Is The Tap Water Safe To Drink?

In this week’s Buzz:

• Lidl in Razlog is now closed until the end of July

• Balkan Holidays ceases trading in the UK (but isn’t going into liquidation)

• First inter-regional electric trains coming to Bulgaria

• Two public holidays coming up

• Travelling cinema comes to Bansko

Recent Tests On Drinking Water Supply in Bansko

One great thing about Bansko is that you can drink tap water. Yes, sometimes there’s that chlorine smell when something has interacted with the water on the way from the water company to your tap, and sometimes it goes off for a day for no apparent reason, but, on the whole, the drinking water is generally good.

Recently, there’s been a sickness and diarrhoea bug going around town (a few of us had it the last time it was here a month or so ago), and many people have been sick. If you read the news section in last week’s Buzz, you’ll know I linked to an article on Pirinsko.com about a 50 people needing to seek medical help.

Over the past week, there’s been a lot of speculation. The usual “don’t drink the water because the chemicals from the fake snow they pump out will be in it!” It’s a fair point if you didn’t know that the water coming through your tap has already been cleaned and treated, much like most other parts of the world. I know people like to think we’re drinking “fresh” spring water off the mountain, but we’re not.

Aside from that, there was still speculation in the media here, so the local municipality asked for tests to be made by the Regional Health Inspectorate (RHI) in Blagoevgrad. Everything came back fine and met Regulation No. 9 for quality levels on drinking water. They measured this through microbiological and physico-chemical analyses. You can read more about the announcement here.

I’ve been drinking the tap water in Bansko. Have I been sick recently? Nope, but I put that down to knowing there’s a bug going around and staying away from people 😂.

Five M — Savour Every Bite, Cherish Every Moment

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

✍️ 52 New Posts, 💬 354 Comments, 👍️ 1,415 Reactions

Lidl in Razlog Closes For Renovations Until July
George shared that Lidl in Razlog has closed today for three months for renovations. It’ll be interesting to see how they integrate the new extension, but three months is a long time.

Deadly Pine Processionary Caterpillars Spotted
Elitsa shared a photo of these caterpillars she’d seen in the Rhollbahn area (up past Motikita). They’re quite deadly to dogs and cats (even if they just quickly lick them), so be careful if you’re out walking your dog (or cat).

Balkan Holidays Ceases Trading in The UK
I wrote about Balkan Holidays announcing they’re ceasing their UK operations. No information about why, but it might have something to do with the Executive Director resigning earlier this month (who is Bulgarian and resides in Bulgaria). Daily Fail news article here.

With Kempinski Closed, Where’s The Best Burgers & Eggs Benedict?
Anne asked for recommendations for places with the best burger and eggs benedict in town, as the Kempinski is now closed for its usual few weeks at the end of the season. See what recommendations people had.

Ulen Haven’t Refunded Me. What Should I Do?
Imogen shared that she’d bought a ski pass from the unmanned ticket machines at the bottom of the gondola but didn’t receive a pass. She’s contacted the ski operator in Bansko (Ulen) a few times but hasn’t heard anything. See what people had to say.

(The above posts are publicly accessible. You don’t need a Facebook account to view them.)

Local/Municipality News

Important: Water Treatment in Bansko 2025
Each year, the local water company cleans the pipes in Bansko with a cleaning solution. They also disrupt the water supply to fix any issues. This means that the water isn’t drinkable during this period and supply may be intermittent. The officially published dates are 27 May (8am) to 29 May (5pm) and 2 June (8am) to 4 June (5pm). Read more.

Bansko Municipality Recognised in National Awards 
The municipality of Bansko has been recognised in Bulgaria as the best city or region for the “Youth Activities and Sports” category in the 11th National Awards (2025) by the Association of Bulgarian Cities and Regions (ABGR). Read more.

Bulgarian Ski Federation Recognises Bansko Ski Club 
In its season closing ceremony, the Bulgarian Ski Federation recognised several athletes who participated in competitions from the Yulen Ski Club in Bansko. They gave recognition awards to five individuals who competed in snowboarding and alpine skiing. Read more.

Is The Summer Calendar Delayed Because There Aren’t Enough Events?
The summer events calendar is usually out by now (before the last weekend in April), yet it doesn’t appear to have been finalised. Could this be due to some slots being vacant? The municipality has asked for applications to fill the Rock Festival with dates set aside for the 17, 18 & 19 of July. Read more.

Contract Signed For First Electric Inter-regional Trains In Bulgaria
The Bulgarian Government has signed a contract with French company Alstrom to provide Bulgaria with 35 electric trains at a cost of 720 million Euros. No information about the timeline and delivery. Also, I’m not sure these will affect the trains in Bansko anytime soon (no electric lines), but they might speed up train journeys between Sofia and other cities. Read more. [translation required.]

Public Holidays
This coming Thursday (1st of May) will be Labor Day, and the following Tuesday (6th of May) will be St. George’s Day (Day of Valour and of the Bulgarian Armed Forces). These are both national holidays so public buildings, banks, and other places will be closed. You may also find that some people take either the Friday or the Monday off (or both) to make it a long weekend. Bansko may or may not be busier than normal next weekend.

Recommended Businesses

Shop on Amazon & get packages delivered to Bansko with GGBG. Regular transport from the UK, Germany and the USA to Bulgaria. See website for info.

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.

👉️ Want to see your ad in the Bansko Buzz?
View Advertising Opportunities

Events Next Week

Pop-Up Board Games Night
On Wednesday (30th), there will be a pop-up board games night at Damyanitsa Bar & Grill starting at 7pm. If you’re interested in board games and want to meet new people, it’s worth a try. Entrance fee is 10 BGN. More info.

Career Through Vocation Workshop
On Wednesday (30th) at 6.30pm there will be a career workshop at Nestwork Coworking, floor 2. This is for people aged 16 to 25 who are interested in summer internships and summer camps focused on leadership, business and personal brand. The event is free, but registration is required. More info.

Creating A Cleaner Future, Together
On Saturday (3rd) at 9am, Razlog Municipality has organised a clean-up morning near the village of Dolno Draglishte after the rails of the narrow gauge rail line. The meeting point is at 9am at The Written Church in the village (Писаната църква). More info.

Travelling Cinema Comes To Bansko
On Sunday (4th), the travelling cinema comes to Bansko. At the Tourist Information Center in Bansko (near the old tree), they will be showing the following movies: 1.30pm: The Mega Wonders of the Ladybug and the Black Cat; 3.10pm: Snow White; 5.10pm: Minecraft; 7pm: The Worker. Entrance fee is 10 BGN per movie. More info.

St. George’s Day Celebrations
In Bulgaria, St. George’s Day is celebrated on Tuesday, the 6th of May. Celebrations in the Bansko municipality take place in Dobrinishte in the main square in the evening of Monday 5th and on the morning of Tuesday 6th. More info.

Photo of the Week

Spring days in Razlog. A little chilly but a glorious sunny morning in the park.

Tag @banskobuzz to get your photo in the Buzz.