Where is Bansko and what is it known for?
Bansko is located in south-west Bulgaria. It lies at the foot of the Pirin Mountains with peaks of up to 2,900 metres.
This mountain town has over 10,000 inhabitants and is the largest ski resort in Bulgaria and even Eastern Europe. In addition, Bansko is known for its beautiful natural areas, mountains, (hot) water springs and spas.
Bansko is also the place to be for culture lovers; with its churches, traditional architecture, museums and many restaurants, Bansko is a wonderful holiday destination!
Finally, Bansko is known as one of the sunniest areas in Europe. The sun shines some 300 days a year, which means you can enjoy the sun's rays all year round and always grab terraces!
These are the 5 top sights in Bansko
Bansko has a lot to offer. Mainly the beautiful vast nature is in demand by locals and tourists alike, but there is also plenty to do and see in the city.
Quickly discover the five most beautiful and important sights in the Bansko region here!
1. Holy Trinity Church and the old town of Bansko
An example of a place of interest in Bansko is Holy Trinity Church, the central church of Bansko. It stands in the middle of Bansko's old town, which is also a beautiful sight.
Built in typical Bulgarian style, the church looks a bit like a monastery. The tower is separate from the church building and the complex is walled, as you can see in the picture.
Bansko's church is one of the most beautiful in the region. Inside are many beautiful murals and the tranquillity dominated by the trees and the way it was built.
Inside the church, you can buy and light candles for any loved ones you have lost.
Besides the church, Bansko Old Town is also a well-known attraction. From the main shopping street (Pirin Street), turn right at the church and you suddenly find yourself in a completely different world. Here you are surrounded by beautiful old houses in old Bulgarian style. Well-known streets in Old Town are Neofit Rilski Street and Alexander Buynov Street.
This Old Town is very photogenic and the architecture is beautiful. The streets are narrow and beautifully paved. The houses are also beautiful and some have been there for centuries.
The combination of wood and stone gives the houses a medieval style that is rarely seen today.
Finally, there are many traditional restaurants and taverns in the old town, giving it a cosy atmosphere.
In the middle of the old town, there is also a museum: Velyan House. This museum shows the way of life of wealthier families in the past. In this museum house, you go back in time and get a clear impression of how people used to live in Bansko.
The exhibits include many paintings, a craft room and a fruit-drying platform. An audio guide is available in several languages.
2. Rila Monastery
When you think of Bulgaria, you think of the Rila Monastery. This is the country's landmark and attracts thousands of tourists every year. One advantage is that it is located between Sofia and Bansko, making it not too far from either city; about 1.5 hours.
So it is still quite a distance from Bansko, but the roads to it are excellent and if you don't want to drive yourself, there are other options. Think taxi, bus from Blagoevgrad or sign up for an excursion to the monastery.
The Rila Monastery is really something you must have seen when you are in Bulgaria. This is because it is located in the middle of the Rila Mountains and the Rila National Park, so the monastery is surrounded by high peaks of up to 2,900 metres and various types of trees and forests. It is literally in the middle of nowhere.
This makes it a peaceful location where you can unwind and enjoy the beauty of the monastery and the surrounding nature.
The monastery includes a church and a large library with many Greek and Bulgarian books and writings up to 900 years old!
The Rila Monastery is Bulgaria's largest and most famous monastery and was probably founded by Ivan Rilski, the most respected holy figure of the time.
The monastery is open every day from 07:00 to 19:30 and is free to enter. To enter the associated History Museum, you pay 8 BGN per adult and 2 BGN per student. Family tickets are cheaper: 4 BGN per adult and 2 BGN per child.
You can also explore the area with a guide. This costs BGN 25 per group in English and BGN 15 in Bulgarian. An audio guide is also available for 10 BGN per unit.
Travelling from Bansko to the monastery by car? Drive towards Blagoevgrad, enter the motorway at Simitli towards Sofia and take the exit for Kocherinovo. From here, the monastery is signposted.
3. St. Nikola waterfall and the Nameless Town
Set against the mountains between Bansko and Dobrinishte is a complex consisting of a waterfall and ruins of an ancient fortress or city.
The Nameless Town was discovered in 2003 when the chapel that stands on the site was being renovated. Here they stumbled upon the foundation of an ancient building. This was a big shock and surprise to the locals, as no one had expected human activity here, as the complex is located on a steep and high mountain.
After the unexpected discovery, archaeologists and the administrator of the Bansko Museum Complex started excavating the building.
