], www.banderitsahotel.com. Package-friendly hotel, which nevertheless retains a warm and welcoming feel. The rooms feature hand-made wooden furni ture and soft b rown-s rown-sugary ugary decor d ecor.. There’s also a large number of apartments, each equipped with kitchenette. There’s a 24hr café-bar on the ground  floor and 24hr room-service too. Th e Spa complex includes an authentic-style Turkish bath where you can soothe your  muscles with a massage. Q54 rooms (34 doubles double s €45 - 70, 20 apartments €85 - 95). AFLKDCW hhh

Villa Roka B-2, ul. Glazne 37B, tel. 88 337, fax 88

011, [email protected], [email protected], w ww.hotelbulgariabansko.com. Conveniently close to the cable-car  station, the Bulgaria is decked out in natural materials and warm colours. Rooms are reasonably spacious, and the apartments come with either a small terrace or a glassenclosed conservatory-like porch. Rates include use of a swimming pool, gym, g ym, sauna, steam bath and solarium. Q29 rooms (21 doubles €100 - 170, 8 apartments €140 - 310).

446, [email protected], www.villaroka.com. Tucked away in the northwestern corner of the centre, the Villa Roka will go go down a storm with desi gn freaks. Featurin Featuring g stark  silvery-grey cladding cladding on the ou tside, the interior is filled with Japanese-inspired design touches and matt black and red colours. The low tables and sofas in the lobby immediately  let you know that you’re entering a world of contemporary  cool. Standard doubles feature a central shower cabin entered through Japanese-style sliding partitions. The ten split-level apartments are very bright and sunny. The Spa centre contains more matt black and natural wood surfaces, and offers offers swimming pool, sauna, steam ba th, aroma therapy  and massage - all of which which is included include d in the room price. Q99 rooms (89 doubles €40 - 110, 10 maisonettes €80 - 125).

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Mid-range Aneli B-1, ul. Rila 10A, tel. 88 070/0888 420 233, fax 88 071, www.hotel-aneli.com. Medium-sized family-run place in residential streets ten minutes’ walk from the town centre, offering offering simple but comfortable comfor table rooms with laminated  floors, small desks and en-suite shower/WC. Warm colours and chequered bed-spreads add a bit of warmth. Q18 rooms (12 doubles €30 - 36, 5 triples €45 - 54, 1 apartment   €). ALKDW hhh

Bulgaria D-1, ul. Hristo Matov 2, tel. 88 010, fax 88

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Edelweiss-Park Hotel C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 33, tel. 87 070/0887 507 097, fax 87 071, www.edelweissbansko.com. Not far from the centre, just by the local stadium is a small quiet hotel, built as a t ypical Bansko Bansko house, where you can rest after a busy skiing day. Far from luxury, the rooms are neverth nevertheless eless welcoming and comfortable, with cable TV, mini-bars and phones. The studios are equipped with kitchen ettes with all mo d cons. There’s also a sauna to ease your muscles after a day on the slopes . The personnel are very hospitable and always at your disposal. The hotel has 6 double rooms, 3 triple rooms, 5 apartmen ts and studios for  4 people and 1 apartm ent for 6. There is also a restaurant   forr 60 people withou t live music. The skiers are transported  fo transported to and from the first lift station by mini-bus. Q13 rooms (6 doubles €32 - 48, 3 triples €48 - 55, 5 apartment €55 - 75, 2 studio €55 - 75, 1 apartment for 6 persons €50 - 110).

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Avalon C-2, ul. El tepe 4, tel. 88 399/0886 397 245,

Friends D-1, ul. Rayna Knyaginya 2, tel. 86 439/0886

[email protected], www.avalonhotelbulgaria.com. MediumMedium-sized sized place with friendly and in timate  feel, located in a quiet residential part of town a short walk   from the historic centre. The helpful staff radiate a winning  mixture of professionalism and informality. Neat rooms feature simple simple but so othing décor mixing modern and tradi tional materials. Be sure to book th e top-floor rooms (numbers 32, 33 and 34) if you want a bit of at tic-ceilinged cosiness cosiness with mountain views thrown in. in. The lobby bar wi th its roaring log   fire is an excellent place to unwind. The h otel has its own team of English-speaking English-speaking ski instructors who can handle any thing   from beginners’ beginn ers’ classes to guided off-piste excursions. excursions. Q13 rooms (2 singles €35 - 65, 8 doubles €45 - 50, 3 triples €49 - 55). ARIGKW hhh

660 601, [email protected], www.friendshotel. org. Friends is aimed squarely at the young and upwardly  mobile, hence the sushi restaurant on the top floor and the Jacuzzi bar in the basement. The rooms feature bright  carpets and textiles and make a nice chan ge from the predictably chintzy styles on offer elsewhere. The leather sofas of  the ground-floor bar are the perfect place for a post-pistes slump. Q (33 doubles €45 - 100, 8 apartm ents €55 - 120).

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Hermes A-2, ul. Ivan Belezhkov, tel. 490 07 67/0885 545 477, fax 490 09 29, [email protected], www.hotelhermes.eu. A nice new building on the Glazne River only 10 minutes from the first Gondola station, this hotel offers its guests comfortable rooms and apartments  furnished with everything necessary for a good rest. Unfortunately, the owners do not believe in credit cards, so be prepared to pay in cash. There is a restaurant for 80 people where you can try something specific from the Bulgarian cuisine or, if you are not that adventurous, you will find out  that the chef is good internationally. Skiers do not have to

Winter 2008/2009

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Where to stay be afraid of walking in heavy shoes as there is bus shuttle to the lift. At the time of our visit it was a 3-star hotel but  the owners had applied for for a higher high er category. category. Let’s hope the season will start with a new 4-star hotel Q78 rooms (62 doubles €26 - 70, 11 apartments €74 - 95, 5 maisonettes  €66 - 90). TRULKW hhh

Holiday Group Hotel A-2, ul. Tsar Simeon 2, tel. 88 575, fax 88 574, [email protected], www.holidaygroup.bansko.bg. A nice hotel at the nor thwestern entrance to the town, offering offering comfortable comfor table and spacious rooms, some with wi th fireplaces. Transfer Transfer to the ski lif ts. Hospitable staff. Q25 rooms (17 doubles €42, 2 apartments €52 - 180, 6 maisonettes €52 ). ARIKDW hhh

Hotel Bariakov D-2, ul. Peyo Yavorov 41, tel. 82 150/0887 251 921, fax 82 017, hotelbariakov@gmail. com, www.hotelbariakov.com. This place has a lot to offer, apart from their big studios and double rooms. They  have sauna and massage, along with table tennis and an area for children. They deliver food to their rooms from the Bariakov Bariak ov mehana and regul regularly arly h ost a special day for ethnic exhibitions in their “ethno” corner. It lies 150 meters from the Gondola. Q22 rooms (18 doubles €38 - 51, 4 Studio).

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Hotel Grami D-1, ul. Vasil Drumev 6, tel. 88 407, fax 88 408, www.grami.hit.bg. This big house offers an opportunity for a fairly priced vacation with everything you may need. Th ey don’t accept credit cards and don’t have have an indoor pool, bu t still you can relax relax in th e sauna and workout  workout  at the fi tness, or shoot some billiards after an evening evening meal. Q24 rooms (9 doubles €36, 11 triples €41, 4 apar tments  €46). IFLKDW hh

Hotel Rodina C-2, ul. Pirin 7, tel. 88 106, [email protected], www.rodina.bg. Built right in the centre of town in 1998, the Rodina is an odd building, which tries to be modern, traditional and vaguely Alpine at the same time. Rooms were given a fresh lick of paint in 2006 and it is a reasonably solid mid-range choi ce, offering offering ensuite room s, equipped equip ped wi th simple shower cabins. There’s There’s an at tractive atrium café and a reasonable restaurant. All rates are on a half-board basis (covering buffet breakfast and a set-menu dinner). Q42 rooms (34 doubles €25 - 50, 4 apartments  €46 - 92, 4 maisonettes €36 - 77). JAUILEG�

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Ivel D-1, ul. Hristo Matov 5, tel. 88 437, www. bansko-ivel.com. Cosy family-run place at the cable-car  end of town, offering neat en-suite rooms with TV and  fridge. Terracotta-coloured carpets and mood-enhancing  citrus colours make for a pleasant stay. Go for one of  the corner rooms if you want a little extra in the way  of light and space. In a refreshing break from the folksy  décor on offer elsewhere, the breakfast room features bold modern mosaics. Q10 rooms (10 doubles €35).

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Kralev Dvor C-1, ul. Terzi Nikola 3, tel./fax 88 527, tel. 0894 632 066, [email protected], www.hotelkralevdvor.com. Small and snug hotel, run by a very nice  family, located ten-minutes’ walk from both the town centre and the cable-car station. There’s Th ere’s a choic choice e of eith er standard double rooms or maisonette-style apartments, all decorated in soothing orange-beige colours. Breakfast is in the warm and intimate restaurant. Extras include beauty treatments and massage facilities. Q15 rooms (7 doubles €40 - 50, 8 apartments €60 - 75). hhh

LUXURY VILLAGE VILLAS &  APARTMENTS AP ARTMENTS FOR RENT & SALE

PIRILA VILLAS

Affordable comfy quality accommodation at Penbro Aparthotel, or in our selected traditionally built luxury s/c apartments and detached villas in Banya and Dolno Draglishte villages 5 & 10 km from Bansko.

PENBRO HOTEL

RD Consultants / Penbro Scottish owned and managed since 2002 Contact

Derek & June Brown at:Tel: 00 359 (0) 889 51 48 84 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.penbro.com

“Our companies are committed to supporting, promoting and protecting the local mountin fauna and flora and our  village heritage, lifestyle, culture and folklore”.

GLAZNE  Apts

Bansko In Your Pocket 

MESTA  Apts

Where to stay Maraya D-2, ul. Nayden Gerov, tel. 86 463/86 462, fax 86 462, [email protected], www.hotelmaraya-bansko.com. Situated at the sou thern end of town near the li ft station, the th e Maraya Hotel is a good place for skiers skiers with its modern interior and multiple facilities. The complex consists of two wings (the “Elv y” and the “Maray “Maraya”), a”), each of  them decorated with plush modern fittings. Rooms come with either shower or bathtub (so specify which you want if  you’re particular about such things), most also h ave terraces with views of the faraw faraway ay pistes. Included in the hotel’s h otel’s long  list of amenities is a “dentist’s laboratory” - sadly we did not  have time to try this out. Room prices include shuttle bus to the lift station. Q37 rooms (29 doubles €60 - 148, 4 apartmen apar tments ts €80 - 222, 4 Studio €72 - 182). HAR6F�

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Momini dvori B-2, pl. Nikola Vaptsarov 2, tel. 88 076/0885 406 595, mominidvori@mominidvori. com, www.mominidvori.com. Right across from the town hall is the oldest mehana in Bansko, Momini dvori. The reconstructed building n ow houses a Balk Balkan’s an’s style mehana and a boutique hotel. It’s a dazzling combination of Bulgarian and oriental style with elements of a hunting  lodge. The rooms are uniquely decorated with Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean furniture and seating  areas from dark wood or wicker, wooden screens, straw mats and bamboo blinds. Even the dustbins are made of  wood. Some of the rooms have king size beds covered with cotton fabrics and cushions, where each room has a specially designed bathroom and most are with a hydro massage shower. The apartment has an in-room hydro massage bathtub next to a circlular bed, a fireplace, a rocking chair and a wooden sink. Q11 rooms (6 doubles  €41 - 77, 4 triples €52 - 98, 1 VIP Apartment €72 - 128).

Matsurev Han Hotel and Mehana ul. Otets Paisiy 15 www.matsureva.bansko.bg +359 899 142 342 +359 749 82 782 style with sou therly exposure. The rooms are medium sized sized with single or queen size beds, sitting area, mini bar, cable TV; some are with showers others with hydro massage or normal bathtubs. There is transport organized to the gondola, breakfast is available for an extra charge. There is a small inside swimming pool, steam bath, Jacuzzi and sauna. They provide transport to the Gondola. The hotel also has a pizza and steak restaurant open to the public, but with a second entry from inside. Q9 rooms (7 doubles  €21 - 64, 1 apartment €60 - 130, 1 Maisonette €60 - 130).

