Here is Nora's TH-cam channel: th-cam.com/users/NoraDunn And the article I wrote for her website: www.theprofessionalhobo.com/financial-case-study-gabriel-traveler-youtube-vlogger/
Thank you for sharing with we more arm-chair travelers all that you do. Wow, that was so damn NEAT that you saw Nora Dunn just by sheer happenstance! Isn't our world SMALL after all, Gabriel? Isn't that SO damn cool as well?
Hey Gabriel, we really enjoy your videos! As a Bulgarian (living for the past 20 years in Vancouver), I have a few recommendations if you are wondering where to go next. Your previous visit to Bulgaria left us a little bit disappointed since you've missed the most interesting places. Also, Bulgaria is quite different in the summer than in the winter. So, here we go: Near Bansko, there is the town of Dobrinishte. Dobrinishte is the end (or the beginning) of the narrow-gauge train. This is the last narrow-gauge train in Bulgaria and one of the few remaining in Europe. You can buy tickets for that train at any train station, unfortunately, they are not available online (as I recollect). The route is very scenic, and the ride is super cool. Just google it (there are lots of youtube videos, as well). The other end is the town of Septemvri. The entire trip takes about 5 hours. From the town of Septemvri, you can take the normal train, or a bus to the second-largest city in Bulgaria: Plovdiv. The old town in Plovdiv is awesome, featuring houses from the 19th century and earlier, with many Roman ruins. There is that area (neighborhood) called Kapana, an artsy district with lots of young people, narrow streets with funky cafes and restaurants, the best time to visit Kapana is on a summer evening (after dusk). You can spend a couple of days in Plovdiv. After that, I strongly recommend the ancient architectural complex Perperikon. Perperikon is a 7,000-year-old Thracian city (you can google it). You may need to rent a car from Plovdiv, it will be like a 2-hour drive. It is an active archeological site and it is quite impressive. Every year they dig and discover more and more. From there you can go to the Black Sea coast. If you go South of Burgas, towards the Turkish border, there are a few still undeveloped beaches, similar to what you were seeing on the Greek islands (these are closer to the Turkish border). If you go in the opposite direction, north of Burgas towards the Romanian border there are a few (over) developed, in my opinion, sea resorts like Golden Sands and Sunny Beach. Sunny Beach (near the ancient town of Nessebar) is a crazy place in the summer, with lots of hotels, bars, and crazy crowds. Also, there are lots of wineries in Bulgaria, that offer awesome wine and food for pairing and they are all quite affordable. Just google them and see if you have some along your planned route. Other places of interest, depending on your selected route: Northern Bulgaria: Etar (near Veliko Tarnovo). Etar is an open-air Ethnographic museum, featuring old houses and 19th-century craft shops; Bozhentsi: Bozhentsi village is an architectural reserve, near the city of Gabrovo. In South-Western Bulgaria (From Sofia going down towards the Greek border): Rila Monastery, founded in the 10th century. It is quite an impressive sight, surrounded by picturesque mountain tops. There is a museum in the monastery complex, which costs 6 leva, or 3 euros. In the museum, there is a super cool cross carved out of wood, from the 18th or 19th century (can't remember). It took the monck 12 years to carve it and in the end, he lost his eyesight because of it. Further down towards the Greek border, there is the town of Melnik (it is the smallest town in Bulgaria), founded over 1,000 years ago. The main attractions are the old houses and the winemaking. They've been producing wine for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. There are some really cool wineries, using caves for barrel storage and tasting rooms. Needless to say, all prices of all these places, I've mentioned above (except the crazy sea resorts of Sunny Beach and Golden Sands) are very affordable and the quality of the wine and the food is excellent. Unfortunately, still, the service in Bulgaria is not at the North American level, but it really depends on the place and most of the attractions are still worth visiting despite that small inconvenience. Hope this helps, let me know if you need more info. Also, if you need a free translation, from and to Bulgarian, don't hesitate to contact me. I'd love to help, just remember there is a 10-hour difference between the West Coast and BG. Cheers and safe travels!
@@GabrielTravelerVideos He needs to visit Nessebar as well...still he knows nothing about the sacred land of Bulgaria. There is so much to see, to visit, to learn thousands and thousand of years of history since "'The Great flood" 10 000 years ago. I feel helpless not being there at the moment and to help him and to show him around. Not to mention the Rose Valley where the famous rose oil is produced..Problem is you can spend moths there and still not see all that matters. Keep up the good work Gabriel. I watch your videos of Bulgaria several times...
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Forgot to mention, if you are back in Sofia there are free walking tours, led by volunteers. The tours are offered in different languages, including English. There used to be a food tour, showing the restaurants, in the center of the city, offering Bulgarian cuisine. As you've pointed out correctly, non of the Vitosha Boulevard cafes and restaurants are offering authentic Bulgarian food. However, if you move a block away from Vitosha Boulevard, you will find local restaurants with excellent food and much better prices. Unfortunately, I don't think they currently offer the food tour, because of the covid. But the free walking tours are awesome, they provide a lot of information in a very concise manner. This is the link, in case you want to check them out: freesofiatour.com/ . Cheers.
Big clue at 2:23 when you walked passed the tourist shop that said Bansko on the sign :) Super excited to see some of Bulgaria in your upcoming videos.
Yes, in Bulgaria and other southeast european countries you still get something for your money. And the ppl are nice and many do speak english and the food is great too! Can only recommend to visit. Don't be scared to visit!
