Bulgaria Through “Rose” Tinted Glasses. Or Lavender?

“Bulgaria is a fascinating, beautiful, difficult country, and I fell in love with it.” ~ Garth Greenwell

Are any Harry Potter fans here? If you are, I have a quick quiz question for you? Which character and under what circumstances came from Bulgaria? If you know the answer, you’re the true Harry Potter fan! If not, keep reading…

And to make it a bit “rosier” picture while still using magic, imagine the sea of multi-coloured flowers with the most beautiful sweet scent! We are going to Rose Festival in Bulgaria, the best place and time to “stop and smell the roses”!

Bulgaria is not just one of the oldest and most beautiful countries in Europe! Tucked in the Balkans between Greece, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania & the turquoise waters of the Black Sea, it’s a melting pot of civilizations with Greek, Roman, Ottoman, Slavic, Persian & recent Soviet influences all leaving their mark on its history and traditions.

And you will experience it all including hidden in the mountains monasteries, medieval castles and fortresses, ancient Roman ruins and picturesque valleys, treat yourself to the Turkish bath and become part of Kazanlak Rose Festival, the biggest and the sweetest smelling celebration where homes, windows & streets are decked out in fresh roses with folk music, costumes and delicious local food and wine. The centuries of traditions forged in Bulgaria’s long history that survived all world’s turbulences are yours to discover!

With Sofia as its capital, Bulgaria’s long and rich history has created a long list of fortresses, gold-domed churches and UNESCO sites including one of the oldest cities in the World Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s largest Rila Monastery, Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, Boyana Church, and Soviet-era Buzludzha monument. Bulgarians added to the world Cyrillic Scrip, famous artists, singers, soccer and tennis players, known for yogurt and crafts and, yes, roses and rose oil production.

Discover Sofia * Bansko * Plovdiv * Veliko Tarnovo * Sofia (first week of June)

• Start in Sofia founded 1000s of years ago at a strategic route from Western Europe to Istanbul, Turkey. Explore authentic boulevard “Vitosha”, City Garden, visit gold-domed Alexander Nevski Cathedral and Crypt’s largest collection of Orthodox icons in Europe -> 4th century Christian St. George Church and Rotunda, the oldest in Eastern Europe -> partially dug into the ground medieval Orthodox Church of St Petka of the Saddlers (you will find out why) -> Boyana Church famous for its frescoes dating from 1259 -> Embark on a Turkish Hammam experience (traditional Turkish bath) and pamper yourself in true Middle Eastern style dating back to the Ottoman Empire that will make you feel rejuvenated! -> See Sofia at night on the way to Veselo Selo (“Merry Village”) for a fantastic folklore show with traditional songs, dance, music, costumes and savour a hearty Bulgarian dinner.

Rila Monastery

• Continue to 10th century Rila Monastery, the biggest & most spectacular in Bulgaria & Melnik, the smallest town museum among the bizarre sandstone pyramids -> Visit a small family-owned winery for a unique local wine tasting.
• Stop at >2,000yo Bansko at the north foot of the mighty Pirin mountains, Bulgaria’s premier ski resort town in winter with beautiful parks, lakes & free city walk, bike-, food-, and hiking tour -> The food here is fantastic! Try the traditional Bulgarian Eateries (Mehanas) for the true culinary culture of Bulgaria in all its glory: the cold yogurt soup (tarator), Shopska salad, stuffed vegetables with rice & herbs & meat is plentiful, seasoned & grilled to perfection: spicy lamb chops, chicken skewers & kebab.
• Continue to the magnificent Bachkovo Monastery founded in 1083 & Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa with a much-cherished Virgin Mary icon.

• Continue to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s 2nd cosmopolitan “city of the 7 hills” with invigorating nightlife among millennia-old ruins. It is one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities with more than 6,000 years of written history. It’s older than Athens, Rome & Constantinople -> Enjoy the sunset from one of the hills ->Tour Old Town’s popular Ulitsa Saborna to the 2nd AD Roman Amphitheatre which once seated 6,000 -> stop at the most beloved Church of Sveti Konstantin and Elena where Emperor Constantine the Great & his mother Helena were beheaded in the year 304.

• The small town of Kazanlak in the middle of Valley of the Roses, the home of the Thracian king & Kazanlak Rosa Damascena, the greatest treasure of the region & the nation’s symbols used in perfumes and a precious ingredient in rose honey, rose-flavoured chocolates, liqueurs, jams, rose water and pharmaceuticals.

• The Festival of the Roses is a highlight of the trip -> visit the rose fields for rose picking ritual, witness traditional ways of extracting rose oil at Rose Distillery, taste the delicious rose liqueur & rose jam -> head to Carnival Parade of the Rose Festival with mummers (“koukeri”) & young locals dressed in national costumes embellished by rose blossoms, Queen of Roses crowing & traditional BBQ lunch with folklore program.
• 4th century Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak with exceptionally well-preserved frescoes & one of the most beautiful churches in Bulgaria Russian Shipka Memorial Church -> ethnographic village of Etar with its Renaissance architecture, ancient national customs & traditional crafts.

• Veliko Tarnovo, the "City of the Tsars" is a historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 - 1393) once the most powerful state in Southeastern Europe -> See magnificent restored medieval Tsarevets Fortress ->Rich entertainment & nightlife scene with the delicious cuisine of popular Bulgarian & other typical for the region dishes.
• Stop at the museum village of Arbanasi that was first mentioned by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538 & once a prominent trading centre before returning to Sofia where this wonderful experience comes to an end. But not for long as I will see you on our next adventure!