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Vihren D-1, ul. Pirin 55-57, tel. 88 097, fax 88 098, [email protected], w ww.hotelvihren.com. Mid-way  [email protected], between th e old town and and the li ft station, Vihren is a moderately comfy place, that offers a mixture of ensuite doubles and apartments with kitchenette. Some rooms have small balconies, looking out onto the interior courtyard. The on-site restaurant specializes in steaks. Q19 rooms (11 singles  €40 - 55, 8 apartments €43 - 85). TJILEKDW

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Apartment hotels

Mountview Lodge D-1, ul. Banderitsa, tel. 0889 002

Apartment House Eagle Lodge E-2, ul. Georgi

227, [email protected], www.mountviewlodge.com. Located in the southern par t of town near the cable-car station, Mountview offers 52 elegantly-furnished studio apartments, each with dining area, fireplace, and  fully-equipped  fully-equ ipped kitchenette. Kinderga Kindergarten, rten, ski rental centre and Italian restaurant are all on-site, and transport is provided to the cable-car should you need it. Q52 rooms (12 Studio €58 - 85, 15 One-bedroom apartment €75 - 100, 25 Two-bedroom apartment €85 - 120). THAR�

Nastev, tel. 0899 890 870. Luxury ski chalet-style apartment complex in the southern part of Bansko, close to the ski gondola, gondola, combining Alpine chalet-st yle architecture with typical Bansko motifs. The servi ced apartmen ts  feature  fe ature modern in teriors, swish bathrooms, and - if you’re lucky to be on the right side of the building - stunning  mountain views. The complex has an on-site restaurant, ski wardrobe, basement car park, sauna, steam bath and Jacuzzi. Q 32 rooms (32 apartments €40 - 180).

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Tsar Simeon 1, tel. 88 094, fax 88 096, 096 , Olymp B-2, ul. Tsar

Complex Tamplier E-2, Gramadeto area, tel. 86

[email protected], ww w.olymp-bansk [email protected], w.olymp-bansko.com. o.com. This hotel may be the first thin g you see when you enter Bansko. Bansko. A new development, it has been open for 2 years and the staff are eager to show their guests the best they can do   for them. There’s an excellent restaurant for the guests. Don’t hesitate to give it a try. The hotel offers internet  services and Wi-Fi in the lobby, the spa centre will help you relax and thre e rooms on the first floor are equipped for the disabled. Q35 rooms (29 doubles €80 - 85, 4 apartments apartm ents  €100 - 140, 2 Maisonet te €100 - 140). THAULG�

790/0889 599 881, [email protected], www. tamplier.com. Several businessmen and celebrities have their own apartments in this spacious stone and wood complex. You can actually stay in the soccer superstar  Hristo Stoichkov’s apartment, which is big, superbly    furnished and has a collection of sports t-shirts on its walls instead instead of boring pictures. There is a big winer y and a sommelier in the restaurant, lobby bar and a beau tiful pool, fitness, Spa, massage and medical centre. The apartmen ts are comfortable comfortable and some ha ve a remarkable remarkable views to the mountains. There is also a creche which will keep the wild youngsters occupied while you’re relaxing. Q 28 rooms (10 doubles €63 - 105, 12 apartments   €80, 4 2 room Apartment €70, 1 President Apartment    €74, 1 Studio €70). TA6IFLGBKDCW

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Panorama (Vakanova kashta) C-2, ul. Pirin 39, tel. 82 376/0888 399 156, [email protected]. Family-run hotel, one of the first in Bansko, on Pirin Street, 7-8 min to the Gondola. The whi te three-story three-story h ouse is built in Bansko

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Where to stay Dream Apartment Complex Bansko E-2, Gramadeto area, tel. 82 204/0899 303 738, [email protected], sko@abv .bg, ww w.dreambansk w.dreambansko.com. o.com. The comfortable grounds of this apartment complex will make your family  and guests feel at hom e. There are several types of spacious, well furnished apartments, which can satisfy all your holiday and household demands. All the apartm ents have terraces, kitchenettes, TV-sets, safes and internet  connec tion. There is a swimming pool, Spa, massage and  fitness centre, and their Russian bath, with a big wooden cask-tub, a vodka and caviar menu and special broom s to hit your naked frien ds with, will make you feel as a Russian Tsar. Q78 rooms (4 Studio €50 - 110, 50 Deluxe Suite  €50 - 210, 4 Tower Suite €75 - 240, 6 Grand Suite €100 - 310, 14 Gran d Tower Tower €100 - 310). TA6IFLG�

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Lucky Bansko A-2, ul. Kir Blago Todev 4-10, tel. 806 61 61, fax 806 61 74, [email protected], www.luckybansko.com. The 4-star complex offers a 5-star level service, furnishing and equipment. Nice and comfortable atmosphere combined with polite personnel. Guests have at their disposal a restaurant, a lobby  bar, conference room with up to 100 seats, piano bar, a swimming pool, a SPA and fitness centre, numerous services, as well as the most varied forms of entertainment in their leisure time. All residences are equipped with T V sets, telephon telephon es, wireless Internet, mini-safe and  fully equipped kitchenet te with Lavazza coffee machines, ceramic plates, toasters, refrigerators and microwave ovens. The bathrooms are with bath tubs, showers, hair  dryers and are supplied with slippers and bathrobes. Skiers are transported to the lift by a mini-bus. Q 102 rooms (50 apartm ents €140 - 170, 52 Studio €100 - 140).

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Sofia C-2, ul. Radon Todev 16, tel. 88 502, fax 88 362, [email protected], www.banskohotelsofia.com. On a quiet street near the historic centre of town, this medium-sized hotel is a relaxing and friendly place. Most  of the rooms are apartments with kitchenettes, making  it a good choice for families with children. There’s a ski wardrobe, winter garden, steam steam bath an d Jacuzzi, an d free transfer to the cable-car station. Q14 rooms (2 singles  €34 - 91, 2 doubles €51 - 92, 10 apartments €74 - 120).

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Hostels

Out of town Aparthotel Penbro A-4, ul. Neofit Rilski 2, Banya, tel. 0889 859 902, [email protected], ww w.penbro. com. Six kilometres east of Bansko in the bucolic village of Banya, this Scottish-Bulgar Scottish-Bulgarian ian venture comprises six self-catering units in a traditional-style building. Each of the apartments is named after a Bulgarian strain of  vine - which gives you some idea of the owners’ priorities in life. Inside you’ll find a full y-equip y-equipped ped kitchenette, ki tchenette, neat bathrooms and mood-enhancing peach-coloured  fabrics. The second floor split-level maisonettes have plenty of sleeping space and are p erfect for families. families. All units come with south-facing balconies. Washing and ironing facilities are freely available in the basement. If  you don’t fancy fancy slaving slavin g away in the kitch en, breakfast can be ordered ordere d for a few extra leva, and there th ere are a couple of  welcoming village taverns within walking distance. Price reductions are available for stays of over four days. Q6 rooms (3 apartments apart ments €30 - 50, 3 maisonettes maisonet tes €46 - 50).

T6LW hhh Makedonska krachma ul. Georgi Dimitrov 1, Dobrinishte, tel. 0888 792 299, makedonia@ galia-online.com. Ten kilometres southeast of Bansko, Dobrinishte is a laid-back village which has so-far  been spared from the hotel-building frenzy of its near  neighbour. If quiet and characterful B&B accommodation is what you’re after then you could do much worse than head for this modern-built house in the centre of  the village, featuring traditional wood panelling, handwoven floor coverings and timber-beamed ceilings. Rooms feature TV, minibar and simply-furnished WC/  bathroom units. The Makedonska krachma’s fantastic restaurant is right next door. Q6 rooms (6 doubles  €20). K hhh

Aseva kashta C-2, ul. Georgi Kovachev 7, tel. 84 451/0889 121 968, [email protected]. Located 5 min off off the main street Pirin an d 10 min from the Gondola. The rooms are medium sized in unpretentious style with double beds, wardrobes and medium sized bathrooms with shower. For the guests they house a small mehana restaurant for 25 with a fireplace and use of the kitchen on request. Breakfast included, lunch or dinner should be requested in advance. They provide transport to the Gondola. Q 11 rooms (9 doubles €30, 2 triples €40).

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Turisticheski dom Okoto B-2, ul. Hristo Botev 2, tel. 82 310. Basic hostel-type accommodation on a quiet street bang in the centre. Nothing special, but clean and well maintained, and marginally more friendly than the Edelvais. 13 rooms and 3 apartments. Q €8-10 per bed. 6L

Guest houses Alpin C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 6, tel. 88 075, fax 88 076, [email protected], www.alpin.bansko.bg. Opened in 1992, this old-town B&B offers offers en-suite rooms a stones’-throw s tones’-throw from the historic centre. There is a tradiotional-style mehana on site. Skis and sleighs slei ghs are available for rental. Q18 rooms (12 doubles €44 - 88, 3 triples €90 - 180, 3 suites €80 - 240).

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Bansko In Your Pocket 

Dedo Pene C-2, ul. Aleksandar Buynov 1, tel. 88 348, fax 82 223, [email protected], www.dedopene. com. Bang in the centre of the old town, “Grandad Pene’s Inn” is one of the classic addresses in Bansko, Bansko, a traditional restaurant in a 200-year-old stone house that offers guest  rooms in outbuildings ranged around the walled courtyard. Rooms combine modern pine furnishings with timber-beamed ceilings, wood-and-coal-burning stoves, and limestone bathrooms that use antiquated milk pails as washing basins. Q10 rooms (8 doubles €25 - 30, 2 triples €30 - 40).

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Devonshire Lodge C-1, ul. Stefan Karadzha 71, tel. 0888 559 594, [email protected], www. devonshirelodge.com. Family-run B&B with friendly  English-speaking h osts, ten minutes’ walk from from the cable-

Where to stay car station. Rooms can sleep between two and fou fourr people and feature pine furnishings and warm colours. There are tea and coffee-making facilities in the rooms, and   full-English breakfast is served in the dining room. Q5 rooms (4 doubles €35 - 70, 1 Family room €100 - 150).

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Dvata smarcha C-2, ul. Velyan Ognev 2, tel. 82 632/0887 449 021. Unpretentious family-run place, that doesn’t go overboard with folksy décor, just round the corner from the cen tral Holy Trinity church. There’s a decent  breakfast room/restaurant room/restaurant downstairs, and a lovely walled garden,, dominated from the two soaring fir trees from which garden the B&B gets its name. Q5 rooms (3 doubles €10 - 15, 2 apartments €15 - 20). JLK hhh

Kadiata Inn C-2, ul. Yane Sandanski 8, tel. 88 555/0899 969 370, [email protected], www. kadiata-bansko.com. Despite hiding behind a trad-style mehana, this is in fact a modern family family house h ouse with small but  swish rooms, each featuring featuring modern mo dern bathrooms and a small TV. The position could not be more central. Q7 rooms (4 doubles €36 - 47, 1 Studio €47 - 57, 2 Studio-lux €62 - 72).

