Pamporovo is a popular ski resort town located in Smolyan, a province found at the southeastern region of Bulgaria. The resort is set at the southern region of the Rhodope Mountains, at an altitude of 1,620 meters above the sea level, by the foot of Peak Snezhanka. It is the highest peak in the area, where in, it stands at a height of 1,928 meters. It is situated approximately 260 kilometers away from Sofia, 85 kilometers south of Plovdiv, 15 kilometers north of Smolyan, and 10 kilometers south of Chepelare. Access to Pamporovo is gained through a series of windy mountainous roads.Pamporovo is one of the well-known resorts in southern Europe, where in, its hub is composed of several excellent apartments, hotels and bars. Some of the apartments and hotels found in the resort are the Orlovetz Hotel, Royal Lodge Spa Hotel, Elina Palace Complex, Laplandia Aparthotel, Malina Chalets, and the Pamporovo Pearl Apartments.
After an enjoying day at the slopes, the many bars and nightclubs found in the resort provides a different kind of enjoyment for the resort’s visitors. Most of the famous drinks are available, together with local and imported alcohol, beer, and vintages. Music is provided by live DJ’s, and no entrance fees are charged in any bar or nightclub in Pamporovo. A few of these most notable establishments include The White Hart, Dak’s Bar, and Night Flight in hotel Rojen.
Getting around in the town usually does not require much use of transportation vehicles. Pamporovo is a relatively small town and many places of interest are within walking distance from each other. Nonetheless, many busses and coaches are organized by the surrounding hotels to get to and fro the ski center during the winter. They operate several times during the day and night, while taxis offer additional transportation for getting around the town at night.
Most certainly, the foremost attraction in the resort is skiing. Pamporovo features ski runs of varying degrees of difficulties that which has a total length of 25 kilometers. Beginners are recommended to start on the nursery slopes of the ski school of Pamporovo. On the other hand, intermediate skiers use the 20 kilometer ski runs, which can be accessed by riding the lift from the Molina or the middle stations going up to the Snejanka peak.
Advanced skiers are most fit to face the challenge of the “The Wall”, which is considered as the most difficult ski run in the resort. Some of the other difficult piste, called Snejanka, in the resort are Turisticheska, which is slightly difficult and runs at a length of 4,200 meters at a 476 meter incline; Ardashla, which is medium in difficulty and runs at a length of 3,500 meters at a 474 meter incline; Smolyan Lakes, also of medium difficulty and runs at a length of 3,000 meters at a 390 meter incline; Dvata mosta, which is a difficult ski run and has a length of 2,200 meters at an incline of 405 meters; and Evropeiskata, which is of difficulty level also and runs at 2,000 meters at an incline of 476 meters.
There are also 3 cross country runs in the resort, with a total length of approximately 40 kilometers. The whole expanse of the ski and cross-country runs is served by eight 5-chair lifts and nine drag lifts, with a capacity of lifting and transporting 8,600 persons per hour. Other attractive features and services in the ski resort are the Pamporovo Ski/Snowboard school, ski kindergarten, and professional mountain guides.
Pamporovo winters tend to be mild, albeit 100 days of snow falls each year. This combination allows for long skiing seasons in the resort. Sunny days are also not unusual during the winter season in Pamporovo, wherein 120 days of sunshine could be expected between the months of December to May.
Pamporovo, however, offers more than a wonderland for ski and snowboarding enthusiasts. Located within or near its vicinity are other resorts and attractions that visitors could explore. First amongst these is the Rodope Mountain, which is the oldest mountain massif in Bulgaria. It is divided into two differentiated parts, namely the Western Rhodopes and Eastern Rhodopes. The former has an extremely mountainous character, while the latter is characterized by hilly reliefs, cut by valleys separated by gorges and steep slopes. As a recreational area, the settlements in the mountain have turned themselves into climatic resorts. This has been pushed by the mild climate and the abundance of salt mineral springs.
Another notable resort near Pamporovo is the Chepelare mountain resort. Chepelare occupies a small valley at the heart of the Rodoppi Mountain, where it stands 10 kilometers away from Pamporovo. Its deep snow slopes during winter is very ideal for some of the longest ski runs in Bulgaria, all of which are housed within the resort. There are a total of 11,400 meters of runs, all of which vary in difficulty, classified from black to green. The foremost and most difficult of these runs is Mechi Chal, 3,150 meters long with an incline of 720 meters. This run is qualified to be used for international competitions. The Mechi Chal 2, on the other hand, is a combination of a red/green run that extends 5,250 meters and with an incline of 720 meters. A cross-country track, a 5 kilometer biathlon track, a parallel slalom for skiers, Ski Schools, outdoor winter carnivals, and various ski competitions, such as the Chepelare Cup and the Orion Cup are also found and held in the resort. Other interesting attractions in the town include the St. Atanas Church, the St. Virgin Mary Church, and the Rojen Observatory.
Fifteen kilometers away from Pamporovo, at the heat of the Rodope Mountains, is the picturesque town of Smolyan. It enchants its visitors with the combination of old and modern architecture, which is influenced by the magnificence of the mountain. A lot of historical monuments, dating from the Ottoman rule, are found in the town.
The village of Momchilovtsi, located 12 kilometers east from Pamporovo high in the Rodopi Mountain, is dubbed as the “Snowboard Park” as the area is largely unexplored and has not been touched with intense commercialization.
As Pamporovo is one of the well-known ski resorts in Europe, Pamporovo properties may just present itself as a most ideal investment. Although its property market is not as developed as the one in Bansko, Pamporovo properties offer a great potential for growth with demands from smaller or bigger investors. This anticipation is pushed by the development of a new and bigger skiing area and resort called Perelik.
The property prices in Pamporovo have been growing between 10% to 15% per annum, with a premium on new developments. And with its proximity to the Plovdiv airport and to the Greek border and the Aegean Sea, these property prices can only be expected to grow as tourists and international property hunters are provided with easy access to the city. These prices, however, vary depending on their distance from the ski lifts and the property’s facilities.
Properties in Pamporovo range from both ends of the property spectrum. Specific properties found in the resort town that are priced below 50,000 Euros include apartments in Mursalitza Residence, Dream Lake, Pampora Residential Complex, and Izvor Resort. Specific properties priced above 50,000 Euros can be found in Evridika Hills Apartments and Spa and Orpheus Valley, among others. Properties tagged at above 100,000 Euroes can also be found at the aforementioned property developments.