Bulgaria's Bansko is burgeoning ski resort

Bulgaria is becoming increasingly popular among Britons keen to go skiing but not wanting to pay Zermatt prices.

British Airways is among those airlines that fly to the eastern European nation, which describes itself as the "cheap ski vacation in the far east of new Europe".

The resorts of Borovets, Pamporovo and Bansko are all popular, with Austrian Olympic ski champion Franz Klammer singling out the latter for particular praise.

"I've travelled all around the world in search of beautiful mountain resorts and I can say without any hesitation that Bansko is one of them," he said.

Another fan of the resort, which is located in the Pirin mountain range, is the Financial Times, which calls it the best ski resort in eastern Europe.

It combines modern skiing facilities with the charm of a 10th century town and has preserved its history well.

The resort's runs are fairly evenly split to cater to skiers of all abilities – 35 per cent are beginner slopes, 40 per cent are intermediate and 25 per cent are advanced.

A magnificent 16 kilometre run extends from the highest Todarka peak (2,600m) to Bansko's base station.

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