Summer in Bansko

Ski season may be long over, but the popular winter resort has plenty to offer summer vacationers.

Text: Elitsa Grancharova
Photography: Vladimir Stoyanov

Once an idyllic traditional Bulgarian village, the town of Bansko has become an overbuilt concrete jungle 150km south of the capital. But don't despair. The good news is that Pirin mountain, just half an hour from Bansko, offers ideal conditions for summer mountaineering.

Over the lat decade, Bansko has been transformed into an all-inclusive resort designed to satisfy the most demanding winter tourist. However, the local municipality, aware of the area's appeal, is now trying to attract visitors all-year round. Although many hotels close in summer, you still have about 40 accommodation options to choose from. Bansko is full to bursting with rooms for rent, family lodges and hotels in the one- to four-star category. There's also a five-star hotel (Kempinski Grand Arena Bansko), as well as many self-catering apartments where you may choose to cook fresh mushrooms plucked from the forests or boil tea from organic herbs. And even if they lack a living or a dining-room, most Bansko apartments have kitchens.

In the foothills of the second highest peaks in Bulgaria, Bansko is a haven for tourists who enjoy hiking. But don’t go too high because just above the town is the famous Bansko ski zone. Summer views from there tend to be less pleasant because the ski runs, now free of snow, fail to mask the erosion and huge ditches left by excavators that dug the hills in this part of Pirin Natural Park. During summer 2008, the gondola will take tourists up just once a day – at 8am – returning them at 4.30pm.

Many hotels offer organised hiking and mountain biking trips, or horseback riding, while some, such as Kempinski, also offer quad biking. Most hotels are equipped with spa centres, so after a long and energetic day in the mountains you can recuperate in a swimming pool, sauna or steam bath.

The natural mineral water springs in two villages near Bansko, Banya and Dobrinishte, are other attractive features of the area. Dobrinishte still has the town-bath constructed in communist times. It's a pretty white building with rather original and pleasant architecture in a spacious yard with gardens, trees and shaded seating.

Its inner part was renovated and now offers separate men's and women's swimming pools, as well as private bathtubs in separate rooms. Banya also has more modern swimming pools in hotels, filled with natural hot mineral water.

Summer 2008 in Bansko

July

For the first time, art fans can see Bansko's Summer theatre festival 2008 between July 1 and July 7. The festival gathers some of the finest and most celebrated Bulgarian actors, directors and plays.
On July 20 Bansko celebrates the orthodox fest Ilinden with a holiday liturgy at Sveta Troitsa church in the town (8am-10.30am).
On July 23, Bansko commemorates 66 years since the execution of town hero Nikola Vaptsarov, a revolutionary poet. His museum was built in Bansko 56 years ago. On the same date the town will also celebrate the anniversary of the opening of its first museum.

August

On August 1, Bansko holds a commemorative festival to mark the 105th anniversary of one of Bulgaria’s historic uprisings against the Ottoman yoke, the Ilinden-Preobrazhensko vuzstanie.
On August 6, the town holds a feast liturgy at Sveta Troitsa church on the occasion of the orthodox feast Preobrazhenie Gospodne (8am-10.30am).
Between August 8 and August 13 Bansko will host the annual International Jazz Festival Bansko 2008. As well as the jazz, visitors can make use of the beer festival, which should provide essential tips on how to overcome the summer heat.
On August 15, the town celebrates the day of the Orthodox temple Uspenie na Sveta Bogoroditsa with a holiday liturgy.
Between August 29 and August 31 Bansko will host, for the first time, the international cynology exhibition for northern breeds of dogs, which has always taken place in Macedonia. Huskies, malamutes and other types of dogs will be assessed and will receive prizes from the Bulgarian Cynology Federation and international institutions.

Source: Month2Come