What To Do In Bansko In Summer? 40 Fun Tips!

I absolutely love Bansko in summer. I am biased (I live in Bansko since 2021), but it’s one of the best places in Europe to spend the summer. The weather is lovely: not too hot, since Bansko is about 1000 meters above sea level (love the mountain breeze!) and sunny enough to get a tan. A lot of places in Europe get overcrowded in summer, but Bansko in the summer is vibrant, yet relaxed. There are lots of activities and events, but you can also easily withdraw in the Pirin mountains to enjoy some quietness in nature.

In this article I share 40(!) tips for things to do in Bansko in the summer, so you won’t easily get bored. I hope it will inspire you to visit Bansko in summer time or help you get the most out of your stay in Bansko if you’re already here!

What to do in Bansko in summer time?

1. Hike to the mighty Todorka Peak

Bansko is at the foot of the impressive mountains of Pirin National Park. There are plenty of hikes that you can make in this area, and some of them I will highlight in this article. There are dozens of high peaks to conquer in Pirin, but one of the most famous ones is the Todorka Peak. It’s the peak that you can see from Bansko, rising above the town, all by itself.

There are multiple way show tor each this peak, depending on where you want to start your hike and how much elevation you want to include in your hike. In this article about Todorka you will find 3 different routes to get to the Todorka peak. 

Price: free

2. Try banitza at one of the bakeries

Every Bulgarian loves a good banitza to start the day. A banitza is a Bulgarian pastry made with eggs, yoghurt, filo dough layers and some filling like white cheese, spinach or or meat. Banski Samun Artisan Bakery in the gondola area is a great bakery to get some banitza. If you’re searching for vegan banitza, that is even possible in Bansko as well. Lubanitza on Pirin Street has multiple vegan banitza on the menu. 

Price: banitza is usually 2-6lv (€1-3), at Lubanitza they are around 12lv (€6), but it’s a bigger portion

3. Adventurous ATV tours to explore the surroundings of Bansko

One of the most fun and adventurous things that you can do this summer in Bansko is an ATV tour. Bansko ATV is offering different tours, from easy tours around Bansko to get comfortable with the quads to pro tours that will give you a proper adrenaline boost! I have done the pro tour and it’s not for the faint hearted haha. But also the regular tour I enjoy a lot and have done it a couple of times with friends and family. 

Keep in mind that you do need a driver license to ride any of the quads, otherwise you can join as a passenger.

Price: 150-300lv (€75-150), depending on the tour

4. Jeep tour around Bansko

Another great way to explore some of the surroundings from Bansko is with a jeep tour. Especially fun for families with kids and friends on a trip together! Off Road Bansko also has a sunset jeep tour, where you can finish the day with a nice sunset and some champagne. The team always make it such a fun experience, and will take you back to Bansko via some adventurous routes!  

Price: 300lv (€150) per jeep, up to 4 adults

5. Dip your toes in the river during a cold plunge

Cold plunges are becoming more and more popular, also in Bansko. There is even a special Whatsapp group for people in Bansko that want to do cold plunges together! There are 2 spots that are great and safe for doing this in the river, a bit uphill from Bansko. Join the Whatsapp group about cold plunges in Bansko for more info about these locations and to see if anyone wants to join you for a dip in the cold water.

Price: free

6. Cool down at Regnum Aquapark

If a cold plunge in the river is a bit too much for you, there is always Regnum Aquapark. There are multiple pools and slides, which makes it a fun place for both kids and adults in summer to cool down. 

Price: 30lv (€15) for adults in the weekend, 20lv (€10) on weekdays. There is a discount if you come after 15.00/3pm.

7. Attend Bansko Nomad Fest with lots of workshops & activities  

Are you a digital nomad and visiting Bansko this summer? Then you might love to attend the Bansko Nomad Fest. It’s a big event of 1 week with lots of workshops and activities for people who work (or want to work) remotely. In 2025 the Bansko Nomad Fest is from 22nd to 28th of June.

