1 ian. 2010
Pamporovo-ski resorts
Pamporovo (Bulgarian: Пампорово) is a popular ski resort in Smolyan Province, southern Bulgaria, one of the best-known in Southeastern Europe. It is set amongst magnificent pine forests and is primarily visited during the winter for skiing and snowboarding. It is also a popular tourist place in summer.
The hub of Pamporovo comprises a number of excellent hotels and bars. It is also one of the southernmost skiing resorts in Europe. It's a family friendly resort and suited for complete beginners and intermediates; experienced skiers could find it boring.
The resort is set in the southern Rhodope Mountains at an altitude of 1620 meters above sea level. The highest peak in the area, Snezhanka (Bulgarian: Снежанка) at 1928 m, is several hundred meters above the resort. Pamporovo is around 260 km away from Sofia, 85 km south of Plovdiv, 15 km north of Smolyan, and 10 km south of Chepelare.
The resort has 25 km of ski-runs and 38 km of cross-country skiing tracks served by 18 lifts with a total capacity of 8500 persons per hour. Four snow-levelling machines and six snow cannons guarantee skiers comfortable and enjoyable downhill rides. More than 100 highly qualified ski instructors, fluent in various languages, are available to aid both beginners and intermediate skiers as well as snowboarders. Some new runs have been created and there is now another chairlift in operation.
The winters in Pamporovo tend to be mild, but have around 150 days of snowfall each year. This combination allows for a long skiing season at the resort. Pamporovo is renowned for its large number of sunny days during the winter, often topping 120 days from December to May. The average January temperature is -3 degrees Celsius (or 26.6 F).
Much of the older development of the Pamporovo resort lies to the northeast of Snezhanka. Now, to the south there is a really marvellous up-market residential development called the Pine Lodge, conveniently adjacent to the Smolyan Lakes ski lift. There are plans afoot to build two golf courses and to extend the whole skiing area to the Perelik mountain. The Pine Lodge faces the south towards the land of Spartacus, within neighbouring Greece; and a new EU-funded highway will make the Greek coast accessible by car.
Accomodation in Pamporovo
BOROVETS
Borovets (Bulgarian: Боровец), known as Chamkoriya (Чамкория) until the middle of the 20th century, is a popular Bulgarian mountain resort situated in Sofia Province, on the northern slopes of Rila, at an altitude of 1350 m. Borovets is 12 km from Samokov, 73 km from Sofia and 125 km from Plovdiv.
History
Borovets is the oldest Bulgarian winter resort with a history that dates back to 1896. Borovets was originally established at the end of the 19th Century as a hunting place for the Bulgarian Kings, Borovets gradually developed into a modern ski resort of budget and luxury hotels, haute-cuisine restaurants and seedy bars and an average network of ski runs and lifts along the slopes of the Rila Mountains, providing excellent opportunities for a whole range of winter sports. The resort has twice hosted World Cup Alpine Skiing rounds, while the Biathlon track is one of the best in the world.
Super Borovets
The Super Borovets project is one of the largest and most expensive investment and development projects in Bulgarian history. It will enlarge Borovets town to encompass the nearby towns of Samokov and Beli Iskar. The resort will be divided into three levels:
Level 1 or Low Borovets: A brand new development just outside of Samokov, this area will cater for the less economically well off tourists, but will have good connections and transport with Borovets and the main ski area. This project will provide around 5,000 hotel rooms.
Level 2 or Borovets: Consists of the existing Borovets with extensive investment and development. This will provide around 10,000 hotel rooms (approximately what Borovets currently provides) and will remain as the main accommodation area.
Level 3 or Super Borovets: This will cater for those looking for 5 star hotels and a luxury experience, however it will provide no more than 2,500 hotel rooms.
The project started in 2004 and was originally planned to be completed by 2009, however several setbacks have delayed the progress somewhat. The current plan from the architects (subject to review and acceptance by the ecology team) is to expand the number of pistes by constructing 19 new pistes bringing the total ski-able area to around 90 km. To cope with the higher demand for ski-lifts and gondolas, 12 new ski-lifts will be built. One of these lifts will be a multi-station gondola which connects Borovets to Samokov allowing skiers easy access to the slopes from the Lower Borovets development site. At least one of the new pistes to be constructed will take skiers back to Lower Borovets ensuring visitors can ski back home whichever portion of Super Borovets they reside in.