It was discovered to be a fortress estimated to be about 3,000 years old! Remains of watchtowers, small buildings, streets, a defensive wall and city gates were uncovered. Even a necropolis (a kind of cemetery) was found with skeletons as long as two metres!
Many objects were also found. Roman coins, pots, cups, necklaces, glass and much more were unearthed. What is remarkable is the amount of coins and glass found. This indicates that the town was rich, as glass was very expensive and rare at that time.
The biggest mystery is still the name of the place. No clue has been found and no writings or myths mention the name of this town, which of course is quite mysterious for such a large, rich and important place. That is why it is called the Nameless Town.
You can visit the Nameless Town for free. However, it is located quite high on a steep hill, which may make it difficult to reach for people with mobility problems.
Near the ruins is a waterfall, from where it is about a half-hour walk to the ruins. This is a steep path uphill, but it is not that exciting and doable with a pair of good shoes, even for children.
Along the way, there are opportunities to take a rest and enjoy the beautiful view of the entire valley.
The waterfall is also well worth a visit. Many tourists come here every day and locals also like to visit. It is known as a soothing, spiritual place. So keep it neat and clean.
Near the waterfall are two covered picnic tables where you can have a nice picnic in nature. There is even a barbecue area!
4. Pirin National Park
Bansko lies at the foot of the Pirin Mountains. This is a mountain range with peaks up to 2,900 metres high and is known for its beautiful, vast untouched nature.
It is home to bears, wolves, deer and much more. Not to mention the many species of plants and trees.
It is not for nothing that it is a protected nature reserve and National Park.
As you can imagine, you can enjoy hiking in this area. And that's right: there are many hiking trails through the forests and to the peaks.
Bezbog Peak, for instance, is climbed by dozens of people every day.
Mountain bikers are also common.
Both locals and the many tourists who visit Bansko love getting out into nature. Therefore, some places can be quite crowded, such as the path to the Yavorov Hut or Bezbog Peak.
But that does not take away from the tranquillity of getting out into nature here. The Pirin area is so large that there is plenty to explore and plenty of places where hardly any people come.
What Pirin is also known for are the many mountain lakes; Lake Popovo, Lake Tevno, Lake Kremenska and many more.
Of course, you can also go up by lift. With the Bansko Gondola to the Banderishka Meadow, where you have, for example, Europe's longest inflatable water slide or can shoot on a real biathlon course.
Or how about the Bezbog lift? This lift belongs to the village of Dobrinishte and takes you to the Bezbog Hut, from where you walk to Bezbog Peak in about an hour and a half.
And then there is also Bulgaria's oldest tree near the mountain station of the Bansko Gondola!
This tree is a Bosnian pine and is a whopping 1,300 years old! It is about 26 metres tall and one of the oldest trees in the world.
The tree is easily reached by a staircase. At the bottom of these stairs are a campsite with a mountain restaurant, where you can eat delicious fresh food at good prices. For example, the bean soup here is highly recommended!
5. The Seven Rila Lakes
As you have just read, there are many mountain lakes in the Pirin Mountains, but the lakes in the Rila Mountains are at least as spectacular and also a lot better known among tourists.
These lakes can even be reached by cable car via the village of Panichishte. This village is a 1-hour and 45-minute drive from Bansko.
The Seven Rila Lakes lie between 2,100 and 2,500 metres in altitude and each but bears a name that characterises the lake, such as the Kidney Lake and the Tear Lake.
The lakes are surrounded by several mountain peaks, giving you the best photos and breathtaking views here. Take a look at the drone video below.
The lakes are close to the Rila Monastery. So both activities can be easily combined in two days.
Many waterfalls have formed between the lakes. This combined with the beautiful nature provide beautiful pictures of one of Bulgaria's main attractions.
Do you like visiting these lakes? Do it best during the summer months (April to September), because of the snow that has largely disappeared and the temperatures are more tolerable.
It is quite a hike, as in total you will spend almost 3.5 hours to see all the lakes. It is also advisable to bring a jacket, as the temperature is a lot lower in the mountains.
Note that you have to go up by cable car. This costs BGN 30 per person for adults and BGN 15 per person for children aged five and above. This for a return ticket.
The lift is open every day from 08:30 to 18:30, except on Mondays, when it is open from 12:00 to 17:30. Please note that the lift is closed every last Monday of the month due to maintenance!
3 other fun activities in the region
Of course, to make your holiday in Bansko completely successful, you don't just want to visit the sights. You probably want to do some fun activities too. Therefore, here are three more well-known activities in the region.