It’s actually one of the reasons why I came to Bansko in 2021 in the first place! You will meet lots of other like minded people and there are plenty of things to do in Bansko during that week, even if you’re not attending the festival.

Price: €295 for a ticket that is valid all week

8. Channel your inner Robin Hood with archery

I am a bit of a nerd: I love fantasy shows like Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, Final Fantasy and Zelda (video games). So it’s not really a surprise that I love archery as well. It really bring you into those mystic realms. Archery is both relaxing and exciting.

If you want to try archery in Bansko there are a few places to practise. In the summer there is an archery place in the mountains, at Banderitza Polyana. There is also an archery place in between Bansko and Dobrinishte, called Vukovia. They used to do archery as well in the old military base, in the western part of town, but in 2025 that one is unfortunately closed.

Price: 10-20 lv (€5-10)     

9. Relax your muscles in one of the many hot springs

There are many outdoor activities that you can do in Bansko in summer, as you can see in this article. But it’s also important to relax those muscles after using them. And there is no better way than a visit to the hot springs. There are some hotels in Bansko with hot thermal water, but most of the places are located in Banya (about 5 kilometers away from Bansko).

There are plenty of places where you can go to visit some hot springs. One of my favourites is Victoria in Banya. Especially after work; they are one of the only ones that stay open until very late (22.00/23.00). If I want to treat myself to a spa day I usually go to Therme Banya. They have multiple saunas, steam baths and hot pools, plus a few cold plunge places as well. It’s a great place to chill in the garden with a book and a coffee too.

Price: 20-70lv (€10-35), depending on the one where you go

Also read: 8 Hot Springs In Bansko & Surroundings That You Want To Visit

10. Join a photowalk and learn more about photography

Photowalk Bansko organizes photowalks: a combination of a meet up, a photography workshop and a hike. Most events are 3-4 hours and will not only show you some beautiful places in and around Bansko, but they will also connect you with some creative, like minded people. Plus, it’s a great moment to grab your camera and practise some nice shots and learn more about photography!

Price: 20-70lv (€10-35), depending on the event

11. Stretch those muscles with some yoga

There are multiple yoga schools in Bansko that give different classes. My favourites are ashtanga (quite intense), vinyasa flow and aerial yoga. It’s a fun activity and it’s very good for your mind and body. I have visited different classes with different teachers; they work with different levels in the same class and they all take care of you if you feel dizzy when you hang upside down during aerial yoga (as a beginner that almost always happen). Give it a try if you have never done it before!

Price: 15-20lv (€7,50-10) for a class

12. Lunch at the fish lake at Krinetz Dam

There are 2 fish lakes around Bansko with a restaurant. Normally I would not really recommend to eat fish in a mountain town, but Krinetz Dam is a great place if you’re looking for a fish restaurant. The prices are very decent and the food is good. Even if you don’t want to eat anything here I recommend going there for a walk and relax at the little lake in the woods.

Price: free visit; a lunch here is 10-20lv usually (€5-10)

13. Day hike from Bansko: hike the Demyanitza trail

One of my favourite trails in Bansko is the Demyanitza trail. This trail starts in Bansko (from the visitor centre in the gondola area) and goes all the way to the Demyanitsa Hut. It’s 10 kilometer one way and you climb about 900 meters, so it’s not the easiest hike. But the trail goes up very gradual, so there is nothing technical or scary on this trail.

You follow the blue trail mark; most of the route is paralel to a river with some waterfalls along the way. Water has something relaxing, and you will definitely feel relaxed during this hike. The Demyanitsa Hut is a good place to stop and have a drink or some lunch. The hut is open all year and has a very chill location. From here you can either start some hikes deeper into the mountains or go back to Bansko (20 kilometers in total). 

Price: free

14. Water fun with the mountain slide at Banderitsa Polyana

There is a gondola going up from Bansko to Banderitsa Polyana. In winter this is the place where most of the winter sport fun starts for people. In summer you will find a bunch of summer activities here. Think of inflatable castles, mini golf, archery, a shooting range and…a gigantic water slide. This water slide – that is 400 meters long – is the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day in Bansko!