It's definitely not for everyone, but I save a hell of a lot of money by wild camping. Not every night, but for some it's good. And with good planning, you can wake up to a better view than any 5-star hotel can provide
wow just done a search and there was a decent single room for £15 per night and if the hiking trails are good then its an absolute steal compared to places elsewhere in europe. literally cheaper than staying in hostels.
i wish people wouldn't support the hostel pay to stay in a dormitory- with several strangers of undetermined background and hygiene-scam. It has now spread to Thailand where cheap hotels were plentiful- what idiot would stay in a dorm???? People, please stop doing this and cheaper hotels will become available.
Gabe, the vertical drop there at Bansko is greater than anywhere in the US, almost a vertical mile. Also, there is an old narrow gauge train that goes from Bansko to Septemvri, towards Plovdiv, that goes (slowly) through some very scenic areas.
So the best tip to save money while traveling is to shop explore and stay around local areas. Don't dive head first into tourism traps. enjoy the quiet and the quaint and the nuanced of the true local culture.
When I was in Slovenia in 2019, I took a private day tour (sounds expensive but it was not) with a wonderful guide who had twenty-something children. She said they always vacationed in Bulgaria.......both summer and winter because it was so affordable. Looking forward to this series, Gabe.
That sauce looks like lutenitsa, which is a roasted red pepper condiment. You will find many varieties in Bulgaria and other eastern European countries. It is fantastic.
I love these " Guess Where I Am " segments. I try to figure out where you are before you reveal the location. In this case, at (5:05 ), Bower Properties was the key I used to find you.
I know where you're at. Bansko, Bulgaria. It's the most popular ski resort in the country. Also popular with digital nomads as the rent is dirt cheap from $200/month for a studio apt, $300 for 1 bdrm. I'm kinda sad that you had to reveal this place to everyone. My favorite gem.
I just stayed in Bansko at a 5* hotel, 60 euros per night. We always stay in Bansko when we return from the greek islands. I recommend you to go to Vihren hut up in the mountain, check it out, there are several very easy trails
I would also suggest Rila Monastery and Plovdiv. I heard they are allowing hikes up to the cave where the monk who I think founded the monastery lived for several years. Plovdiv has some nice ruins but also has an area of street art.
I've stayed in a couple of hostels recently (as an older fella). They are a nice option to save money with the added bonus of having other people there to meet and hang out with.
What a co-inkydinky Gabe being in Bulgaria where they just had a digital nomad conference, and him being one of the greats in digital nomading. That's hard-core, though, that he is so into digital nomading that he wasn't even aware of it. Who's got time for a digital nomad conference when you are busy digital nomading.
This is Bansko in BG between Sofi and greece, in winter is really cool, sky resorts, lot of foreigners. And buy an apartment there start about 15.000 euros. For 30.000 euros you can buy a good apartment, good for digital nomads that like the mountain
Thank you so much for showing us these great tips Gabe! Walking thru this beautiful area you would probably guess you were in a Swiss or Austrian ski town over anywhere else! Amazing deal!
I had a nice two bedroom AirBNB apartment in Medellin, Colombia for $29 USD a night. I stayed for three weeks. I had a kitchen, so like Gabriel said, I would eat breakfast and lunch in my apartment, and go out to dinner in the evenings. That was Nov. of 2018. Before the world changed. How I miss traveling. Watching Gabriel's videos really helps, and aspires to travel again soon. Cheers.
Wonder how many folks Googled Anafi....as soon as it was mentioned and a collective "oh wow"....was heard....Bulgaria? Who knew it was so lovely in the mountains...or it had chalet style hotels.. ..really nice...
Hi Gabriel, I would like to give you a few recommendations, as we are spending part of our vacation every year in Bansko. 1. Hut Bezbog - it’s a 10 km drive from Bansko to Dobrinishte and an additional 15 km to hut Goce Delchev, from where you can get a 25 minutes cable car ride to hut Bezbog. Bezbog translated to English means Godless. There is a lake and if you would like you can go to the Popovo, which is a 2 hrs walk. Popovo lake is famous for its story of a priest, who went there for a swim and only the hat remained above the lake, said hat today is a island in the middle of this lake. 2. Hut Vihren 30-40 min by car from Bansko; on the way to Vihren there is a restaurant called Bunderishka polyana with traditional Bulgarian dishes. Also, there you can find the oldest tree in Bulgaria (Baykusheva mura). This tree you can find on a 10 min walk from the restaurant mentioned above. From Vihren hut upward you can find a few lakes to visit. 3. Hot water pools: -Hotel Rimska Banya in village Banya, which is a 10 km drive from Bansko -In Dobrinishte you can also find a couple of pools with mineral water. 4. In Belitza there is a bear sanctuary with rescued bears, that were former “dancing bears”. 5. Melnik is the smallest city in Bulgaria based on the population and is famous for its wine. You can taste several wines in one of the breweries there.
It's cheap for a reason like you say, going in off season but most places will not be open so you can't really do any local activities or anything they would normally offer in season.
Often true, depends on the place. Going in the shoulder season is a good idea, i.e. visiting Greece in May or October when the weather is good, businesses are open but a lot less tourists.
Wow, amazing. Normally I would say a place must have changed since that time. But in the case of Anafi, probably not a whole lot, since there's still only one small village.
Yep, just arrived from Munich Germany to Kos in Greece and the money that got you a dorm bed in Munich gets you own apartment with a kitchenette, balcony and ocean view. Also one thing I've found very helpfull is to choose your bag size carefully: Take only what you need and leave MINIMUM extra space so it's practically impossible to buy anything big and expensive :P
We used to save a lot of money by renting a car which made it much easier to stay outside major centres in smaller places. Now with rental car prices through the roof, it makes it quite a bit cheaper to stay closer to plentiful public transit options. It's better for the planet I guess!
