In recent years, there has been much talk of the great benefits of active sport for the health and the body, and for a great joy, more and more people are active and do sports regularly. Various sports facilities and playgrounds are being built throughout the country, where everyone who wants to go out will be able to do it alone or with friends, whether in their hometown or somewhere in the country during the holiday.
If you like to do sports outdoors while you are on a vacation in Bansko, you are lucky, because there are enough places in the town where you can practice sports not only actively but also completely free of charge.
Where to practice sports in Bansko?
Jogging and Fitness in the Park of the town
Parks not only in Bansko but also in all the cities of the country, provide opportunities for residents and town guests to walk around, have fun, sit in a café, or if they love morning jogging to do their work without any worries.
The town park of Bansko is situated in close proximity to the center of the town and is located on 20 decares area. Here you will find both well-maintained walkways and resting areas for coffee and playgrounds where you can go with your child in the afternoon to have fun.
If you are not a fan of jogging and prefer the more intense training, the park has a distinctive sports grounds for street gym, equipped with completely free facilities.
Tennis on the playground in the center
The playground is located in the central part of the town (above the polyclinic) and has two tennis courts and a playground for climbing and other fun facilities for the children if you decide to take them with you while you play tennis.
The free tennis court is equipped with special lighting and suitable flooring for tennis and you can practice your favorite sport during which time you decide that you need to go to the tennis court.
Tennis and football on the free playground on „Drama” street
If there is a crowd waiting to play tennis on the main playground, Bansko has another free playground, which has two tennis courts, which you can visit. The sports ground is located on Drama Street and has tennis courts and volleyball and football playgrounds.
There is a playground for kids in the area, so if you have children, you can practice your favorite sport and take care for the children while playing near the climbing frames, the swings or the slider.
Football, volleyball, basketball and other games at two sport playgrounds in the town
Collective sports fans will also not be disappointed because Bansko has two sports playgrounds suitable for football, volleyball, basketball or other team games. If you are among the fans of football and volleyball, the free playgrounds are located in Glazene District and in Kostey blata district.
Both playgrounds are 18 to 36 meters in size, they have modern flooring, good lighting and tall nets. Suitable for mini soccer, volleyball, basketball and other similar sports games.
For those of you who want to combine the sport with a walk, there are two additional free playgrounds, which you can use outside of Bansko. The playgrounds are located in Dobrinishte and Mesta village and are suitable for football, volleyball and basketball. Both playgrounds are in school yards, so you will not have any trouble finding it.
Cycling in the town and mountain cycling
In Bansko and the surrounding area there are lots of routes that are awaiting you if you are fond of bicycle sport. In the town you can ride a bike along the marked trails, and if you want to enjoy your favorite sport outside the town, you just have to ask the hotel for directions.
Bicycle routes are completely free and you can “pedal” as much as your soul wants (and as much as you can). If you have not planned to have a bicycle, you can rent one for a symbolic amount in every hotel in Bansko.
Fishing in dams and rivers
If you love fishing and for you this is the best outdoor sport and you have not forgotten the rods (and you have a regular fishing ticket), around Bansko there are enough water basins and rivers where you can practice your favorite sport completely free and undisturbed by anyone.
If you do not carry your personal fishing tackle or worry about breaking a rule, you can visit one of the paid dams near the town and for a really minimal amount you can rent a fishing rod and enjoy a day by the dam.
Rock climbing out of town
In the vicinity of Bansko there are also enough places where you can practice rock climbing if this is your kind of extreme sport. If you are skilled in rock climbing and wear equipment, you can climb alone, but if you are not fully confident in your strength, the better option is to pay for equipment and a guide.
Fitness
If you are a fitness maniac and think you can find a free gym while on hoiday in Bansko, you are wrong. In order to enjoy the gym without paying extra, just before booking your holiday, note whether there is a similar gym at the hotel where you decide to stay and whether your visit is included in the holiday price.
In terms of free use of sports facilities in hotels, in Bansko most hotels have, besides a gym, a mini-football, volleyball and basketball playgrounds and tennis courts, a lot of indoor and outdoor pools and other sports facilities provided for free use of hotel guests (if included in the reservation price).
If you have forgotten what is included in the holiday price and it turns out that these halls and grounds are not, you can simply pay a minimum fee that will allow you to use the hotel halls, playgrounds and facilities.
And you can see that there are plenty of places in Bansko where you can practice sport completely free of charge and at any time of day.
Whether you like to play alone or in a team, the free playgrounds and facilities in the town are not only enough but also strategically located in the four corners of the town so you can choose the playground that is closest to your hotel.
Mountain hikes
This is one of the most popular sporting activities in Bansko and there is no tourist who has not tried to make any mountain hike alone or in a group. This type of activity is completely free and you can practice it as much as you want.
Where to practice paid sports in Bansko?
If free facilities and playgrounds are not enough, nothing prevents you from joining any of the paid sports activities like:
Horseback riding
If you always wanted to learn to ride, in Bansko you can find the perfect way to do it. Near the town there are plenty of horseback riding bases, where you can learn to ride in a riding-school or take a horse ride tour for a small fee. The experience is truly unique, and the price is very affordable.
ATV race
ATVs are for people who want to feel the thrill of the off-road. If you are one of them, then you can rent an ATV and have fun as much as you like in forests outside Bansko.
It is true that in order to taste the adrenaline that this sport gives you, you will have to pay a certain fee, but the thrill you will feel while driving in the surrounding areas of Bansko is worth every penny.
Rafting
This is another exciting and adrenaline sport that’s worth trying at least once in your life. If you are interested in whether you will like rafting and decide to try, you just have to ask at the hotel you are staying whether they organize such sports events.
Typically, almost all hotels work together with rafting and kayaking clubs that offer a downhill ride across the Struma and Mesta rivers, so it will not be a problem if you decide to test your strengths by trying this new sport.
Paintball
Extremely attractive game suitable for people of all ages. In Bansko you can find plenty of companies that have playgrounds for paintball so if this is the sport you love, you can easily find a suitable playground where you can measure your strength with your friends and have fun in the beautiful scenery of Bansko.
We presented you just some of the sports available in the town, but they are just enough to choose Bansko as a place where you can spend your vacation.
There are plenty of places to play in the town for free and as much as you like. Adding the paid activities and completely free walks and picnics that you can organize yourself, as well as the numerous opportunities for hiking, visits to different natural and historical sights, we can categorically say that no matter if you are looking for a place where you can relax actively or for a place to practice sports actively, Bansko will surely meet all your expectations.