Price: 30lv (€15) for adults

15. Try the Bulgarian snack called mekitsa

If you have a sweet tooth you’re gonna love mekitsi. A mekitsa is a Bulgarian dough snack that is fried. It reminds me a bit of donuts, or the Dutch “oliebollen”. Usually people eat it with some powdered sugar, cheese or jam, but you can even enjoy it as a plain snack.

There are a couple of places in town that sell mekitsa (plural of mekitsa), but my favourite place is in the old town, right next to the Municipality Hall. There is almost always a queue for this place, so you can’t really miss it. These are the Google Maps coordinates.

Price: 1lv (€0,50)

16. Enjoy some music during Bansko Jazz Fest

One of the biggest events in the summer in Bansko is the Bansko Jazz Fest. Usually in August there are lots of musicians that perform in the old town of Bansko. I think it’s a great way to enjoy some jazz – or start to appreciate it if you’re not into jazz (yet). The vibe of the festival is very chill and it’s a place where both Bulgarians and international people gather to enjoy some good music together.  

Price: free

17. Get your legs ready for some mountain biking

To be honest: I am not really a big fan of mountain biking. Maybe it’s my Dutch roots (I think in my childhood I did enough biking for an entire lifetime).

But I can’t deny that Bansko is a great place to go mountain biking if you love it. You can either stay in the lower part of the mountains and train those legs, or be a bit more lazy and take the bike up with the gondola and ride it downhill back to town. There’s about 200 kilometers of trails in this area, so plenty to explore!

There are a couple of places in Bansko that rent mtb’s (short for mountain bikes), like MicroExtreme, SingleTrack and SportBox. If you want to make your life a bit more easier I would recommend an e-mountainbike. It will make the uphill part SO much easier. Keep in mind though that e-bikes are more expensive than regular mtb’s.

Price: regular mountainbikes are 40-50lv per day (€20-25), e-bikes are 120-140lv (€60-70) per day

18. Hike to the picturesque Sinanitsa Peak

One of my favourite hikes in the Pirin mountains is the one to Sinanitsa. I like it especially since it’s one of the peaks that is a bit far away from the touristic area, so the further you walk, the less people you encounter. The Sinanitsa peak and the ridge look quite dramatic if you’re standing in front of it, at the Sinanitsa Lake. At the lake there is a mountain hut as well, it all is very picturesque

You start this hike usually from the Vihren Hut. I would recommend going first to the Sinanitsa mountain hut and the lake, climb up to the Sinanitsa peak and then follow the ridge. That way the loop is a bit easier than the opposite direction. Otherwise you have to climb down via big boulders, which is for a lot of people quite demanding for the knees.

Price: free

19. Visit one of the oldest trees in Europe: Baikushev’s Pine

Baikushev’s Pine is over 1300 years old – and located in Pirin National Park. They say it’s one of the oldest trees in Europe. Not sure if that is actually true, but it is for sure a mystic and peaceful place to visit when you’re in Bansko in the summer. The tree is over 26 meters tall and looks very impressive with its size.

The easiest way to visit this tree is to start a hike from Banderitza Polyana towards the Vihren Hut. About half way you will see a wooden stairs that goes to this ancient tree. It is also possible to park at the camping area (if there is still parking space).

Price: free

20. Enjoy the sunrise from Vihren Peak, the highest peak of Pirin

Vihren Peak is with 2914m one of the highest peaks in Bulgaria, so it’s definitely on the bucket list of hikers that visit Bansko in summer. You can hike up to this peak any time, but I would recommend to do the night hike and enjoy the sunrise on the first of July. July Morning is a Bulgarian tradition that I absolutely love in the summer! I have done it multiple times and every single time was a beautiful experience.  

Price: free

Also read: Hike To The Vihren Peak For Sunrise (July Morning Tradition!)

