Who Owns Bansko Property? The Numbers Are Surprising

In this week’s Buzz:

• Win dinner for two at Smokey Mountain Bar & Grill

• Can you get off at the mid-station of the gonola?

• Snowfall galore this week in Bansko town

• UK press jumping on “Bansko is cheap!” bandwagon

• Local Rotary Club starts new health podcast

• Valentine’s Day blind wine tasting for couples/friends

• Busy period of winter season has now begun

• Next two Bansko Street Dogs quizzes are confirmed

Foreign nationals and companies now own over 25% of local property in Bansko

If you’ve been to Bansko over the last few years (or you live here) you’ll have seen the town change outside of the winter season. We’d usually become a ghost town in May/June and October/November, but now it doesn’t feel so sparse: it’s quieter than the busier periods around, but it doesn’t feel like a ghost town anymore.

If you’ve read any of the Buzz issues in August/September last year, you’ll have seen me mention that the festivals have been busier than ever, with lots of marketing and promotion of Bansko as both a summer and winter resort.

With all of that promotion and the different types of festivals and activites on offer, more people have visited Bansko and decided to make a home here: buying an apartment (or a few).

There have been a lot of Bulgarians buying properties, as well as a high number of foreign nationals, with data now showing that just over 25% of properties in Bansko are owned by foreign nationals/foreign entities (companies) from some 53 countries. A changing landscape with close to 128 million Euros worth of real estate purchased in the town in 2025.

Could this be due to the town's appeal to digital nomads? It’s definitely had an impact, but the main buyer countries are Israel, Russia, Ukraine, and the UK, so this wouldn’t be considered the sole or main reason: that would require more data.

See the news story from Capital.bg here [translation required], which also mentions the types of buyers and their motivations for buying in Bansko.

Five M — Where The Food & Mood is Just Right

Wondering where to go for a great meal and an enjoyable evening?

Try Five M. We offer some of the most delicious moments you’ll have during your time in Bansko, alongside a warm, enjoyable evening that tastes like happiness.

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Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group

✍️ 227 New Posts, 💬 913 Comments, 👍️ 4,557 Reactions

How Are The Roads Going To Be?
Fez is coming to Bansko with his wife and is driving from Sofia. He loves all of the recent snow in town, but wonders what the drive is going to be like to get to town.

Where Should We Go For Lunch?
Peter wants to know if there are enough places to eat lunch around Banderishka Polyana (at the top of the gondola) when out for the day skiing. See what advice people had.

What Places Are Nice And Affordable for Dinner?
Kurt isn’t too keen on the quality of food served at restaurants near Ginger (who is, eh?) and wants to know the best places that have good food, great service, and aren’t too pricey. See where people recommended.

We Want To Buy a Car. Any Reliable Dealers Locally?
Milena and her husband are moving to Bansko, and they want to buy a car. They’re wondering who people would recommend buying from in the local area.

Can You Get off At The Mid-Station of The Gondola?
Peter asked whether you can exit the gondola at the mid-station. See what people had to say and what they recommended.

Bansko & Beyond

Rocks Block Road in Kremen Village. Municipality Acts Swiftly.
This week, rockfall blocked road access in Kremen Village (close to Mesta, part of Bansko Municipality), and the local municipality cleared and stabilised the landslide within 24 hours. Read more here and here.

Bansko Represented at International Tourism Exhibition
The international tourism exhibition in Istanbul (EMITT) took place this week, and Bansko showed why people should visit the town. The exhibition is one of the five largest in the world and attracts thousands of tour operators and travel agencies from across the world. Read more.

Ski Victories for Bansko Athlete
Stella Yanchovichina has continued her success in para alpine sports by winning the FIS Slalom and having two top-three finishes in the FIS Giant Slalom. She is set to take part in the Winter Paralympic Games next month. Read more.

