Sofia Airport → Bansko

Bansko is Bulgaria's most developed and internationally popular ski resort, with a modern gondola lifting skiers straight from the edge of town up to more than 75 kilometres of groomed slopes on the northern flank of the Pirin Mountains. The skiing suits everyone from complete beginners to advanced off-piste riders, and lift tickets, equipment rental, lessons and lodging remain noticeably cheaper here than in most Western European resorts, which is a big part of the draw.

What sets Bansko apart from purpose-built ski towns elsewhere is that it grew out of a genuinely old mountain town: the historic centre, protected as an architectural reserve, is full of stone-walled 19th-century houses, small museums and traditional mehana taverns where live folk music, hearty Bulgarian food and local rakia carry on late into the evening. In summer the gondola keeps running for hikers heading into Pirin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of glacial lakes and jagged peaks.