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Kashta Kiritsovi C-2, ul. Dame Gruev 4, tel. 0887 882 123/84 556, [email protected], www.kiritc.com. The guest  house offers rooms with a view to Pirin Mountain, balconies, kitchenette with hotplates for cooking and toaster. The rooms are on the small side, but the double beds are wide. The apartm ent has a separate kitchen with hotplates and a sitting sittin g room area. They don’t provide provide transport to the gondola which is 7-8 min away. Q10 rooms (9 doubles €21 - 36, 1  triple €26 - 41). TLW hhh

Klecherova Kashta D-2, ul. Mingyo Todev 12, tel. 83 364/0886 897 744, [email protected], www. klecherovakushta-bansko.com. The two-storey Bansko styl e house, found in a sunny court yard, offers offers several rooms and outside seating downs tairs and on the wooden terrace. For the guests guests they have ha ve their own small small mehana called Dedo Ded o Mitar. It is for 35, decorated with old rifles and deer horns, several wooden tables, bar and fireplace, breakfast included. The rooms are comfortable with double bed, nightstands, wardrobe and cable TV, nothing fancy. The bathrooms are with showers. The apartment is with t wo double rooms and and a walkthrough kitchen with hotplates, fridge and a dining  table. Q7 rooms (4 doubles €21 - 28, 2 triples €26 - 31, 1  apartment €41 - 49). ILBKW

Nevi C-1, ul. Khan Asparuh 10, tel. 88 250/0889 197 286, [email protected], www.nevi.bansko.org. A newly  built house which can offer a calm atmosphere to the tourists. This B&B is located abou t 5 minutes from the ski lift in a new neighb ourhood with easy access. There is a restaurant  restaurant   for the guests where you can enjoy any meal, traditional for  the region. For children up to 12 years you pay only 50% of the bed price, and children up to 2 are free. However, If  it is luxury you are looking for, look somewhere else. Q8 rooms (5 doubles €26, 1 apartment €36, 2 Maisonette).

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Roshkoff House (Roshkova Kashta) (Rosban) D-3, ul. Mozgovitsa 17, tel. 83 161/0886 840 827, [email protected], roshkoff-house.netfirms.com. A  cosy and intimate hotel, located wi thin easy striking distance of the cable-car station, offering unfussy en-suite rooms with satellite TV. There’s a folksy mehana on site, and a small private parking lot. Q5 rooms (1 single €11, 2 doubles €22, 2 triples €33). L

Hotel Avalon El Tepe No. 4, Bansko 2700 Bulgaria Tel (00359) 74988399 Fax (00359) 74988398 www.avalonhotel-bulgaria.com Sevda D-3, ul. Skopie 18, tel. 0887 476 729, hotelfamily h otel, renovated in 2003. [email protected]. A small family Rooms are equipped equipped with mod ern bathrooms, cable TV and central heating. Some rooms have balconies or an extra bed. Breakfast is served in the folksy downstairs mehana. There’s also a mini spa-center with Jacuzzi and steam bath. Ask about transfers from the bus/railway stations. Q11  rooms (9 doubles €, 2 apartments €). €15 per person BB,  €20 per person HB. ARLKW hh

Chalets Chalet Isabella B-1, ul. Banderitsa 32, tel. 0885 060 095, ww w.chalet w.chalet-bulgaria -bulgaria.com. .com. If you want a snug home from home with a bit of pampering thrown in for good measure, then Chalet Isabella should do the trick. It’s tucked away in a peaceful residential street in the western part of Bansko - but only ever a short walk  away from the things you need. The bedrooms feature a nice mixture of traditional wooden features and crisp modern décor, and the com fy loun ge-cumge-cum-diner diner is difficult  to drag yourself away from. Rentals run from Saturday to Saturday and can either be on a self-catering basis, or  with main meals provided. Q All inclusive (food, drinks and transport) for 12 persons for 7 days for the total of  3000 euro. AKW hhh

Chalet Jora , tel. 0889 744 367/0044 796 77 505 92, [email protected], www.skichaletbansko.co.uk. A beautifully renovated traditional house just 2 minutes from the main street and the town square. Run by  Brits Jay, an experienced off-piste snowboard instructor, and Laura, a qualified masseur, the chalet beautifully combines the traditional with the modern. Jora caters for groups of  8-14 and comprises 5 comfortable be drooms and 4 well appointed bathrooms, one with a bathtub. Th ere’s an open fire. fire. They also provide a shuttle to the gondola. With i ts beautiful setting and friendly hosts, the Jora is an excellent location  for your Bansko holiday. Q5 rooms (5 pp/ww €160 - 223).

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Chalet Soltir D-2, ul. Kiril i Metidi y 19, tel. 0895 330 349, [email protected], www.boardingbansko.co.uk. Hidden away in the alley ways of the old town, Soltir is a traditiona traditionall nineteenth-century house complet complete e with stone walls, exposed beams, gated courtyard, open   fireplace with a sensitively renovated interior which preserves much of the original rustic atmosphere without  skimping too much on the mod cons. Knowledgeable British hosts, Mark and Amy will make you feel welcome   from day one and will sort you out with ski rental and piste recommendations. There’s a Wi-Fi as well. Soltir    functions as a rent-the-whole-house ski chalet in winter  (both sel f-catering and fully-catered options are available), and turns in to a B&B in spring and summer summer.. Q 12 sleeps. Fully catered - 272 euro per person, semi catered - 200 euro per person, sel f catered - 129 euro per person for 7  days. TIW hh

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restaurants Bansko is chock-full of  mehanas, traditional-style taverns where Bulgarian food is washed down with copious quantities of local wine and spirits. Each mehana tries to cultivate a folksy feel through its choice of wooden furnishings, stripey tablecloths, brightly-coloured textiles and stone-clad walls (although these ethnic interior elements are becoming so standardized that it’s become increasingly difficult to tell one mehana apart from another). The other characteristi c feature of the Bansko mehana is the ubiquitous presence of Macedonian folk music - either on the CD player or performe d live by a local band. With shrill clarinets drilling holes in your grey matter and the clatter of  a darbuka drummer echoing around your ears, dining out  in Bansko can be a wonderfully raucous experience. If neither Bulgarian munchies nor music are quite your cup of tea, then Bansko offers respite in the form of a handful of pizzerias, a couple of steakhouses, and a reasonable range of international food in the restauran ts of the bigger hotels. In the restaurant reviews below the prices in brackets refer to the average cost spread (from cheapest  to most expensive) of a main course.

Bulgarian Banski Han A-2, ul. Vasil Kanchev 2, tel. 0888 990 663,

Symbol key P Air conditioning 

 A Credit cards accepted

E Live music

S Take away 

T Child friendly 

Facilities ities for the disabled U Facil

G Non-smoking areas

L Guarded parking 

O Casino

M Nearest station

R Internet 

6 Animal friendly 

of its enjoyably eccen tric interior - antlers, old radios, a startled-looking stuffed stuffed marten, and bi ts of wood that resemble human sexual organs are just just some of th e decorations decoration s to look  out for. for. Pretty mu ch everything in the local lo cal culinary culinary repertoire is available here - from kapama kapama and chomlek to the deliciousl y  eccentric makedonski mandzhi (diced chicken cooked with prunes). For For dessert, tr y the bani tsa (flaky (flaky pastr y pie) stuffed stuffed with bits bi ts of lokum (Turkish delight). Th e atmosphere is always lively and the folk music frequently excellent, ensuring that  Dedo Pene is always worth a try. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. (8-25Lv). JAIES

sor t of restaurant, mehana www.bansko.bg. Typical for this sort Banski Han is all wood, stone and bottles of wine on shel ves. It has h as 3 rooms on di fferent levels for 170 guests. guests. The Th e staff are polite and fast, but sometimes a little insistent. There is no live music which may be an advantage if you are in a mood  forr a quiet evening. The food is very good and you should tr y   fo the famous Katino Meze together together with a half a li tre jar of the local red wine. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. (10-20Lv).

Dedo Yonkata D-1, ul. Pirin 84, tel. 0888 203 937. Dedo

Baryakova mehana C-2, ul. Velyan Ognev 3, tel. 0899

337/0898 555 611, www.banskohan.eu. This is the biggest restaurant in Bansko with 250 seats inside and 300 in the garden. The two floors are de corated in a combination of Bulgarian folk styles from different regions - Trakiiski, Rodopski and Pirin. They have li ve performances of folk dances by Ensemble Pirin and you will have the pleasure to watch Wedding and Kukeri dances; a true Bulgarian experience. The cuisine is Bulgarian and they have an outside barbeque  forr the summer months. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. (10-24Lv).  fo (10-24Lv).

670 734/0889 534 582, [email protected], ww w. baryakova.bansko.org. This well-established and classylooking mehana has a good reputa tion for serving up quality  local cuisine backed up by a handsome sel ection of Bulgarian wines. Service was so slow during our visit however that we had to vacate the premises before we died of starvation. Hopefully staffing problems will have been sorted out by the time the win ter season gets into full swing. QOpen 17:00 02:00. (7-18Lv). JAILEB

Yonkata handles the full range of Bulgarian and regional dishes in competent style, although al though i t is hardly one of Bansko’s Bansko’s mustvisit culinary destinations. Main advantages of this place are that it’s conveniently located at the lift-station end of town and is much better value than the restaurants of the nearby  hotels. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (5-16Lv) . I

Chubanov Han B-2, ul. Tsar Simeon 13, tel. 0899 213

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Bohemi C-2, ul. Neofit Rilski 8, tel. 0878 103 588/0878

Kadiata Tavern C-2, ul. Yane Sandanski 8, tel. 88

103 587. Found just 200m off Pirin Street this tavern (mehana) welcomes you with an old wooden cart an d the donkey  Armando in the yard. This used to be the famous Hadzhiruskovi kashti tavern. tavern. The Th e cuisine is national Bulgarian Bulgarian with wi th the traditional chomlek, kapama, Banski strets (sausage), rakiena salad (rakia’s salad), stuffed turkey, turkey, rabbit rabbi t the th e hunter’s hun ter’s way,, baklava s lokum (T way (Turkish urkish sweet deser desert), t), sheep’s yoghurt, yogh urt, crème Brule, etc. The Th e menu is En glish, Russian and Greek. You You probably won’t miss the th e place as they hire a whooper who oper,, who will try to lure you in several languages. QOpen 12:00 - 04:00. (11-29Lv). J6IEBSW

555/0899 969 370, [email protected], www. kadiata-bansko.com. Friendly family-run place that doesn’t  have the tourist-trap feel feel of the big ger mehanas on the same street. Expec t the usual salads and grilled meats, plus a few speciality-of-the-house oddities: the Bansko-style peppers (stuffed (stuf fed with cheese and bacon fat then grilled) come highl y  recommended. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (5-13Lv). L

Kamenica mehana C-2, ul. Pirin 31, tel. 0888 221 912/0887 638 441, [email protected], www. kamenicabansko.hit.bg. A small pub in the central part of  the town with a nice fire place and a typical atmosphere for 

Boide D-1, ul. Pirin. Looking a bit like a rustic sha ck from the outside and relatively unadorned on the inside, Boide looks like a survi ving relic of pre-tourist-boom pre-tourist-boom Bansko and is all the bet ter for for it. Friendly servic e, inexpensive grilled grilled meats and ultra-cheap ul tra-cheap drinks drinks put this time-warp of a restaurant in a class of its own. Convenientl y near the th e cable-car terminal terminal too. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (4-10Lv).

Kashta Dedo Pene MEHANA & GUEST HOUSE

Dedo Pene C-2, ul. Aleksandar Buynov 1, tel. 88 348/0888 795 970, fax 82 223, [email protected], www.dedopene.com. Dedo Pene has established i tself as a must-visit Bansko Bansko location over the years, not least b ecause

Bansko In Your Pocket 

ul. Buynov 1• tel. 88 348, 0888 795970

restaurants Out of town

Bulgarian Bulgar ian food fo od

Makedonska krachma Dobrinishte, ul. Georgi

The Bulgarian culinary culinary reper toire relies relies heavily on grilled meats, with mincemeat rissoles (kebapche ), ), meatballs ( kyufteta) kyufteta) and grilled fillets ( file  file ) of pork or chicken forming the mainstay of most menus. There`s also a strong tradition of  slow-cooking stews in clay pot or gyuveche: kavarma (deced meat cooked in a clay pot ), ), sirene po shopski (cheese baked in a clay  pot) and yaytsa po panagyurski (eggs poached in a clay  pot) are all examples examples of this method in action. Bulgarian salads are full of fresh healthy vegetab vegetables. les. Shopska salata , a mixed salad topped with crumbly white cheese, chees e, is the most famous, famous, and is considered the obligatory  obligator y  accompaniment to a round of  rakiya , the th e local firewater firewater.. Don`t forget that Bulgarian yoghurt ( kiselo kiselo mlyako ) is among the healthiest in the world, containing  bacillus  bulgaricus, a beneficial bacterium unique to the country.

