DESTINATIONS FAMILY HOLIDAYS | CHRISTMAS SKI TRIPS
Skiing on a shoestring
Families can hit the slopes on
Christmas Day for less than you might expect – all that agents need is a little creativity, finds Alice Barnes-Brown
t Bansko, Bulgaria
PICTURE: Shutterstock/ Nataliya Nazarova
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he cold of the mountains may bite, but the cost-of-living crisis doesn’t have to. A Club Med survey revealed in October that skiers were
spending an average of £1,580 per person on their ski holidays this winter – down £399 from the previous year. Skiers may be more cautious with their spending, but they’re still keen to get some snow-based action. The Christmas holidays are a superb time to go skiing – school’s out, the snow is reliable, and the air is full of festive cheer – but it can be costlier than in term-time. However, it is possible to find week-long trips over Christmas costing less than £2,750 for a family of four; it just requires thinking outside the box…
BUDGET FOR BULGARIA Best for: Seasoned skiers
Bulgaria’s top ski resort, Bansko, sits at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, which are transformed into a snow-covered wonderland every winter, with 75km
of marked pistes. A 20-minute gondola ride takes clients from the heart of town, over the cone-shaped hills to the ski area, where both a blue and black run can take skiers of varying abilities straight back down. Snow machines located across the slopes guarantee full coverage, even in warmer months. After a day on the slopes, evenings in Bansko
are refreshingly relaxed: families can visit a stone-built mehana for taverna-style hospitality and wallet-friendly good food (three-course meals in restaurants like these average around £15), plus
there’s a bowling centre open until 11pm. Book it: Balkan Holidays offers seven nights’ self-catering in the three-star Apartments Winslow Elegance (which has a kids’ playground), departing on December 23, from £1,854 for a family of four sharing. This includes flights from Gatwick, luggage and return transfers.
balkanholidays.co.uk²
2 NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 2023
travelweekly.co.uk
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