Why we left Plovdiv for Bansko

We get this question all the time: why Bansko? When we first came to Bulgaria, we didn’t land here by default. We seriously considered (and spent time in) several places—Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, and even the Black Sea coast. In this video, I walk through exactly how we made the decision—and why Bansko ultimately came out on top. Some of it came down to practical things like transportation, weather, and walkability. But a lot of it was less obvious… and only became clear after actually living here. If you’re thinking about moving to Bulgaria—or just trying to figure out where you might fit best—this will give you a realistic look at how different locations compare from a day-to-day living perspective. What we cover: Why we ruled out the Black Sea coast, Veliko Tarnovo, and Sofia What ultimately didn’t work for us in Plovdiv The lifestyle differences that mattered most Why Bansko ended up being the right fit for this stage of our lives This isn’t about which place is “best.” It’s about what actually works once the novelty wears off. Chapters 00:00 - This week's topic 00:50 - Original contenders 01:22 - Sofia 02:14 - Black Sea coast 02:40 - Veliko Tarnovo 03:25 - Plovdiv 03:44 - Why we chose Bansko over Plovdiv 04:02 - 1 No crappy buses 09:59 - 2 Plovdiv heat 11:07 - 3 Accessibility 12:38 - 4 English speakers 14:14 - 5 Hiking 15:29 - 6 Expat community 16:38 - 7 Small town feel 17:48 - 8 Eclectic 18:39 - 9 Bansko is pretty 20:20 - 10 Feeling seen 22:21 - Downsides of Bansko 23:28 - Summary 24:41 - Iris and the kittens update #bansko #banskobulgaria #livinginbulgaria #expatlife #MoveAbroad #bulgarialife