Dimitrov 1, tel. 0888 792 299. Some of the best home cooking in the region is ser ved up in the “Macedonian inn”, a traditional-style building in the middle of Dobrinishte, 8km southeast of Bansko. Meat-laden main courses include a reliably tasty Katino meze, alongside alongside other l ocal favourites such as chumlek chuml ek and kapama. Vegetarians Vegetarians could do worse than tr y the panirani domati sirene sirene (tomato and cheese deep-fried in fluffy batter). Hung with cowbells and dried red peppers, the evocative interior also displays century-old sepia ph otographs of anti-Ottoman guerrilla  fighters. The lovely south-facing court yard is something  of a sun trap even in winter. Reservations advisable. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (5-12Lv). IB

Bansko mehanas - woollen rugs and national costumes on the walls, folkl folkl style tablecloths tablecloth s and slow service. servi ce. The food is good but you have to be very patien t as it takes a long time for it to come to you. There is no li ve music, so you’ll you’ll be able to h ear  your friends. QOpen 12.00 - 24.00. (5-10Lv). J ul . Yane Yane Kasapinova kashta (Butcher’s house) C-2, ul. Sandandski 4, tel. 0889 213 337/0898 317 555. Found right next n ext to the central square Vaptsaro Vaptsarovv and th e town hall and right across from the icon museum, this Bulgarian style mehana offers offers delicious food and you are served wi th a smile. Also great for lunch lunch combined wi th visiting of museums and sites in Bansko. Also works during summer months, where the top floor flo or terrace offers offers an exquisite view and l eafy shadow. sha dow. Phone for home delivery (except on holidays) 0878 317 555. (10-24Lv). JA6IEBSW QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. (10-24Lv).

Kutelo C-1, ul. Khan Asparuh 11, tel. 0886 513 837. This small restaurant is in the Kutelo Apartment Hotel Complex almost in the centre of the western part of the town. Calm atmosphere without live music and good Bulgarian and international cuisine. Suitable place for an inexpensive quick  bite. QOpen 07.00 - 24.00. (5-15Lv). L

Bansko specialities Banski starets –  fat local sausage, usually sliced and served as a h ors-d ors-d`oeuvre. `oeuvre. Chomlek – pieces of meet (usually veal or beef) cooked in a large pot or a deep pan together with potatoes and carrots. Kapama – slow-cooked stew of rice, sauerkraut and chunks of meat (often bits of sausage and chicken), in a spicy sauce. Katino meze – diced meat m eat stewed in a tomatotomato-and-redand-redpepper sauce together with onions and mushrooms. Banski sudzhuk – made of pork and sweetbreads. A  special flavouring called polski koprets, with an aroma of  caraway and dill weed is used. I t grows on the meadows above Bansko between 900 and 1000 metres. Sache – a plate made of clay, on which the meal is ser ved and kept warm. The meal itself consists of pork bon  fillet, bacon, carrots, onion, mushrooms, baked peppers and white wine. Turkish delight del ight banitsa bani tsa – a dessert desser t similar to baklava baklava and banitsa. The pastry from banitsa, with the syrup from baklava. Turkish delight is placed between the pastry sheets.

Molerite B-2, ul. Glazne 41, tel. 88 494/0888 844 944. One of the classic Bansko Bansko addresses, with t wo floors of wooden benches covered with traditional textiles and crockery and nightly live music. The fact that there’s always as many Bulgarians as foreigners eating here tends to suggest that standards are consistently good. Expect vast  platters of delicious meat, in cluding excellent roast lamb and   frightening-looking sword-grilled kebabs. QOpen 12:00 02:00. (6-20Lv). AILEB

Momini Dvori B-2, pl. Nikola Vaptsarov 2, tel. 88 076/0885 406 595, [email protected], www.mominidvori.com. Found at the beginning of Pirin street, across from the town hall, this is the oldest commercial mehana in Bansko. It I t was first opened on May 1st, 1970 and was visited by prominent guests, writers, artists and high members of the Communist party. Today it is decorated in Bulgarian Bulgaria n style, neat n eat and not overwhelming with wi th wooden seating and columns of white fir. There is a decorative water mill in the middle of th e place, fireplace and a ceiling of wooden carvings by Triavna craftsmen. The cuisine is Bulgarian and there is show kitchen. ki tchen. The winter garden holds two big plasma TV’s and has be come the me eting point of sports’ fans from from all over the world. The big garden area with lots of flowers and greenery is designed wi th wooden sculptures, sculptures, artificial brook  and children’s swings. Open all year round. QOpen 08:00 04:00. (10-50Lv). TJAILEBSW

Motikata C-2, ul. Pirin, tel. 0898 434 344. A kilometre south of the lift station, Motikata (“the hoe”) lies slightly off the main mehana crawl, which may explain its popularity among  locals and in-the-know outsiders. Motikata apparently gets its name from the fact that agricultural workers used to stop off  here, get drunk, and forgetfully leave their hoes behind as they  staggered stag gered off off home. The Th e place preserves an informal rustic feel, with an interior that tha t goes for for wood-panelling and soaring house plants rather rath er than the folksy trinkets on display at Bansko’s other  mehanas. The barbeque-grilled meats are outstanding: other  well-prepared local dishes worthy of mention include Banska nadenitsa (a succulent long sausage seasoned with herbs). Motishki kartofi (baked (baked potatoes with wi th garlic) is the perfect p erfect winterwarming side-order. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (5-12Lv) . I

Obetsanovata kashta C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane, tel. 82 236/0878 317 555, [email protected]. One of the oldest  mehanas in town with water feature in the dining hall. There’s a lip-licking variety of grilled pork, veal and turkey dishes on the menu, and a wh ole pig or lamb on a spit if you order 24 hours in advance. They offer game like wild boar, deer, and rabbit. Don’t miss out on the warm wine with blueberries. Party animals should be aware that Obetsanovata kashta is one of the best places in town for shkembe chorba, the spicy tripe soup used by locals as a h angove angoverr cure. QOpen 09:00 - 04:00. (13-25L (13-25Lv). v). JAIEBSW

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restaurants International

Mehana Bohemi

Jordan’s Steakhouse C-2, ul. Byalo more 5, tel. 0897 771 593. Welcoming basement restaurant offering all kinds of steaks grilled grilled to your specifi cations, as well as very good grilled fish. English breakfast is served all day, and there’s a big choice of pasta dishes too. The soothing browny-ochre décor makes a refreshing change from the folk-style places elsewhere in town. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (8-25Lv).

Ma Baker . At the time of going to press we weren’t really  sure when or if Ma Baker was due to open its doors in time  for winter season 2008/9 but i t’s definitely worth investigat for ing.Mixing th e distressed furnishings of a traditional mehana with surfboards, psychedelic swirly drapes and portraits of  Bob Marley, it blends Bansko tradition with contemporary  cool and serves darn good Tex-Mex food into the bargain. Q (6-12Lv).

Patio Pizza C-2, ul. Pirin 39, tel. 0898 695 228/0895 792 681. This pizza and steak restaurant is found in hotel Panorama on Pirin street. It is something som ething of a refuge for those who tire of Bulgarian Bulgarian cooking and the music that goes with i t  and you will be able to enjoy a conversation. Pati o Pizza offers a wide variety of pizza, salads, soups, well-prepared steaks, grilled fish dishes, duck and rabbit dishes, and some meat  free Italian pastas that will appease the vegetarian in your  life. The menu is in Bulgarian, Greek and Russian. QOpen 10:30 - 24:00. (7-30Lv). A6CSW

ul. Neofit Rilski 8 0878 103 588 Yane Sandanski 12, tel. Sirleshtovata kashta C-2, ul. Yane 84 668/0896 685 668. Seventeenth-ce Seventeenth-century ntury h ouse with a suite of stone-lined, timber-ceilinged chambers decorated with stuffed birds and strange wood carvings. Covering the usual gamut of grilled meats and Bansko-style stews, the  food is not as good as the top mehanas in town but still does the job jo b of filling you up while making you feel as i f you’ve accidentall y stumbled into an ethnographic museum. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. (6-12Lv). LEB

Stariya Komita C-2, ul. Aleksandar Buynov 5. Offering  virtually the same menu as every other mehana in town, Komita (”the guerrilla”) offers a touch more atmosphere - the stone-floored, timber-beamed interior hung with tobacco leaves and hunting trophies is cosy and traditional. When In Your Your Pocket last called, the h eavy woo den  front door was so impossible to shift that we went away  assuming that the place was shut - an apologetic waiter  had to chase us down the street. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. (5-12Lv).

Zehtindzhievata kashta C-2, ul. Georgi Kovachev 11, tel. 0899 559 599, [email protected], www. zehtinjieva.bansko.bg. Roomy mehana in a side street    just off the main ul. Pirin offering the kind of meat heavy, calorific dishes which will keep your vital functions ticking  overr throughout the long ove lon g winter nights. Meals are sometimes prepared prepar ed on an open griddle in the dining room, producing billowing clouds of barbe que smoke. Stand-out Stand-out dishes include the Makedonska pletenitsa (“Macedonian pleat”), a huge sausage wrapped wrapped in steak and cheese; and the Siromas Siromashka hka salata (“poor man’s salad”), a steaming bowl of baked beans with cheese, ham and herbs. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. (8-15Lv) (8-15 Lv) . ILEB

Bansko In Your Pocket 

Pizza-restaurant Zande C-2, ul. Pirin 1, tel. 0887 194 571/0899 890 507. Centrally-located pizzeria with a basement dining room decked out with wood en tables and bland décor.. The pizzas have I talian names but are made wi th Buldécor garian gar ian ingredients, so d on’t expect a sensual Medi terranean experience. Cheap and filling, nothing more. Home deli veries till 20:00. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. (4-8Lv). TB

Cafés Daire B-2, ul. Tsar Tsar Simeon 53, tel. 0888 999 850. This atmospherically-lit café-bar, café-bar, right righ t in the centre, will probably  leave you pleasantly confused by its part-oriental, partancient and part-modern interior topped off by frescoes of  bullfights. Providing you stop wondering what is the point  of it all you’ll feel totally at ease getting into the fine range of alcoholic substances ranged behind the bar. Good for a daytime coffee, even better for an intimate evening drink. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PJW

Eliz B-3, pl. Nikola Vaptsarov. Occupying an enviable position on a raised terrace looking out across the main square, Eliz is the place where locals come to gossip, read the papers or gawp at a TV screen permanently tuned to video channels. A pair of Grecian columns at the back of th e room provide a half-hearted attempt to drum up a sense of south-European glamour. The coffee is instant though, so don’t expect a transcendental brown-bean experience. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00.

Parfe C-2, ul. Pirin 36, tel. 0888 554 812/0888 959 649, [email protected]. A combination of vaguely  sixties’-style minimalism and soothing amber lighting help make this place a relaxing café during the day and a lounge bar (albeit with slightly Austin Powers-like undertones) at  night. nigh t. Unlike many other lounge bars in which we have wasted large portions of our guide-book-writing guide-book-writing li ves, Parfe features features genuinely comfy black leather sofas that you can sit in for  severall hours with out seriously damaging your spine. Prices severa are average. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PB

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nightLiFe A good deal of night-time drinking and revelr y takes place in the taverna-like mehanas, listed in our Restaurants section. However, Bansko also boasts a lively bar scene, and with English-speaking tourists and investors, increasing  their presence in th e town, there’s there’s a steady increase in the number of pub-like places too.

