Places you have to see as an English teacher in Bulgaria
So, you’re going to be an English teacher in Bulgaria? Great choice. This Eastern European gem rolls from the snow-capped heights of the Carpathian Mountains to the bath-warm waters of the Black Sea. Along the way, it offers immersive cities, bumping beach resorts, ski fields, and mystical monasteries. Check it out…
Sofia – the capital!
There’s a good chance that you’ll be based in Sofia as an English teacher in Bulgaria. It’s the biggest city in the country by a long shot, and that means it comes with a whole stack of opportunities, ranging from one-on-one tutoring to independent language schools. It’s also a darn fantastic place, complete with glimmering Orthodox churches, atmospheric café districts, and a buzzy nightlife scene. Start at the handsome Alexander Nevski Cathedral, a grand Russian-styled church that was built to honor victory over the Ottoman empire, before heading over to the Church St. George Rotunda, a onetime Roman bathhouse. Also don’t miss the chic shopping strip of Vitosha Boulevard, which rolls under the mountains in an array of fashion outlets and chichi cocktail joints.
Varna
Varna is the city on the coast; the place that Bulgarians flock to in the midsummer to get their fix of sand, sun, and sea. But it’s no resort town. It’s a lived-in place with a population of over 300,000, which means there are some TEFL opportunities to be had. The beaches are the obvious draw – there are countless stretches of powdery sand going north and south from the town, offering access to swimming in the cooling waters of the Black Sea. History buffs should also find plenty to like here, what with the haunting tombs of the Aladzha Monastery and the ruins of ancient Roman baths to see. Oh, and there are pumping beach clubs galore. Head down to the promenade at night to find them rocking until the early hours.
Bansko
Bansko might not be a TEFL destination in the classic sense, but it has risen and risen to become one of the world’s digital nomad meccas in recent years. It’s now up there with Canggu and Chiang Mai as a bona fide hub for remote workers, and there are oodles of online English teachers living and working in the town to boot. They come for one main thing: The mountains. The town sits at the base of the Pirin National Park, where soaring ridges hit nearly 3,000 meters above sea level. By summer, the area is a haven for hikers and alpinists, who can head up to conquer Vihren (the second highest mountain in the country). In the winter, Bansko is Bulgaria’s premier ski resort, offering 47 miles of interlinked runs for all levels of rider.
Nessebar
Any English teacher in Bulgaria looking to fuse R&R on the Black Sea with rich ancient history should look no further than Nessebar. An enthralling town set on a long headland just north of Burgas, it’s home to mysterious Orthodox churches and monasteries that date back several centuries, and also hosts arguably the finest archaeological museum in the country, where Roman pottery mingles with Greek trading vessels that are more than 2,000 years old! The Nessebar Old Town is the place to wander and get lost. Its cobbled streets are lined with stoop taverns serving hearty Balkan food, along with loads of craft workshops selling carved icons and souvenirs. Oh, and the beaches aren’t far away, either.
Rila Monastery
The Rila Monastery sits more than 1,000 meters above sea level in the forested hills atop the Rilska River valley. It’s famed as one of the best-preserved Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Bulgaria, with a past that you can track all the way back to the rule of the Tsars in the 900s AD. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the complex here comes adorned with gloriously colorful frescos and murals that depict episodes from the life of Christ and the saints. But the location alone is usually enough to take the breath away – expect sweeping views of the lush peaks and mist-topped woodlands deep in the Carpathian Mountains.
This guide offers just a taster of the incredible places and locations you can see when working as an English teacher in Bulgaria. There are loads more, so be sure to add any you can think of in the comments below. To get qualified and traveling to awesome spots like this, be sure to check out our TEFL courses page.