Bulgarian Wins Bronze at World Cup

In this week’s Buzz:

• Why aren’t fiscal (formal) receipts issued on the mountain?

• Controversial billboard about gondola queues

• Bulgarian comes third in Snowboarding World Cup

• D & Vino to celebrate their first birthday on Monday

• BSD’s pub quiz on Monday: places still available

Snowboarding World Cup in Bansko
Sees Another Busy Weekend in Town

This weekend saw the FIS Snowboarding World Cup in Bansko, with 135 athletes from 21 countries coming to town.

This is the fourth time in the last eight years that the Snowboarding World Cup has been held in Bansko, and the Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev, remarked that the hard work and dedication from Bansko shows that it is a top choice for hosting winter events.

The 135 athletes battled it out in a parallel giant slalom on Tomba with hundreds of spectators watching from the stands, lifts, and slopes nearby.

After a last-minute appeal, Bulgarian Rado Yankov won the bronze medal in the competition, moving up from fourth place after Austrian Alexander Payer’s result was annulled for going through a post at one of the gates. Yankov is said to have competed with dignity, stepped on the ladder of honour, and glorified Bulgaria and Bansko worldwide.

The competition's winner was Swiss snowboarder Dario Cavicelli, and second place went to Italian Gabriel Messner.

If you want to see some photos from the event, day 1 is here and day 2 is here.

Five M — Delicious Food & Unforgettable Moments

At Five M, every dish is a masterpiece, from delicious appetizers to exquisite main courses and desserts. Everything is created to bring you delight and unforgettable moments.
See our new menu here.

Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group

✍️ 178 New Posts, 💬 1,091 Comments, 👍️ 3,034 Reactions

Where Do I Get Fresh Herbs for Cooking?
Simon recently purchased a sausage maker and wants to make various flavoured sausages by adding fresh herbs. See what people suggested.

What’s The Deal With No Fiscal Receipts on The Mountain?
Roxana posted that she’d been on the mountain for the last five days and found that the staff didn’t want to give fiscal receipts and wanted either cash or Revolut payments to their personal accounts. A few people had a comment or two.

Where is The Best Hotel for People With Disabilities?
Tony has some family members coming to Bansko who can’t walk too well or climb stairs and wondered which hotel is best for them. A few people had suggestions.

I Smashed Up My Laundry Basket Due to Annoying AC Noise
Johnny posted that he decided to smash up his laundry basket because he was frustrated about being kept awake by his neighbour’s loud aircon fan. There were a variety of responses.

We Booked a Last Minute Ski Trip. Did We Make a Huge Mistake?
Ishika has booked a last-minute ski trip with five friends to Bansko. He’s wondering if they can buy ski passes before the day and how easy it’ll be to get up the mountain from where they’re staying near the train station.

Local/Municipality News

Controversial Billboard About Second Gondola
Recently, a billboard went up on the road to Bansko in Simitli. On it is a photo of a queue for the gondola and a politician named Toma Belev. Belev actively worked against the installation of a second gondola in Bansko, so it looks as though Bulgarians are also frustrated with the queue times. The bigger question is: could Ulen manage the busy periods much better? More info [translation required].

Red Angel Lands for the First Time in Razlog
Bulgaria’s HEMS (emergency medical helicopter), aka The Red Angel, landed for the first time in Razlog to transport an injured tourist to Sofia Plovdiv for further treatment. A 37-year-old Israeli tourist fell from the/a “terrace” in Bansko. It’s unclear where the incident occurred, but it seems it was in the town and not on the mountain. More info.

Strategic Partnership Between the University of Sofia & Bansko Municipality
The partnership aims to benefit children in the Bansko Municipality by holding joint events, training, courses, competitions, and other initiatives with high school students. It should help young people better understand their career development and progression opportunities, and it is significant for those going into scientific areas. More info.

Cristian Kober Takes Part in Masters World Championship
Cristian Kober, a resident of Bansko, and two teammates took part in the Masters World Mountaineering Championship in Austria. Cristian finished in 9th place, and his teammates Ivona Mihailov and Victor Stefanov took second and 14th places, respectively. More info.

Bansko Municipality Issues Reminder for Children Out At Night
The local municipality reminded parents and guardians that children under 14 are not allowed outside without a parent or guardian after 10pm. More info.

Romanians Prefer To Ski in Bulgaria
Romanian channel Pro TV has produced an extensive report that Romanians prefer skiing in Bulgaria, and Bansko is at the top of the list – citing a range of accommodations for different budgets, over 75km of ski slopes, as well as enjoyable and entertaining nights in Bansko’s local mehanas. More info. [translation required].

Local Businesses

Explore the mountain with confidence and peace of mind all year round by getting mountain insurance from Uniqa. Get a quote & buy online.

Shared transfers from Sofia Airport to Bansko with Traventuria. Get to Bansko quickly and in style during the winter season. Always on time. Check availability.

Want two beers or wines for 8Leva? That’s Happy Hour at The Hub, every day from 4pm to 6pm.

Travelling out of your home country in 2025? Get travel insurance designed by travellers. True Traveller: one policy to cover all of your activities. Learn More.

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Events Next Week

Bansko Street Dogs Pub Quiz
Tomorrow (Monday 20th), Bansko Street Dogs hosts their next pub quiz at 4 Directions. Starting at 7.30pm, at 18 Nayden Gerov Street, battle it out to see if you can take the trophy away from the Logheads. Want to join a team or register your own? Message BSD’s Facebook page here.

D & Vino’s First Birthday Celebrations
Tomorrow (Monday 20th), D & Vino are celebrating their first birthday at their wine bar (located at 14A Glazne Street, opposite Baba Vuna). From 7pm tomorrow, you can pop by for a complimentary glass of wine or beer to help them celebrate. More info.

Coworking Day at Pulse Therme in Banya
On Wednesday, 22nd of January, 30+ coworkers will settle into Pulse Therme in Banya for a day of coworking at the spa. If you’d like to attend, you’ll need to book a ticket and potentially organise your own transport. More info.

Bottomless Wings & Drinks Night at Smokey Mountain
Bottomless nights are back again this year at Smokey’s. You hand over your 50BGN, and then you have 90 minutes of stuffing your face with six different flavours of chicken wings (Sweet Hawaiin & Spicy Koren are delicious) and wash it all down with unlimited alcohol. Worth the visit. Learn More.

Photo of the Week

I think I’m gona need a bigger scraper.
Lots of recent snow in town means many cars were snowed in this week
(and there’s still quite a bit of snow left all over).

Tag @banskobuzz to get your photo in the Buzz.