Ski resorts now understand that not everyone wants to thrash up and down the slopes all day. Some mountain lovers can’t do it anymore and some heretics never wanted to. So it is time to look after them.

Ski area: Bansko is a first-class ski area that has grown up above a traditional Bulgarian town. It has 65km of ski runs best suited to beginners and intermediates. Real skiers can take heart from the recent visit of the World Cup Alpine ski races.

Non-skiers: There are two great day trips for non-skiers: to the stunning UNESCO listed 11th-century monastery of Rila and to the wild mountain village of Kovachevitsa with the nearby hot springs. If you don’t want to go too far, the market in Bansko is fun. The resort also has all the usual alternatives to downhill skiing: ice skating, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, spa, saunas and the obligatory Irish pub.