I don't like renting cars because some rental companies want your credit card details and to sign an agreement and if you bring the car back with a tiny scratch or tiny damage , they can take a fortune out of your bank account to pay for it . If you travel on public transport and it breaks down , you usually can get another ride .
Was there in March and the skiing was fabulous, at least as good as anywhere in Colorado or Utah, but at about 20% of the price. We paid around the same for lodging in the ski season, but not nearly as nice. Very nice old town but modern amenities. I hope to go back, and I'm coming from the US.
This was a great video,you are right about peak season,we are booked for Italy on the 25th June,we changed it to literally 2 weeks earlier and it is half the price.
Gabe, you make such a good point... cost does not equal quality, another example is Lake Atitlan area... cheap but spectacular, so many places in the world where you can get so much more for your money, thanks for sharing.. enjoying your Bulgaria videos, awesome place :)
I really enjoy your videos. There are some other nice places that I would recommend, especially if you like nature. one of them is to visit the 7 Rila Lakes . Besides its beauty it's a magical place with powerful energies. From my Bansko you can go to the Rhodopes Mountains through very picturesque mountain towns and villages. If you're curious about the Black sea coast , I am a fan of the Northern coast - Cape Kaliakra , Tulenovo, Shabla where you can find some undeveloped beaches . These are just a few of the beautiful sights of my country . I am currently in Bulgaria , so let me know if you need help with anything.
Brilliant find!!!! How weird....that travel blogging convention..............having been there!!!!!!....You were drawn by 'blogging vibes'🤣......have a great time Gab.......always love your info......where ever!🐾
Usually, mostly when I travel domestically, after checking the prices in booking.kom I call (or email) the place and ask for an offer without telling them the price I ve seen on-line. Most of the times the price is better. Of course in that case, you have to make sure u are not being downgraded.
Same here, used that site in all my travels especially around Europe and UK because of a lot in types depending on prices, location, & the flexibility of being able to cancel in case of sudden, unexpected situation like the pandemic.
Bansko is a great place, i was there for a month and a half. There is an established community of digital nomads, expats and locals who will show you around. The place you eat at is 5M is one of the most high end restaurants in town, there are a lot of more affordable options that offer equally good food.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos that surprises me. If you’re looking for a quality bakery and sandwich option may i recommend le petit Nicholas which is less than 5 minutes walk down the hill from 5M. They do the best almond croissants in Bulgaria.
Not comparable to Chamonix the mountains are right on you the veiw is unbelievable. I stayed there in jan during ski season I a hostel chalet just 100 ft from ski lift 20.00 a night
I hope you'll get to Plovdiv when you're in Bulgaria. I've always wanted to go there: a lovely old town with Ottoman houses, and a Roman amphitheater, and lots more besides. Plus, as the second biggest city in the country, it has a vibrant and young student culture, I gather.
About the food that you showed at the end of this video: That red stuff is Bulgarian eggplant spread! None other than Trader Joe's sells it here in the US, of A., too. Cool, huh? I have questions though about what you ate: What kind of sausage was the one your ordered, please? What kind of cheese was on top of the polenta, please? And, what was in that stuffed bread? (Gosh, I hope you have a fridge and a microwave so you can take leftovers back to your hotel room and eat all the next day, or for a late-night snack, maybe?)
Bansko is really interesting and beautiful place but only in winter. Sommer time it's boring ,nothing happens there, only hiking...it's not my...now is time for Sunny beach or Golden sands beaches hahaha😁😂🤣I love Bulgaria ❤😁Good job bro keep it up for the great work and thanks for sharing 👍😁✌
This is always my problem. When I see a very cheap plane ticket then the accommodation in that destination is super expensive and when I pick a place with cheap accommodation then the plane ticket there is super expensive :D Hard to find a combination of both :D
depends where you are, flights within europe are dirt cheap with easy jet or ryan air and hostels are super cheap as well, especially in eastern europe. I flew from london to prague for $10 and paid like $12 per night for my hostel
@@mightybmx2900yes but like that dont you have 7kg bag only which cant fo as need to take anything own with me inc meds camera laptop for longterm trip unfortunately
Gabe I chuckled out loud all the way through that vid especially when you started with Tahoe price and moved on to the real damage of 5 days that super expensive 20 dollar meal looked 😍🤩
Omg, Gabriel!!! First time I coinside with you in traveling 😆. I bought apartment in Sveti Vlas, if you'll be in are - you are invited!!! 👋 from Canada and now Bulgaria!!! Gala Vlasova!!!
Solid point. I cruise around and go places that sound interesting, generally with minimal planning and sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn't. I sorta thought it would be more like Switzerland here in that there would still be people visiting for the summer activities like hiking, mountain biking, lakes, etc. It's all right nearby. But hey not the worst thing to be here when it's quiet, the plan is to get into nature anyway and find some peace and quiet.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Thanks for the quick reply. I also travel a lot with minimal planning, i hate touristy places, its not relaxing but sometimes I have to follow the flow. Just came back from Lake Como / Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore in Italy/Switzerland, it way a bit crowded and hot, not to my liking although not dead in the middle of peak season. Hotel prices were not cheap. I like mountains in winter full of snow and my problem is I cannot visit in low season. LOVE YOUR VIDEOS Mark from Malta
It is awesome watching you walk through these foreign towns. Have you ever thought about walking and describing these towns from an architectural point of view? It would be pretty simple to add some maps and descriptors to your videos. I could help you with that. I travelled to Greece, Spain and Eastern Europe as an architectural student in the early 90's. Let me know if you are interested. I can forward you a video of what I am trying to describe.
