Geographically speaking, we’re merely popping next door from last month’s stop in Macedonia, to the steppe-filled and mountainous Republic of Bulgaria. Here, in the pockets of civilisation jutting out from the Balkans terrain, the tabletop hobby is growing at a pace on par with its European neighbours, and in the next few paragraphs we’ll be exploring the games, cafes, and designers demonstrating this best.
With its proximity to Macedonia, and ultimately its historic trade routes, Bulgaria’s more distant tabletop history bears many similarities. Tapa, for example, is a backgammon style game still enjoyed by both countries, as well as Greece. But despite this historic scarcity, Bulgaria’s rich past nonetheless still seeps into latter day designs.