Bansko

Bansko stands at the foot of the Pirin, and the climb from town is a long one: a gondola of more than six kilometres carries you from the edge of the built-up area to 1,600 m, where the ski area actually begins. The runs follow the north-eastern flank of Mount Todorka, first through dense pine, then along an open ridge; World Cup races are held here. All around lies Pirin National Park, a UNESCO site with relict forests and a hundred glacial lakes. The town itself is old and Bulgarian Revival in style - stone houses with wooden verandas, taverns, and some of the cheapest restaurant prices in Europe.