Banderishka Polyana is where Bansko ends and Pirin begins. It sits at about 1,620 m, above the town on the road to the Vihren hut, and it is the top station of the Bansko gondola — which makes it the easiest high point in the mountain to reach. In winter it is the heart of the ski area; in summer it is a meadow with restaurants, activities for children and the start of the paths leading higher. The ride up takes around half an hour and leaves the town far below. The place also appears under its older name, Mecha Polyana.
| Where | Pirin, about 1,620 m above sea level, above Bansko on the road to the Vihren hut; also known as Mecha Polyana |
| Getting there | by gondola from the northern edge of Bansko, roughly 25 – 30 minutes; by car on the Bansko – Vihren hut road |
| Gondola | 08:30 – 17:00. Return ticket: adults €27, students and pensioners under 75 €24, children 7 – 11 €19; one way from €16. Summer season 2026: 27 June – 6 September. Check current details on the resort’s official page. |
| Entry | the meadow itself is free to enter – you only pay for the lift and the activities |
| What is up there | a 400-metre water slide – the longest in Europe, a tubing chute, a climbing tower, mini golf, five-a-side football, bike hire and guided bike tours |
| When to go | December – April for skiing; July and August for the summer activities and for the walk up to the Vihren hut and the lakes |
| Parking | at the lower gondola station in Bansko; roadside space at the top is limited and fills early on busy days |
The top station and the recreation area
The cabin sets you down at the edge of the meadow and everything from there is on foot. The path runs along the recreation area — trodden grass, tables and shelters where people drop their packs before carrying on uphill. The slopes around are wooded lower down and bare towards the top, and in summer the cut lines of the pistes stand out clearly across them. This is the busiest point in the whole area: it gathers both the people who have come up for an hour and those setting off towards the Vihren hut.
Forest, water and the valley below the peaks
Walk a hundred metres away from the installations and the landscape changes. The pine forest comes right down to the edge of the mountain reservoir and, on a still day, turns it into a mirror. Beyond that the Banderitsa valley opens up — the long trough that leads towards Vihren and the lakes, dark wooded slopes on either side and bare rock ribs higher up. Between the trees the line of the piste is visible too: a straight cut through the forest, a ribbon of snow in winter and a green corridor in summer.
When to come up
In winter the meadow is the base of the ski area and fills from the first cabin. In summer it is quieter: cyclists and walkers pass through before noon on their way higher, and by the afternoon it is mostly children around the activity park. The best time to ride up is early morning, when the air is clear and the valley has not yet gone hazy. Further along the same road, by the Banderitsa hut, stands Baykusheva Mura; below lie Bansko and, across the field, the Razlog basin.
Related video: the meadow, the pine forest and the Banderitsa valley are best seen from the air in the episode Bulgaria From Above: Baykusheva Mura and Banderishka Polyana, part of the Bulgaria From Above series.