Bars and Pubs

Casinos Blitz Club D-1, ul. Glazne 7, tel. 88 530. Slot machines, roulette, pseudo-Egyptian décor and waitresses in Nefertiti-inspired dresses. dresses. Also one of th e best places in town for a decent capp cappuccino. uccino. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. Gold Club D-1, ul. Pirin 55-57. Slot machines. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

Bander Pub C-1, ul. Han Asparuh 2, tel. 86 600/0889 623 704, [email protected], www.banderitsahotel.com. Soft lighting and lots of wooden furniture transform the basement of the Banderitsa hotel into a welcoming and enjoyable place. Pop-rock cover bands occasionally squeeze onto the small stage. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00. IE

Base Camp C-4, ul. Tsar Simeon, opposite ZTA, tel. 83 098/0878 216 416, [email protected], www. basecamp-bansko.com. Drinking red wine in a traditional mehana while men in embroidered shirts sing dities about  Macedonian maidens is all very well, but occasionally one yearns for a proper bar serving proper drinks to the accompaniment of proper music. And Basecamp is most emphatically  that place. Expe ct alternative rock, latin or funk on on the sound system, occasional live acts, and an easy-going vibe that  helps you feel at home no matter how much of a misfit you may be. The ed ge-ofge-of-town town location brings brin gs a certain unpredic tability to Basecamp: sometimes the place is rammed to the rafters with a devil-may-care, wave-your-ski-pants-in-the-air  crowd of hedonistically inclined drink demons, at others it  comes across as a laid back neighbourhood pub. QOpen 18:00 - 04:00. AEW

to leave if you’re watching watching the th e full satellite sports channels. There’s a wide menu on offer including pub standards and pizzas.

The Irish Pub D-2, ul. Angel Kanchev 1, tel. 0887 196 addi tions to the Bansko pub scene. 702. This is one of the new additions Totally revamped and run by Rob and G emma, the place promises to be very competitive competi tive on pricing and that the th e food will be prepared prepa red by an English En glish chef. Stop laughing, the lady in question has loads of experience working in some Great British b oozers and bangs out a wonderful wonder ful steak and Guinness pie and great  homemade burgers bur gers.. Rob, the manager, manager, told us that there’ll be a full fried breakfast for around 10 Levs, daily specials, kids menu and full sports package. Sounds like a great place to live. QOpen 08:00 - 04:00. (2-10Lv). AW

The Lions Pub D-1, ul. Pirin 90A, tel. 0885 039 885, [email protected]. Twenty-four-hour-a-day haven for  anyone addicted to cheap pints of lager, fried breakfasts, dartboards, and TVs permanently tuned to sport. The place has been totally renovated for for the 08-09 season but promises to retain the all day drinking sports bar identi ty. They have a  full satellite satellite package, so you won’t miss any of th e important   football matches. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. PL

Disco clubs Dance Club Amnesia B-2, pl. Vaptsarov 1, tel. 0897 Disco Party Bar Amigo B-2, ul. Glazne 67, tel. 0886 888 454, www.disco.bg/amigobansko. Snug  drinking den centre d on a quadrangular bar beneat h barnlike beams. The football-related memorabilia hangin g from the walls suggests a vaguely sporting theme, although regular DJ evenings and karaoke sessions ensure that  you don’t necessaril y need to be soccer-obsessed to fit  in. There’s a restaurant section servin g up a something  for-everybody menu of inexpensive Bulgarian dishes, pizzas, pastas and salads. Q Open 11:00 - 02:00. (78Lv). PJALW

Molerite B-2, ul. Glazne 41, tel. 88 494, molerite1792@ abv.bg, www.molerite.com. This folksy-style mehana turns into a disco after abou t 11pm, with the DJ concentrating almost exclusively on chalga - the indigenous Balkan   folk-pop which gets its inspiration from traditional Turkish, Greek and Gypsy beats. Full of hands-in-the-air, hip-swaying  young locals, this place is hu gely enjoyable. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00. AL 450, ww w. The Crown ul. Naiden Gerov, tel. 0894 430 450, crownpub-bansko.com. A brand new pub housed in the basement of the Elegant Spa Hotel (see p. 14), The Crown promises to become a Bansko hot spot. It’s run by Ivor of  The Gallahad, so it’s sure to be run with efficient and quality  service. It’s quite a big place and boasts some brand new, high quality pool tables as well as darts and table football. The furniture is really comfortable and should prove difficult  difficult 

Bansko In Your Pocket 

935 381. Popular disco-club which is a magnet for longdistance drinkers in the early hours. Mainstream dance DJs and occasional appearances by Bulgarian pop stars keep a predominantly young crowd happy. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Admission: 2Lv. PJEG

Disco Club Happy End B-2, ul. Glazne (next to the Gondola lift), tel. 0889 664 725, www.disco.bg/happyend. As the name itsel f might hint, this is th e end-of-the-skiing-day  end-of-the-skiing-day  venue most favoured by the hordes falling out of the th e gondola as it returns to Bansko from the pistes above. A healt hily cosmopolitan mix of Bulgarians and foreigners, a mind-boggling array  of drinks, and frequent live music, all help to keep the party  going until the early hours. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PL

Oxygen B-3, ul. Opalchenska, tel. 0898 664 554/0899 605 410. Located in the basement of an innocuous-looking  house, Oxygen is a vibrant and friendly standing-room-only  bar that looks like a psychedelic ice cave but has a warm and welcoming feel. Good-natured bar staff and nightly DJ sessions keep the young locals coming in their droves. Regular house, reggae and techno nights throughout the winter season make this an essential stop-off for discerning  clubbers. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00.

The Bansko telephone code is: 0749 

nightLiFe Have Your Say If you have had an experience to remember at any of  the venues listed in this guide, be it good, bad, ugly or  downright sad, let the two million regular unique visitors to our website, www.inyourpocket.com, know about  it. Every venue on our website now has a mod ule below it for you to comment on the places we write a bout. You can agree or disagree with us, scold us or praise us, but  do give us your feedback, its essential!

Folk clubs Bulgari C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane 1. If you want to immerse yourself in the world of chalga (Bulgarian pop-folk), then the belly-shaking sounds on offer at this glitzy venue are guaranteed to bring out the Balkan beast in you. Popular  chalga stars stars perform here live at l east once a week. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. E Tsar Simeon Simeo n 48, tel. 0899 969 Planeta Payner B-3, ul. Tsar 991. Standing on the spot where disco No Name, a Bansko institution, once stood, is this relatively new branch of the Planeta empire, a chain of clubs operated by one of Bulgaria’s biggest record labels. Dominant musical style is the belly  shaking brand of Balkan pop-folk pop-folk known as chalga, although a fair quantity of mainstream pop and retro-disco is added to the mix. QOpen 23:00 - 05:00. PLE

Guidelines to Bulgarian lifestyle, bars, clubs and discos 1. Try not n ot to stare at women that are accompanied acc ompanied by th eir  boyfriends, no matter how beautiful they are, it might be taken as an insult. 2. Try to avoid conflict i f you notice notic e Bulgarian people stare at your wife/girlfriend, or at yourself, usually they will be  just curious. Don’t forget forget some 19 years ago the majority  of people didn’t even meet foreigners from beyond the iron curtain, so you are still new and exciting. Bravo! 3. Don’t try to a ct overly macho, particularly in m ore provinprovincial towns or cities. Unless of course you are Mike Tyson. 4. When in a bar do not shout or insult the waiters or other  stafff members, i t may b e taken very deeply. staf 5. If you feel that someone is in some way being threatening or intimidating to you, it is often best to befriend them. In many cases locals feel threatened by foreigners and try to show themselves as tough but when you act  as equals and friends they will often almost immediately  drop this façade. 6. If howeve h oweverr a conflict si tuation rises, leave immediately. immediately. Do not stay around and add on to th e fire. Bulgarians Bulgarians are very social and family driven and under a common goal a big group of people is summoned very fast. 7. Good icebreake ic ebreakers rs are compliments compliments on the country: Th e  food, the football, the women, the inventions created by  Bulgarians Bulgar ians such as the Cyrillic alphabet an d so on. As additional benefit you might get an interesting story or two. Make them talk, they love it. 8. Strong drinks (vodka, whisky etc.) come in quantities of 50ml for a small and 100ml for a large. In some places, unless you specifically ask for small you will be handed a large by default. Rakia a must onl y be drunk with shopska salad. Don’t ask  9. Raki us why, it just should. If you order one without salad you may well be looked at as if you are from Mars. 10. The Bulgari Bulgarian an for “cheers” is nazdrave, which li terally  means “to your health”. If some one proposes a toast (and

this could happen innumerable times during th e course of  the evening) you have to clink your glass with absolutely  everyone, no matter how many are sitting round the table, making sure to look in the eye at the point of clinking. If you  fail to make eye contact, they will think you are disrespect  ful (or just an uninformed foreigner). The custom comes   from ancient times. In days gone by kings, khans and other important figures would look deep into the eyes of  the person they cheer to guess his intentions. Then they  would bang their glasses so hard, so that a drop of each drink gets into the oth er (mixing (mixin g the drinks would guarantee guarantee they are not poisoned). 11. Be prepared to mix your own drinks. Whilst in England a “vodka and coke” means mean s a nice mi xed drink from the bar, in BG it means 1 vodka (most likely large) and 1 coke. coke. Mix i t  yourself to your own perfect proportions. Che ers. 12. Bring a gas mask. Many Bulgarians are heavy smokers although this becomes less with new generations. Some bars can be closed in and stuffy places. Combine this with a crowd of 40 a day hardcore smokers and you get quite a fog. ospitality ty of the Bulgarian Bul garian soul. 13. Take advantage of the h ospitali You might be invited to dinners, parties, cocktail parties, promotions, etc. Generally Bulgarians love foreigners. 14. In bars you can not bring drugs, guns or other forbidden substances. Pretty much like most places you have been in your li fe. 15. Big fat silver chains that you could anchor a boat with are an absolute must. Th at is if i f you want to appear young, young, cool, like a gangster or simply need to anchor a boat. 16. If you are going out on a Friday night to a bar and want to blend in like a local, it is essential that you haven’t shaved for at least 3 days. Dressing entirely in black is a bonus. 17. Girls, for you to catch the attention of Bulgarian men,  just act natural and dress sexy.

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What to see If you think that Bansko is a Balkan village sudden ly  catapulted to fame and fortune by its latter-day development as a ski-centre, then thi nk again. Bansko was one of nineteenth-century Bulgaria’s richest towns, and the monuments are still here to prove it. Bansko owed its wealth to a central position on key inland caravan routes, which lead from the Aegean port of Thessaloniki to the cities of central Europe. As well as providing   food and lodging to the caravan drovers, Bansko folk  became traders themselves, warehousing rich silks from the east and fine furniture from the west. The caravan trade died out in the late nineteenth centur y  when it became more convenient to transport goods on steamships and trains rather than on th e backs of  donkeys. Bansko continued to flourish as an agricul tural centre rich in goats, sheep and cattle, and enj oyed a considerabl e political role in the years before World War  I when it was an important centre of the anti-Ottoman Macedonian revolutionary movement. The nineteenth-century houses lining central Bansko’s cobbled alleyways provide enduring evidence of the town’s historical impor tance. Note that Bansko’s Bansko’s museums lack  effective central heating and can be extremely chilly in winter - so don’t forget your thermal undies.

