Location
Pamporovo is the sunniest and most popular Bulgarian ski resort. It is a modern ski resort in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains, the home of the mythical singer Orpheus.
The PAMPOROVO ski resort is situated 1650m above sea level, at the foot of peak Snejanka (1926m), in the Rhodopa Mountain. It is located in a region famous for its unique folklore traditions within 260km of Sofia and 85km of Bulgaria's second-largest city, Plovdiv and only 11 km northern from the mighty town of Smolian.
Pamporovo is the starting point for many marked tourist tracks to:
• Smolyanski Ezera Chalet -2.15 hours or 0.40 hours with the two lifts,
• Izgrev Chalet -in Chernatitsa - 6 hours,
• Momchil Yunak Chalet -in Prespa – 4.30 hours,
• Perelik Chalet -under the mountain leader Mt. Golyam Perelik – 4.30 hours,
• the village of Progled -1.30 hours,
• the town of Smolyan -3 hours,
• the Orpheus Rock -20 min from Mt. Snezhanka,
• Mt. Murgavets -1 hour.
History
The resort received its name from the convoys of mules of the Raicho Belev, a man from the town of Smolyan, which followed one another as the wagons of a train (from the Turkish word for “train” - pampor) carrying goods. A man from Chepelare - Chichovski - built the first tourist hostel here in 1933 thus establishing the present resort. Pamporovo (sometimes known as Pamps to its friends) is a modern resort built within spectacular pine forests within the historic Rhodope Mountains area. The earliest resort development dates to the 1960s, but was completed with more style than most ski centres created around the world in that decade. 
The resort was partially privatised soon after the end of the Communist era in Bulgaria in the 1990s and a majority share holding in the profitable resort was sold by the government in 2000. The result today are refurbished hotels with a great range of facilities in each.
The beautiful Rhodolpe mountain area has many claims to fame in history and possibly the future. The mythical singer Orpheus is believed to have lived here, one of his songs is currently flying out beyond the solar system on the Voyager space craft seeking out new life and new civilisations. 
There may be something in the air here as many of the locals live to be 100+ (they manage to maintain a reputation for friendliness, cooking and singing for all that time too), or it may be just because this claims to be Europe's sunniest ski resort, averaging 270 sunshine days annually.
“The Perl” of the Bulgarian mountain resorts - Pamporovo. It was not by a mere accident that the resort deserved this nickname – this is the place where the cold northern winds meet the warm damp whiffs from the Aegean Sea. The resort welcomes you with excellent ski runs, multiple sunny days and smiling people. It sends you back home with unforgettable memories and irresistable yearning to come back again.
Climate
Pamporovo is the sunniest high mountain resort in Bulgaria. It enjoys more than 240 sunny days a year and in winter the snow layer is around 5 feet. The climate has Mediterranean influence which ensures low variations in daily temperatures. The surrounding high peaks keep it from the winds and in winter preserve the snow cover on the northern slopes of the Snejanka and Murgavetz peaks. The region has negative air ionization which is very beneficial to the health. 
The unique Mediterranean climate is extremely healthy and provides excellent conditions for climatic therapy and health tourism all year round. A Balneological Centre operates from within the resort.
Due to the influence of the Mediterranean climate the temperatures in the resort have small daily variations. The surrounding high peaks keep it from the winds and in the winter preserve the snow cover on the northern slopes of the Snezhanka and Murgavets peaks.
The average annual temperature here is 8,5°С and its blanket of snow in winter is between 140 and 150 cm. The mild weather and excellent snow-cover make skiing conditions perfect from mid-December to mid-April.
Accommodation
Pamporovo offers many accomodation opportunities for tourists.You can spend your winter holiday in different class hotels as:
• Hotel “Markoni”- "Markoni", which is situated only 200 meters from "Ardasha" chair lift, is a family hotel in which you will find a perfect combination of comfort and luxury with excellent Bulgarian-style services. The hotel has 8 two-bed room apartments. Guest have at their disposal a sauna, jacuzzi and a parking lot.
• Grand Hotel “Murgavec”- Located in the centre of Pamporovo, this fine hotel was entirely renovated in 2001. It offers a good choice of different apartments and rooms on very reasonable price!
