Bansko Bulgaria - a guide for digital nomads
Bansko - the best destination for snowboarding digital nomads
Why go to Bansko? Are there good ski resorts in Bulgaria? These are the kind of questions our friends and family would ask us before we actually got to Bulgaria. Interestingly, it seems that to a lot of people that travel to Bulgaria are adventurer seekers discovering off-the beaten-path destinations, or, digital nomads looking for a unique remote work community (or perhaps they need to do a Schengen Visa run).
No matter the reason, most people leave Bulgaria with amazing feedback. To be honest, there is no reason to not love it! It is really cheap place to travel to, people are relatively hospitable and it has a lot of fun activities on offer! In addition, I know plenty of digital nomads who’ve been there, and continue to return every year.
Bankso in Bulgaria still appears to be an undiscovered travel destination for many people and thats why we recommend this as your next all-in-one adventure destination! Especially if you are a digital nomad!
Sofia - Bulgarias capital
First stop in Bulgaria is usually the capital Sofia. Sofia is a great city, hip with plenty of cool places and restaurants to discover. Usually, it is recommended to stay for a few days to discover the city and then make your way up the Pirin mountains to Bansko.
Paragliding from Vitosha - overlooking Sofia in Bulgaria
We made Bansko our home in Bulgaria for roughly 6 weeks during the winter and then returned for more adventures in the summer. Sadly, because of a snowboarding injury, we had to cut our trip short and spend a few more weeks in Sofia. However, we can make some good recommendations for the Sofia below.
Ashurbanial - An excellent middle eastern restaurant with a flare and a buzz!
Raketa Rakia - A retro bar with great food and funny decor
Skaptobara - The most indulgence you can possibly get in a burger
Barista Coffee and More - Great coffee plus big desks to work from (and a printer)
Buffet - Great traditional and modern food with great local atmostphere
The Secret Bar - Well, we can’t share that one, but, if you ask around for the secret bar you just might get the info… No signs, no visible shopfront, just a black door that you need to knock to be let in… No electricity, just drinks by candlelight. Very cool!
The ride to Bansko
We took the public bus from Sofia to Bansko which made us realize how spread out the city actually is. You definitely get a feel for the 1.2 million inhabitants of Sofia by then. The drive took about 2.5 hours through windy roads and snow covered mountains. Dave and I were certainly getting excited at this point! Neither of us had seen snow for at least 5 years. After arriving in Bansko, we couldn't wait to get out of the bus walk through the fresh snow. It was certainly a great feeling to hear the crunch under our feet. Instantly, we had a great feeling about Bansko. The village residents seemed pretty content, and we were glad to live a somewhat rural, community-based life in the Bulgarian countryside. It was nice to see such simplicity—a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of big cities. Yes, remote Bulgaria is a wonderful spot to get away from it all.
An empty road in the Pirin National Park - Bankso
Bulgarian village life - 6 weeks in Bansko
Above all Bansko is a really lovely town. Out the window we could see the sun rising and setting over the mountains, showing it’s most beautiful colors. When we went for a walk, stray dogs followed us in hope to get attention and a little pet. Everything was within walking distance, supermarket, gym, co-working office and most importantly the Gondola. Adventure is one of our main criteria to choose places (check out our 20 adventures for couples) and Bansko did not disappoint us! In other words it was definitely an experience we haven’t had so far, and we were ultimately glad we started our year 2019 there.
Where to eat in Bankso
Damyanitza - A local favourite!
Mehana Bai Kotse - Actually, every traditional restaurant is a Mehana
Bansko Living Expenses
Let’s get to the most important part. For most digital nomads living expenses are of upmost importance and Bankso Bulgaria has you covered! We put together a little list of what our costs come to during our stay. If you’ve experienced any different or have any questions, please feel free to shoot us a message as price inflation probably has occurred since we last visited.
Cost of living:
Rent 200€ / month
Food shop 70€ / week
Gym 17€ / month
Eating out 5€ / meal
Skiing / snowboarding 50€ / day
Alcoholic drinks 1.50-3€ / drink
Utilities (Electricity, Heating) 100€ / month
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TOTAL 1000€ - 1300€ (depending on how often you do activities or go out to party)
In Summary
Even if you aren’t earning a killing just yet, Bansko is a great option for digital nomads that are just starting out. You can easily survive of smaller freelance jobs, or give yourself space to begin start up among other entrepreneurs. Not only this, for a ski resort, your monthly costs are very moderate and your quality of life can be pretty dam good!