Winter sports
Borovets in winter
The ski resort sits at an altitude of 1350 m. 58 km of marked pistes cover the generally north facing slopes up to an altitude of 2560 m, with many runs terminating near the village centre allowing skiers to ski almost to their hotel door. The longest run is a gentle 12 km return to the resort along the maintenance road.
Downhill skiing
Borovets Ski Slopes
Lifts
The Gondola in Borovets
All ski lifts are open 9.00 am to 4.30 pm. Each lift closes for technical checks and maintenance for half a day each week and for 1 full day each month, see local signs for dates and times for each lift.
Borovets Lifts
The lift infrastructure of the resort is very well developed by drag lifts, baby tows, seat chain lifts, plus a gondola lift. 1 six-seat Gondola lift, 2 High Speed Quad Chair lifts, 1 Fixed Grip Quad Chair lift, 10 Surface ski lifts and 9 tow lifts. As for the 6 persons gondola lift, it takes you to the Yastrebets peak on 2363 m above sea level. The difference in altitude is approx. 1046 m and length of route is 4827 m. The gondola lift has a capacity of 1200 persons per hour. The journey takes around 20 minutes. The total capacity of all tow lifts of Borovets is 8150 persons per hour.
A recently completed 200-meter carpet lift takes the skiers from ski center Markudjik to the upper station of the gondola lift "Yastrebetz"; and the widened 10 km long Musala Pathway provides an easy way to return to the resort.
[edit] Ski School
One of the major attractions of Bulgaria and especially Borovets is the high standard of instruction available at a much lower cost than is common in the ski resorts of western Europe.
The instruction is divided into 5 different levels according to the skill level of the individual. The lessons may be group or individual (subject to request) and the duration of the course is from anything from 3 to 12 days. There is also a ski kindergarten for the children aged 4 to 8 years which runs for the entire day.
Night skiing
For night skiing there is a special lift pass that has to be bought separately at the kiosks on the pistes. It is valid from 5 pm till 10 pm.
Cross-country skiing
35 km of cross country trails are designed according to the requirements of FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski), at minimum width of 6 m. The resort also offers biathlon facilities for training and competitions.
Other activities
Ski-doo
2 person ski-doos are available for local rent in the resort. Tourists can be guided through the local forests by an instructor.
Ski jumping
Every Wednesday the local ski and snowboarding instructors put on a Ski Jumping show on the slopes in front of the Hotel Rila. The show is free for all that attended ski school during the week but there is a charge for those who have not attended ski school. There are, however, many bars in the local area where you can sit and enjoy a drink whilst watching the show for free.
Summer activities
Borovets in summer
Like most ski resorts, Borovets is quieter during the summer.
This no longer happens anymore as there is not enough interest in the summer months, the show does not go on.
Hotels in Borovets
31 dec. 2009
Eating out in Bulgaria
Bulgaria has a world-famous cuisine. It unites in many aspects the culinary traditions of the Balkans, simultaneously creating its own original taste and gastronomic value. Bulgarian recipes are mainly based on meat, especially pork, but also on beef, lamb and chicken. One of the most popular dishes is peppers that are filled with sliced meat and rice. Like most Balkan nations, Bulgarians produce home-made sausages and other specialities. They are very tasty and especially appetising with a good red wine. Bulgarian soups are also prepared with meat.
At the seaside, dishes prepared with fish and seafood and are particularly popular. When visiting the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, one should try the famous ribena chorba – or 'fish soup'. Salads, as well as fried and grilled fish, are also delicious in this region. They are usually served with mastica – a drink similar to Greek Uzo or French Pastisse, only stronger – or with a glass of good white wine.
Vegetarians can also count on fantastic traditional meals – starting from soups to main courses. Some of the most famous dishes include bean soup or the tarator – a cold soup made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, chestnuts and spices. The latter is particularly refreshing on hot summer days at the seaside.
Bulgarians are also famous for their pastries and pasta. The banitza for instance, traditionally made with cheese, has a number of regional varieties with various fillings such as spinach, cabbage and rice and meat. A big round banitza is traditionally served on New Year’s Eve.
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