• The "Malina" villa area, situated close to the ski runs, looks like a place in the fairy tales. This hospitable resort offering 120 beds all the year round. is ideal both for summer and winter holidays. The villa complex has a ski school, ski suits and equipment for hire and a big parking lot. Each villa has a TV set hooked onto a satellite system, telephone, mini-bar, fire alarm and discrete burglars' alarms. If you feel restless and if you wish your dreams to come true and establish contact.
• Hotel "BOR" is in the Pamporovo Resort. It has: three parking lots, a playground for children, a lobby bar, a restaurant for 80 people, 9 renovated two-bed rooms on each of the 3 floors of the building, an apartment, a family room, each room has a TV set, a telephone and a terrace. In addition the hotel offers: fitness centre, sauna, a massage parlour and a beauty salon, transportation to the ski runs, skiing equipment for hire, ski school and services, a hall with a tennis table and billiards.
• Hotel “Finlandiq”- Hotel "Finlandia" is the newest one in the Resort. It opened its doors for visitors for the first time in December, 2000. This four-star hotel offers its quests a modern and comfortable hotel, a great many first class services and a pleasant holiday.
• Hotel “Orfei”- This is a quiet, peaceful place, ideal for a holiday. It is situated 300 meters from the first ski lift and the Bus Station, 700 meters from the centre of Pamporovo. It has 202 beds - 94 rooms, out of them 4 single (2 with and 2 without a balcony), 73 double-bed rooms (51 with and 22 without a balcony). 12 three-bed rooms (2 with and 10 without a balcony), 3 four-bed rooms (2 with and 1 without a balcony).
• Hotel “Pamporovo”-This is the only five-star hotel in the most beautiful winter resort in the Rhodope Mountains. Hotel "Pamporovo" has 145 double-bed rooms, 17 luxury apartments and a Presidential apartment on two floors, with a sauna and a jacuzzi. The hotel is elegant and functional. Each room has a mini-bar, telephone and satellite TV. The quests have at their disposal a sports hall, an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, solarium, massage and fitness centres, three bowling alleys.
• Hotel “Prespa”- The hotel is 85 kilometres away from the Plovdiv Air Port, in the centre of the Pamporovo resort and the distance between it and the chair lift is only 400 meters. It has 160 beds - 72 double-bed rooms and 4 single rooms, 1 big and 5 smaller apartments. The rooms have cable lines TV, telephones and 53 of them have balconies. A restaurant seating 160 people. Lobby bar. Shopping area, a conference hall for 50 people, internet centre, parking, transportation to the ski runs, fitness, sauna and solarium.
• The "Snezhanka" hotel is popular in both winter and summer. Offers high standard of accommodation a fine range of facilities: restaurant, day bar, tavern, night bar/disco, modern fitness center, indoor swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, massage, souvenir shop, safety deposit boxes at reception.
• “Otchko-Holidays" is in the Pamporovo resort, close to the Snezhanka Peak, 1926 meters above sea level. It is right next to the ski run which is used for the European Alpine skiing Cup Tours. Next to "Otchko -Holidays" is also the ski drag used to train beginner skiers. The restaurant has a capacity of 50 places. Traditional Bulgarian dishes and specialties form the Rhodope Mountains are served in it. It also has five two-bed rooms. This is a good place for a holiday in the high mountains.
• The "Rayski Livadi" Villa offers everything you need for winter and summer tourism. It is situated in the picturesque "Raykovski Livady" part of the mountain, 2 kilometres away from the popular Pamporovo Resort, and 19 kilometres from the town of Smolyan. It offers to you luxury duplex apartments, three-bed room apartments and the usual two-bed rooms, a restaurant in which dishes of the Bulgarian cuisine are served, barbecue and a ski drag. It provides all conditions for a quiet holiday in summer.
Catering
Having visited the Rhodope Mountains you will never forget the local population, their hospitality and lovely dishes, which they are ready to prepare especially for you.
Preparing some of them is a real ritual, which you may join if you wish. The "cheverme", for example, is a show that should not be missed.
