Red Corner: Biking Bulgaria

by Neil Woodburn on

Every city or country has a “can’t miss” attraction that you simply can’t miss. When I was traveling through Bulgaria a few years ago, the can’t miss attraction everyone told me to visit was the Rila Monastery.

While the monastery was indeed truly magnificent, Bulgaria’s Rila Mountains where the monastery is located are equally spectacular.

I unfortunately spent very little time in the mountains, merely driving through on the way to the monastery, but last August Gregory Dicum visited on a mountain biking adventure in which he rode right into the heart of this Balkan range. His Travel & Leisure article paints a very quixotic, old European view of ox carts, farmers, mountain dwellers, Sheep’s-milk yogurt, alpine blueberries, scenic lakes, mountain meadows, and beautiful vistas. It’s another off-the-beaten-path adventure that is flush with the wondrous rewards such journeys always seem to offer.

Red Corner: Bulgarian Beaches

by Neil Woodburn on

Bulgaria is not exactly the first place that comes to mind when planning a summer beach vacation, but its location on the Black Sea offers miles of decent beaches to choose from. During communism Bulgaria was actually the top holiday destination for beach lovers in Eastern Europe. Of course, very few could travel to Spain or Greece at the time, so they really didn’t have much of a choice if they wanted sun and sand. Now that these ‘captive tourists’ have other options, many are still returning to their old Bulgarian seaside haunts and today are increasingly joined by Westerners just now discovering the charm and affordability of Bulgaria.

A recent article in The Times (UK) takes a quick peek at what the Black Sea has to offer for those venturing to Bulgaria for the first time. Recommendations are nicely tailored towards couples, families, culture seekers, spa monkeys, active souls, or partiers. While I have to admit that I was depressed by the soulless Soviet atmosphere I encountered when I visited Bulgaria’s beaches in 1991, The Times article paints an entirely different picture these days. Higher quality resorts have emerged and better restaurants and bars as well. It’s certainly not the coast of Spain, but a summer vacation on the Black Sea will still be rewarding, and far cheaper.

Red Corner: Buying your Vacation Home in Eastern Europe

by Neil Woodburn on

Looking for a cheap vacation home to buy abroad but France and England are a bit out of your price range? Well, look no further than Eastern Europe, deep Eastern Europe. Real estate in Prague and Budapest are already out of many peoples’ price range, but lesser visited towns in Bulgaria and Romania are not. In fact, experts predict that both of these countries are prime real estate investment opportunities. And, if I might add, beautiful countries in which to have a second home.

According to an article in The Observer, Romanian real estate is expected to offer returns of over 400% in the next ten years-due to a combination of current low values and the anticipation of the country entering the European Union in 2007. Although 50 years of communism has left many buildings in sorry shape, there seems to be plenty of quaint ones to choose from on this British-based real estate site. And why Romania you ask? Well, the mountains of Transylvania, for example, are stunning. There is the Black Sea cost (not as stunning), and the capital, Bucharest-known a century ago as the Paris of the East.

Another article, this one in The Christian Science Monitor, discusses the benefits of buying vacation homes in Bulgaria-site of fine ski resorts and warm summers. After the fall of communism, many Bulgarians moved to the cities to look for work, leaving their country homes empty and awaiting foreign buyers. The article chronicles the adventures of a couple in search of a $20,000 vacation home in the countryside. They eventually find one nestled amongst a fairytale “Lord of the Rings” setting. It has mountain views and fruit trees, but no bathroom or plumbing. I’m curious to hear what the $5,000 houses also on the market have to offer.