Churches Holy Trinity Church (Tsarkva Sveta Troitsa) C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane, tel. 883 44. Built in 1835, Bansko’s Holy Trinity Church was the biggest church in Bulgaria in the nineteenth century, and is still one of the most attractive. Ottoman Ot toman restriction restrictions s specified that Christian churches should never be higher than a man on horseback, ensuring that most  nineteenth-centur nineteen th-centuryy Bulgarian Bulgarian churches were squat structures built slightl y underground. Bansko’s Bansko’s elders decided to ignore these restrictions, confident that the town’s importance as a trading centre would dissuade the Turkish sultan from taking any action. The churchyard churchyard’s ’s high wall was erected first, concealing the rest of the building si te from pryin prying g Ottoman Ot toman officials. The church is entered via a lovely porch lined with wooden benches. Inside, elegant pillars rise above rows of 

Bansko’s old houses

Despite Bansko’s headlong rush towards modernization, the centre of town can still boast a spectacular collec tion of traditional nineteenth-century houses. Lurking behind a high stone wall and a bolted wooden gate, the typical Bansko house is of a t ype known as the Kashta-Krepost  - literally “H ome-Fo ome-Fortress”. rtress”. During the first half of the nineteenth cen tury this part of  the then O ttoman Empire was was particularl y prone to roving  bands of bandits, who would descend on unsuspecting households, rob the family silver, kidnap a goat or  two, then scarper to the safety of the surrounding hills. Bansko’s leading citizens opted to defend their wealth as best as they could, building solid houses hidden in walled courtyards. Typical Bansko houses featured two storeys, the l ower  one reserved for animals and agricultural stores. The upper floor was divided into living quarters for the family, although even here a sequence of bolted doorways would lead to a ‘safe room’ into which the family would withdraw in case of attack. Safe rooms were often equipped with trap doors allowing family members to drop down into a secret basemen t hiding-place, in some cases fitted with a tunnel leading to the street outside. Upstairs rooms were also fitted with diagonal holes through which musket barrels could be poked, providing  an additional deterrent to would-be intruders. The upper storey also contained everything necessary   forr a comfortable li fe. Benches running along each wall,  fo wall, brightly-coloured kilims on the floor, and wall paintings providing provid ing an air of luxury. The en tire family family usually u sually slept  on a huge bed in th e kitchen. Oth er rooms were used for  for  entertaining guests, receiving the head of the family’s business clients, or providing providing the women of the household h ousehold with a work-space for weaving and embroidery. During  the summer months social life would move outside to the chardak or wooden balcony, where meals would be prepared prepa red on an ou tdoor hearth and where m enfolk would would while away the warm evenings drinking and smoking while lolling on huge divans. An additional verandah or koliba was used for drying cereals and fodder during the dry, sunny months. Nowadays you need to visit th e Velyanova Velyanova kashta or the Neofit Rilski Museum to see an example of a Bansko house whose traditional layout has been preserved. However there are plenty of other surviving nineteenthcentury houses in the centre of town, most now serving as B&Bs, mehanas, or twenty-first century family  homes.

Bansko In Your Pocket 

What to see wooden pews. The main icon screen is an extravagantly  detailed piece pie ce of wood carving, featuring exquisitel exquisitely-rendered y-rendered  floral shapes, birds, dragons and other tradi tional folk moti motifs. fs. At the back, wooden grilles serve to barrier off the rear part  of the church, traditionally reserved for female worshippers. Best time to visit the church is the Sunday morning ser vice, when many of Bansko’s older women attend in traditional costume. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00.

Chapel of the Holy Virgin (Tsarkva Uspenie Bogorodichno) A-3, ul. Bulgaria. Located in the town graveyard, near the railway station, this cemetery chapel was built in 1774. Semi-submerged in order to comply with Ottoman restrictions, and illuminated by four tiny windows, it has the feel of a mysterious grotto. The intricate woodcarved iconostasis is a masterpiece of eighteenth-century    folk-influenced art, and is filled with icons by local painter  Toma Vishanov. Unfortunately, the chapel is rarely open, and may only be accessible at mass times on certain Sundays throughoutt the year. throughou year. The tourist office may be able to ad vise on the best b est time to wander down and take a look.

Museums Yane Sandanski 3, tel. 882 73. Icon Museum C-2, ul. Yane

During the nineteenth century Bansko was an important  centre of icon-painting works workshops. hops. Bansko-trained Bansko-trained painters decorated monasteries and churches churches throughou t the region, many of th em working on Bulgaria’s Bulgaria’s most famous monastic  foundation, Rila Monastery, 70km to the north west. Bansko’s icon-painting traditions began with local boy b oy Toma Toma Vishanov, Vishanov, who accompanied lo cal merchants on a trip to Vienna in the late eighteenth centur y and came back with a book of Austrian religious prints. Setting up his own painting studio, Vishanov

(subsequently nicknamed “Moler” by the locals after the German word for painter, Mahler) went on to produce a stream of icons that combined both eastern Orthodox and modern western styles. Vishanov’s Vishan ov’s son Dimitar Molerov and grandson Simeon Molerov carried on the family tradition - Dimitar is reckoned to be the most talented of the bunch. Bansko’s icon museum occupies a nineteen th-century metoh, a small monastery-cum-lodging house where monks journeying  between Mount M ount Athos and Rila Monastery would rest up for  the night. Th e metoh also took in orphans orphans and taught them basic crafts. Th e metoh’s former cells and workshops are now occupied by a display devoted to Vishanov and his followers. On the opposite side of the metoh’s courtyard, the former  stables now house a gallery of nineteenth century icons, with Vishanov and his descendants featuring prominently. Q Open 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Admission: 3Lv.

Neofit Rilski House C-2, ul. Pirin 17, tel. 88 272. Lurking behind a stone wall round the back of the Holy Trinity church is the bir thplace of Neofit Rilski, (1793-18 (1793-1881), 81), the monk and scholar who presided over the development of  primary education in nineteenth-century Bulgaria. The part  of the display devoted to Rilski’s life and works is rather  boring, to be quite frank, but there’s plenty to enjoy in the period rooms of the house itself. Neofit’s father served as Bansko’s parish priest, and used one room in the house to teach reading, reading, writing and bible stud y to the local kids. Pupils wrote in wooden boxes filled with san d, examples examples of which can still be seen today. The family’s main living room features an open hearth on which m eals were cooked, cooked, and a low central table -nineteenth-century Bulgarians ate sitting on the floor. Q Open 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Admission: 3Lv.

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What to see The Bears of Belitsa

Razlog Razlog is situated at the foot of three mountains – Pirin, Rila and Rhodope. It is surrounded by high ridges and sheer cliffs above fertile fields and dense   forests. Historical conditions, geographic location, natural resources and infrastructure all assisted in the development of the region, over the last few years. Snow capped peaks, beauti ful nature, hot mineral springs and multiple protected areas, objec ts of cultural and world heritage, heri tage, well maintained ski tracks and warm hospitalit y, attract guests and visitors from all over over the country coun try and an d abroad. In the Razlog municipality municipality there is good tourist  tourist  infrastructure and well marked walking walking paths, path s, especially  suited to mountain trekkers.

Twenty kilometres northeast of Bansko, the village of  Belitsa is famous for being the si te of a reserve set up to rehabilitate dancing bears. Although outlawed in 2002, the practice of keeping dancing bears has deep roots in the Balkan peninsula. Bears taken as cubs by bear-trainers have little littl e chance of returning to the wild, however, however, and the th e Belitsa reserve provides them with something approaching  a normal life by giving gi ving them th em a large fence fenced-of d-offf area of forest  in which to roam. Funded Funded by the Brigitte Brigi tte Bardot Foundation and the Austrian-based wildlife organization Four Paws, the reserve is located at th e end of a badly poth oled road 11km north nor th of the village. Unfortunately Unfortunatel y, the bears are likely  to be snoozing in their th eir burrows from from Decemb er through to March, and you’ll have to wait wait until un til April if you want to see them roaming their new terrain.

Nikola Vaptsarov Museum B-2, pl. Nikola Vapt Vaptsarov sarov 3, tel. 88 304. One of Bansko’s most celebrated sons is Nikola Vaptsarov (1909-1942), a revolutionary poet who wrote modernist verse, gravitated towards the communist  partyy, and was shot part sh ot as an anti-fascist subversive by Bulgaria’s pro-German government in 1942. Educated as an engineer, Vaptsarov was fascinated by machines and factories, and his poems - unusually for Bulgaria - waxed lyrical about  modern technology as well as mountains and meadows. The museum is entered via a modern concrete structure decorated with murals of Macedonian revolutionaries and socialist heroes. Tacked Tacked onto the rear of the building is the Vaptsaro aptsarov’s v’s original nineteenth-century fam family ily house, which preserves domestic furnishings and textiles, as well as a  few of Vaptsarov’s manuscripts. An annexe to the museum houses a vivacious display of hand-woven hand-woven woollen rugs and embroidered tablecloths made by local artisans, many of  which are for sale. Q Open 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Admission: 3Lv.

Velyanovata kashta C-2, ul. Velyan Ognev 5, tel. 88 274. Presiding over an attractive walled garden filled with fruit  trees, the Velyanova kashta is the best surviving example of  a traditional nineteenth-century Bansko house. It belonged to Velyan Ognev, an itinerant artist from Debar in western Macedonia who came to Bansko in 1837 to paint paint the th e interior  of the newly-constructed Holy Trinity Church. Marrying local girl Sofia (the sister of Neofit Rilski, see above), he ended up staying in Bansko for for the rest of his life. The hous e is entered via an exterior staircase that leads to the chardak, the first-

Bansko In Your Pocket 

 floor wooden verandah where the family would have cooked, eaten and slept during warm summer weather. Leading off  the verandah are a suite suite of beauti fully-decorated rooms, with wi th  frescoes executed by Ognev himself. Th e guest room features features a colourful frieze of flowers and fruit, a chain ed lion (symbol (symb ol of  Bulgaria under Ottoman rule), and a deligh tful picture of a male and female wolf tending a cub - intend intended ed as a symbol of married life and family-raising. family-raising. The most charming room in the h ouse is the so-called Blue Room, thought to have been decorated by  Ognev for his wife, and featuring landscape paintings pain tings of Istanbul and Venice - the kind of cities that Bansko merchant families would have known from their travels. Q Open 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Admission: 3Lv.

Statues Father Paisiy of Hilendar (Otets Paisiy Hilendarski) C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane. Bansko-born Father Paisiy of  Hilendar (1722-73) (1722-73) is one of th ose eminent historical scribblers whom every Bulgarian schoolchild knows about but  whom few people peopl e have ever read. Father Paisi y is famous for  writing a manuscript known as th e Slavo-Bulgarian Slavo-Bulgarian History, History, which accuse d Bulgarians of having forgotten their traditional language and culture and urged a new interest in the exploits of Bulgaria’s medieval Tsars. Bearing in mind that Bulgaria was subject to the Ottoman Empire at the time, Paisiy was regarded as a potentially dangerous subversive and his book failed to find a publisher. Circulated in manuscript form by patriotic Bulgarians, however, however, it became a key text in the cultural revival that took off in the nineteenth century.

Peyo Yavorov C-2, Courtyard of Bansko’s Holy Trinity Church. Topping a grey pillar in the courtyard of Bansko’s Holy Trinity Church is a bust of Peyo Yavorov (1878-1914), twentieth-century Bulgari Bulgaria’s a’s most charismatic poet. Provincial post-office clerk Yavorov was catapulted to literary fame in the early 1900s when Sofia’s literary circles discovered his lyrical lyri cal verse verse and declared him a genius. As well as writing  the kind of soppy love poetry that is s till quoted by sensitive handkerchief-clutching students, Yavorov was also a revolutionary idealist, volunteering to fight with anti-Ottoman freedom figh fighters ters who operated in the mountain mountains s around Bansko. It was with wit h such a group of guerrill guerrillas as that Yavorov Yavorov entered Bansko during the First Balkan War of 1912, liberating the town  from the Ottoman Empire and reuniting reuniting i t with Bulgaria. Yavorov’s orov’ s position in Bulgar Bulgaria’s ia’s romantic-literary romantic-literary pantheon is i s enhanced by th e tragic circumstances in which he took his own own life. Enraged by his repeated dalliances with both revolutionary politics p olitics and an d other women, Yavorov’s Yavorov’s wife wife Lora shot her self  self  on November 29, 1913. A rem orseful Yavorov Yavorov took the sam e gun,, shot himself in the h ead, but survi ved. Hounded by Logun ra’s family and friends, however, Yavorov shot himself again a year later, later, this time with rath er more success.

What to see Pirin Mountain

Pirin Mountain is the second highest mountain in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula. It’s also the seventh highest in Europe. Pirin is situated in the southwestern part of the country between the Mesta and Struma rivers and the Predela and Parilska passes. It  covers about 1210 square kilometers. The name “Pirin” comes from the name of the god Perun, who, according to the legend, had lived there. The highest  peak is Vihren (2914 m.) Other famous peaks are: Kutelo, Kamenitsa, Polezhan, Todorka, Sinanitsa Sina nitsa as well as the saddle, named Koncheto (The nag). In Pirin, there are situated many glacial lakes, formed dur-

ing the glacial period. Ice spreads spreads only over over nor thern area of the moun tain. Famous Famous lakes are: are: Popovo ezero (Priest lake), Valyavishki ezera and Vasilyashki ezera. In Pirin there is a rich biodiversity and for its protection, there is an area designa ted “Natsional en Park Pirin” (Pirin National Park). There are also 3 reser ves - Baiuvi dupki – Dzhindzhiri Dzhin dzhiri tsa, Yulen Yulen and Orelyak. In the Pirin range li ves one of the famous venerable trees – Baykusheva Mura (Baykusheva (Bayku sheva white fir). Because of the beautiful nature, there are several towns at the base of the mountain– Bansko, Gotse Delchev, Melnik and Sandanski. There are direct bus line s to and from Sofia.

