some (nice) places to visit in Bansko and nearby:
- an old monastery. nice walk and nice place for a picnic if it's not raining. let yourself in through the door in the big white wall. enjoy the drinking water from the tap in the tree: https://goo.gl/maps/nRaJCaixuVR2
- hotsprings - outdoors, but fun in any weather:
- izgreva - 10 lev per person, 3 pools (cool, warm, hot), good, cheap restaurant and bar: https://goo.gl/maps/LHGaEduhTYP2
- eleshnitsa - free for all, wild hotsprings:
- near the road and river, usually very clean, quite hot in the daytime, quite warm in the evening: https://goo.gl/maps/VzadX6iHj7T2
- in the forest, normally cooler (warm, not hot), clean in morning and early afternoon, murky by evening (pro tip: the big muscly, body-builder, chatting, smiling Bulgarian sometimes loitering nearby is a masseur. he will give you a massage for a small fee): https://goo.gl/maps/Nz2jrmajdvL2
- belitsa dancing bear sanctuary: https://goo.gl/maps/BRMX44krLH42
- archeological sites:
- sitan kale - old citadel ruins, nice easy hike, walking distance from bansko (walk up the ski run from the gondola, turn right off the ski run onto the dirt road at Peshterite restaurant, turn left at the first footpath at the bend where sitan kale is signposted): https://goo.gl/maps/8DTCgzTdTcr
- more citadel ruins, longer walk but doable from bansko (follow the gravel bike trail till it ends, switch to the steep footpath, at the chapel at the top leave from the opposite side to where you arrived to loop back via the road untill you're back on the bike trail): https://goo.gl/maps/ztjsYzUbDAC2
- restaurants (open now, probably):
- le retro (pricy ish, but best breakfast in town, good sandwiches too): https://goo.gl/maps/Hja5ktgCh6N2
- cool pub/Готина Кръчма - bulgarian lunch canteen (very cheap, wholesome, meaty food and shopske salads): https://goo.gl/maps/zun2yzf6GHm
- emar/emap (medium prices, mediocre food, good smoothies, does breakfast): https://goo.gl/maps/S41k1jL7Tgn
- eagles nest/Орлово гнездо - good bulgarian fare, cheap lunch menu: https://goo.gl/maps/1WmivYU97y82
- chevermeto - good bulgarian fare: https://goo.gl/maps/pNGXfiQYmNo
- iazovir krinetz/Язовир Кринец ресторант - fresh trout, grilled or fried (i recommend fried): https://goo.gl/maps/2ufcSnt88WB2
- Рибарника - best fish soup you've had in a long, long time, by some considerable margin. i recommend the fish soup: https://goo.gl/maps/86v5QTonyoM2
- cafe casa di papi - in razlog, not bansko. cheap lunch menu, great chef (italian fare): https://goo.gl/maps/5GVJRfAsLw32
- hotel papi - in razlog, not bansko. great sushi, quite expensive, usually worth it: https://goo.gl/maps/SGyQiXBzYSS2
- restaurants (closed now, probably):
- adele - cheap lunch menu (i recommend the vegetable rice (although slightly oily), the stefani roll (sorta like a scotch egg) with mashed potatoes & the tarator (sorta like a drinkable tzatziki)): https://goo.gl/maps/fwJvBNHkkNP2
- be joy - cheap lunch menu, some good vegetarian options (i recommend the baked aubergine with goats cheese, the pork neck steak, any of the stone oven pizzas & especially, the tiramisu): https://goo.gl/maps/GmGUxsYmctM2
- nova - cheap lunch menu (i recommend the club sandwich): https://goo.gl/maps/W7YKWeYJ5oL2
- laundry - 7 lev per load (only one currently open in town): https://goo.gl/maps/AWo4bytMxV62