Bansko, Bulgaria: The Perfect Place to Spend the Summer

Bansko is not just a Ski Resort

Along the Waterway — Author Photo

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Bansko, Bulgaria, is one of Europe’s hotspots for digital nomads and expats. The optimal time is during the summer season, particularly in July and August. Then it’s sunny, and the mountain temperatures are moderate.

Journey to Bansko from Albania

I have an apartment arrangement in Saranda, Albania, which frees me up to travel for four months of the year. I spent the winter of 2024 in Saranda, wondering where I should spend those four months.

Many of the Saranda expats are familiar with Bansko and travel there each summer. Their talk of this town intrigued me enough that I had to explore it for myself.

I put some things in storage to travel lighter and took a bus to Tirana, the capital of Albania. From there, I flew to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The plane cruised in over the gold domes of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the largest cathedral in the Balkans. What an introduction to Bulgaria!

Central Bansko — Author Photo

The next day, I took a taxi to the Central Bus Station and traveled for two and a half hours to Bansko. The terrain was flat, with the approaching mountains rising ahead. Upon arriving in Bansko, I shared a taxi ride up to the Ski Zone, where I had booked an apartment for five weeks.

I couldn’t wait to get down to the Old Town.

Magical Bansko

Bansko is in the Pirin Mountains of southwest Bulgaria. The town clings to the surface of the mountain, ascending and descending on a south/north axis. There are flat east/west streets.

The Glazne River runs through the town, cascading over a rock-strewn channel. Three other rivers run nearby. These rivers all originate in the mountains, spewing forth their cold waters. There are also several waterways channeled through the town. This water is also available from the many fountains around town.

One of the Waterways Through Town — Author Photo

Bansko is composed of three sections: the lower Old Town, the New Town, and the upper Ski Zone. I will be living in the Ski Zone for five weeks and then moving to the Old Town for six weeks.

Skiing is the major thrust in Bansko’s winter. The Pirin Mountains in Pirin National Park range up to 2,914 meters (9,560 feet). This in itself is enough to attract skiers from Western Europe. This makes for a growing rivalry with the more famous Alps to the west.

Modest housing in high-rise buildings offers tourists the same amenities in summer and winter.

Summer in the mountains generally means cooler temperatures. Recent changes in the climate have brought high temperatures to the area. Bansko is building year-round tourism.

The New Town is similar in looks to the Ski Zone, with three- to five-story apartment buildings. This area runs along the west side of the Glazne River. It looks out onto bucolic pastures of cows, horses, and sheep.

The Old Town exhibits three historical phases of the city. The first of these is from the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. Next is the Ottoman era from the 1820s to the end of the Crimean War in 1856. The Treaty of Paris limited Russian influence.

Bulgaria won its independence in 1908 and is now an independent country. Its architecture is reflective of this historical timeline. The Old Town is where I spend most of my time when I’m not at home.

The Waterway Continues Through Town — Author Photo

The Two Best Streets

Pirin Street Looking North — Author Photo

I am enthralled by two of the streets running up and down the mountain.

The first is Pirin Street, the main street in the town. It is a cobblestone pedestrian walkway the whole length. There are occasional trucks on the walkway, as that is the only way they can service the stores. These stores are all small buildings built of old stone and plaster. They are restaurants, taverns, and commercial venues.

Running parallel to a block west is, for me, the most fascinating street in town. One of the many streams in town runs down its center, with wide walkways on either side. Below are narrow walkways with little bridges crossing the water. Large rock walls serve as an embankment. This street has three of the old wash tubs that early generations used for laundry. I walk this street almost every day for the sheer beauty I find there.

One of the Old Washtubs on the Waterway — Author Photo

Bansko’s Centerpiece

The major focal point in the Old Town is the Holy Trinity Church (Eastern Orthodox). This monumental church was built in 1833–1835.

