Bulgaria Ski Holidays

Bulgaria might not be synonymous with ski holiday in your mind, but it should be. Bulgaria's mountainous regions offer a lot to the person looking for the thrill of a ski holiday.

Borovets is the largest and most developed alpine ski resort in Bulgaria. It is located on the northern slopes of the Rila Mountains, at the foot of Mousala Peak, the highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula. The resort is easily accessible from the capital of Sofia, good news for eager skiers anxious to start their holiday. You'll get the true feel for alpine skiing here. Whether you enjoy downhill, cross-country or even biathlon, Borovets will not disappoint. It's even hosted World Cup skiing events in the past. That's a nice seal of approval.

Two other famous international ski resorts are Pamporovo and Bansko. Pamporovo is the most southern ski resort in Europe and is located on Rhodopi Mountain, the mountain of the mythical singer Orpheus. It's ski slopes come in various difficulty levels, the most difficult ski run being The Wall. At night, you won't want to miss the excellent dining and nightlife opportunities.

Bansko, Bulgaria's number one spot for ski holidays, is also a historic locale. The town of Bansko has 120 cultural and historical monuments to explore. Also located nearby is Pirin National Park, a gorgeous place to see caves, waterfalls, lakes and more of the region's history. What's not to love about mixing the exhilaration of a ski holiday with exciting sightseeing? And another benefit to skiers is that Bansko has the longest ski season of any Bulgarian ski resort, lasting from mid December to mid May.

Other ski holiday destinations you might enjoy in Bulgaria include:

Vitosha - Bulgaria's highest ski area is located a mere 10 kilometers (a bit over six miles) from Sofia.

Chepelare - Located near Pamporovo, this small ski area isn't as built up, but it does offer some basic skiing in a beautiful area blanketed by snow and old pine trees.

Malyovitsa - Located near Borovets, but smaller and not as well maintained. Still, a ski holiday here could be planned around some skiing down the slopes and enjoying dinner in one of cozy restaurants.

If you want to fully explore Bulgaria's ski resort offerings before booking your ski holiday, also do Web searches on Tsigov Chark, Semkovo, Dobrinishte, Panichiste, Uzana, Kulinoto and Berkovitsa.