Pamporovo

Value is the first thing visitors mention: lift passes and rentals cost a fraction of Alpine prices. Ski schools come second, with instructors described as patient and speaking good English, and children going from first-timers to confident cruising in about three days. The runs are wide and evenly groomed, mostly blue and red. Six-seat chairs from Malina and Stoykite up to Snezhanka keep waits to five or seven minutes even in February.

The terrain runs out quickly, and that is where criticism starts: strong skiers find too little volume and too much sameness. One of the main lifts jams up in the morning, precisely when the ski school groups set off. The weather is unreliable too - once the sun goes, rain replaces snow and the slopes turn to slush. Rental gear and some older hardware draw regular complaints, and the resort itself is basic, with a handful of shops and little else.