Borovets is an popular ski resort in the Bulgarian Rila Mountains. It is the country’s highest range and with slopes up to 2600m, Borovets is Bulgaria’s highest ski resort. It’s also its oldest, established in the late nineteenth century as a winter bolthole for the Bulgarian royal family and has hosted winter sports ever since. Today, a Borovets snowboarding holiday offers affordable snowboarding, good snow and a lively après scene.
Borovets has three areas of piste totalling 58km. They are connected by ski bus but walking between them is not far you can also get a horse drawn carriage! All the main pistes are easily accessed by chair or gondola making Borovets a snowboard friendly resort.
In the past Borovets was criticised for having too many drag lifts but Borovets’ recently upgraded its drags to 4 man chairs in all areas except the nursery slopes – so there is nothing to put snowboarders off!
Freestylers will love Borovets as the 520m long snowboard park is the biggest east of the Alps and is serviced with its own lifts. It is full of various sized kickers, rails and other obstacles. Freeriders will also not be disappointed as the available off piste is huge, however it is advised to get a local guide for safety and to help you find the best spots. There is also plenty of fun to be had through the trees between the pistes.
On the piste, Borovets is great for beginners, with lots of nice blues to learn on and plenty of instructors around, teaching at high standards. Intermediates have the biggest choice of runs, with over half of them being red. Advanced boarders have a handful of blacks, some of which host international competitions.
Borovets’ season often starts late: if you travel in December or January, you might find that the lower runs are closed. But its north facing slopes hold their snow well, making it a great place for a late-season break in April.
A Borovets snowboard holiday is a chance to enjoy some of Eastern Europe’s best slopes, a busy après-ski scene and a dose of Bulgarian culture at very affordable prices.
