Village of Bansko
One of Bulgaria's best kept secrets, the historic town of Bansko is situated in the South-Western part of Bulgaria, in the foothills of the beautiful Mount Pirin. The mountains twin peaks soar to over 2900m and its breathtaking alpine beauty combined with the area's history has resulted in it's adoption as a World Heritage site. Now Bansko is a growing mountain resort, with a current population of around 10,000 permanent residents. With food and drink a third of the cost of a typical French resort, Bansko offers exceptional value for money.
St Trinity Church
The Holy Trinity Temple, a great historical and cultural landmark of Bansko, was built in 1835 by Local Masters. The two faced clock in the bell tower has been measuring the time accurately for over 150 years now. Crafted by the self-taught Usta (Master) Todor Hadjiradonov while the bells are work of the eminent moulders Velliganov brothers. The church was established as the most significant spiritual and cultural center of Bansko during the Bulgarian National Revival, a fortress of east Orthodox religion and of Bulgarian national spirit. It was namely in the Holy Trinity church that in 1912 the independence of Bansko was proclaimed.
The charges do vary greatly depending on who you choose and if you pre-book, but if you shop around before you travel you can expect to pay approximately £130 to hire a 4-door saloon car for seven days. Add to this the petrol costs of approximately £30 for the return trip. The journey will take between 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the weather and traffic conditions. However, be warned that navigating your way out of Sofia onto the E79 towards Bansko can be a tricky experience as road-signs directing traffic out of the city are very limited and the main ring road is usually very busy. Once you get out of the city limits and onto the E79 the road swiftly improves, taking much of the struggle out of the trip.
Taxi transfer from Sophia to Bansko
There are some companies that provide either one-way or return taxi transfer between Sofia Airport and Mountain Dream in Bansko. Krasimir Brankov offers pre-booked return transfers from Sofia Airport for up to 4 people for 150Euros with space for up to 4 ski-carriers on the roof. However, if you have lots of luggage, for more comfort you may wish to book the larger people carrier (5-6 people) at 190Euro for a return trip.
Bus from Sophia to Bansko
There is a bus link between Sofia and Bansko with regular services running every day in both directions. The Central Bus Station in Sofia is located at 100 Kniaginia Maria Luiza Blvd. A taxi from Sofia Airport to the bus station will cost around £5. The one-way cost of a bus ticket is approximately £5, although there may be a small additional charge for any skis. The journey to Bansko takes about 3 hours. On arrival in Bansko, You will most likely want to take a taxi from the Bansko Bus Station (in the north of the town) to Mountain Dream which will cost approximately £4.