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Full of eastern promise

Рубрика: General news Източник:      Ulen's involvement was sufficient to encourage others to build an Ian Woosnamdesigned golf course. A local businessman funded construction of the five-star Grand Arena Hotel to which the German Kempinski group lent its name and management. Historic Bansko was temporarily transformed into boomtown Bulgaria and what was dubbed the capital of the Wild East became a giant construction site dotted with such a forest of concrete and cranes that the town's status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was jeopardised. Stricter planning procedures have now been introduced.

For the present, Bansko offers by far the best skiing in Eastern Europe - though, admittedly, local competition is slim in a region were hardly any new lifts have been built in the 15 years since the fall of Communism. But what foreign investors get for their money in Bansko is a season ticket to the only former Eastern Bloc resort that genuinely has the potential to become a bold-type name on the ski map of Europe.

Better-known Borovets now has similar development plans and other Eastern resorts will no doubt follow. However, unlike its rivals, Bansko has the overwhelming advantage of untapped challenging terrain for the development of a new Verbier or St Anton. At present the ski area has a vertical drop of 1100m - 1,600m if you include the gentle push back to town. Its 65km of piste is expected to triple over the next five years. The old town below the purpose-built ski village surprisingly lacks any of the brutalist architecture of the Communist era, providing an alternative base with considerable charm.

The utilitarian cafes and Dickensian shops that served the simple needs of the townsfolk before tourism are gradually being replaced by fashion boutiques, wine bars and pizzerias, but the Mehanas - traditional Bansko taverns which often have live music - have risen to the challenge of catering for the new breed of visitor. Competition is keen and "greeters" in Bulgarian national costume loiter outside the larger ones, beckoning tourists to enter.

Once you are inside, the ambience is invariably warm with a hearty blaze in an open fireplace - although the hearty meals of barbecued lamb and assorted offal can fall short of western standards. With alcohol available at low prices, Bansko has quickly found its feet with a reputation as a party town. The Happy End and The Lions Pub are the resort's best shots at international après-ski, while the Torino cabaret bar attracts smart weekenders from Sofia. Amnesia and No Name are the most popular late-night clubs.

Catch Bansko while prices are still lower than in any other resort of comparable quality in Europe. The Pyrennean principality of Andorra is perhaps its only rival, but the prices there have risen dramatically since joined the euro zone. Bulgaria is expected to join the EC next year and to become part of the euro zone in 2009.