Pamporovo is the second largest ski resort in Bulgaria following Borovets. Even if Pamporovo lies in the medium-high Rhodopi mountain, it is located some 1650m above sea level in the relatively high western part of the Rhodopi. The closest town is Smolyan (16km), while the distance to Sofia is no less than 240km.
The resort’s name has its roots in the Turkish word of pampor (meaning train), and is said to come from a local trader’s mule caravans, which traveled through the mountain, resembling train wagons. The first tourist hostel here was built in 1933, laying the ground of a future ski centre. The resort is pleasant to visit out of season as well, due to its picturesque surrounding areas and peculiar rock formations such as the famous Orpheus Rocks. Hikes to the Rhodopi’s peaks (Snezhanka – 1925m, Murgavets – 1858m, Orleto, etc) are also quite popular among summer tourists.
Due to the influence of mild Mediterranean weather, Pamporovo’s temperatures show relatively little variance throughout the day. Moreover, the peaks surrounding Pamporovo isolate the resort from strong winds and also prevent the snow cover of its ski runs from being blown away. All these factors, complemented by modern ski facilities, make Pamporovo a friendly and enjoyable winter resort. The area abounds of natural slopes where numerous ski runs of different categories function. The resort offers a total length of 17.5km of alpine ski runs, serviced by 5 chair lifts and 13 tow lifts.