The Ottoman Empire at that time disallowed the building of large churches. The clever Bulgarians got around this by carving a cross into the granite at the entrance. They also carved a crescent. Seeing this, the Ottoman guards feared to touch the church.

The original church remains today with the addition of a four-bell tower and a clock.

The Central Park — Author Photo

The Ski Zone

Rising above the Old Town is the Ski Zone, a one-industry part of town. The mountainside is awash in lodging facilities, as well as ski and sports stores and ski schools. There are also small grocery stores and several restaurants.

During the summer, I found the Ski Zone to be dead. That made for a peaceful atmosphere. Come winter, the Zone will be jam-packed with skiers.

The Pirin Mountains offer ski and snowboard tracks. There are 21 ski slopes, the longest of which is about 10 miles in length. Six World Cup events have taken place here since 2009.

Gondolas take skiers up the mountain for their descent. Bansko skiing is becoming a popular alternative to the French and Swiss Alps. The reason for this is that it’s cheaper, and the conditions are favorable.

Since 2015, over 130 million euros have been spent developing the Ski Zone. Skiing tracks exist for skiers of all abilities. Even night skiing takes place in the heart of winter. There is usually fresh snow on the mountain every morning. This results in the growth of the skiing industry.

Digital Nomads

A more recent industry is also putting Bansko on the map. The city has become a hotspot for digital nomads.

German Matthias Zeitler arrived in town in 2016, looking for space to open a shared workspace. Today, there are three major co-working spaces with supplemental locations. These three have come together to create the Bansko Digital Nomad Fest, held yearly at the end of June.

During the week, the sidewalks and businesses are full of computer users. I enjoyed being a vicarious onlooker at this festival.

The 2024 Festival drew 455 participants from 40 countries. The United States sent the most digital nomads. The festival capitalizes on the lifestyle of remote computer workers. It offers seminars, plenary sessions, and a lot of camaraderie.

There was a steady influx of digital nomads. There were backpacks and computer bags everywhere. Given that the town has only about 10,000 people, it begs the question. Is Bansko the per-capita coworking capital of the world?

One of the Drinking Fountains Around Town — Author Photo

Pirin National Park is on the southern border of Bansko. Bulgaria has three national parks, and this park is the second most popular. Bulgarians cherish this park for its many hiking trails in the summer and ski trails in the winter.

The park is about 100,000 acres. It is great fun to ride the gondolas up to a central location from which many hiking trails radiate. There is also a small snack bar there.

Walking into the park, I see and smell the Norway pines standing packed together. They tower up to reach the sun. These trees have a distinctive reddish bark. Could this be from iron in the soil? They are unlike the more brownish bark of the Norway pines I grew up with in Minnesota.

The park is not only for hiking and skiing. The park contains Europe’s longest water slide at 1,148 feet. Only the US, Australia, and New Zealand have longer slides.

The park contains incredible biodiversity. It is one of the country’s most valuable natural parks. There are over 200 healing plants and over 1,000 other plants. There are more than 200 types of vertebrates, as well as 160 species of birds. New plants and birds continue to increase. Visiting the park gives me a profound respect for nature.

Monthly Festivals

Bansko Folk Music Festival with Singers on Stage — Author Photo

Bansko can take pride in the fact that it has one or more free festivals every month of the year. In the summer, these are generally held on the large plaza in Old Town. These include the Bulgarian Folk Festival, the International Jazz Festival, and the Opera Festival. There are also cinema showings under the stars. Throughout the year, an art festival, a film festival, a Balkan music festival, and a rock extravaganza take stage. The aim is to offer something for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Bansko has been an active town since its founding. Today is no exception.

Bulgarians consider Bansko their premier vacation spot. This enthusiasm has spread across the eastern side of Europe. It is also drawing people from even further afield.

There is a lot to love about this place, and I will long remember my summer in Bansko, Bulgaria’s favorite town.

Warren R. Johnson

Medium: @WarrenRJohnson

A version of this article appeared in the AmerilaandJP.com newsletter on August 13, 2024.

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