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Winter sports Bansko lies in the so-call ed Kotlovina, a level plain lying  between three moun tain ranges – the Pirin to the West, the Rila to the north and the Rhod opes to the east. It is the Pirin range that is the closest at han d, its wooded  flanks rising suddenl y from Bansko’s Bansko’s southern subur bs. Pirin’s compact cluster of glacier-carved peaks cultivate in the handsomely chiselled limestone summit of Mt Vihren (2914m), (2914m ), which looms over Ban sko to the west.

Winter ski sports Even if you have Even ha ve been skiing or snowb oarding for ages and your skills are pretty rad, there will always be someone better than you. In case you want to know who are the big boys and girls on Bansko’s slopes, slopes, there are plent y of  competitions to check out, as well as a World Cup alpine skiing event for women. November 22-23 – “Todorka” Cup – alpine skiing  event, men December 16-17 – “Cappy” Cup - alpine skiing event, girls and boys December 18-19 – “Yulen” Cup - alpine skiing event, men and women February 7-8 2009 – National snowboard competition, all ages February 17-20 2009 – National competition - alpine skiing event, men and women February 28 – March 3 2009 – World Cup alpine skiing  event, women

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February 28 – Downhill Event 

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March 1 – Giant Slalom

March 6-8 2009 – National competition for veterans, man and women

To the slopes Most of Bansko’s skiing opportunities are located just  southwest of town on the slopes of  Mt Todorka, which culminates in th e 2756m peak of Todorin Todorin vruh. Access to the pistes is provided by the gondola which departs from Bansko’s Bansko’s lift station, located at the sou thwestern end of town. Lift passes cost €28 per day or €159 for six days, with reductions of almost 50% for children. Passes can be bought from 4pm onwards on the previous day if  you want to avoid queuing on the morning itself - you can’t  purchase them in advance over the internet. Expect queue s to get on the gondola gondola itsel f - especially between the 9 -1 -10am 0am ‘rush hour’ hou r’.. The lift-operating company Ulen run a ski-hire centre at the lift station. This is certainly the most convenient place at  which to rent and store your kit, but it’s by no means the onl y  ski-hire place in town and you should check prices elsewhere before making your choice. The gondola ascends in two stages, first to Chalin valog directly above Bansko, which is the starting point for a couple of shortish red runs. The second stage of the gondola climbs to Banderishka polyana, where a trio of chairlifts branch off to higher altitudes. To the west of Banderishka polyana lies Tsarna mogila, the longest of the intermediate routes, although th ere’s a much wider range of oppor tunities to the south, where the upper reaches of Mt Todorka host the densest network of pistes. An interlocking web of red runs descend down Todorka to the Shiligarnika area, while longer  blue runs wind their way down to Shiligarnika via the so-called Plateau on the eastern should er of the moun tain. Todorka Todorka is also the start o f the Alber to Tomba Tomba run, Bansko’s only black  route, which ends up at Banderishka polyana. There are plenty of  snacking, eating and drinking opportunities at Banderishka polyana, Shiligarnika and the Plateau. Snowboarders should aim for the half-pipe at Banderishka polyana, or the two snowboard runs at the Plateau.

Ice rings Ice ring D-1, ul. Pirin. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Bansko In Your Pocket 

March 26-27 2009 – National snowboard competition, all ages March 31 – April 1 2009 – National competition “Bansko” Cup – alpine skiing event, man and women April 4-5 2009 – “Pirin” Cup - alpine skiing event, men and women

Extreme Air Free Ride Sometimes it i t is too boring to take to to the pistes, especially  if you’re a very skilled skier or snowboarder who wants to go for for somethin g more extreme. extrem e. You You can always leave lea ve the runways and go into the for forest. est. But th ere is a risk of  unintended tree-hug ging or even the nature-friendly nature-friendly bear  or wolf feeding, you being the tasty morsel. Riding the pristine and virgin slopes of the mountain is a dream out  of extreme movies, but i f you are eager to spend some cash, it may become a reality for you and your friends. There is a h elicopter service in Bansko, which can can airlift  your crew and gear onto every every possible p ossible mountain slope or peak, so you can plummet plummet down th e unknown path s at  your own risk. So do n ot spare money, money, get on that chopper  ch opper  and free ride into ski and snowboard snowb oard Valhalla! Valhalla! For contact  the phone i s 88 914.

Dobrinishte Ten kilometres southeast of Bansko, the village of Dobrinishte is the gateway to another skiin g area, although the range of pistes is much more limited and acc ess to them is time-consuming. Main route to the slopes is a chairlift, which rises from the Gotse Delchev chalet 12km south of the village, to the Bezbog chalet, just below the 2645m Bezbog peak. The pistes running back down the mountain to the Gotse Delchev chalet are marked as red, but are quite a challenge for intermediates who don’t have a previous knowledge of th e area.

Winter sports Skiing statistics Bansko altitude: 925m above sea level Altitude of main skiing area: 2000-2500m above sea level. Total length of pistes: 70 km and total capacity 10 000 persons per day  Longest uninterrupted descent: 16km (from Todorka Peak back to Ban sko lift station).

Rentals Inter Sport C-2, ul. Pirin 37, tel. 0888 703 184/0899 933 343, [email protected], www.intersport.bansko. ww w.intersport.bansko. bg. Ski equipment rental at reasonable prices. Ulen E-1, Lift station, tel. 88 049, www.banskoski. com. The latest ski and snowboard mod els from the leading  brands, testing of the ski au tomats, grinding grinding machine. Winter Ski Sport E-1, ul. Pirin, opposite Kempinski hotel, tel. 0887 880 434, winter_skisportbansko@abv. bg, www.bansko-tourism.com. “Head” ski and ski boots rental. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00.

Method Snow School , tel. 0888 887 969, nfo@ methodsnowschool.com, w ww.methodsnowschool. methodsnowschool.com, com. The only Burton approved learn to ride centre and the only English owned and operated snowsport  school in Bansko with highly qualified ski and board instructors. Pirin 2000 E-1, ul. Pirin 107, tel. 82 284, blagovesr@ banskoskischool.i bansk oskischool.info, nfo, ww w.bansk w.banskoskischool. oskischool.info. info. Experienced ski and snow board teachers. Winter hiking, cross cross country skiing, extreme skiing. Ulen E-1, Lift station, tel. 0749 880 49, www.banskoski.com. More than 100 licensed instructors. Courses range from beginners to advanced skiers and snowboard ers. Kindergarten for children 4-7 years at Bunderishka polyana with children’ ski drags, ski roundabout, moving path and many fun facilities.

Sports equi e quipment pment shops sh ops Adventure Adven ture Sport Spor t C-2, ul. Pirin 24, tel. 0898 449 314. Q

Open 09:00-12:30 and 15:30-20:00.

Konov C-2, ul. Gotse Delchev 5. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Max Sport D-1, ul. Glazne 7. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Rossignol C-1, ul. Glazne 57, tel. 0887 170 107.

Ski schools

QOpen

Banskosport E-1, ul. Pirin 60, tel. 0888 782 977,

0888 307 847. QOpen 09:30 - 19:00. Salomon B-2, ul. Glazne 37B, hotel Villa Roka, tel. 88 516. QOpen 10:30 - 19:30. Simo Sport C-2, ul. Pirin 22, tel. 0898 483 794. Q Open 08:30-13:30 and 15:30-20:00. Ski Board Centre C-2, ul. Pirin 19, tel. 0898 603 988. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00.

[email protected], w ww.banskosport.com. Ski [email protected], training and ski tours. Bansko Trave ravell , tel. 0886 396 401, info@banskotravel. com, www.banskotravel.com. Small groups or individual training with highly proficient instructors. Free ride tours to untouched snow terrains with prof professional essional guides.

10:00 - 19:30.

Rucanor & Killtec B-2, ul. Todor Aleksandrov 1, tel.

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shopping Antiques Russki-style Antique shop D-1, ul. Pirin. Choose bet ween Russki-style  fur hats, accordions, cameras, gramophones, and some of  granny’s old milk churns. At At the sou thern end of town up near  the cable-car terminal.

Clothes & Accessories Benetton C-2, ul. Pirin 27, tel. 82 092. Female and kid’s fashion from United Colours of Benetton. QOpen 10:00 - 20:30. Disma C-2, ul. Pirin 40, tel. 0888 032 400/0030 246 708 16 78. Greek owned leather and fur shop.

Flowers Boutique Flo B-2, ul. V. Tarnovo 2, tel. 0888 580 822. QOpen

9:30 - 20:00.

Furniture Stil Decor C-2, ul. Pirin 56, tel. 0889 688 220, [email protected], www.furnishing.mebex.bg.

Gifts & Souvenirs Anar C-2, ul. Pirin 48, tel. 0888 580 822.

Q Open

10:00 - 19:30. Art Shop C-2, Corner of ul. Pirin and ul. Georgi Kovachev. A lovely li ttle treasure trove of kooky kooky things, including woolly  socks, shawls, felt felt bags, ba gs, scented candles and rustic-looking  pottery. Babini D-1, ul. Bratya Veleganovi 14B, tel. 0898 774 779, [email protected], www.babini-bansko. com. Friendly and inventive craftspeople wh o sell souvenirs and also run courses on how to make them. Ella Art C-3, ul. Shipka 5, tel. 0888 587 990, ella_art@ abv.bg. QOpen 10:00 - 21:30. Magazincheto za podaratsi C-2, ul. Nikola Vaptsarov. Felt bags, felt jewellery, and the kind of swirlypatterned Bulgarian ceramics that you find in trad-style restaurants.

Bansko In Your Pocket 

Stefany 7 C-3, ul. Nikola Vaptsarov 7, tel. 0887 421 896/0885 97 9 904, [email protected] [email protected] . Embroidered tablecloths, skin creams and other cosmetics made from Bulgaria’s famous rose oil. Opposite the Hotel Pirin.

Supermarkets El Mi D-1, ul. Pirin 74, tel. 0888 323 685.

QOpen

07:00 - 05:00. Ko-op B-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 53. All your basic needs, but not exactly a big choice. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 13:30. Volan A-2, Junction of ul. Patriarh Evtimiy and ul. Tsar Simeon. Big orange-coloured orange-coloure d thing on the edge of town brimming with frui t, veg and things in tins.

Business direCtor direCtory y Banks Bulgarian Post Bank B-2, pl. Nikola Vaptsarov 13, tel. 0749 881 24. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. First Investment Bank C-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 68, tel. 0749 881 10. QOpen 08:30 - 16:30. Closed Sat, Sun. United Bulgarian Bank C-2, ul. Pirin 7, tel. 0749 888 20. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Dentists Todor Aleksandrov 15A, tel. 0888 Dr. Daneva B-3, ul. Todor 603 439. QOpen 13:30 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Dr. Yanchovichina C-3, ul. Tsar Simeon 67 - in the building of DSK Bank, tel. 0889 300 360. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Anar C-2, ul. Pirin 48, tel. 0888 580 822. Q Open 10:00 - 22:00.

ISPs Evrokom C-2, pl. Vazrazhdane 1, tel. 88 299, www. ekk.bg. Lan and cable internet, IP telephony, Cable TV, DTV, HDTV.

Kindergartens The Blue Kangaroo Gramadeto area, tel. 950 33/490 01 00, [email protected], www. kandahar-bansko.com. Provides child care for children between 6 m onths and 7 years. It takes place in one of the apart hotel complexes opposite the gondola. There are 4 groups - Baby club (6 to 12 months), Toddler club (1 to 3 years), Mini club (3 to 5 years) and Kid s club (5 to 7 years). QOpen 08:30 - 17:30.

