Where to Base Yourself in Bulgaria as a Digital Nomad

The capital sits on a high plain below Vitosha mountain, with Orthodox churches, Roman ruins under the streets, a compact centre and wide, leafy boulevards. Most remote workers live in the centre or the neighbourhoods around it, such as Oborishte, Lozenets and the area around Vitosha Boulevard. It has the country’s tech industry, most of its coworking spaces, the best private hospitals and the main international airport, plus skiing and hiking 30 minutes away. Older apartment blocks, cold winters and smog on still winter days are the downsides. See the Sofia digital nomad guide.

Bulgaria’s second city is one of Europe’s oldest, with a Roman theatre still used for concerts, a hilltop old town of painted 19th-century houses and the Kapana quarter of small bars, galleries and cafes. It is cheaper and more relaxed than Sofia, with a small community of remote workers, and it is two hours from Sofia by bus. Summers are hot.

A ski town at the foot of the Pirin mountains and one of the best-known nomad hubs in Europe, with a large, organised community of remote workers, coworking, meetups and a nomad festival. Winter brings skiing on the doorstep and the biggest crowds; summer is quieter, with hiking in Pirin National Park. Rents rise in ski season, and the town is small, so some people find it limited after a few months. Sofia is about three hours away by bus. See the Bansko digital nomad guide.

The largest city on the Black Sea has beaches, a long seaside park, a lively summer and its own airport. Out of season it is a pleasant, ordinary city with good internet and lower rents, but most beach bars and resorts close from October to May and the scene thins out. It suits people who want a coastal summer base with city services.

The medieval capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire is built on hills above a looping river gorge, crowned by the Tsarevets fortress. It is small, scenic and one of the cheapest bases in the country, with a university, a few cafes and a handful of foreign residents. It suits writers and people who want quiet, but healthcare and flights mean trips to Sofia.

The southern coastal city is smaller and calmer than Varna, with a sea garden, lakes full of birdlife and an airport. It is a practical base for the old towns of Sozopol and Nesebar, both crowded in high summer and very quiet in winter.

• Start in Sofia to sort your residence permit, bank account and SIM, then decide.
• Follow the seasons. Bansko is best for skiing in winter; the coast only really works from June to September.
• Book ahead in peak season. Bansko in winter and the coast in July and August fill up and rents rise.
• Check the heating before you rent for winter, especially in older apartment blocks.