21. Another sunrise spot at Razlog Observation Tower

Another great spot to enjoy the sunrise in Bansko in the summer is the observation tower in Razlog. Via a couple of stairs you’ll head up a hill in 10 to 15 minutes. Along the road there are some info signs about the nature in this area and Bulgaria in general. This tower in Razlog is about 6 kilometers away from Bansko, so it’s best to get here  with a car, although there are also buses going from Bansko to Razlog. The sunrise over the Pirin mountains is just lovely!

Price: free

22. Rock climbing at Peshteriste

Although Rila is a better mountain area for rock climbers in Bulgaria, there are definitely options for rock climbing in Bansko as well. The best place to practise is Peshterishte (next to the restaurant, see tip 23). There are routes for different levels, so both beginners and experienced climbers will enjoy their time here. As far as I know there are no climbing courses in Bansko, but who knows what the future brings!   

Price: free, but you need your own climbing gear & equipment (unfortunately there is not a place in town where you can rent this right now, as far as I know)

23. Walk up via the ski road & have lunch at Peshterishte

In summer you can barely imagine that Bansko is a popular winter sports resort. It’s always a bit weird to see the ski road without the snow. But in winter thousands of people come every day from the top of the mountain back to town via the ski road. In summer you can easily walk up, starting from the gondola station. The walk is very gradual and it has some nice views along the way.

It’s about 30 minutes walking uphill until you reach the place where you can climb (see tip 22) and the local restaurant Peshterishte. This restaurant is open pretty much all year and it’s a lovely place to sit in the sun and eat and drink something after your walk uphill. 

Price: free; an average lunch at Peshterishte is 10-20lv (€5-10)

24. Play some tennis (or join the yearly tennis tournament)

Do you like tennis? Then you can get yourself excited to play some tennis in Bansko in the summer. Bansko has multiple tennis courts, some public ones that are free to use and some hotel tennis courts as well.

A good public one that I know is close to the Bansko City Park, in the old town area. It’s quite a popular sport in the summer, so be prepared that the courts are reserved during the most popular hours. There is also the tennis court in the gondola area (in winter this is the ice rink). There is a Facebook group called Bansko Tennis to see if other people are up for a game.

Every summer Bansko Street Dogs organizes a tennis tournament to raise money for the street dogs with a fun competition. Keep an eye on their Facebook page to see when the tournament for this year will be organized.

Price: free or paid, depending on the location; you need to bring your own racket and balls to most places

25. Go to the wine region of Melnik

On the other side of the Pirin mountains you find a lovely wine region: Melnik. The village of Melnik is really just a few streets, but in the area you can find plenty of wineries. You can visit multiple wineries, although for most you have to book a visit in advance. The surroundings of Melnik are also very nice for some hikes, with the yellow sandstone cliffs. From Bansko it’s possible to do a day trip to the Melnik area, although a weekend in Melnik is even more fun. It’s about 2 hours driving, and there are also organized tours from Bansko to Melnik.

Price: about €40 per person for a day trip from Bansko

26. Get your fresh veggies on the Sunday Market

If you love some engagement with the locals, you should definitely wake up early and head to the Sunday Market in the old town. Local suppliers and farmers are coming here to sell fruits, vegetables, jams, nuts, honey, herbs and other food related things. Keep in mind that most people don’t speak English, so it’s either a good place to practise a few words Bulgarian or it’s smart to open Google Translate on your phone.

Extra tip: close to the town park there is another market as well where people sell interior related things, like carpets, cooking items and furniture.

Price: free, unless you buy something of course (bring cash!)

27. Have a drink at the weekly Friday Beers event of Altspace

Maybe you have no idea how to meet new people this summer in Bansko. One of the places I usually recommend to new people in town is Altspace Coworking. This coworking really focuses on community and shared experiences. They organize a weekly Friday Beers event that is open for both members and non-members.

Even for introverted people it’s an easy place to meet some new people and see who’s in town. If you’re a bit nervous when you go by yourself just search for Becky and Mark, the owners of Altspace. They love to show you around and introduce you to some interesting people!    

