About Gela Heights.
Welcome to the beautiful unspoilt village of Gela which nestles beneath the towering peak of Mt. Golyam Snezhnik, one of the prettiest mountains of the region. We were so privileged to obtain permission to build our exceptional Mountain Homes here, as the local authorities made it clear they did not wish to spoil the outstanding natural environment, imposing strict building regulations and design preferences.
After much consultation it was agreed we could build 10 ONLY, on that basis the proposal for Gela Heights was submitted, and accepted, promising a unique structure with a blend of local influence and modern facilities, it is rare these days to find such a combination providing a massive 180 sq.m of accommodation, with 3 bedrooms, two fitted bathrooms, fitted kitchen, your own garden area with terrace and balconies on two floors overlooking the breathtaking Rhodope Mountains.
Our Mountain Homes are located to respect your privacy, and are only a few minutes drive from the charming villages of Shiroka Laka, and Stoikite, with the bustling Ski resort of Pamporovo, the Regional centre of Smolyan, and the famous Spa town of Devin all just 20 minutes away.
In the Summer you can take walk down to the Gela Spa Hotel for large helpings of rest and relaxation, or, go mountaineering, walking, trekking, mountain biking, caving, fishing, or even visit the nearby ancient Monasteries.
In the Winter at Pamporovo you can Slalom, Cross Country Ski, or Snowboard, there really is a huge variety of activities to try, and all levels are catered for, it is well known for its excellent instruction, and some kinder slopes for beginners, making the investment a real family affair, but don’t take our word for it here are some independent comments about Pamporovo.
Location
The Rodopi are the most extensive mountain range in Bulgaria. A hauntingly beautiful and mysterious region, according to legend this was the home of Orpheus. The way of life seems to have changed little over the last few hundred years. Local people maintain a traditional rural existence, working the fields by hand and tending their livestock on the surrounding meadows and pastures. The Rodopi are a refuge for many exceptionally rare plants and animals, with some plants growing nowhere else in the world. Brown bears, wolves, wild cats and prolific bird life, including an extensive population of birds of prey, still find a safe haven amongst the ancient coniferous forests.
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 winter preserve the snow cover on the northern slopes of the Snezhanka and Murgavets peaks. The area is abundant in natural slopes where many ski-slopes have been built with different category of difficulty, served by sophisticated technical equipment. The resort offers 5 chair lifts, 13 tow-lifts and 17 500 metres of alpine ski-tracks. With an improved infrastructure which is developing by the minute.
The location of GELA HEIGHTS has been chosen due to the huge potential expansion of the skiing infrastructure in the locality, it is estimated that 300 million euros will be invested in the region, which can only enhance the value of property in this vicinity; there are new ski lifts and associated facilities proposed very close to our location, making this a prime investment opportunity, without the risk of over development. After reading the independent Opinion below, just take a look at our facilities.
Independent Opinion
Pamporovo is without doubt, the most 'upmarket' ski resort in Bulgaria. Boasting 27 ski runs and a resort built on the slopes (Bansko is 12km away from the nearest ski lift. If the gondola dosen't work, you have to get a taxi!) Pamporovo offers a wonderful opportunity to ski and enjoy the stunning Bulgarian scenery.
Pamporovo is undergoing an exciting period of growth with five new ski pistes for this season alone! Five new snow cannons and 28 hydrants have also been added to ensure maximum skiing enjoyment.
The total length of the ski pistes in the resort now reaches over 31km and official estimations project a 40% increase on tourist numbers or the coming season.
Pamporovo's second five star hotel has also been completed for this season, the Hotel 'Orlovets'.
The recently announced 'Grand Pamporovo' resort will add a world class health spa and a multitude of facilities only 50m away from one of the main ski lifts. Ensuring Pamporovo's place in the pantheon of Europe's desirable ski resorts.
Pamporovo is a modern ski resort in the heart of the Rhodopi mountain, the mountain of the mythical singer Orpheus. It is the most southern skiing resort in Europe and is also the sunniest Bulgarian mountain resort with a quoted 277 sunny days per year, with wonderful snow throughout the whole season. Of the four ski resorts within Bulgaria, Pamporovo is undoubtedly the most 'up market' and the resort is situated right on the slopes and so escapes suffering the problems of resorts such as Bansko.
The resort is situated 240 km from Sofia (2hrs)and 85 km from Plovdiv (1hr), both of which have international airports..JPG)
Pamporovo has an exclusive climate, featuring a mild winter with about 120 sunny days during the skiing period. The skiing season starts from mid December and lasts until mid April.
The gentle profile of the mountain with its rounded slopes and summits makes Pamporovo particularly suitable for beginners. But there are also difficult ski runs like the Giant Slalom run which offers a challenge even for the expert skier.
The ski runs are maintained to a high standard and there are more than 100 highly qualified ski instructors, fluent in different languages to teach both beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders alike.
The resort has a variety of shops, bars, restaurants and 'apres ski' opportunities.
The charming traditional village of Gela is just 20 mins drive from Pamporovo with Chepelare being even closer. This season, two brand new ski pistes have opened with a total length of 5, 2 km. Thus the total length of the pistes and ski roads reaches 28 km. One of the pistes in the resort is 5, 2 km long and is the longest ski piste on the Balkan Peninsula. A brand new tourism information centre will open this winter. The centre is equipped with a special weather monitor that will be connected to the hotels and every tourist will be able to see the conditions of the pistes, the depth of the snow, the temperature and the atmosphere pressure. The resort will also offer a 30km cross country track, a 20 km long trace for motor sleighs,10 km for dog sleighs, and a 5 km biathlon track.
Please find below some straight-forward facts about Pamporovo
- Height of resort: 1620 m
- Highest skiing area: 1,937 m
- Total length of ski runs: 31 km
- Longest run: 3,8 km
There are ski runs of all degrees of difficulty in Pamporovo. Most of the tracks start from the very peak. Also, there are three cross-country runs in the resort, with total length of around 40 km, this will be greatly enhanced by new projects.
Beginners: Can start with the ski school of Pamporovo, which is famous due to the quality of the tuition. Starting on the nursery slopes, after few days they will be able to ski on the higher ski runs. There is a nursery slop with fifty feet of our resort.
Intermediate skiers: Pamporovo is really aimed at beginners and intermediates (perfect for rentals) and the total length of ski runs which are suitable for Intermediates is approx. 20 km. These skiers can jump on the triple chairlift from the Malina station going to the top of Snejanka peak. Or, a single chair lift goes to the middle station, where the new four persons lift runs up to the peak.
Advanced skiers: Can jump on the drag lift from the middle station which runs up the side of “The Wall”, which is the most difficult ski run in the resort and has been used for International Grand Slalom races.. The other difficult pistes start from the TV tower, after the last station of the triple chair, go right, the pistes are called Snejanka. The mountain rescue service works 24 hours a day, taking care of the security of the skiers. The ski-kindergarten is open from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm. Pamporovo is at an altitude of 1650m.
FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ON BULGARIA CLICK HERE
Maps and local information
Here are a few links to Maps and local town statistics, this link www.bulgaria.domino.bg/maps/eng/maps.htm gives much information about the municipalities, and the towns’ infrastructure, a good resource.
This map gives you a good overview of the country, listing major towns and many smaller villages, If you zoom in and find SMOLYAN, just to the left is Gela.
(click map above for large version)
This maps shows you the general areas and regions.
Shops such as Ottakars and Waterstones also have a good selection of Bulgarian Maps available. Let’s not forget www.multimap.com