Local Rotary Club Starts Health Podcast
The local Rotary Club for Razlog and Bansko has started a health podcast on YouTube to help people in the local area. The videos are in Bulgarian, and the subtitles are in Cyrillic (no English available). The first episode featured a discussion with a doctor about heart health, heart attacks, and how to live a healthy lifestyle to prevent heart issues. Read more.

Renovations Complete at Zdravets Kindergarten
All of the renovations to one of the local kindergartens (Zdravets, located off Bulgaria Street) have now been completed. The project was funded in partnership with the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and the Bansko Municipality. It involved repairs to the roof and toilets, as well as other renovations, including an outdoor play area. Read more.

New to Bansko? Skip the tourist traps and join Nick for Bansko Like a Local tour. An insider’s guide to the best bars, restaurants/mehanas and hidden gems. Learn more.

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 this year? Get travel insurance designed by travellers. True Traveller: one policy to cover all of your activities. Learn more.

Join over 60 million people using Revolut. Hold Euros in your account and pay local businesses in Bansko easily. Sign up for an account now.

Love reading the Bansko Buzz? Why not buy Nick (and Banskie) a coffee to keep the news, ideas, and inspiration flowing.

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Events Next Week

Taste of the Mediterranean at The Kempinski Hotel
On Wednesday (11th) at the Gallery Restaurant (located inside the Kempinski Hotel on Pirin Street), from 7pm, sink your teeth into some Mediterranean delights. Price is 46€. More info.

Telescopes Under The Stars (Planetarium)
These take place on Fridays and Saturdays 7pm to 8pm (price 7€) and lectures on Saturdays and Sundays at 2.30pm to 4.30pm (price 5€). The lectures will be in English or Russian. More info.

Bansko Street Dogs Pub Quizzes
The next two quizzes are confirmed as Monday 16th at Smokey Mountain and Monday 23rd at The Hub. Both will start at 7.30pm and entry fee is 5€ per person. These events will be shared to the notice board Facebook group.

Mega Girl Power DJs at Contrabar
On Friday (13th) from 10pm, Lora Karadjova and DJ Cass take over at Contrabar. If you like a bit of hip hop and R&B, head over to Contrabar for some great music from these two ladies. More info.

Love & Cakes Open Air Party
On Saturday (14th) from 4pm to 9pm, join the team at Sweethouse Honey (32 Pirin Street) for some sweet treats and House music. More info.

Valentine’s Day Blind Wine Tasting
On Saturday (14th) from 7pm at DiVino Wine Bar, take part in a blindfolded wine tasting night. The price is 20€ and includes tasting five wines, as well as cold cuts, cheeses, and appetisers. More info.

Regular Weekly Events (Updated)

Here is a list of the twelve regular events that will be happening every week throughout the winter season:

- Pub Quiz: Monday from 7pm at different venues (Bansko Street Dogs).
- Bansko Run Club(ish): Tuesday at 6.30pm meet at Altspace Coworking (Central).
- Spanish Speakers Meeting: from 6pm at DiVino Wine Bar
- Latin Dance Night: Tuesday from 7pm at Four Leaf Clover.
- Pool Tournament: Thursday from 6.30pm at Smokey Mountain.
- Bingo: Thursday from 7pm at The Hub.
- Friday Beers: Friday 6pm to 8pm at Altspace Coworking (Central) [BYOB].
- Latin Dance Night: Friday from 7pm at DiVino.
- Karaoke: Friday from 8pm at Tipsy 360.
- BSD Saturday Sale: Saturday 10am to 2pm at Bansko Street Dogs shelter.
- Sip & Paint: Saturday 2pm to 4pm at Lucky Bansko Aparthotel.
- Sunday Walk: Sunday from 11am, meeting at the gondola.

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Photo of the Week

We’ve had quite a bit of snow in town this past week, and it’s been magical.
Here’s a shot of Gotse Delchev Street covered in wintery happiness.

See some other photos of the snow in town here.

Before You Go…