It depends a lot on knowledge. That sounds obvious but preparation makes all the difference. For example, when you visit NYC, don't book a hotel on Manhattan, especially not in the Times Square area. Queens and Brooklyn have very nice parts too and when you are near a subway stop you can get everywhere just as fast as from Manhattan, from Long Island City its only 5 mins to Central Park and Midtown for example. An unlimited subway card is only $33 for a whole week. Manhattan touristy hotels will usually try to rip you off with additional costs like the bullshit "resort fee" that get you nothing but can add 100's to your hotel bill. Plus all the shops and restaurants will be cheaper outside of Manhattan too with more locals and less tourists. Its just a small example but it shows that watching some vids made by locals can really teach you a lot about a place and save you tons.
BRAVO Brother !!! Explained ve4y well And As usual very Good Views !! ENJOY !! Thats Thee 3 Rules of Life # 1 ya gotta have fun..rule number two,,refer to rule 1 # 3 repeat first 2 rules !!!!!
Last video. Sofia bulgaria.. then this video with Cyrillic on the buildings. + He walks past a map in early video haha... Would love to visit bulgaria once. Hopefully in the future. Such a cool country with a great long history.
That's really the thing about most of Europe I like the most.. you can always find a good deal and then there's levels to that. And this goes for the food and everything else. Dutch countryside was cheap and spectacular. Problem I am having is I can't figure out where I am going to next.. can't decide. So many options and I am spinning trying to choose.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos I'm back at home in the states... I need to launch out and get to work and simply can't decide I might just go back to Amsterdam then try and crawl into Germany or maybe Spain but Amsterdam airport is scary right now.
I see, right on, good luck making a decision. At least the world is opening up now and there are few travel restrictions, but it sounds like actually getting somewhere can be chaotic. Somehow I've managed to miss the madness. My flight from Greece to Bulgaria was easy, lines were short and everything went smooth.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Pure chaos out there right now.. you are on the outside of it all in those zones where there is no tourist line. Gonna get to that zone though soon enough. My plan is to get out of this country eventually and go full vlogger mode fulltime. Now they are saying the heat is so bad some airports out west are closed for safety. I will be on a plane in the next two months....
Amazing tips and information. My question is about travel insurance and specifically medical insurance. A video on that would definitely be helpful. How do you safe money on insurance?
Tip to travel cheaper and help the locals is to visit after an incident (explosion, disaster, protest e.g) has taken place. You will see that 2-4 months later most tension/damage is cleared and you will see cheaper prices to attract tourists. But first the backpackers will come again. Tourists do not book for months or years. You can help the locals because they still need the income.
Here is Nora's TH-cam channel: th-cam.com/users/NoraDunn
And the article I wrote for her website: www.theprofessionalhobo.com/financial-case-study-gabriel-traveler-youtube-vlogger/
I enjoyed reading your article! It's good that you have some goals in addition to your current full time traveling.
Thank you for sharing with we more arm-chair travelers all that you do.
Wow, that was so damn NEAT that you saw Nora Dunn just by sheer happenstance!
Isn't our world SMALL after all, Gabriel?
Isn't that SO damn cool as well?
Bansko is full of expats and digital tslnnomads. We all know gabriel Is here 😂. We are waiting to meet you! Join us at the hub.
@@transformativeexperiences Gabe, you ARE Mr. Popularity, woo-hoo!
Hey Gabriel, we really enjoy your videos! As a Bulgarian (living for the past 20 years in Vancouver), I have a few recommendations if you are wondering where to go next. Your previous visit to Bulgaria left us a little bit disappointed since you've missed the most interesting places. Also, Bulgaria is quite different in the summer than in the winter. So, here we go: Near Bansko, there is the town of Dobrinishte. Dobrinishte is the end (or the beginning) of the narrow-gauge train. This is the last narrow-gauge train in Bulgaria and one of the few remaining in Europe. You can buy tickets for that train at any train station, unfortunately, they are not available online (as I recollect). The route is very scenic, and the ride is super cool. Just google it (there are lots of youtube videos, as well). The other end is the town of Septemvri. The entire trip takes about 5 hours. From the town of Septemvri, you can take the normal train, or a bus to the second-largest city in Bulgaria: Plovdiv. The old town in Plovdiv is awesome, featuring houses from the 19th century and earlier, with many Roman ruins. There is that area (neighborhood) called Kapana, an artsy district with lots of young people, narrow streets with funky cafes and restaurants, the best time to visit Kapana is on a summer evening (after dusk). You can spend a couple of days in Plovdiv. After that, I strongly recommend the ancient architectural complex Perperikon. Perperikon is a 7,000-year-old Thracian city (you can google it). You may need to rent a car from Plovdiv, it will be like a 2-hour drive. It is an active archeological site and it is quite impressive. Every year they dig and discover more and more. From there you can go to the Black Sea coast. If you go South of Burgas, towards the Turkish border, there are a few still undeveloped beaches, similar to what you were seeing on the Greek islands (these are closer to the Turkish border). If you go in the opposite direction, north of Burgas towards the Romanian border there are a few (over) developed, in my opinion, sea resorts like Golden Sands and Sunny Beach. Sunny Beach (near the ancient town of Nessebar) is a crazy place in the summer, with lots of hotels, bars, and crazy crowds. Also, there are lots of wineries in Bulgaria, that offer awesome wine and food for pairing and they are all quite affordable. Just google them and see if you have some along your planned route. Other places of interest, depending on your selected route: Northern Bulgaria: Etar (near Veliko Tarnovo). Etar is an open-air Ethnographic museum, featuring old houses and 19th-century craft shops; Bozhentsi: Bozhentsi village is an architectural reserve, near the city of Gabrovo. In South-Western Bulgaria (From Sofia going down towards the Greek border): Rila Monastery, founded in the 10th century. It is quite an impressive sight, surrounded by picturesque mountain tops. There is a museum in the monastery complex, which costs 6 leva, or 3 euros. In the museum, there is a super cool cross carved out of wood, from the 18th or 19th century (can't remember). It took the monck 12 years to carve it and in the end, he lost his eyesight because of it. Further down towards the Greek border, there is the town of Melnik (it is the smallest town in Bulgaria), founded over 1,000 years ago. The main attractions are the old houses and the winemaking. They've been producing wine for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. There are some really cool wineries, using caves for barrel storage and tasting rooms. Needless to say, all prices of all these places, I've mentioned above (except the crazy sea resorts of Sunny Beach and Golden Sands) are very affordable and the quality of the wine and the food is excellent. Unfortunately, still, the service in Bulgaria is not at the North American level, but it really depends on the place and most of the attractions are still worth visiting despite that small inconvenience. Hope this helps, let me know if you need more info. Also, if you need a free translation, from and to Bulgarian, don't hesitate to contact me. I'd love to help, just remember there is a 10-hour difference between the West Coast and BG. Cheers and safe travels!