Price: free, non members bring their own drinks 

28. Visit one of the mehanas for traditional food

When you walk through Bansko, especially in the old town, you might see the word “mehana” often. Mehana’s are the traditional restaurants where they serve Bulgarian food. You will often recognize the interior as cozy with lots of stone and wooden details, big red carpets on the tables and often there is some traditional grill/barbecue place visible for guests as well.

Some people are not a fan of mehanas (Bulgarians do love to use a lot of olive oil in dishes for example), but I think you can’t really leave Bansko without visiting any of them. Even though the menu is very meat-orientated in mehanas, there are enough vegetarian options as well.

Some of my favourite mehanas in Bansko are Chevermeto (in the old town) with very friendly people and lots of veggie options, Lovna Sreshta with a lovely garden (on Pirin Street) and Bunare because of the interior, the garden and the lovely family who owns it (also on Pirin Street).

Price: an average dinner is 20-40lv (€10-20) per person

29. White water rafting on the Struma river

More tips for adrenaline junkies who visit Bansko in the summer: white water rafting. You have to travel a bit from Bansko to get to the Struma river (about 1 hour drive from Bansko), but it’s definitely worth it!

I have good experiences with ReFlip; a company that organizes rafting and kayak tours on the Struma river. They really know what they are doing, so you feel safe. But if you’re more experienced they also find fun ways to get you excited as well. One time our team learned how to flip the raft on purpose for example. Definitely a fun thing to do for some bonding with friends and other people.

Price: 70lv (€35) per person

30. Learn more about Bansko during the Free Walking Tour Bansko

If you want to learn more about Bansko I would recommend to join one of the Free Walking Tours. The guides know a lot about the history of Bulgaria and Bansko and can also share a lot of fun anekdotes about their daily life (as a kid and as an adult). In about 2 hours you will know much more about the place you visit right now. In summer time the tours are in the weekend; Saturday and Sunday. The tours are run by volunteers, so it’s nice to give them a donation at the end of the trip.

Price: donation based; I would suggest 10-30lv (€5-15) per person is nice

31. Visit the Bear Sanctuary in Belitsa 

In the past dancing bears were quite popular in Bulgaria. Lots of holiday resorts would have them for entertainment. Thank god that is not legal anymore.

The Bear Sanctuary in Belitsa is now the home of over 20 former dancing bears that the organization rescued. They are also taking care of some bears that are rescued from poor conditions in zoos or private captivity. There are not many places where you can see brown bears in the forest, their natural habitat, so it’s a special place to visit. With your visit you support the project to protect and take care of these bears.

You can visit the park with a guided tour which is 30-45 minutes. It’s sometimes a bit sad to hear the background stories of these bears, but in the end it’s nice to see that they got a second chance to live a better life.   

Price: 10 leva (€5) for adults

32. Go for a fun ride in Rila Fun Park

The Rila Fun Park is easy to combine during a day trip to the Bear Sanctuary, since these places are close to each other. Rila Fun Park is mainly focused on young kids, with some inflatables and trampolines. But for adults there is the rollercoaster. It goes pretty fast, if you want to (you’re in control of the brakes).

Price: 15 leva (€7,5) for adults for a ride

33. Visit the shelter of Bansko Street Dogs

The more time you will spend in Bansko, the more you realize that there are a lot of street dogs. Unfortunately a lot of people in Bulgaria dump their dogs and a lot of them are not neutered. So you can imagine that there are a lot of puppies being born and are growing up in the streets of Bansko.

Most of them are very nice and used to people. That is partly because of Bansko Street Dogs; a non-profit that takes care of the street dogs with vet visits, food stations and neutering. They also try to rehome as many dogs as possible, especially the ones that are in foster homes and the shelter. If you want to learn more about the street dogs in Bansko I recommend to visit the shelter. Bansko Street Dogs always needs help with something: from walking the dogs to cleaning the shelter and from catching the street dogs for neutering to refilling the food stations all over town.

The shelter is close to Bansko Town Park, close to Moderator shop. It’s run by volunteers, so send them a message before via the Facebook page to see if and how you can help out.

