Borovets Ski Resort Bulgaria
The second largest ski resort in Bulgaria, Borovets provides a quality ski experience for a bargain price, only a tad over an hour drive from the capital Sofia. Popular with the locals & anyone for an affordable European ski holiday, Borovets holds alot of potential for powder hounds seeking some big mountain skiing away from the Alps.
Dominated by the Musala peak (2,925m), Borovets combines forest lined groomed slopes with high alpine terrain up to 2,550m elevation, with a lively village at its 1,300m base full of fun bars & restaurants providing delicious, affordable food & drink.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Whether skiing the 58km of long piste trails on the more than ample 1,235m of skiable vertical, freeriding trees on a powder day, or ski-touring in high alpine backcountry to the 2,925m summit of Musala, there appears to be something for everyone at Borovets. On-piste the longest ski run from top to bottom are in the realms of 7km to 12km (depending on who you believe - we will find when we visit!), with 90% of the terrain rated beginner (40%) or intermediate (50%). Advanced riders will take solace in the few short black trails, but more so from scoping our freeride descents in the trees (if there is enough snow base) or sidecountry up high. The lift-served alpine sector of Borovets is relatively small but provides access to bigger and better things for the adventurous. Novices will undoubtedly enjoy the 5km long Sitnyakovo King's Cottage Ski Way, which winds down through forest lined slopes from the top of the Sitnyakovo chair all the way back down to the village.
Check out the ski trail map for Borovets below.
Ski lifts at Borovets includes 4 modern chairlifts, an aging 6-person gondola (probably only big enough for 4 passengers these days!) , and a range of eight surface tows. Most of the skiable terrain is accessible using only the chairlifts & gondola.
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Bulgaria Borovets" subcategory="Borovets Guiding"]
Where is Borovets Bulgaria?
Borovets ski resort rises above the town of the same name in central-western. To give a better sense of its location, interestingly the ski area is a lot closer to Istanbul in Turkey (466km to the east) than it is to Innsbruck (1,110km to the north-west). By road, Borovets is only around 70km (1¼hr) drive south of the airport in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.
Sofia (SOF) airport has direct flights arriving from most major (& numerous minor) European airports, plus a number of UK & middle-eastern origins. The airport is a base for several budget airlines, making flight connections to Bulgaria incredibly affordable. A flight from London to Sofia takes about 3hr. From there if Borovets is your only stop, a private transfer is an efficient means to get there.
The well-known Bulgarian ski resort of Bansko is only 144km (2hr) by road to the south of Borovets. Combined with the Vitosha-Aleko ski area near Sofia, it is easy to see how a Bulgarian ski safari would work with a rental car!
Borovets Accommodation
The village of Borovets sits at the base of the mountain at 1,300m elevation, pleasantly surrounded by pine forest. The north-aspect slopes rise up above, shading the village from the sun for much of the day in winter. The best hotel to stay at in the village is the 4-star Rila Hotel Borovets, located within 200m of all the ski lifts. There are loads of other options in Borovets, as well as in nearby rural villages like Raduil (where you can get the feel of true Bulgarian country living), or in the opposite direction in the larger town of Samokov (the polar opposite of Raduil!)
Search & book here for all Borovets ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals
Our local partners have multiple, convenient equipment rental locations in the centre of Borovets within walking distance of the ski lift valley stations. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Borovets Ski or Snowboard Rentals page.
Review
The Powderhounds will review Borovets next season. More information about this European ski resort will come after our visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how the European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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