Excellent info, I will look into some of those places. 👍
@@GabrielTravelerVideos He needs to visit Nessebar as well...still he knows nothing about the sacred land of Bulgaria. There is so much to see, to visit, to learn thousands and thousand of years of history since "'The Great flood" 10 000 years ago. I feel helpless not being there at the moment and to help him and to show him around. Not to mention the Rose Valley where the famous rose oil is produced..Problem is you can spend moths there and still not see all that matters. Keep up the good work Gabriel. I watch your videos of Bulgaria several times...
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Forgot to mention, if you are back in Sofia there are free walking tours, led by volunteers. The tours are offered in different languages, including English. There used to be a food tour, showing the restaurants, in the center of the city, offering Bulgarian cuisine. As you've pointed out correctly, non of the Vitosha Boulevard cafes and restaurants are offering authentic Bulgarian food. However, if you move a block away from Vitosha Boulevard, you will find local restaurants with excellent food and much better prices. Unfortunately, I don't think they currently offer the food tour, because of the covid. But the free walking tours are awesome, they provide a lot of information in a very concise manner. This is the link, in case you want to check them out: freesofiatour.com/ . Cheers.
Big clue at 2:23 when you walked passed the tourist shop that said Bansko on the sign :) Super excited to see some of Bulgaria in your upcoming videos.
Yes, in Bulgaria and other southeast european countries you still get something for your money. And the ppl are nice and many do speak english and the food is great too! Can only recommend to visit. Don't be scared to visit!
It's definitely not for everyone, but I save a hell of a lot of money by wild camping. Not every night, but for some it's good. And with good planning, you can wake up to a better view than any 5-star hotel can provide
You should not be afraid of bears...but anyway, I would better do the same than to give a fortune for a hotel...and I am a woman.
@@Did447 good to hear 👏
I agree. If you purchase wisely you only have to carry a few pounds of camping equipment to give yourself the option to camp from time to time.
Yep. Doing that currently
I'm so excited to see more of Bulgaria. Bansko looks lovely !
wow just done a search and there was a decent single room for £15 per night and if the hiking trails are good then its an absolute steal compared to places elsewhere in europe. literally cheaper than staying in hostels.
Yep. While I was checking accommodation prices in Switzerland today I saw a dorm bed in a hostel for $115 per night, no joke.
i wish people wouldn't support the hostel pay to stay in a dormitory- with several strangers of undetermined background and hygiene-scam. It has now spread to Thailand where cheap hotels were plentiful- what idiot would stay in a dorm???? People, please stop doing this and cheaper hotels will become available.
Gabe, the vertical drop there at Bansko is greater than anywhere in the US, almost a vertical mile.
Also, there is an old narrow gauge train that goes from Bansko to Septemvri, towards Plovdiv, that goes (slowly) through some very scenic areas.
I like the town , the cleanliness, the views . I'm so excited to see your next video .
So the best tip to save money while traveling is to shop explore and stay around local areas. Don't dive head first into tourism traps. enjoy the quiet and the quaint and the nuanced of the true local culture.
When I was in Slovenia in 2019, I took a private day tour (sounds expensive but it was not) with a wonderful guide who had twenty-something children. She said they always vacationed in Bulgaria.......both summer and winter because it was so affordable. Looking forward to this series, Gabe.
That sauce looks like lutenitsa, which is a roasted red pepper condiment. You will find many varieties in Bulgaria and other eastern European countries. It is fantastic.
Yeah that was it. It was really good, very unique.
I’m Bulgarian and have been watching you for ages. Glad you discovered my country 😃
Thanks for showing my country to the world! Glad you like it over here :) !
I love these " Guess Where I Am " segments. I try to figure out where you are before you reveal the location.
In this case, at (5:05 ), Bower Properties was the key I used to find you.
I know where you're at. Bansko, Bulgaria. It's the most popular ski resort in the country. Also popular with digital nomads as the rent is dirt cheap from $200/month for a studio apt, $300 for 1 bdrm. I'm kinda sad that you had to reveal this place to everyone. My favorite gem.
