Bansko is the new winter resort, recently discovered by the foreign tourists, Bansko provides an interesting combination between the virgin nature of Pirin Mountain and the atmosphere of the ancient Bulgarian town. The town of Bansko is situated in Southwestern Bulgaria, at the foothills of one of the most beautiful Bulgarian mountains - Pirin. Bansko is a climatic mountain resort with a short hot summer and long mild winter. The average temperature during January, the coldest month, is - 1.9°C. Snow falls are abundant, providing a constant winter snow cover up to 2 m thick. The skiing conditions in Bansko are excellent. The Pirin mountain has a predominately Alpine character with three peaks towering above 2900 m. The skiing season starts in mid December and lasts through until mid April when the town changes over to a summer resort offering hunting, walking, fishing and sightseeing.
     The town is currently undergoing a huge construction programme creating dozens of new 4 and 5 star hotels to complement the existing 40 traditional family run hotels. Hundreds of new holiday apartments are also being built to satisfy the increasing demand for accomodation as the town turns into a major world ski destination. Millions of euros have been spent creating over 65 kilometers of ski runs and a lift network covering 26 kilometers. As the ski facilities are being improved so to is the infrastructure of the town and the local council have a vision of creating an all seasons resort. Along with new hotels and apartments a number of shops, restaurants, taverns and cafes are also being introduced. The shops are starting to sell ski wear from all of the top suppliers and the cafes and restaurants offer both traditional and high quality modern facilities.
     Bansko is not only a resort but also a beautiful historic spot.
     Bansko municipality is a settlement that was inhabited in succession by Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and Slavs. The remains of ancient fortresses, Thracian tumuli, medieval colonies, consecrated grounds, churches and chapels within the town earthwork testify to several historical epochs.The remains of the late medieval single-nave St. George and St. Elijah churches, monuments of culture, are to the southeast of Bansko.
     The town of Bansko, in its present location, is believed to date back to around the 9th and 10th centuries. The earliest documentation for Bansko comes from the 16th century relating to the peroid of the Ottoman (Turkish) invasion. The town became the dominant centre of the surrounding local villages and was known for its crafts - many of which were sold throughout Europe. Bansko was also known as a cultural and spiritual centre, all of which led the other villages to look upon Bansko residents with envy.
     There are over 120 cultural and historic monuments in and around Bansko including the world famous Rila monastery. Built in its present form between 1816 and 1846 the monastery was first created inthe 10th century as a refuge for hermits. Bansko also boasts one of the best museaum complexes in eastern Europe including Neophit Rilsky Museum (a former cell school), Hilendarsky/Rilsky Convent (Bansko School of icon-painting) and The House of Arts and Poetry.
     Pirin National Park - Extending over an area of 27,400ha and lying at an altitude of 1,008 - 2,914m in the Pirin mountains, it has a limestone Balkan landscape, with lakes, waterfalls, caves and pine forests. The rugged mountains, with some 70 glacial lakes scattered throughout them, are home to hundreds of endemic and rare species, many of which are representative of the Balkan Pleistocene flora. The mountains also have diverse and unique landscapes of great aesthetic value.
     The Pirin National park is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. For more details about the World Heritage programme, UNESCO and the Pirin National Park.
     Many visitors to Bansko are so taken with the place that they find it hard to leave! The distance between Sofia and Bansko is 170 km. The nearest International Airport is the one in Sofia. It takes approximately two and a half hours to drive from Sofia to Bansko and around one and a half hours to reach the border with Greece to the South.
     There are plans to build new motorway links from Sofia and Thessalonika airport (Greece) in the near future to reduce transfer times. There are also unconfirmed rumours that an airport may be built near to Bansko to satisfy the expected demand.