Lavender Festival

If roses are not your thing and you prefer another beautifully smelling option to the trip: Lavender Festival may be exactly what you need!

Discover Sofia * Sandanski * Plovdiv * Hisarya * Sofia (end of June)

On this 6-day journey, just like with the Rose Festival, encounter captivating historical sights, explore Bulgaria’s largest Monastery and ancient Roman ruins with the highlight being the Karlovo Lavender Festival. Join the celebrations with music, dances and food on the street in a scenic village in the Thracian Valley, where a bazaar with the participation of producers and traders is organized showcasing essential oils and herbs deeply rooted in beliefs in the miraculous healing and love power of herbs, the life-giving power of the water, and rituals for the cult of the sun.

• Just like with the Rose Festival, start in Sofia, Bulgaria’s pleasingly laid-back capital and its largest city.

• On the scenic journey to Sandanski, stop at the Rila Monastery situated within the picturesque Rila Mountains (see details above).
• Sandanski is a heavenly place, a pearl in the crown of Bulgaria and famous for its divine nature and millennial history. A small balneological and spa town with 80 springs in the area was named after the famous Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary against the Ottoman occupation Yane Sandanski (1872–1915), situated at the foot of Pirin Mountains.
• Starting with 7 meters figure of Spartacus who famously led the biggest slave uprising against the Roman empire and, according to the legend, was born here -> explore the Early Christian Complex dating back to the 5th — 6th century -> Mosaic floors found here are now on display in the Archaeological Museum of Sandanski -> If time permits, walk to St. Vrach Park along the Sandanska Bistritsa river, one of the largest parks in the country with extremely rare plant species -> Sit down for lunch in one of the traditional Bulgarian restaurants located on the outskirts of the city towards the Pirin Mountains.
• Continue to Melnik, the smallest town in the world with only 280 inhabitants, steep sandstone Pyramids and ancient wine-making traditions (also already described above including the wine tasting at a small family-owned winery) before heading to the medieval Rozhen Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God, one of the few well-preserved Bulgarian Monasteries with unique architecture dated back to the 13th century.
• After that, continue to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s 2nd cosmopolitan city with beautiful sunsets and exhilarating nightlife among 6000 years-old ruins (also described above including the walking tour of the Old Town of Plovdiv in the morning).

• Depart for the picturesque small town of Karlovo located in the fertile Valley of the Roses, the “land of the Thracian kings”, to take part in one of the greatest Bulgarian traditions, the annual Karlovo Lavender Festival. Visit lavender fields, witness an old ritual performed in honour of the healing herbs and the demonstration of the process of lavender boiling -> Learn some practical applications of the various essential oils and the making of some rose and lavender products -> Take part in the festivities and traditional cultural events that have been enriched through the years, including choosing Queen of Roses and Lavender Fairy, flair of traditional costumes and Mummers (Kukeri) performances and folklore concerts. This is a definite highlight of this trip!

• Your next stop is Hisarya, one of the oldest and most popular Balneological and Spa centres in Bulgaria, the town located on the territory of an ancient Roman fortress with the fortified wall, amphitheatre, public buildings, Christian basilicas, thermal springs, and a Roman Tomb from the 3rd century from the time of Emperor Diocletian.
• Relax at one of the mineral spring pools or walk around in the town, taking photos of the Gate and the Roman ruins -> visit the Church of St Panteleimon well-known for its wall paintings (St Panteleimon is a healing saint and people pray to him for good health).
• On the way back to Sofia stop at some quaint villages en-route to explore more:
• Staro Zhelezare is a famous ‘Street Art Village’ also nicknamed the ‘Village of Personalities’ where houses, fences and walls are painted with visages of locals together with world-known icons, politicians and celebrities -> it’s bound to make for a colourful day and you wouldn’t know who will show up around the corner!
• The next stop is a small Starosel village known for the abundance of ancient Neolithic and Thracian sites dating as far back as the 5th — 6th millennium BC. In antiquity, Starosel was an important and wealthy Thracian city. Check out Thracian Cult Complex likely built during the reign of Amatokos II (359–351 BC) -> After the historic walk, head into the village’s Wine Cellar for popular wine tasting made as a replica of the nearby Thracian Tomb. You can sip the famous local raspberry wine and even go for a massage.
• In time, continue driving to one of the Balkans’ most beautiful town Koprivshtitsa, passing through the exceptionally picturesque valley of Strelcha. Considered a jewel of the Bulgarian Revival, in 1876 it was the focal point of the epic and tragic April Uprising against Ottoman rule, a historic moment leading up to hard-fought Bulgarian independence during the country’s Age of Awakening -> Sample the hearty food and the strong rakia as you delve into the local lore and shop for authentic souvenirs.
• Get back to Sofia before heading home. But again, it’s not for long as I will see you on our next adventure!

Oh, yes, back to my initial question: the famous Quidditch player Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum appeared in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and he is the most well-known fictional Bulgarian to date!

If you like this post and thinking of going, please let me know! We teamed up with The Journeys, a certified tour operator that offers trips across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia and has been in the business for 20+ years to create the special program for this year’s festival and I will be happy to share with you the detailed itinerary!

All you need to do is send me an email to juliamudla@gmail.com with your full name and email address so that I can share details with you and answer any questions you may have.

Let’s get travelling again!

Julia