Bergamo, Italy; The City of Two Halves Part 2
July 9, 2024Bansko is a town at the base of the Pirin Mountains in Bulgaria, now popular for its Ski Resort.
All By Myself
Bansko, the birthplace of my snowboarding dreams. Snowboarding has been a fun group activity that I’ve participated in for the past few years. Ten or more of us causing chaos in the local restaurants, a laugh a minute, it was always a madcap adventure. Most of my tribe have settled down and have families to consider these days so weren’t available at the start of this year.
Not to be deterred, I decided to embark on a solo snowboarding trip. Slightly daunted by the prospect of throwing myself down a mountain with no one in the vicinity should anything go wrong, I booked anyway. I’d booked a private instructor the year before through Bansko-Sports and vaguely remembered Paul mentioning that he also booked holidays. Reaching out to him earlier in the season, he created a tailored holiday plan for me. Flights booked, deposits paid, the only thing left for me to do was maintain my fitness.
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The Time Has Come
Leaving work and heading straight to the airport, I settled my nerves with wine and relaxed into holiday mode. I managed to find the sweetest lady at duty free who gifted me a hipflask when I purchased some Jaegermeister – apparently, she wasn’t supposed to, but she winked and thrust it into my bag as her manager scolded her!
My plan had been “I’ll sleep on the plane” but of course, I did not sleep on the plane. Having been awake since 02:30AM, worked a full shift and then driven straight to the airport, I was tired but too excited to sleep.
Arriving at Sofia Airport for midnight, I found Paul waiting to collect me. An inside joke (due to me being daft) resulted in “Spanner” being plastered on to his pick-up sign which gave me a giggle. A couple of hours later, we found ourselves celebrating my arrival in Amigos – back in Bansko, whoop! A few hours’ sleep acquired before heading out for breakfast, holiday mode was engaged. Who needs sleep anyway?!
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Settling In
After the exciting night before, it was time to get organised. Heading round to Tsakiris, I was sized up and allocated a premium Bataleon ‘Push Up’ snowboard. This board glided down the slopes and it almost made me forget my beautiful Gypșy left at home. Even with a huge snowboarding competition on that week, they all worked long hours to ensure both competitors and us general folk were catered to. The guys instore were extremely helpful and adjusted the wax according to conditions daily. Now that is dedication to the cause!
This place has a great family feel, even a play corner for the kids, and the walls are adorned with the owners' competition wins and trophies. Truly passionate about all things snow, I highly recommend them; they also came to my rescue when my boots decided to give up the ghost a few days in… Also, I realised I could’ve easily gone with hand luggage only and rented all my gear here, which would’ve made the flights even cheaper. Whilst we’re on the subject of clothing, I realised I was mistaken for a man every time I fell. I lost count of the times I heard “I feel you dude”, “hope you’re good bro?!”. Perks of snowboarding in baggy clothing - you’re only judged on your lack of skill!
Next, I wandered round to my new home, Guest Rooms Vachin. I’d picked a simple room in a shared house, but I had a private bathroom, beautiful mountain views from all sides, and an ample shared kitchen/dining area. The host was wonderful and stored my luggage after checkout, too. I’m already planning on staying here for my next trip. Many a happy moment was spent on that balcony admiring the view. As I left for the final time, my favourite cat called me over for a fuss. Miss you fluffy buddy!
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The Fun Begins
Braving it solo for a few days with a gentle reintroduction to the slopes, I looked at other activities in the area. I ended up booking an ATV tour, 3hours in the Bulgarian countryside, through the forest and past the one-horned cow (Kris will tell you the legend of this on the tour).
Somehow, I ended up being the only one booked on to the tour so I had an epic adventure and got let loose on the road pretty quickly with my very own ATV. Once you've proven your skills on the mud flat, you can brave the roads and set off toward the mountains.
