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Bansko is a resort town with a deep storyline, picturesquely situated at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, just 56 km from Blagoevgrad and 150 km from Sofia. It is one of the most famous ski resorts in Bulgaria, but actually it offers perfect conditions for tourism at any time of the year. The town was established on the site of an ancient settlement, but it managed to grow bigger in the Revival period. In the 19th century Bansko was the centre of the Bulgarian culture in Pirin Macedonia and here the Bulgarian national leaders Neofit Rilski and Paisius of Hilendar were born, as well as the Bulgarian poet Vaptsarov. The town has a priceless architectural and artistic heritage and visitors may see some places that are a part of the 100 National Tourist Sites, namely the Velyanova House, the museum-house of Neofit Rilski, Nikola Vaptsarov Museum, and the icon exhibition of Bansko Art School. The Molerov family, also related to Velyan Ognev, is namely the founder of the Bansko School of Art that has left a legacy of wonderful examples of iconography and frescoes. The House of Arts, the ethnographic exhibition, the Town Historical Museum, the Museum of Paisius of Hilendar may be visited in Bansko, too. A walk through the cobbled streets of the old town will return the visitor centuries ago, and the warmth and appetizing aroma coming from the authentic taverns will tempt every connoisseur of Bansko and Bulgarian cuisines. Today Bansko is a popular winter resort. The climate allows keeping the snow from December to April, which provides excellent opportunities for professional and amateur skiers. There are several ski centres from 1000 to 2500 meters altitude, connected by different types of lifts and cable cars which form the most modern ski resort in Bulgaria. The tracks are very diverse and vary by difficulty. Actually all of Bansko's ski centres are located on the northern slopes of the Pirin National Park. It is a wonderful place for any fan of mountain climbing, mountaineering, trekking and cycling tourism. There are many natural attractions and priceless reserves of rare flora and fauna in the Pirin National Park. In the region of Bansko, there are great conditions for photography and off-road safaris, horse riding and paintball. Over the years Bansko has established itself as a cultural centre. It regularly hosts an annual forum dedicated to music, film and other arts. The festivals that promote unique local folklore, cuisine, culture and lifestyle are among them, too. As a perfectly developed resort, the town has large and diverse accommodation facilities. There are many authentic houses, restored and converted into guest houses and family hotels in Bansko, situated at its centre where the old town is. Some classic three and four-star hotels in Bansko rise around the old centre, offering professional service and first-class accommodation. There is also a wide variety of hotels in the Glazne Quarter, located on the left side of the Glazne River that divides the town in two. There are also guest houses and apartments there, surely meeting all requirements for budget and comfort. The actively growing town offers plenty of hotels and apartment complexes that are a good alternative for those seeking the modern comforts of a private home combined with classic hotel services. There are boutique and five-star hotels in Bansko for the guests with the highest demands.