Bansko is a very small town at the foot of Pirin, the mountain most frequently compared with the Alps. Here the tourism flourishes for the
last 15 years because Bansko provides an original combination of variety and quality. You can make your choice between the beautiful nature, the
original architecture of the old houses, the historical traces from the Roman Empire and the Bulgarian National Revival or the culinary, which combines the Oriental and the European cuisines.

For one thing, of course, here is the mountain, which is the biggest treasure and the reason for the success of Bansko. The Pirin mountain offers unbelievable beautiful views as well as skiing tracks mainly for excellent skiers.

The fans of extreme mountaineering may try the highest peak Vihren (2914 m) or they may prefer the slow walks in the lower part of the mountain
where they can find the remains of an old Roman stone paved road, used for communicating Thrace with the White Sea. In the winter season many of the skiers and tourists would not miss the opportunity to visit after a hard day the hot mineral spring and the swimming pool in the near village of Dobrinishte (5 km).

In winter as well as in summer the charm of Bansko can be found in its old houses, now well restored and even turned into small hotels. The restaurants in the old part of the town compete between each other trying to find out the winner in combining the Middle Ages architecture with the local cuisine. One of the specialties not to be missed in Bansko in winter is the so called kapama. It consists of small pieces of pork, veal and chicken meat and raw sausage, all mixed with cabbage and baked in an earthenware pan in an oven.

In summer and autumn Bansko is charming with its calmness and the vast green glades where children pick strawberries or learn to ride horses. A jazz festival has been organized for the last several years exactly during those wonderful seasons. And the time is measures by the ringing of the antique clock of the Orthodox church, built in the 16th century.