I was here in September in Bansko as my plans to visit Turkey was in the works.

The aim was to hike through Turkey and use Bansko as a base to travel around and visit the Pirin National Park. I was blown away by the nature and landscapes of Pirin that I knew I had to make Bansko my base!

I found Bansko quite empty in September after the summer crowds have left but it was also the best time to visit the Pirin National Park and hike Vihren Peak.

If you don’t know or have been living under a rock, Bansko has been an upcoming digital nomad destination; it is also a ski town and has become an affordable place to live for long.

👉 Monthly rentals in Bansko can start from around €300–€500 for a furnished apartment, making it one of the more affordable mountain towns in Europe.

If you love skiing and the mountains, this is the place to be. Fun fact: there are over 70 km of skiable terrain spread across approximately 21 pistes (runs), including blue (beginner), red (intermediate), and black (advanced) slopes.

Here are some of my best things to do in Bansko, Bulgaria for all seasons

🚙 p/s if you’re looking to rent a car in Bansko, you can book here with good prices.

What You Should Know About Bansko

here are some of the the things to do in bansko

So if you’ve come to like the mountains, you should know this hidden Bulgarian gem (Bansko) is almost a year-round destination.

People come for skiing in Winter, stay for the landscapes in Spring and Autumn and enjoy the hot springs throughout the year!

I highly recommend experiencing a fun adventure like this easy snowshoeing in Pirin National Park & thermal spa

While it’s growing in popularity with digital nomads, it still retains that small-town mountain charm. The cost of living is also much lower than in Western Europe, which is why so many expats choose to stay longer.

Also read: The Seven Rila Lakes Hike: Complete Guide to Bulgaria’s Rila Mountains

Where To Stay in Bansko

To be honest the accomodation in Bansko is varied and has so much value for your money.

he best experience for me was staying with a family. I know people who preferred ski resorts built with thermal spas which is more cozy if you’re travelling during the Winters

My recommended places to stay in Bansko are:

Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko (luxury) The only ski-in & ski-out hotel in Bansko near the Gondola
Hotel Famil (mid-range) Cosy boutique hotel in the centre
Grancharova Guest House (budget): amazing family-run hotel with the best pancakes!
NP House - Home of Coworking&Coliving Bansko (for co-living): comfortable accomodation for a co-working & co-living space

Things to Do in Bansko That’s Worth Your Time

1. Skiing & Snowboarding

skiing & snowboarding are some of the best things you can do for cheap in bulgaria

The best place to ski if you’re a beginner is actually in Bansko. I found the ski slopes to be very beginner friendly. You should absolutely try this easy snowshoeing in Pirin National Park & thermal spa!

There are atleast 35% of ski slopes that are beginner friendly. A one-day adult lift pass in Bansko costs about 110 BGN (roughly €56).

Ofcourse, multi-day passes offer better value (for example: 320 BGN for 3 days, or 530 BGN for 5 days).

The best place to stay if you want to ski is at Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko.

You can rent your ski and snowboard rental here.

2. Hike Vihren Peak

Everything about Pirin National Park is enough reason to hike here: it is home to dramatic limestone peaks, alpine lakes, and some of Bulgaria’s most stunning mountain scenery.

Vihren Peak, standing at 2,914m, is the crown jewel — and the second-highest peak in the country. You could also opt to do this Pirin National Park tour if you don’t want to hike too much!

The hike itself is challenging but doable for anyone with a moderate level of fitness. The most common route starts from Vihren Hut and takes around 3–4 hours to reach the summit.

If you’re brave enough you should do the Konchela Ridge — the weather was bad for me so I didn’t do it but the views and sheer drops are one of those bucketlist hikes you can’t miss!

Also read: Hiking Vihren Peak: A Guide to Bulgaria’s Second-Highest Summit

3. Dip In The Hot Springs

The most famous one that’s near to the town is in Banya called Thermal Mineral Pool "Izgreva". It is next to this Old Bulgarian Bathhouse that was from the 16th and 17th century.

The thermal pool Izgreva is where everyone goes to usually and costs around 15 BGN ($6.50 euros).

It is as traditional as it gets and the pool is large enough to soak for hours while being spread out away from people.

If you want something more bougie and also that’s not crazily expensive, I would recommend staying at the Regnum Bansko Ski Hotel & Spa.

4. Visiting the Bear Sanctuary, Belitsa

If you know that surrounding mountains of Bulgaria are bear territory, so to be able to see this sanctuary in Belitsa is one of the highlights when visiting Bansko.

