Consider Buying a 2nd House in Bulgaria

If you're like most people, you may think of Bulgaria as a quaint but faraway land, home to beautiful landscapes and delicious food. But if you're thinking about purchasing a second house somewhere, Bulgaria might be the place for you!

Not only is the country home to some of Europe's cheapest real estate, but it also has all the benefits of a Western European country: open borders with most other European countries, hospitable locals who speak English and have an affinity for Americans and other English-speakers; easy visas for both visits and longer stays; gorgeous views; amazing food (and wine); ...and so much more.

This blog post was entitled "The Trouble with Plastic" by author Annie Leonard. It describes the adverse effects of plastic waste and over consumption in 2015. I found it from a link on Reddit.com's "teens" sub group.

Among the many things this blog post says is that: "The average American throws away 185 pounds of plastic every year – the weight of an adult male lion."

That's just one statistic in a very long list starting with "The world produces 300 million tons of plastic each year" and ending with "Plastic is killing our planet". The 15 minute video that goes along with the article has a lot more information, but I think you'll get my point by reading just those few sentences.

So, if you're interested in living somewhere that's not as easy on your planet as it should be, keep reading.

Traveling to Bulgaria for the first time is like traveling to an uncharted island with a very friendly native population. It has a lot of the same conveniences – and the same costs – that a place in Western Europe would, but it feels like going back in time by several decades.

Bulgaria is located on the Black Sea coast at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. Its neighbors are Greece to the south, Turkey to the east and Macedonia & Serbia to the North.

It is the European country closest to the Middle East. First inhabited by the Thracian, Dacian and Illyrian tribes, it became part of the Roman Empire in 43 BC. It was conquered by the Ottoman Empire for nearly 500 years before it came under control of Serbia at the end of WW1 and Bulgaria in 1920.

Bulgaria has a rich and fascinating history dating back thousands of years. If you're interested in learning about the culture and history of Bulgaria, I highly recommend visiting a museum in Sofia (which is the capital city) or another larger city. There are many amazing museums worth visiting.

The Tsarevets and the Trapesitsa Hill Fortress & Museum was founded in 1882 to preserve artifacts from the National Revival Period of Bulgarian History, which was a very important part of Bulgarian history. This fortress once held up to 20,000 people and survived a siege lasting several months.

Another interesting place to visit is the Former Communist Party Headquarters building that has recently been converted into a museum dedicated to communism in Bulgaria.

The museum's exhibits cover the period of communist rule in Bulgaria from 1945 to 1989. It was the last standing structure from the old communist party headquarters that were demolished after the fall of communism in 1990. Visit this museum to gain a better understanding of Bulgarian culture and history.

You can learn a lot about a country's culture by understanding their typical food, which is one of my favorite things about traveling. In Bulgaria, you can expect to find many delicious foods grown locally. Bulgarians eat lots of salads, especially tomatoes and cucumbers as well as fresh fruit such as watermelon and grapes grown around Lake Boulbov (which is located in western Bulgaria).

Seafood is also a common food. The most famous Bulgarian dish is Shopska Salad, which is made of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and peppers. Many people add fresh herbs like parsley and dill for extra flavor. This salad is usually served with fried potatoes or eggs as well as a yogurt dressing on the side (the dressing is delicious!)

You can expect to find many different variants of cheeses in Bulgaria. The most popular type of cheese comes from the Karadjov cheese factory in Haskovo (home of another important Bulgarian industry - tobacco.)

Bulgaria produces excellent wine that's grown near Plovdiv. Try both the red and white wines there. If you try some, you'll love the smooth taste.

Other common foods include yogurt (which is delicious!), meatballs made of beef that are served with potatoes, wine and bread as well as pastries and desserts such as baklava.

Bulgaria has over 50 year-round ski resorts. If skiing's your thing, then you've hit the jackpot! Skiing in Bulgaria is much less crowded (if any) than in other popular European ski resorts like France, Italy or Austria.

Many of the ski resorts are located in the eastern part of Bulgaria near the border with Macedonia and Serbia while others are nearer to cities like Sofia and Plovdiv.

Bulgaria has an amazing network of 50,000 km of hiking trails. You can hike in most areas year-round although spring hiking tends to be the easiest time to travel since it's not yet too hot or too cold. Hiking is a major tourist attraction in Bulgaria and the country is popular for its "off-the-beaten path" scenery and beautiful scenery throughout all regions.

In the winter, you can expect to find both alpine and alpine ski resorts. It's among the top 10 highest-altitude destinations in Europe. You can also expect lots of activities that involve hiking and skiing such as guided tours of a home converted into a small ski lodge or cross country skiing.

In addition to hiking and skiing, you can also enjoy a number of other outdoor activities like diving in Bulgarian Diving Center's caves in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Boulbov (a huge lake at high altitude in the Rhodopes Mountains), rafting down its fast-flowing rivers, fishing, water sports on bright sunny days or simply walking around and admiring Bulgaria's beauty away from traffic noise.

Conclusion

If you're interested in living somewhere that's not as easy on the planet as it should be, then you'll find Bulgaria to be a very good option. It's got many of the advantages of other European countries without some of their downsides. It's a place to live that comes with a lot of benefits for people who love traveling and exploring new places. If you'd like to learn more about living in Bulgaria, check out this article here.

Bulgaria has a lot to offer travelers and expats from around the world looking for a home in Europe, Asia or Africa that is different than all the other places they've been or lived – but still quite easy to live compared to most third-world countries.