AS a UK skiing website put it, "Borovets brings out the Dickens in visitors" - it is the best of times and the worst of times.
Large scale plans for the future of the oldest Bulgarian winter resort, however, are making local tour operators hopeful about its future.
Borovets is the oldest international, and so far the most popular, mountain resort in Bulgaria. At 1350 m above the sea level (with highest ski tracks at 2600 m), it is on the northern slopes of Rila Mountain among age-old pine woods. Borovets is easily accessible, being only 70 km from Sofia and 126 km from Plovdiv - the two cities that offer the closest airports for accessing the resort.
Borovets has developed into a modern ski resort of high class with luxury hotels, restaurants, discos, shops and a good choice of ski slopes and lifts. New facilities have been built in the past few years, as well as many small accommodation spots that have lots of charm to offer tourists, even those who do not have much enthusiasm for skiing and snowboarding.
Usually the slopes of Borovets have snow cover from mid December till April. There are ski runs for beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers, designed with international markings and multilingual signs.
The ski runs of Borovets are in three different regions. Cross-country and biathlon tracks are two km from the resort, together with the cross-country tuition tracks.
Borovets ski centre is serviced by a well-organised lift system, including a Gondola lift. There are ski and snowboard rental services around the Gondola lift station.
When it comes to partying after a day of skiing, Borovets is definitely a place to remember. It offers a diversity of nightlife opportunities with its many nightclubs, bars and discos. Prices of food and drinks are very competitive and additionally, most places pass out free drinks and announce happy hours.
After a long day on the ski slopes, one should not miss the night fiesta with drinks and the hottest hits. Virtually every bar and disco serves all the world-known liquor brands plus the best local brands. Some of the finest Bulgarian beers are readily available in bottles or on tap. Borovets is famous for its unique party atmosphere. The music you will hear is the latest hits played in the clubs of Europe. Dance the night away or join the karaoke crowds. We bet they have your favorite music, all you have to do is ask the DJ to play it.
Although Bansko, the other of the top three winter resorts in Bulgaria seems the undisputable hit for the starting season, Borovets has a big future at hand. The Super Borovets project is expected to bring a total investment of 300 million to 400 million euro. When it is completed, and it should be noted that it has the strong backing of Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg, the new Borovets will become the top ski centre in the Balkans.
The investor in the future large complex will be a joint-stock company in which well-known business people will participate. Although the company has not been registered yet, it is already known that 51 per cent of its capital will be owned by the banker Emil Kyulev's Contract 99 company, 25 per cent of the assets will be held by the Samokov Municipality against a contribution 80 hectares of land, 16 per cent by the construction company Glavbolgarstroy, and eight per cent by Energocomplect.
The grand-scale project envisions a three-fold increase of the available beds, construction of new ski tracks and other facilities, and of high-mountain five-star hotels. In the words of Deputy Minister of Economy Dimitar Hadjinikolov, who headed the interdepartmental group of experts, each ministry has already presented its stance, feasibility studies are towards completion, and the mandatory in this case evaluation of the effect on the environment is to be prepared.
For now, Borovets remains a favourite place for many foreign tourists who visited it, and a place of friendly people and cheap drinks. What the usual complaint by expats is, is the quality of food but, come to think of it, it is not everything. As some would say, the breathtaking views that Rila offers are enough to feed the appetite even of the most pretentious customers.
Useful websites: www.bulgariaski.com, www.borovets-bg.com, www.travel-bulgaria.com, www.adis.bg/villa, www.villastresov.com, www.alpin-hotel.bg
Large scale plans for the future of the oldest Bulgarian winter resort, however, are making local tour operators hopeful about its future.
Borovets is the oldest international, and so far the most popular, mountain resort in Bulgaria. At 1350 m above the sea level (with highest ski tracks at 2600 m), it is on the northern slopes of Rila Mountain among age-old pine woods. Borovets is easily accessible, being only 70 km from Sofia and 126 km from Plovdiv - the two cities that offer the closest airports for accessing the resort.
Borovets has developed into a modern ski resort of high class with luxury hotels, restaurants, discos, shops and a good choice of ski slopes and lifts. New facilities have been built in the past few years, as well as many small accommodation spots that have lots of charm to offer tourists, even those who do not have much enthusiasm for skiing and snowboarding.
Usually the slopes of Borovets have snow cover from mid December till April. There are ski runs for beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers, designed with international markings and multilingual signs.
The ski runs of Borovets are in three different regions. Cross-country and biathlon tracks are two km from the resort, together with the cross-country tuition tracks.
Borovets ski centre is serviced by a well-organised lift system, including a Gondola lift. There are ski and snowboard rental services around the Gondola lift station.
When it comes to partying after a day of skiing, Borovets is definitely a place to remember. It offers a diversity of nightlife opportunities with its many nightclubs, bars and discos. Prices of food and drinks are very competitive and additionally, most places pass out free drinks and announce happy hours.
After a long day on the ski slopes, one should not miss the night fiesta with drinks and the hottest hits. Virtually every bar and disco serves all the world-known liquor brands plus the best local brands. Some of the finest Bulgarian beers are readily available in bottles or on tap. Borovets is famous for its unique party atmosphere. The music you will hear is the latest hits played in the clubs of Europe. Dance the night away or join the karaoke crowds. We bet they have your favorite music, all you have to do is ask the DJ to play it.
Although Bansko, the other of the top three winter resorts in Bulgaria seems the undisputable hit for the starting season, Borovets has a big future at hand. The Super Borovets project is expected to bring a total investment of 300 million to 400 million euro. When it is completed, and it should be noted that it has the strong backing of Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg, the new Borovets will become the top ski centre in the Balkans.
The investor in the future large complex will be a joint-stock company in which well-known business people will participate. Although the company has not been registered yet, it is already known that 51 per cent of its capital will be owned by the banker Emil Kyulev's Contract 99 company, 25 per cent of the assets will be held by the Samokov Municipality against a contribution 80 hectares of land, 16 per cent by the construction company Glavbolgarstroy, and eight per cent by Energocomplect.
The grand-scale project envisions a three-fold increase of the available beds, construction of new ski tracks and other facilities, and of high-mountain five-star hotels. In the words of Deputy Minister of Economy Dimitar Hadjinikolov, who headed the interdepartmental group of experts, each ministry has already presented its stance, feasibility studies are towards completion, and the mandatory in this case evaluation of the effect on the environment is to be prepared.
For now, Borovets remains a favourite place for many foreign tourists who visited it, and a place of friendly people and cheap drinks. What the usual complaint by expats is, is the quality of food but, come to think of it, it is not everything. As some would say, the breathtaking views that Rila offers are enough to feed the appetite even of the most pretentious customers.
Useful websites: www.bulgariaski.com, www.borovets-bg.com, www.travel-bulgaria.com, www.adis.bg/villa, www.villastresov.com, www.alpin-hotel.bg