Medical centres

Post & Couriers

Medical Centre Dr. Ruskovi B-2, ul. Tsar Simeon

Tsar Simeon Simeo n 67, tel. 88 211. QOpen Post Office C-3, ul. Tsar

10, tel. 851 85/0887 208 413, ruskov10@gmail. com. General practice, English speaking staff. Emergency  24hr phone phon e 0887 227 660. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Medical Centre Sveto Blagoveshtenie C-3, ul. Louis Pasteur 1, tel. 88 333, [email protected]. Orthopedis thop edist, t, surgeon, gy gynaec naecologis ologist, t, neurologist neurologis t and GP. Clinic laboratory, X-ray X-ray and specialized transport. Emergency 24hr  phone 0898 778 700. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00.

08:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Speedy C-3, ul. Viktor Yugo 7, tel. 88 396. Courier services. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

Pharmacies Tsar Simeon 73, tel. te l. 883 58. QOpen Margarita C-3, ul. Tsar

08:00 - 20:00, Sun 08:00 - 14:00. Sanita B-2, ul. Tsar Simeon 57, tel. 884 90. 07:30 - 19:30, Sun 09:00 - 18:00. Sonya C-2, ul. Pirin 44. QOpen 8:00 - 21:00. Vili C-2, Otets Paisiy 18, tel. 0888 907 920. 08:00 - 22:00.

QOpen

QOpen

Reall Estate Rea Esta te Bower Properties C-2, ul. Pirin 67, tel. 0885 320 799/0885 702 886, [email protected], www.bower-properties.com. Crown Developments C-2, ul. Otets Paisiy 20, tel. 84 994/0897 973 993, [email protected], www.crowndevelopments.com. Crystal Cleaning , tel. 0890 335 966, [email protected]. Homecare services - cleaning, meet & greet and welcome services. Flexible working  hours. Foros B-2, ul. Pirin 6, tel. 885 41/0896 698 721, fax 885 42, [email protected], www.foros.bg.

The Sunday-morning market

Winter Wint er Ski Ski Travel Travel

One of sou thern Bulgaria’s liveliest markets takes takes place on Bansko’s central ulitsa Tsar Simeon every Sunday  morning. Main focus of the market is cheap clothes and shoes, alth ough there are plenty of handicrafts on offer  offer  too. Brightl y coloured hand-woven rugs, embroidere embroidered d folk  folk  costumes, and huge cowbells are among the potential souvenirs

www.bansko-tourism.com

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Business direCtory inyourpocket.com

In Your Pocket is more than a print city guide.

Grato Investment C-2, ul. Gotse Delchev 13, tel. 0878 334 993/0896 598 263, [email protected], www.gratoinvestment.com. Q Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Home Care B-3, ul. Todor Alexandrov 4, tel. 0899 985 930, [email protected], www.homecarebg.com. Property management, rental and cleaning  services. Inter Prime Bansko D-2, ul. Naiden Gerov 5A, tel. 0898 564 296/0898 556 008, office@interprime-bansko. off [email protected], com, www.interprime-bansko.com. redwoodjoineryjoineryRedwood Joinery , tel. 0890 335 965, redwood [email protected]. Bespoke service for all joinery & maintenance requirements - fitted wardrobes, new ki tchens, shelving etc. Flexible working hours.

Securityy and PI Securit PI Salamander Group Holding (Bansko office) A-2, ul. Tsar Tsar Simeon 19-21, tel. 0888 293 222, [email protected]. Regional association of security guards and private detectives.

Travel agencies Alma Tour E-2, ul. Nayden Gerov - Gramadeto area, tel. 88 395, [email protected], www.almatour. net. Inter Sport C-2, ul. Pirin 37, tel. 0888 703 184/0899 933 343, [email protected], www.intersport-bansko. com. Hiking trips, rock climbing trips, sightse eing excursions, biking trips, rent-a-bike, off-road Jeep trips, ATV trips, rafting, horseback riding, fishing, barbeques and tennis school and camps.

Bansko In Your Pocket 

Besides our wide range of locally produced and indispensable booklets, we also publish guides to more than 50 cities in online format at our awardwinning website, inyourpocket.com. Here you will find a huge batch of web exclusive content, from features on obscure Romanians to how the residents of St. Petersburg propose marriage to each other. You will also find all the content from our city guides, and more besides: there are hundreds of hotel and restaurant reviews online we simply don’t have space for in print. What’s more, when our eager team of writers and researchers updates any in formation you will will  find out about it first firs t online: no waiting for the next  print guide to come out, just visit  inyourpocket. com. You will also find our entire range of city  guides available to download, for free, in PDF   format. In Your Pocket is the only travel publisher  in the world offering its entire content in this easy  to access way. Get involved If you’ve seen a review in any of our guides that  you think is wildly wide of the mark (or indeed spot on) then tell the world: all venues on our  website now have a comments module allowing  you to share your opinions not just with our writers but with hundreds of thousands of website users ( inyourpocket.com inyourpocket.com receives more than 200,000 unique visitors every month, who view more than one million pages). There is also our lively, if off-beat, blog, where you can share the editorial team’s thoughts on politics, Bulgarian talent shows and global warming, as well as find bags of in formation on how an In Your Pocket guide is put together. Moscow: First at inyourpocket.com The full content of  Moscow In Your Pocket - which will appear in print very soon - is now available online, at  inyourpocket.com. Plus, by  the time you open up the next issue of  In Your  Pocket, we will have launched our new-look website: packed with added features and easier than ever to use. Make sure you check  inyourpocket. com regulalrly.

index Edelvays El tepe

Street Index

3-ti mart pl. 5-ti oktomvri

C/D-3 C-3

Aleksandur Buynov Aleksandur Aleko Konstantinov Angel Balev Angel Kunchev

C-2 B-2 B-3 D-1/2

Banderitsa Banyo Marinov Bratya Miladinovi Bratya Molerovi Bratya Veleganovi Bulgaria Byalo more Dame Gruev Damyanitsa Dimitur Talev Dobri Chintulov Drama

A/B/C-1  B/C-3 B-2 B-3 D-1/2 A/B/C-3 C-2/3 C/D-2 B-1/2 C-3 D-1/2 C/D-3

Index Alpin Aneli Aparth otel Penbro Apartment House Eagle Lodge Aseva kashta Avalon Banderitsa Bander Pub Banski Han Baryakova mehana Base Camp BelleVue Residence Hotel Blitz Club Bohemi Boide Bulgari Bulgaria Chalet Isabella Chalet Jora Chalet Soltir Chubanov Han Compl ex Tampli amplier er Daire

C-1  C/D-2

Garibaldi C-2 Georgi Benkovski B-2 Georgi Nastev D-1/2 Glazne A/B/C-2, C/D-1  Gotse Delch ev C/D-1, C-2 Hadzhi Dimitur Han Asparuh Hristo Botev Hristo Chernopeev Hristo Danov Hristo Matov Hristo Smirnenski

D-2 B/C-1  B/C-2 C-1/2 C/D-4 D-1/2 B-1/2

Ikonom Chuchulain Ilinden pl. Ivan Vazov

B-2 B-1  B-2

Kiril i Metodii Knyaz Boris

Marko Teodor ovich Mincho Todev Mozgovitsa

17  18 15 15 24 20 20 24 13 24 20 20 25 15 19 19 19 20 17  22

D-2 B-3 B-3 C-2

Paligoden B-1  Panayot Hitov C-1  Panayot Volov B-2/3 Patriarh Evtimii A-2/3, B-3/4, C-4 Petko Slaveykov C-1/2

Peyo Yavorov Pirin Pliska

D-1/2 C-1/2, D/E-1  A-1/2

Radon Todev Rayna Knyagina Rila

C-2 D-1  A-1, B-1/2

Simeon Molerov Shipka Skopie Solun Stara planina Stefan Karadzha Sveti Ivan Rilski Sveti Kliment  Ohridski

C-2 B/C-3 D-3 D-3 C-1/2 A/B-1  D-1 

Terzi Nikola Todor Aleksandrov Todor Kableshkov Todorin vruh Todorini vrati

C-1  A/B-3 C/D-2 A/B-2 B/C-2

Toma Vishanov B-2 Tsar Asen C-2 Tsar Boris III B-3/4 Tsar Kaloyan C/D-2 Tsar Samuil B-3/4 Tsar  Simeon A-2, B-2/3, C-3/4 Usta Gligora

C-2

Vasil Aprilov Vasil Levski Vazrazhdane pl. Veliko Turn ovo Velyan Ognev Viktor Yugo

B-1  C-2 C-2 B-2, C-3 C-2 C-3

Yane Sandanski Yantra Yulen

C-2/3 C-3 C-3

Zahari Stoyanov Zahari Zograf

D-2 D-1/2

B-2/3

Kadiat a Tavern Kadiata 20 Kamenica mehana 20 Kasapinova kashta (Butcher's house) 21  Kashta Kirits Kiritsovi ovi 19 Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko 13 Klecherova Klech erova Kashta 19 Kralev Dvor 16 Kutelo 21  Lion 13 Lucky Bansko 18 Ma Baker 22 Makedonska krachma 18, 21  Maraya 17  Martin 13 Molerite Moleri te 21, 24 Momini dvori 17  Momini Dvori 21  Motikata 21  Mountain Paradise 13 Mountview Lodge 17  Nevi 19 Obetsanovata kashta 21  Olymp 17 

Oxygen Panorama (Vakanova kasht kashta) a) Parfe Patio Pizza Perun Pirin Pizza-restauran t Zande Planeta Payner Roshkofff House Roshkof Hou se (Roshkova Kashta) Sevda Shato Bansko Sirleshtovata kashta Sofia Stariya Komita Strazhite Tanne The Crown The Irish Pub The Lions Pub Turisti uristicheski cheski dom Okoto Vihren Vihren Palace Villa Roka Zehtind zhievata kashta

24 17  22 22 14 14 22 25 19 19 14 22 18 22 14 14 24 24 24 18 17  15 15 22

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife i fe Sightseeing Events Maps

BANSKO

PLOVDIV 

October-December 2008

B-3 D-2 D-2/3

Oborish te pl. Ohrid Opulchenska Otets Paisii

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing n g Events Maps

SOFIA 

C-3 A-2

Neofi t Rilski C-2/3, D-2 Nikola Popfilipov C-2 Nikola Vaptsarov B/C-2 Nikola Vaptsarov pl. B-2/3

Dance Club Amnesia 24 Dedo Pene 18, 20 Dedo Yonkata 20 Devonshire Lodge 18 Disco Club Happy End 24 Disco Party Bar Amigo 24 Dream Apartment Complex Bansko 18 Dvata smarcha 19 Edelweis s-Park Hotel 15 Elegant 14 Eliz 22 Evelina Palace 13 Friends 15 Glazne 13 Gold Club 24 Guinness 13 Hermes 15 Holiday Group Hotel 16 Hotel Bariakov 16 Hotel Grami 16 Hotel Rodina 16 Ivel 16 Jordan's Steakhouse 22 Kadiatta Inn 19

18 15 18

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

C/D-2 D-3

Lui Pastyor Lyuben Karavelov

35

 Winter 2008/2009

 Autumn2008

Skiing  Wordcup, Helicopters andMore

BanskoNights Party now,Sleep later 

ESSENTIAL The Old Town

Completeeventslistings e eventslistings

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GUIDES

29September – 04October 2008

Learnmoreaboutthem

 What’s on?

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CITY

International  Plovdiv Fair 

Sofia districts

Acrossroad of cultures 

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No 3

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Enjoy your  COMPLIMENTARY  COPY  of Bansko In Your Pocket 

Now in your city Winter 2008/2009

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streets & Maps

Bansko In Your Pocket 

streets & Maps

Winter 2008/2009

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38

streets & Maps

1 : 15 000

Bansko In Your Pocket 

streets & Maps

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Winter 2008/2009

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