Hello everyone!!

Hi Sacha and Paul! We're doing the same thing, but in the north-east near General Toshevo (Dobrich region). The house is basically livable now, but veeeeery basic! It needs a lot or repairs and renovation work before I reach retirement age in four years!

I bought insurance through the agent I'm buying the property from, and my lovely and very helpful Bulgarian neighbour is helping me find local tradespeople for the house who have done work for other locals in the village. Google Translate on our phones helps a lot!

@saschahilary1207

Welcome to the expat.com forum and good luck with the renovation!

If you have particular issues you want help with (e.g. house insurance), you might find that you get better response if you create a new topic/thread.

I'm a BIG fan of the Stara Zagora area, especially the Balkan Mountains, so well done on your choice. Your region is known as both "the Valley of the Roses" and "the Valley of the Thracian Kings". And you're next door to the spectacular Central Balkan National Park, so if you like the outdoors life it's hard to beat. I think you'll find there are hiking/biking trails nearby that will get you up over 2,000 meters (higher than anything in UK).

It's a region that's full of history: the ancient Thracians had their capital nearby (at bottom of Koprinka Lake now); Shipka is the scene of a key battle; famous Bulgarian revolutionaries Vasil Levski and Hristo Botev are locals (Karlovo and Kalofer, respectively).

Karlovo and Kazanlak are the nearest towns/small cities, where you can do your grocery shopping at Kaufland/Lidl/Billa. Nearby attractions include Damascena (rose museum/factory), Pavel Banya (mineral water/Spa), Lake Koprinka, Shipka (with Shipka Pass, Shipka Church, Shipka Memorial, and Buzludzha Monument). Lots of very decent restaurants in the area. Kazanlak has a UNESCO-listed Thracian Tomb, a hill-top Megalith, and their annual Rose Festival. Karlovo is very nice too, right next to the high mountains, and there's a gondola on the outskirts (Sopot) when you're feeling lazy. :-) Kalofer is pretty much next door to you, it has a famous monument, a monastery, a lovely eco-trail (White River), and several popular restaurants (White RIver Cafe/Restaurant is very nicely renovated and usually packed at weekends). Stara Zagora and Plovdiv are lovely cities, and both quite accessible from your house.

I'm just up the road near Enina and Shipka. My local hill is lower (only 1,500m), but I prefer being closer to the trails... and Lidl. :-) I often motorcycle past your new gaff, so maybe one day we'll have a coffee at the White River Cafe. Cheers!