Driving through farmland, we slowed to pass a tiny calf, gawped at a low flying buzzard, smashed through puddles, and took on part of the Pro Tour last minute – it was almost as thrilling as the snowboarding! Drive like a girl, right?! After a pit stop to drink water from a waterfall, we made our way back cross-country, all the while grinning like Cheshire cats.
More Fun
Speaking of fun, I experienced my first White Out. Though it’s a relatively flat, straight section to traverse, the avalanche zone between the top two slopes often gives me goosebumps. The “Danger Avalanche!” warning signs can send shivers down my spine on a clear day, the prospect of such danger is strange.
Getting halfway across and experiencing a White Out was something else. The realisation that I couldn’t determine exactly where I was had unsettled me, but as I slipped down the slope and fell in powder, pure terror surged through me. Thankfully, I had been walking so was carrying my snowboard. I used this to dig into the snow and haul myself back up the slope, out of the ditch. I have no idea how long it took me to get across to where I needed to be, but I collapsed in a heap, out of breath after the exertion.
Avalanche kits are recommended, and I can now see why. I know I’ll be rethinking my mountain kit on my next snowboard trip. I’m grateful I met some sensible people while in Bulgaria who kept me safe.
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Onwards!
A much-needed beer was found in the next bar halfway down the mountain and the rest of the day proved less eventful. Well, excluding the man running out offering ‘the best massage in Bansko’ as I walked through town that evening. He gave me his business card, though I didn’t take him up on his offer…
I’d managed to book my stay over Baba Marta which only added to the celebrations in the bars, and I was gifted several red and white bracelets. An interesting piece of folklore, many still honour traditions in Bulgaria and it was lovely to be included.
I almost forgot to mention the shenanigans of my penultimate day; my snowboard boots broke mid run. Flapping in the wind like a hand (foot) puppet, I was stubborn and doctored them with duct tape. See ‘bodge it’ pics below. I relented and rented a pair of boots from Tsakiri for my final day as fighting to control the board with broken boots was fruitless! Don’t attempt to tackle the mountain with broken gear, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
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The Food Tour
In no particular order, I’d like to mention the following premises that were frequented throughout my stay;
- La Skara - grill your own meat whilst sat at your table, rather novel!
- The Snug - a small cafe where modern technology is frowned upon. Bliss!
- La Familia - a traditional Bulgarian restaurant full of wonderful local dishes
- Ginger - a slightly more upmarket restaurant with a great range of food and beverages
- 5M - amazing steak
- Smokeys - best ribs in Bansko, pre-order to avoid disappointment!
- Euphori - perfect spot for breakfast pizza, located opposite the base gondola station
- Station Bansko - next to Tsakirsi Ski/Snowboard hire, I had several tasty meals here
Most of these places I ended up visiting with newfound friends, though the few occasions I did venture in alone, I usually ended up chatting with the staff or fellow lone travellers. Bansko tends to have a laid-back vibe with a party streak so you can tailor it to create the holiday you want.
Coffee and crepes are scattered everywhere you look and I would struggle to pinpoint my favourite, I tired a different place every day for both.
And how could I forget, an honourable mention – my beloved street coffee. You will see self-serve coffee machines on many streets in and around town. Surprisingly good, they’re a welcome hand warmer on particularly bitter days! Also ideal for when you decide on a 3am stroll.
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Booking tips!
Cross check your preferred dates with Bulgarian (and Romanian) school holidays and Bank Holidays as these tend to be particularly busy periods.
If you want a tailored option, I recommend speaking to Bansko-Sports. If you prefer a package option, Balkan Holidays were always my go to, whilst friends of mine have recommended Crystal.
I have my own equipment and have found it simple enough to take with me on the package holidays. When I booked solo through Paul, I opted for hire gear as this allowed me to pick up flights for just £40 return. Hiring equipment far superior to mine still came in at a cheaper price than what paying for extra luggage would’ve cost. Travel is a funny old game at times when it comes to pricing, so always consider different options.
It's taken me so long to post this blogpost, I’m on the verge of booking my next snowboarding adventure – when will you book yours?
