the action Nicky Holford hits the slopes in Bansko, the Bulgarian resort offering top-class skiing on a budget


DESTINATIONS BULGARIA | SKI & SNOW


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hecking in for my first ski trip to Bulgaria several years ago, my fellow travellers,


mostly dressed in city clothes, looked so unlike skiers that I asked if I was in the correct queue. Few of them had ever skied, and when I asked a couple for their reason for going to a Bulgarian ski resort, they replied that the beer was cheap and they might as well give skiing a whirl. This time, it couldn’t have been


more different. Nearly everyone on the flight to Sofia sported a technical ski jacket and many were checking in skis. Good-value holidays to Bulgaria are still around, but the choice of facilities and level of accommodation is now competitive with many European ski resorts – at a fraction of the price.


AFFORDABLE LUXURY This is particularly true of Bulgaria’s newest resort, Bansko, located in Pirin National Park, where state-of-the-art ski lifts, modern mountain restaurants and top hotels make it an attractive alternative to more expensive European resorts. Among them is the award-winning,


five-star Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena, where I stayed. Set right on the ski slopes, its extensive spa with pools and Jacuzzis, restaurants and attentive staff allow you to feel like a millionaire without needing to actually be one. On our first night, it was hard to


decide between the Mediterranean Come Prima restaurant or the bistro menu, but we opted for the sushi bar and Teppanyaki Grill. Food is taken so seriously here that before the March 2020 lockdown, the Kempinski had a culinary event where they invited five legendary chefs with a total of nine Michelin stars between them. Wine is of equal importance. Bulgarian wines, notably reds, have a long history, many of the vineyards having been planted during the communist era.


HITTING THE SLOPES Early the next morning, we took the 10-minute gondola to the main ski area at Banderishka Polyana. This is the main ski hub, with a dedicated beginners’ area. A new lift system, including two six-seater chairlifts, offers access to 46 miles


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PICTURE: Shutterstock/Grekov’s


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