Borovets is Bulgaria's oldest ski resort having been established in the late 19th century, when the then King of Bulgaria chose it as the location for his winter hunting lodge,which is now open to the public.
Since then the resort has grown to become the lively modern place it is today.
At 1350 m above sea level, on the northern slopes of the Rila Mountains, among age-old pine woods, Borovets is a resort of alpine type located at the foot of Moussala Peak (2925 m a.s.l.)
the highest on the Balkan Peninsula. The resort itself lies some 10 km south-east from the town of Samokov, 73 km in the same direction from the capital Sofia and 125 km westwards is the second largest Bulgarian city - Plovdiv. The air in Borovets is crystal clear and free of any pollutants.
Borovets has gradually developed into a modern ski resort of high-class with luxury hotels, haute-cuisine restaurants and a superb network of ski runs and lifts along the slopes of the Rila Mountains, providing excellent opportunities for the whole range of winter sports from Alpine to cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ski jumps and biathlon.There are 58 km of marked ski runs for alpine skiing. The resort has twice hosted World Cup Alpine skiing rounds, while the biathlon track is one of the best in the world.
There are drag lifts, chair lifts, and also the gondola which takes you to Yastrebets peak. At an altitude of 2360m it's views over Musala are breathtaking and the skiing wonderful . All the lifts have a capacity of up tp 15,500 skier's per hour. There are night skiing facilities and the local instructors stage a spectacular night time ski-show every week, snow machines also ensure skiing at all times.
The resort has all the usual mix of hotels bars and cafes with menus to suit all tastes and pockets. If after a day on the slopes you have any energy left there are also a variety of
nightclubs offering a wide range of entertainment until the wee small hours.
Maliovitsa
Maliovitsa is a much smaller and quieter resort but provides a great alternative to the hustle and bustle of Borovets.A favourite with local skier's from the capital Sofia who travel the 86km every weekend to escape city life for a short while.
Two drag lifts provide access to runs for intermediate to advanced skier's and a new slalom track.
The Maliovitsa Hotel provides a restaurant,coffee bar and ski equipment hire as well as
safekeeping services.There are also several little huts offering bar facilites and ski hire.
There is a regular bus service to the resort from Samokov.
The village of Govedartsi is situated between Samokov and Maliovitsa.
It offers a single intermediate run of 1700m served by a single drag lift.
It is adequately challenging for a good days skiing.
Ski rental and equipment hire are available for tourists.
The bus service from Samokov to Maliovitsa stops here.
