Few countries in Europe have embraced the growth of digital nomadism quite like Bulgaria. Its status as an affordable nation, outside of the Schengen Area and with both mountainous and coastal regions has made it a hit with nomads and one Bulgarian region has just renamed a street “Nomad Place” in recognition of its longer term visitors.
Nomad Place
The Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria and the municipality of Belitsa has decided to name a street in the resort of Semkovo “Nomad Place”, that’s “Номад плейс” in Bulgarian.
According to a press release, “this initiative, a global first, exemplifies Bulgaria’s commitment to pioneering tourism strategies and embracing the digital nomad trend”.
While this does feel like something of a publicity stunt, with a massive Coliving space situated at Nomad Place 1, the street will be far more than just a nice photo op for visiting nomads.
It also raises the question of whether this might be the start of a longer-term trend where towns and cities around the world designate streets or even small districts to be special “nomad” quarters or hubs with all the facilities that remote working and remote living visitors might need.
Where is Semkovo?
Semkovo is a ski resort located in Bulgaria’s Rila Mountains. Situated at 1750 metres above sea level, Semkovo is a great location for winter sports and summer walks with the area’s outstanding natural beauty the main draw.
It’s only around 35 km by road from the larger resort of Bansko, one of Europe’s most popular digital nomad destinations with those looking to escape the Schengen Area once their 90 day limit nears.
You’ll most likely need to pass through Bansko to reach the Bulgarian capital Sofia which is around three hours away by road while it’s a similar distance to the second city Plovdiv. There is also a train station in the nearby town of Belitsa for those arriving by rail.
It’s a decent base for exploring neighbouring countries too with the Greek and North Macedonian borders both less than 100 km away while Turkey and Serbia are also not too far away.
What is Coliving Semkovo?
The main base for digital nomads in the area is Coliving Semkovo which is now easy to find at Nomad Place 1!
According to its website, Coliving Semkovo is a “224-unit nomad utopia” that “thrives on community, collaboration and cooperation”.
They have essentially turned what was a really large communist-era mountain hotel into a modern co-living and co-working space with all the mod cons you might need to work and do business remotely from Semkovo, whilst enjoying the views which are spectacular.
During free time, residents can enjoy a range of activities, including hiking, biking, yoga, dance classes, winter sports, skateboarding and mini golf. There’s also a library and restaurant on site for all your culinary and literary needs.
Reviews have so far been glowing about the Coliving Semkovo experience. At the time of writing, it boasts a 4.8/5.0 rating on Google with people overwhelmingly positive about the opportunity to be one of the early residents in this exciting project.
Danny Holm
Danny is a digital nomad who has travelled extensively in Europe whilst writing about his adventures and closely monitoring his costs. He's a regular writer for nomadguide.eu and has experience of short stays in many of the best and cheapest places to live in Europe whilst working online.
