Pamporovo is a ski resort in the southern part of Bulgaria. In recent years, this place has become a good alternative to the popular Bansko: it is less crowded and the slopes are more diverse. We tell you what opportunities the local slopes offer and what else you can do in your free time.
Average rental prices in Pamporovo
Car classes |
Price per day |
Deposit amount |
|---|---|---|
compact cars |
from 6 EUR (12 BGN) |
from 150 euros |
small cars |
from 18 EUR (36 BGN) |
from 150 euros |
standard |
from 20 EUR (40 BGN) |
from 200 euros |
minivan |
from 26 EUR (52 BGN) |
from 300 euros |
SUVs |
from 35 EUR (70 BGN) |
from 800 euros |
luxury |
from 60 EUR (120 BGN) |
from 1500 euros |
*Prices are valid for November 2024. Check the available cars in the city and review the offers from rental offices.
What is needed for renting?
For renting a car in Bulgaria, you will need a regular European driving license (valid and not expired; an international driving permit is not required), a passport, and a Visa/MasterCard bank card for the deposit.
The minimum age is 23 years, with at least 3 years of driving experience. For drivers under 23, there is an additional charge of 6 euros per day and a double deposit.
It’s best to make a reservation at least 7 days before the start of your rental to secure good discounts from the rental company.
How to choose a rental car?
Decide where you will be driving: around Pamporovo, to another city via highways, or through the mountainous terrain, and how many passengers will be in the car.
Travelers |
Car body |
Transmission |
|---|---|---|
Two people |
coupe, compact sedan or hatchback |
Manual |
A loner |
coupe, sedan, hatchback |
Automatic, Manual |
Company of 2-4 people |
full-size sedan, station wagon or hatchback |
Automatic |
Company of 5-7 people |
minivan |
Automatic |
Family 3-4 people |
full-size sedan, station wagon or hatchback |
Manual |
Goals and routes |
Transmission |
Engine capacity |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Short trips around the city |
автомат |
1.1-1.6 liters |
In the city there will be enough coupe, sedan or hatchback with an automatic transmission with a small engine capacity. |
To sights off-road |
automatic, manual |
1.6-2 liters |
To overcome ups and downs, it is preferable to choose a car with high ground clearance and not the smallest engine. |
To other cities along the highway |
machine |
2-3 liters |
To save on gas stations and comfort when overtaking, it is better to take a diesel car with a powerful engine. |
Car rental companies
Top Rent-a-Car – National rental company of Bulgaria. The best prices and new cars with minimal mileage, usually up to 50,000 km. Still remains a leader in quality and comfort of services.
Discover Cars – World Travel Awards winning car rental comparison site. Customers can find, compare and rent a car in Bulgaria. Competitive prices at over 10,000 locations worldwide.
EconomyBookings – International booking service for economical car rental. Large selection of cars, more than 20,000 rental points, 150 countries. 24/7 reservation and support service.
Rentalcars – World leader in online car booking. Rentalcars is part of the American company Priceline, which also includes Booking.com.
Localrent – Car rental broker in local rental companies. Low prices, low deposits: from 0 to 300 euros. Manual confirmation of the selected vehicle option.
BikesBooking – Online booking service for motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and bicycles around the world.
GetrentaCar – Marketplace for renting vehicles from local owners at the best prices. Competitive prices in Bulgaria, best price guarantee, tender system. 24/7 support in 20 languages. Prepayment is only 15%.
Cities near Pamporovo
Tourists arrive at the resort from Sofia or Plovdiv airports. You can reach Pamporovo by bus, but the journey is quite long, so many prefer to rent a car. This service is suitable for those planning to explore the surrounding area of the resort in search of interesting attractions.
Useful Information
Information |
Data |
|---|---|
Population |
about 3000 people for 2019 |
Square |
– |
Nearest airport |
– 95.42 km: Plovdiv Airport (PDV); – 194.06 km: Sofia Airport (SOF). |
Airport information desk |
PDV +359 32 601 127 SOF +359 29 372 211 |
Language |
Bulgarian, English |
Currency |
BGN – lv. (Bulgarian Lev) |
Country code |
+359 |
Police/ambulance phone number |
112 (free) |
Direction of movement |
right-handed |
Speed limit outside the city |
90 km/h (56 mph) |
Speed limit within the city |
50 km/h (31 mph) |
Permissible blood alcohol level |
0.05‰ ppm |
Availability of access to the sea |
No |
Pamporovo offers guests skiing and ice skating, horseback riding, and archery. Food lovers will be delighted by the local cuisine: in the Rhodopes, you can taste meat and vegetable dishes, the most famous of which is lamb roasted over coals (cheverme).
Weather during the year
The ski season in Pamporovo lasts from January to March. Good snow cover can also appear in December, but this is the exception rather than the rule. The winter is sunny and mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below -5 °C.
Average temperature by month:
Jan. |
Feb. |
Mart |
Apr. |
May |
June |
July |
Aug. |
Sep. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
-4 |
-3 |
-1 |
+4 |
+8 |
+12 |
+14 |
+14 |
+11 |
+6 |
+2 |
-2 |
During the whole season, prices for hotels and other services remain at approximately the same level. The exception is the New Year holidays: in the first days of January a trip will cost a little more.
Parking lots in the city
Many hotels in Pamporovo offer free parking for guests. But parking near the elevators costs 1 – 2 leva per hour, so daily trips by car are not cheap. Many tourists prefer to use cabs, although the prices bite: for a couple of kilometers the driver can ask for 5 – 10 euros.
Pamporovo sights
The resort, located in the Rhodope Mountains, is considered one of the warmest in Europe. Despite the mild winter, there are abundant snowfalls here, making the surrounding slopes perfect for skiing and snowboarding.
Ski slope
The resort is distinguished by its diverse slopes, offering descents of all difficulty levels:
- 2 green (for beginners) – 6.3 km;
- 4 blue – 10.5 km;
- 6 red – 9 km;
- 3 black – 4.3 km.
Another highlight of the resort is the fun park for snowboarders, featuring the longest halfpipe in Southeast Europe. There are also specially designed mountain sections for extreme skiing.
Bachkovo Monastery
The only local attraction is the “Snezhanka” TV tower, which offers beautiful views of the mountain peaks. By car, you can reach historical landmarks in the Plovdiv region. The largest of these are the Bachkovo Monastery and the Asenovgrad Fortress, accessible via road No. 86.
Jagodina Cave
If the road to Asenovgrad seems too long, you can visit the caves located near Pamporovo—Yagodina and Devil’s Throat. It’s best to leave early, as tours are conducted until 3:00 PM.