There are 15 bears currently at the sanctuary and the entire tour takes around 45 minutes. You can book a tour on their site.

It is interesting to note that most of the bears in this sanctuary were former 'dancing bears' from Bulgaria, as well as some from Serbia and Albania.

The dancing bears were captured at an early age or bred in captivity and then used to entertain people by performing tricks. Now, it is really nice to see these rescued bears enjoy their life.

5. Motorised Adventures in Bansko

If you want to explore the Pirin National Park in an adventurous way, there’s this tour activity that takes you on an electric motorbike around the meadows.

This is also a good way to test your motorbike skill in a safe space without disturbing the surrounding areas!

Other options include ATV adventures where you can see a different side of Bansko through an adventurous lens!

6. Wandering Through Bansko’s City Park

bansko’s city park - quite a glorious place to wander around

I was walking through Bansko’s city park and was amazed how gorgeous these views can be.

I would highly recommend spending the afternoons here or even enjoying your morning runs here!

There’s tons of gorgeous gardens, flowers, pine trees and a bike trail which is also perfect for families!'

7. The Cafe Culture of Bansko

the cafe culture in bansko is quite amazing

If I wasn’t hiking, the next best thing I was doing is gorging on desserts and having the best pastries and meeting other people here.

The French Guy Cafe in Bansko has lovely pastries and some of the most heavenly sandwiches that I’ve tried. Reading a book here in their cosy cafe while writing down my thoughts was such a core memory!

Other spots I loved with an amazing vibe was: New World Coffee Bansko, Black Honey Specialty Coffee Shop, Wake Up Coffee & Juice Bar

8. Spend Time With Local Families

The resort life is great & co-living spaces are amazing but as I was travelling solo, I found company in staying with the families in Bansko.

One such place that was truly heartwarming was this guesthouse that I stayed in called Grancharova Guest House.

This was a lovely place with a wonderful lady, Varya, that cares about everything you may need. Rooms are top notch: big, well polished with huge bathroom.

The breakfast was the highlight here with pancake crepes, fresh yoghurt and cream cheese & jam.

I also loved spending my time talking to the grandmother with broken Bulgarian and using Google translate.

9. Exploring the Old Town of Bansko

I spent most of my afternoons visiting the Bansko Old Town and wandering around. The Nikola Vaptsarov Square is where all your street stalls, markets and concerts sometimes that takes place over here.

You’ll also see this lovely old church called the Holy Trinity Church.

It is easy to get bored of things to do so I did walk all the way till the end of the street to see the stream near the Billa Supermarket.

10. Hiking Through Demyanishka River eco-trail

the Demyaniksha eco trail is pretty nice!

If you’re looking for more walking paths, there’s a beautiful shaded path that takes you to Demyaniksha hut.

It is mostly a gravelled forest road with a total elevation of about 600m. The most scenic part of the trail is Demyanishka river itself.

There are a couple of picnic spots along the way and I thought it was a nice way to get out into a trail and see more of Pirin National Park!

Also read: The Epic 7 Days Bulgaria Itinerary: Culture, Hiking & Food

11. Walk to Krinetz Dam

One of the best ways to just walk nowhere and end with an epic lunch or dinner was to do this walk to Krinetz Dam and stop here at Restaurant Iazovir Krinetz.

It is a nice 36 minute walk from Bansko Old Town.

It has very nice views combining the lake and the mountains behind with almost a clear reflection at the dam.

12. Stapalata Scenic Walk

In the town of Razlog which is double the size of Bansko, there’s this cool walk that lets you climb up these funky stairs — there are about 300 steps.

While the climb or walk is only 10-15 minutes, the views are stunning here at Stapalata Scenic Walk.

Razlog is also a valley surrounded by 3 mountain ranges and there are plenty of historical things to do here like visiting the Razlog Historical Museum which has deferent departments as archeology, ethnography with great collection of artefacts referring to its past.

👉 Make sure you rent a car to go to Razlog here as there’s more freedom to explore other thing that’s not just in Bansko.

12. St. Nicholas Waterfall

This is a place worth seeing in Autumn and Winter or beginning of spring.

Getting to St. Nicholas Waterfall can be a little tricky. The road is rough, with cracks and deep ditches, so while a regular car can make it, it’s much easier with an ATV or a high-clearance vehicle.

If you’re driving, take the road that appears to branch directly from the main road — it’s the better option.

Once there, you’ll find a small church perched above the waterfall. Just pat the base and make the short climb up — the views from the top are worth it.

Like this story? PIN IT!