Bulgaria has some of the best skiing in Europe and, as such, the ski resorts are attracting foreign investors at an impressive rate. Bansko and Bovoret are the two main ski resorts in Bulgaria; Bansko being the largest and most famous of the resorts. Between 2001 and 2004, the Bulgarian government has invested over 100 million Euros in the resort, with extra ski facilities such as an extra ski lift and improved transport links.

In 2005, Bulgarian ski resorts saw an increase of 36 percent in the number of UK visitors, meaning that rental potential in the area is ever increasing.

An important issue that many foreign investors do not necessarily realise is that, within Bulgaria, there are two distinct tourist markets, the costal resorts and the mountain resorts. Coastal resorts are certainly booming, currently, with literally hundreds of off-plan investment opportunities. Savvy investors will also be considering the mountain resorts. Coastal resorts actually freeze during the winter and are effectively shut for business. This means that the rental season is relatively short, at 20 weeks or so. Mountain resorts have year round appeal, skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. Weekly rental may not be as high, but when the year round appeal is taken into account; the overall returns may be greater.

Bulgaria does have a wide range of ski resorts to suit every type of skier, so before diving in, consider the various options that this mountainous country has to offer.

Bansko

As previously mentioned, Bansko remains one of the largest and most popular resorts in Bulgaria. The season is particularly long in Bansko, starting before Christmas and not ending until mid May. New hotel and apartment blocks are springing up all over Bansko, with prices starting at around the 50,000 Euros for a managed apartment.

In terms of location, Bansko is on the River Glazane, at the north eastern end of Pirin. Sofia is the nearest airport, although this is over 170 kilometres away. Most of the large ski companies offer transport links so the distance is not much of an issue. In total, there are approximately 65 kilometres of marked pistes for skiers of all levels, including many ski schools for adults and children alike. For the more adventurous, there are also slalom runs and cross country courses that run for more than 5 kilometres.

Borovets

Borovets, although now largely overshadowed by the rapidly growing Bankso, is actually the largest ski resort, in Bulgaria. Borovets is situated on the slopes of Mount Musala, in the Rila Mountains. The nearest town is Samokov which is only 12 kilometres away. Sofia is the nearest airport, at 72 kilometres away, with plenty of companies offering cheap or free transfers. Borovets, like Bankso, has a wonderful climate and a long skiing season. Prices here are slightly higher than in the other resorts, largely due to its favourable location and modern facilities. Expect to pay from around 45,000 Euros for a modern apartment, although as the resort is older than many of the others ski areas in Bulgaria, there is also a wide range of larger family homes available with a huge variety of prices. Many of these properties are in need of renovation, so picking up a bargain is a real possibility, in this area.

Pamporovo

One of the more modern ski resorts in Bulgaria, Pamporovo is located in the central Rhodopi Mountains. As well as being the most southern resort in Bulgaria, it is also the most southern ski resort, in Europe. Those after nearly guaranteed sun should head to this wonderful resort, as it is renowned for having excellent snow and a sunny climate with around 120 days of sun in every ski season. The season starts in mid December and ends in mid April. Sofia is more than 240 kilometres away, but Plovdiv is only 85 kilometres away. Prices for a one bed apartment start from as little as 36,000 Euros.

Other Resorts

There are, of course, other smaller resorts in Bulgaria, all of which have their own charm, although not attracting the large volumes of tourists. These include, Semkovo, Malyovitsa, Govedartsi, Dobrinishte, Chepelare and Uzana.

Ski resorts are a popular choice for those buying property in Bulgaria, due to their year round rental potential and the increasing popularity of these resorts. Anyone investing in Bulgaria would be very wise to take a close look at the ski resorts because, arguably, this is where the largest amount of capital growth is expected in the foreseeable future.