The Rhodopes are the Mecca of potatoes and you can find them prepared in various ways here. The "klynn" Rhodope pie is unusual because of its ingredients used by the Rhodope women. Have you ever tasted "banitza" prepared from rice, milk, butter or leaves of spinach or dock in spring time? If the answer is no, then here you can try it here!
Pamporovo is well supplied with restaurants serving a wide variety of cuisine, but most visitors favour the local folk taverns like the Chevermeto, where whole sheep are roasted over open fires and dancers in traditional costume provide colourful entertainment. For an eclectic, filling selection the favourite eatery is The White Hart, which offers home-made pub grub, mouth-watering steaks, a selection of pizza and pasta and even caters well for vegetarians. More upmarket dining, along with Bulgarian wines, is offered in style at The White House.
The restaurants are furnished in old Rhodope style and offer the traditional Rhodope meals and drinks, as well as the famous “Rhodope Cheverme”. In addition to the good atmosphere, an entertaining Rhodope folklore program is offered.
Traditional Bulgarian dishes such as spit roast lamb are served at the Chervemeto. Another highly recommended place to eat authentic Bulgarian cuisine is Chavone on the outskirts of town.
The Bulgarian Barbecue and Grill attached to the Murgavets hotel is very good as is the Red Sun Chinese. There's a good Italian eatery in the Perelik.
Brother's cafe is famed for its hot chocolate (with or without brandy) and its possible to go up the TV tower on top of the mountain and eat there with spectacular views, as far as Greece on a good day.
Give yourself up to the Rhodope cuisine!
Surrounding areas
Smolyan, Chepelare, Shiroka Luka
Smolyan - After the long and winding road from Plovdiv full of curves, there it is, a charming city waiting for you, ready to make you quickly forget the exhaustion.
That cheerful town will enchant you with its unique combination of old and modern architecture, with the balmy air of blooming lime-trees at the start of summer, with the magic of colours in autumn and the white silence of the winter.
The Ezerovo suburb on the other hand, offers the cosy home atmosphere of rustic life without taking you too far from the city centre of Smolyan, which is only 5 km away. The comfortable family hotels are surrounded by the lovely scenery of the Smolyan Lakes and are just 2-3 km from the lift leading to Snezhanka.
Chepelare - Surrounded by greenery and flowers the highland town of Chepelare is situated in a picturesque way on the two banks of the Chaya River.
Just 2 km away from the town there are two Alpine ski tracks, "Mechi Chal 1"(3 200 m long ) and "Mechi Chal 2"( 5 200 m), which are among the best ones in Europe.
The 22 family hotels in Chepelare offer you accomodation at any time of the year. Their total capacity is around 250 beds. Perhaps you will make up your mind to stay here ? To try a bit of skiing or to climb up the steep mountain paths leading to some of the peaks. You won’t regret it! The natives will welcome you cordially and accommodate you in a lovely village house, which combines Rhodope atmosphere with modern comfort; they will let you to taste local dishes, they will sing and dance for you and even teach you how to play their bagpipe and dance their "horo"-dances.
Some interesting surprises will be waiting for you in Shiroka Luka. Suddenly you will find yourself back into the 18-19-th centuries.
Can you imagine that the church in the village was built within 38 days only in 1834, and the three bridges over the river have been preserved since Roman times!
If you go to Shiroka Luka at the beginning of March you will witness an unusual folk carnival, the "Kuker" festivity called "Shirokolushki Pessyatzi" (The dog-breeders of Shiroka Luka).
If you are willing to combine the pleasure of skiing with the cosiness of a village house you should go to Stoykite. The village is only 5 km from Pamporovo. You will be able to rest here after skiing down the tracks and will be given care and attention by your hosts, warmed by the fire at the fire-place and the fine Bulgarian wine.
Transport
How to get to Bulgaria and to the region.
You can fly to Sofia airport using international airlines, or taking a Charter flight to Varna or Bourgas (Black Sea). You can come by train as well - Bulgaria is one of the routes used by the main international trains and there are train services from most European cities.
You may reach the region by car or by bus. Travel by train is possible until Plovdiv. You can travel by bus to Chepelare, Pamporovo or Smolyan from Sofia (6 times per day from bus station close to main train station), or from Plovdiv (bus station "Rhodopes"). To reach villages in the region take a bus from the bus station in Smolyan.
