Talking of winter holidays in Europe, most of the western people would think about the Alps in the heart of the continent, about the Sierra Nevada in the south or about Scandinavian mountains in the north. Eastern Europe wasn’t even an option only a few decades ago but now happens to be regarded increasingly as the new preferable destination for snowy vacations. The ski resorts on the Balkans represent more affordable options for the guests while the quality isn’t that far away from the average western level.
The journey starts from… the Alps. But not the French, or the Swiss, or the Austrian part of the most famous mountain range in Europe. The Julian Alps shared between Slovenia and Italy might not be the most popular section of the mountain but still, offer great conditions for skiing and snowboarding. While Slovenia is geographically bound to the Balkan Peninsula only by a minor bit of its territory, the country has the connection to the region through historical and linguistic links. But the ski resorts of the country are definitely closer to the Alpine type.
Looking for winter holidays option, the top choice for Slovenia is Kranjska Gora. Known as an Alpine skiing World Cup site, the place is actually surprisingly affordable for the excellence granted to the guests. A week-long mid-January vacation for a couple in a 4-star hotel is available for a sum in the range of 1000 GBP (http://www.balkanholidays.co.uk/winter_ski_holidays/index.html ). Another favourable option in the country is Lake Bled. The divinely beautiful area is in high demand during the whole year and the skiing represents only a part of its attractiveness. Lake Bohinj also occurs to be one of the country’s points of pride.
Bulgaria turns to be more popular year after year
The whole territory of the former Yugoslavia is covered by mountains offering winter holidays. But few are those to match the top 3 Bulgarian ski resorts. Bansko, Pamporovo, and Borovets have turned to be favourite places for a snowy vacation for thousands of western guests in the last decade. Overall Bulgaria is the leading budget choice in the cold months but the low price doesn’t mean necessarily a compromised quality. Bansko gained in fame for being one of the fastest developing winter centres in Europe and even hosted World Cup competitions in Alpine skiing and snowboarding. Borovets and Pamporovo also have used the fascinating beauty of nature as a magnet but also won the guest with hospitability and with great ski schools. Bulgaria climb with speed in the ranks of the countries preferred for the winter holidays so it’s not a surprise that most of the inns are booked for the season. Some choices are still available through Balkan Holidays but the availabilities are picked quickly.
The Bulgarian neighbour beyond the river Danube – Romania, is rarely seen as an alternative for a skiing vacation. But having in mind that Carpathian mountain range take a large share of the country’s territory it shouldn’t wonder anybody that some amazing options for winter holidays are on display there. Among the snowy resorts in Romania, the one that stands out is Poiana Brasov. Located in the vicinity of one of the main cities in the country the site happens to be easily accessible by transport. The city of Brasov has its own airport and the state’s capital Bucharest is only two hours away. Four years ago the complex hosted the European Youth Winter Olympic festival and this is only one of the reasons explaining why Poiana turns to be so successful recently.
Eastern Europe still looks suspicious to many westerners but those who have visited the region know that it is safe in general. And the winter holidays in countries like Slovenia, Bulgaria, or Romania happen to be one of the best in terms of price for the value comparison.