1. Bear park and Rila Fun Park Belitsa
Bear Park and Rila Fun Park are located next to each other near the village of Belitsa, making them within walking distance of each other. It is excellent to combine them in one day. In fact, both parks are not too big.
The bear park is a sanctuary where neglected bears are taken care of. Initially only Bulgarian bears that were mistreated to ‘dance’, but now there are also bears from Serbia and Romania, for example.
The park consists of seven large outdoor enclosures where the bears live peacefully in pairs or groups in a natural environment. You can watch these bears.
As much as possible, the enclosures are arranged in a way that resembles the bear's natural environment. There are grassy plains, hills, caves, forests and swimming ponds so that the bear can live a normal and good life!
You can visit this bear park from April to November for 10 BGN (€5) for adults and 3 BGN (€1.50) for children aged 7 to 18. Children aged 6 and under and people with disabilities can enter for free!
The Rila Fun Park is a kind of small amusement park. There are slides, gazebos where you can sit comfortably, swings, climbing frames, climbing walls, sandboxes and a toboggan run suitable for children from 7 years old and, of course, adults. There is also a special track for younger children.
A toboggan run is a kind of long slide that you go down in a kind of sledge. Toboggan runs are a bit similar to a bobsled run.
Opening hours are every day from 10:00 to 18:00, including weekends, all year round. Children between 3 and 12 are 10 BGN (€5) and adults and children over 12 are 15 BGN (€7.50).
2. The Rhodopes Narrow Gauge Railway: a moving sight
The Rhodopes Narrow Gauge Railway (or ‘Narrow Gauge Railway Line Septemvri - Dobrinishte’) is literally a moving sight. A museum piece. This train is pulled by a 1960s German Henschel diesel locomotive.
But the reason this train has become so famous is because of the narrow track it runs on. Hence its name!
The train runs from Septemvri via Velingrad, Yakoruda, Belitsa, Razlog and Bansko to the final station Dobrinishte.
The railway has been an important link between Septemvri and Bansko since its construction from 1921. It serves many mountain villages.
Today, it has also become a popular tourist attraction, attracting many tourists every year.
The total journey from start to finish takes just under five hours. This is due to the speed of the train, which is not that high because of the mountainous terrain and many tunnels along the way.
But of course, you don't have to stay seated for the whole ride. You can hop on and off whenever you want.
And will you continue as far as Septemvri or get on here? This is where trains go to major cities, such as Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.
We have driven this route several times ourselves and it is definitely recommended! The nature and views are stunning, the staff are nice and the old trains, villages and little stations take you back in time.
It is known as one of the most beautiful railway lines in Europe. This makes for a unique experience for young and old alike!
Want to know more about this train? Then read this article with information on tickets, prices and more.
3. Outdoor activities
The Pirin is one of the most beautiful natural areas in Europe. It is not surprising that there are so many hiking trails that you can walk with or without a guide.
Simply put, you only have to step out of the door and you are already standing with your feet in nature.
There are hiking trails up to the highest mountain peaks, but it is advisable to walk these with a guide, as the quality of the paths and the steep precipices in combination with possible poor visibility or slippery conditions can cause dangerous situations.
But if you are a trained hiker, this is not necessary in principle.
There are also many hiking trails in the valley and lower in the mountains. Here you will find many historical buildings or ruins that are worth visiting. There are also many chapels in the region in the most beautiful places.
The international hiking trail E4 also runs through this area. This route runs from southern Spain via Austria and Bulgaria to the Greek part of Cyprus.
But you can not only walk here, but also take a trip to Blagoevgrad to go rafting in the Struma river. Or how about camping on the mountain near Bansko?
Finally, you can enjoy mountain biking. Special routes have been set out in the forests for this, indicated by signs. But of course you can also just plan your own route and go cycling.
Don't have a bike? That's no problem at all. In Bansko there are plenty of shops with cycling gear and mountain bike rental companies.
Would you like to know more about fun activities in the area around Bansko? Read our pages about summer activities and winter activities!
Conclusion: there is plenty to see and do in Bansko
There are plenty of sights to see in the area around Bansko. Because in addition to the five you have read in this article, there are many more. We have already listed the nicest and largest ones for you.
You are also in the right place in terms of activities in Bansko. The vast nature invites you to go hiking and mountain biking and with two parks next to each other within walking distance (Rila Fun Park and the bear park) there is more than enough to do.
Because of course there is much more to do in the region, which we discuss on other pages on this website.
One thing is for sure: you will not be bored when you are in Bansko!
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