I just stayed in Bansko at a 5* hotel, 60 euros per night. We always stay in Bansko when we return from the greek islands. I recommend you to go to Vihren hut up in the mountain, check it out, there are several very easy trails
HOW WEIRD is THIS!!!!!!!!!.....folks do GREAT things 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I'm going to Bulgaria next year, can't wait 🤗
The cheapest hotels are not on any booking sites you find them walking around and ask depending where you are in the world
I would also suggest Rila Monastery and Plovdiv. I heard they are allowing hikes up to the cave where the monk who I think founded the monastery lived for several years. Plovdiv has some nice ruins but also has an area of street art.
I've stayed in a couple of hostels recently (as an older fella). They are a nice option to save money with the added bonus of having other people there to meet and hang out with.
Totally agree! I always travel alone, so it’s cool to meet other people i stay in hostels as often as possible.
What a co-inkydinky Gabe being in Bulgaria where they just had a digital nomad conference, and him being one of the greats in digital nomading. That's hard-core, though, that he is so into digital nomading that he wasn't even aware of it. Who's got time for a digital nomad conference when you are busy digital nomading.
This is Bansko in BG between Sofi and greece, in winter is really cool, sky resorts, lot of foreigners. And buy an apartment there start about 15.000 euros. For 30.000 euros you can buy a good apartment, good for digital nomads that like the mountain
Gabe always seems to drop some guru travel advice while in Bulgaria 🤣
Thank you so much for showing us these great tips Gabe! Walking thru this beautiful area you would probably guess you were in a Swiss or Austrian ski town over anywhere else! Amazing deal!
I had a nice two bedroom AirBNB apartment in Medellin, Colombia for $29 USD a night. I stayed for three weeks. I had a kitchen, so like Gabriel said, I would eat breakfast and lunch in my apartment, and go out to dinner in the evenings. That was Nov. of 2018. Before the world changed. How I miss traveling. Watching Gabriel's videos really helps, and aspires to travel again soon. Cheers.
His videos is what is keeping me sane..
Wonder how many folks Googled Anafi....as soon as it was mentioned and a collective "oh wow"....was heard....Bulgaria? Who knew it was so lovely in the mountains...or it had chalet style hotels.. ..really nice...
Hi Gabriel, I would like to give you a few recommendations, as we are spending part of our vacation every year in Bansko.
1. Hut Bezbog - it’s a 10 km drive from Bansko to Dobrinishte and an additional 15 km to hut Goce Delchev, from where you can get a 25 minutes cable car ride to hut Bezbog. Bezbog translated to English means Godless. There is a lake and if you would like you can go to the Popovo, which is a 2 hrs walk. Popovo lake is famous for its story of a priest, who went there for a swim and only the hat remained above the lake, said hat today is a island in the middle of this lake.
2. Hut Vihren 30-40 min by car from Bansko; on the way to Vihren there is a restaurant called Bunderishka polyana with traditional Bulgarian dishes. Also, there you can find the oldest tree in Bulgaria (Baykusheva mura). This tree you can find on a 10 min walk from the restaurant mentioned above.
From Vihren hut upward you can find a few lakes to visit.
3. Hot water pools:
-Hotel Rimska Banya in village Banya, which is a 10 km drive from Bansko
-In Dobrinishte you can also find a couple of pools with mineral water.
4. In Belitza there is a bear sanctuary with rescued bears, that were former “dancing bears”.
5. Melnik is the smallest city in Bulgaria based on the population and is famous for its wine. You can taste several wines in one of the breweries there.
Great tips, thanks!
You helped me decide on where to go next month, thanks!
Cool. 👍
It's cheap for a reason like you say, going in off season but most places will not be open so you can't really do any local activities or anything they would normally offer in season.
Often true, depends on the place. Going in the shoulder season is a good idea, i.e. visiting Greece in May or October when the weather is good, businesses are open but a lot less tourists.
A good tip would be to visit in the winding down season.
Better prices (although not the cheapest) and less tourists.
Anafi is the island my dad was raised at in the 1940's and i did see your videos of Anafi
Wow, amazing. Normally I would say a place must have changed since that time. But in the case of Anafi, probably not a whole lot, since there's still only one small village.
Hi Gabe, thanks for the good words that you put for my country. Stay safe
Nowadays people travel and consider their trip incomplete unless they post pictures of them from popular tourist places
@5:00 mark you walked by
'Made in Bulgaria' shop.
BEAUTIFUL TOWN ! !
Yep, just arrived from Munich Germany to Kos in Greece and the money that got you a dorm bed in Munich gets you own apartment with a kitchenette, balcony and ocean view. Also one thing I've found very helpfull is to choose your bag size carefully: Take only what you need and leave MINIMUM extra space so it's practically impossible to buy anything big and expensive :P
We used to save a lot of money by renting a car which made it much easier to stay outside major centres in smaller places. Now with rental car prices through the roof, it makes it quite a bit cheaper to stay closer to plentiful public transit options. It's better for the planet I guess!
I don't like renting cars because some rental companies want your credit card details and to sign an agreement and if you bring the car back with a tiny scratch or tiny damage , they can take a fortune out of your bank account to pay for it .
If you travel on public transport and it breaks down , you usually can get another ride .
Was there in March and the skiing was fabulous, at least as good as anywhere in Colorado or Utah, but at about 20% of the price. We paid around the same for lodging in the ski season, but not nearly as nice. Very nice old town but modern amenities. I hope to go back, and I'm coming from the US.
This was a great video,you are right about peak season,we are booked for Italy on the 25th June,we changed it to literally 2 weeks earlier and it is half the price.