Price: free (+ you will get karma points)

34. Hike to the 7 Rila Lakes

There are plenty of hikes to do in Pirin when you’re in Bansko. But if you want to see a different mountain area then I would recommend going to the Rila mountains, north of Bansko. Here you will find lots of hiking trails, including the one to the highest peak of Bulgaria: Musala.

If you’re looking for a hike that is not too long and difficult, I would recommend the 7 Rila Lakes hike. You can take the ski lift up and hike to 7 different lakes, all with interesting shapes and names like The Kidney and The Twins.

Price: free, but day tours from Sofia are about €25-30 per person. You can skip a part of the trail by taking the ski lift up and down.

Also read: Hike To 7 Rila Lakes: Everything You Need To Know

35. Horseback riding with lovely mountain views

In the surroundings of Bansko there are some beautiful trails to discover by horse. Most stables are organizing horseback riding for both beginners and experienced riders. There are a bunch of places where you can book a tour, but unfortunately most places don’t offer English speaking guides

If you do want someone who speaks English and is amazing with horses, I recommend you to reach out to Marie from Adventure Pursuits. She does short trips but also longer tours and is the best when you’re looking for horseback riding in Bansko!   

Price: about 50-60lv (€25-30) for 1 hour

36. Have a picnic at Muratov Lake in Pirin

Muratov Lake is a relaxed place in the Pirin National Park, where you’re surrounded by impressive mountain peaks, yet it’s not the most difficult hike. You usually start from the Vihren Hut and hike to the lake in 1 to 1,5 hours, with less than 300 meters elevation. It’s a lovely place to have a picnic and enjoy some sunshine. If you’re up for more hiking you can continue to the Muratov Peak. In this article you read all about it.     

Price: free

37. Enjoy the sunset at Belizmata Dam

In the western part of Bansko you can visit a fish lake with a restaurant: Belizmata Dam. This place is free to enter and it’s one of my favourite places to enjoy the sunset. My dog and I often walk here to enjoy our afternoon walk with some pretty colours in the sky. You can walk around the lake and there are often some fishermen that will greet you with a “dobar den” or “zdravayte” (greeting in Bulgaria). The restaurant next to the lake is open in summer, in case you want to have some food or a drink.

Price: free

38. Check out the Holy Trinity Church from inside

The old town of Bansko is such a picturesque place to stroll around in summer. But it’s also worth going inside some buildings. The Holy Trinity Church for example, is nice from outside. But once you walk through the garden and go inside you see the beautiful interior as well.

There is a reason why this place included in the e-book 10 Photogenic Places In & Around Bansko. You can download the e-book for free!

Price: free

39. Make a day trip to Rila Monastery

Rila Monastery is a lovely day trip from Bansko. This monastery is a bit hidden in the Rila Mountains and it looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale with the colorful frescoes, striped arches and mountain views all around. It’s the biggest and most famous monastery in Bulgaria. It’s pretty cool that the monks still live here and do their daily life stuff. Be respectful when you walk around, since this is not only a sacred place, but also their home.

The entrance for the monastery is free, but a few areas of the monastery are a museum and they have a few leva entrance fee.

If you want to spend the night in the monastery that is possible too. Ask a Bulgarian friend to make a reservation though, since they only speak Bulgarian at the phone (which is the only way how to make a reservation).

Price: free entrance; but you have to arrange transportation to get there. Day trips from Bansko are usually around €30-40 per person.

40. Do a beer tasting at Pivoteka

Bulgarians love their (red) wines, but that doesn’t mean they don’t like beer. In most places you can order some Bulgarian beers like Pirinsko or Kamenitza. If you’re a beer lover you will probably love Pivoteka in the old town. They have lots of beer options (draft and bottle) and they offer beer tastings as well. In the summer it’s a great place to sit in the sun with a beer!

Price: 4-15lv (€2-7), depending on the beer and the size of the glass

Also read: Bansko For Digital Nomads – Everything You Need To Know

Are you excited to explore Bansko in summer? Or do you miss any activity or tip in this article? Please share it in the comments below or send a message to jessica@explorebulgarianow.com!

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