The perfect mountain location
The chalet overlooks the Pirin Mountains to the South and the Rila Mountains to the North. Both of these ranges are renowned for their beauty and facilities for outdoor activities.
Bulgaria’s premier ski resort at Bansko is just five miles away (an easy drive or shuttle bus ride). This is the most modern ski centre in the country thanks to the recent multi-million euro investment. Bansko also has the best snow record and the longest ski season (15 Dec - 15 May) of all the Bulgarian ski resorts. The developing ski resort at Kulinoto is just two miles away and also well worth a visit.
The pistes are approximately seven miles above the town on the northern slopes of Pirin Mountain and are easily accessible. It takes just 25 minutes to reach the main ski areas of Chalin Valog (1100-1600m) and Shiligarnika (1700-2500m). Before embarking you are able to check out conditions such as temperature and wind on the monitors at the lift station. Then climb aboard the gondola, which transports you 1700m skimming across alpine forest blanketed in thick snow, and enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Once on the mountain the fun starts, with 23 ski lifts to get you to your chosen slopes.
As well as the skiing, the area has lots of opportunities for excellent walking and other outdoor pursuits. The stunning scenery means that you can enjoy some of the finest walking in Europe, with a mix of rocky marble and granite peaks, cliffs, glacier valleys and lakes. In fact, the area is so impressive in 1983 UNESCO decided to include the Pirin National Park in its list of the world's cultural and natural heritage areas.
The climate also makes for an comfortable and enjoyable holiday all year round. One of the advantages of the mountain location is that you experience hot days and cool nights in summer, cold winters with great ski conditions, and a temperate spring and autumn. It all makes for a great holiday destination, whatever the time of year.
Getting there from the UK
You can get a direct flight to Sofia from the UK. You can choose from Gatwick, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton, Birmingham, Durham, Newcastle, Isle of Man, Manchester, Leeds-Bradford, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, the Scottish Isles, Belfast and Londonderry. Flights take under three hours and typically cost up to £100 return. The hotel compelex is about 150km from Sofia and the drive takes about 2.5 hours.
An airport shuttle service with bus return transfers you between Sofia and Bansko. This can be arranged from as little as 40 euros per person and the hotel complex is then a short taxi ride from Bansko or there is a shuttle bus that runs each day from around 8.30am then returning about 4pm cost around 6 euros per person return. Alternatively you can of course rent your own car - all the major rental firms operate from Sofia Airport and hire rates are very reasonable. The drive is simple and most of the roads are to a good standard.
Capital of Bulgaria:
Sofia
Total area of Bulgaria:
Land: 110,550 sq km
Water: 360 sq km
Total: 110,910 sq km