I pick my airfare and hotel to the best of my ability to save money .great video Gabe thanks
I like your shirt and you showing a nice place I have not heard of before. You look to have got a great meal at the end of the video.
Gabe, you make such a good point... cost does not equal quality, another example is Lake Atitlan area... cheap but spectacular, so many places in the world where you can get so much more for your money, thanks for sharing.. enjoying your Bulgaria videos, awesome place :)
Excellent video great content!
I really enjoy your videos. There are some other nice places that I would recommend, especially if you like nature. one of them is to visit the 7 Rila Lakes . Besides its beauty it's a magical place with powerful energies. From my Bansko you can go to the Rhodopes Mountains through very picturesque mountain towns and villages. If you're curious about the Black sea coast , I am a fan of the Northern coast - Cape Kaliakra , Tulenovo, Shabla where you can find some undeveloped beaches . These are just a few of the beautiful sights of my country . I am currently in Bulgaria , so let me know if you need help with anything.
One should come to Bansko in a winter. It's skiing resort at the slopes of Pirin Mountains
Welcome to Bansko. And thank you for these tips!
On the topic of the skiing towns in Bulgaria, during the summer most people who visit there to climb mountains.
Hi G, Great tips 👌
Oh, lutenica on the plate!!!
Brilliant find!!!! How weird....that travel blogging convention..............having been there!!!!!!....You were drawn by 'blogging vibes'🤣......have a great time Gab.......always love your info......where ever!🐾
@ 6:07 I searched Kap House family hotel and saw Gabriel is in Bansko.
Gabriel nooooo! don't tell people about my tricks! 😂💓
Great insight to Bansko, and some very useful tips Gabriel, Bulgaria 🇧🇬 looks ❤️👍
From the beginning, I know where you are in Bansko Bulgaria. I know Cyrillic and I reed the name on the houses you pass by.
Full of people 🤣
I think in summer they are all at the beach!
Gabriel, thank you for that video !
Next stop for me Bulgaria i think
Any tips for finding cheap airfares? We're trying to book to India but the prices are pretty steep compared to pre-covid.
Try skyscanner and plug in India (rather than a specific city) and a whole month so it can check multiple locations and dates.
Hi Gabriel, you should visit Rila Monastery and Ivan Rilski’s cave if you have time (2 hours drive north-east from Bansko)
Are there local buses etc
I think you got the Greece bug Gabriel and I can see you going back to Greece in early September when it is still warm but cheap
I looked up the winter rates. Surprisingly about the same as summer rates.
Great watch Gabriel, thanks.
Just returned from Mexico was much more expensive than I thought did budget though l... looking forward to your vlogs
.
So cool you ran into Nora Dunn! Love you both and your style is so appealing…chill , real and unpretentious… just awesome 😊
Usually, mostly when I travel domestically, after checking the prices in booking.kom I call (or email) the place and ask for an offer without telling them the price I ve seen on-line. Most of the times the price is better. Of course in that case, you have to make sure u are not being downgraded.
Same here, used that site in all my travels especially around Europe and UK because of a lot in types depending on prices, location, & the flexibility of being able to cancel in case of sudden, unexpected situation like the pandemic.
Beautiful! Thanks Gabe:)
Bansko is a great place, i was there for a month and a half. There is an established community of digital nomads, expats and locals who will show you around. The place you eat at is 5M is one of the most high end restaurants in town, there are a lot of more affordable options that offer equally good food.
I'll keep my eyes open for some other places. There aren't many restaurants open right now, most of them are closed.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos that surprises me. If you’re looking for a quality bakery and sandwich option may i recommend le petit Nicholas which is less than 5 minutes walk down the hill from 5M. They do the best almond croissants in Bulgaria.
@@michaeljose8122 its closed right now...
Not comparable to Chamonix the mountains are right on you the veiw is unbelievable. I stayed there in jan during ski season I a hostel chalet just 100 ft from ski lift 20.00 a night
Gabriel will you visit High Tatra mountains in Slovakia? I think you would like it.
Good video. Looks like quite a cardio workout.
Nice video ! Come to Sarajevo again !!!
Great travel tip! Thanks!
Currently in Colombia on a graduate school stipend budget
I hope you'll get to Plovdiv when you're in Bulgaria. I've always wanted to go there: a lovely old town with Ottoman houses, and a Roman amphitheater, and lots more besides. Plus, as the second biggest city in the country, it has a vibrant and young student culture, I gather.
Yeah it's high on my list to visit while I'm in Bulgaria.
About the food that you showed at the end of this video: That red stuff is Bulgarian eggplant spread!
None other than Trader Joe's sells it here in the US, of A., too.
Cool, huh?
I have questions though about what you ate:
What kind of sausage was the one your ordered, please?
What kind of cheese was on top of the polenta, please?
And, what was in that stuffed bread?
(Gosh, I hope you have a fridge and a microwave so you can take leftovers back to your hotel room and eat all the next day, or for a late-night snack, maybe?)
Bansko is really interesting and beautiful place but only in winter. Sommer time it's boring ,nothing happens there, only hiking...it's not my...now is time for Sunny beach or Golden sands beaches hahaha😁😂🤣I love Bulgaria ❤😁Good job bro keep it up for the great work and thanks for sharing 👍😁✌
want to join me in Liechtenstein and San Marino? I am planning to visit both countries at the end of the month.
