Summer Activities
Once the winter ski season is over, there is still plenty to do in and around Bansko. In the summer there is
hiking,
mountain biking,
sightseeing trips and
horse riding. A brand new golf course just 3 km away will be finished shortly. Local companies organise trips in the mountains including
mountain bike hire,
white water rafting,
canoeing and
paragliding. Amongst other events the town hosts a week long
Jazz Festival.
Golf Course - Ian Woosnam Design has teamed up with European Golf Course Design and Barage Complect (one of Bulgaria's leading property development companies) to design and build a brand new golf course in the Bansko area.
See the course layout.
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ATV Tours - Adventure out into the beautiful Bulgarian landscape with a high powered quad bike at your leisure. From 20 € for 30 minutes hire and from 220 € for a 2-3 person tour. Click on links for more prices. ATV Tours - ATV Hire
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Paintballing - Experience the adrenaline rush of shooting your mates in a game which is statistically safer than bowling! Anyone over 18 can take part in a game of capture the flag with CO2 powered paintball guns for as little as 6 € (34 € including overalls).
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Dancing Bear Park - The aptly named 'Dancing Bears Rehabilitation Park' in Belitsa helps bears that have been mistreated get back to their natural behaviour in their habitat. Previously bears were made to stand on hot plates and jump to a melody. This has now been outlawed in Bulgaria and this park treats the bears well; providing them with their own territory with access to water and plenty of space for climbing.
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Hiking - Climb the highest peak of the Pirin Mountain, Vihren (2914 m).
From Bansko you drive to the Vihren hut, which is at the foot of the peak, leave your car there and climb the peak.
If, when you arrive at the Vihren hut you decide you are not up to climbing peaks, you can visit the nearby lake, Okoto (The Eye). It is a 40-minute to one-hour hike from the hut and is easily accessible.
On your way down from the Vihren hut, you can take a small detour to visit the Baikusheva white fir. It is known as the oldest or the tallest tree in Bulgaria - or both. Either way, it is a very impressive sight because its wide deeply wrinkled trunk is wider than the embrace of six men with arms wide spread.
Back in Bansko, you can visit the nearby micro dam, to enjoy the sun setting behind the forest and the high peaks reflecting in the still water.
It is a half-hour pleasant walk from the northwestern edge of the town, but it is essential that you ask the locals for directions.
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Train Rides - If you are a fan of train rides, you could catch the narrow gauge train from Bansko to Dobrinishte.
If you think this ride was short, board the train for a fun ride to the village of Avramovo in the Rhodope Mountains, the highest train-stop in Bulgaria. The ride takes about two hours and is one of the most picturesque in the country.
Mineral Springs - If you long for a soaking in the water, you could visit the nearby village Banya, which has an open-air swimming pool with hot mineral water or the pool in Dobrinishte, also with mineral water.
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Rila Monastery - The beautifully decorated Monastery of Saint John of Rila is an attraction for anyone staying in Bulgaria for the summer months. Amazing architecture and painting makes this a main attraction for interest, whilst representing a large part of Bulgarian history.