With is quite stunning scenery the resort of Borovets is the biggest mountain resort in Bulgaria and is situated in the heart of the Rila Mountains only 73 Kilometers from Sofia, making it around an hour's transfer from the airport.

At a height of 1,390 meters above sea level and with pistes as high as 2,700 meters it does not suffer the problems associated with lower lying ski resorts.
The resort has twice hosted a stage of the World Cup Alpine Ski discipline and was recently part of the bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics . Here the ski season lasts from November until May, the average January temperature being a mild minus 4°C. There are pistes to suit all levels of skier from nursery slopes and Blue’s for beginners, to Red and Black for intermediate and advanced.

Night skiing and snowboarding can be breathtaking on the fully lit pistes

The resort has recently invested in many new snow canons to ensure snow coverage throughout the season and with artificial lighting on two of the main slopes skiing is available until 22:00 in the evening.

Apres Ski

Borovets has a fantastic nightlife and is full of bars, cafes, night clubs, and discos, Buzz bar, Mamacitas, Karaoke bar, Bonkers disco and many more.

From a quiet meal with the family to late night drinking with your friends Borovets has everything and your welcome will always be warm and friendly.

Perhaps best of all though Bulgaria is brilliant value for money - for example, most bars charge about 2Lev (around 70 pence) for a 50ml (large) measure of spirit and around 3 to 4 (around £1.15) for a 500ml beer.

If you're a wine drinker you won't be disappointed either with a very good bottle of the local Cabernet costing just 10-15 Lev (around £3.50 to £4.00).

The stunning snow covered scenery as seen from the ski lift

Bulgaria is known for its high quality meat, skewers and spit roasts,and you're sure to get a great meal at one of the many restaurants which serve food ranging from authentic Bulgarian fare to foreign dishes - but you can't leave without trying the local Kavarma (a delicious traditional kebab) and make sure you wash it down with a Rakia to finish, the local liqueur which has quite a kick!

If your appetite is a little lighter you'll be delighted with the vast amount of of little stalls that selling everything from hot pancakes to mouthwatering kebabs again at prices which represent amazing value for money especially when compared to an alpine resort.

Borovets has a lovely cosy 'village' feel to it and a five minute walk will get you from one side of the village to the other. The local bar and restaurant owners are a real asset to the resort as they offer a very warm welcome to all visitors..

In the Summer the Rila Mountains make for some of the best walking and climbing to be found in the Balkans. From mid June the Gondola re-opens to take sight seers to take them to the top of the Ski Area to allow people to walk to the top of the highest peaks. There are other famous walks including the Black Rock tour, Chakur Voivoda and Severn Rila lakes.

The Rila mountain scenery is amongst the most unspoilt and beautiful in Europe

Govedartsi village is a good starting point for many treks into the Rila Mountains. You can visit the beautiful Seven Rila Lakes but other popular and unique destinations include:

• Budachki kamuk
• Maluk Mech
• Goliam Mechit
• Kobilino Branishte shelter
• CMS Maliovitsa through Ovnarsko
• Strashnoto ezero shelter
• Maliovitsa hut through Strashnoto ezero shelter
• Vada hutthrough Ovnarsko
• Rila monastery through Kobilino Branishte shelter and Suhoto ezero
• Ribni ezera chalet
• The 7 Rila Lakes
  

Budachki Kamuk, Maluk Mechit and Goliam Mechik are definitely worth a visit as the settings of these large chalets are stunning.

The beautiful thick pine forests that surround Govedartsi are definitely worth a mention too. They hold a diverse range of flora and fauna quite unique to this region

Samokov is described as the 'gateway to the Bulgarian Alps' because of its excellent position at the foot of the impressive Rila Mountains. You have to pass through Samokov to get to the internationally acclaimed resort of Borovets.

Other Attractions

Tsarska Bistritsa is a former royal palace just above the resort of Borovets and near the banks of the Bistritsa River. Built between 1898 and 1914, it served as the hunting lodge of Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his son Boris III.

The hunting lodge was nationalized after 1945, when Bulgaria became a Communist state. The democratic changes of 1989 led to the controversial return of the palace to Simeon II, the last monarch of Bulgaria and afterwards a politician, in October 2002.

The architecture of Tsarska Bistritsa combines, in the spirit of Romanticism, elements of the authentic Bulgarian National Revival style with other European architectural styles. A cabin from the transatlantic ship New America is part of the interior. It was either a gift from the captain or won by Ferdinand during a poker game. The wooden ceilings and columns in the lodge are richly decorated in a Bulgarian style. Tsarska Bistritsa also has the royal family's collection of hunting trophies filled up for more than half a century.