Which direction are you heading gabe? I'm heading from serbia down to Skopje soon. Might cross paths mate
Bansko... deffo... had an apartment there for 11 years. I know it well
Wow!!! Just wow
This is always my problem. When I see a very cheap plane ticket then the accommodation in that destination is super expensive and when I pick a place with cheap accommodation then the plane ticket there is super expensive :D Hard to find a combination of both :D
depends where you are, flights within europe are dirt cheap with easy jet or ryan air and hostels are super cheap as well, especially in eastern europe. I flew from london to prague for $10 and paid like $12 per night for my hostel
Go for hikes around your hometown
@@mightybmx2900yes but like that dont you have 7kg bag only which cant fo as need to take anything own with me inc meds camera laptop for longterm trip unfortunately
This is great! Even I can afford to travel if I follow your tips. I'm looking forward to it now. Thanks!
Gabe I chuckled out loud all the way through that vid especially when you started with Tahoe price and moved on to the real damage of 5 days that super expensive 20 dollar meal looked 😍🤩
Omg, Gabriel!!!
First time I coinside with you in traveling 😆.
I bought apartment in Sveti Vlas, if you'll be in are - you are invited!!!
👋 from Canada and now Bulgaria!!!
Gala Vlasova!!!
Thanks. Not sure if I'll get over to the Black sea on this trip, we'll see. ✌
I get you point to find low prices in low season but why visit a ski resort in summer or go to the beach in winter ?
Solid point. I cruise around and go places that sound interesting, generally with minimal planning and sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn't. I sorta thought it would be more like Switzerland here in that there would still be people visiting for the summer activities like hiking, mountain biking, lakes, etc. It's all right nearby. But hey not the worst thing to be here when it's quiet, the plan is to get into nature anyway and find some peace and quiet.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Thanks for the quick reply. I also travel a lot with minimal planning, i hate touristy places, its not relaxing but sometimes I have to follow the flow. Just came back from Lake Como / Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore in Italy/Switzerland, it way a bit crowded and hot, not to my liking although not dead in the middle of peak season. Hotel prices were not cheap.
I like mountains in winter full of snow and my problem is I cannot visit in low season.
LOVE YOUR VIDEOS
Mark from Malta
Beautiful Location Gabriel!
It is awesome watching you walk through these foreign towns. Have you ever thought about walking and describing these towns from an architectural point of view? It would be pretty simple to add some maps and descriptors to your videos. I could help you with that. I travelled to Greece, Spain and Eastern Europe as an architectural student in the early 90's. Let me know if you are interested. I can forward you a video of what I am trying to describe.
It depends a lot on knowledge. That sounds obvious but preparation makes all the difference. For example, when you visit NYC, don't book a hotel on Manhattan, especially not in the Times Square area. Queens and Brooklyn have very nice parts too and when you are near a subway stop you can get everywhere just as fast as from Manhattan, from Long Island City its only 5 mins to Central Park and Midtown for example. An unlimited subway card is only $33 for a whole week. Manhattan touristy hotels will usually try to rip you off with additional costs like the bullshit "resort fee" that get you nothing but can add 100's to your hotel bill. Plus all the shops and restaurants will be cheaper outside of Manhattan too with more locals and less tourists. Its just a small example but it shows that watching some vids made by locals can really teach you a lot about a place and save you tons.
BRAVO Brother !!! Explained ve4y well And As usual very Good Views !! ENJOY !! Thats Thee 3 Rules of Life # 1 ya gotta have fun..rule number two,,refer to rule 1 # 3 repeat first 2 rules !!!!!
Beautiful place
Another great video 👍
Last video. Sofia bulgaria.. then this video with Cyrillic on the buildings.
+ He walks past a map in early video haha...
Would love to visit bulgaria once. Hopefully in the future. Such a cool country with a great long history.
you need to visit veliko tarnovo in bulgaria lovely place
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That's really the thing about most of Europe I like the most.. you can always find a good deal and then there's levels to that. And this goes for the food and everything else. Dutch countryside was cheap and spectacular. Problem I am having is I can't figure out where I am going to next.. can't decide. So many options and I am spinning trying to choose.
Which country are you in now?
@@GabrielTravelerVideos I'm back at home in the states... I need to launch out and get to work and simply can't decide I might just go back to Amsterdam then try and crawl into Germany or maybe Spain but Amsterdam airport is scary right now.
I see, right on, good luck making a decision. At least the world is opening up now and there are few travel restrictions, but it sounds like actually getting somewhere can be chaotic. Somehow I've managed to miss the madness. My flight from Greece to Bulgaria was easy, lines were short and everything went smooth.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Pure chaos out there right now.. you are on the outside of it all in those zones where there is no tourist line. Gonna get to that zone though soon enough. My plan is to get out of this country eventually and go full vlogger mode fulltime. Now they are saying the heat is so bad some airports out west are closed for safety. I will be on a plane in the next two months....
Yowza, that does sound rough. Good luck!
Backpacking trip through Eastern Europe.
Amazing tips and information. My question is about travel insurance and specifically medical insurance. A video on that would definitely be helpful. How do you safe money on insurance?
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@@GabrielTravelerVideos thank you… I did check out the video and definitely will look into it.
These are the Balkan Mountains here.
This Video CLIP is Crystal CLEAR Visual and Audio.. WHAT are You using to Record with? Thanks
DJI Osmo, there's a link below the video. Glad it's looking good.
Tip to travel cheaper and help the locals is to visit after an incident (explosion, disaster, protest e.g) has taken place. You will see that 2-4 months later most tension/damage is cleared and you will see cheaper prices to attract tourists. But first the backpackers will come again. Tourists do not book for months or years. You can help the locals because they still need the income.