| Bulgaria is a country of many traditions and customs | | | | female from red thread with the name of "Penda". |
| preserved through time. With more than 1300 years | | | | On the last day of March most of the people hang |
| of history, the country has been involved in many | | | | their "Martenitsa" on blossoming fruit trees. |
| wars with its Balkan neighbours who left their cultural | | | | Bulgaria is known as the country of the rose and is |
| imprints in the time. Still the Bulgarians managed to | | | | the biggest producer in the world of rose oil, which is |
| save their traditions and folklore untouched. Visitors | | | | used in the perfume industry. The Rose Valley is the |
| and tourists in Bulgaria will be able to take home a | | | | major rose growing region and is located in southern |
| slice of this distinctive history by purchasing traditional | | | | Bulgaria with town Kazanlak being centre of the rose |
| souvenirs and gifts. | | | | oil industry. The most popular rose souvenirs are vials |
| Traditional costumes exist in many varieties and | | | | of rose oil essence typically around 2ml. They are |
| forms depending on the different Bulgarian regions. | | | | sold in packs of ten or individually hidden in a wooden |
| The main parts of the women's costumes are long | | | | traditional doll or carved wooden bottle. |
| cotton shirt dress (soukman), apron with traditional | | | | Woodcarving and decorative ceramic pottery are the |
| embroideries, belt, kerchief and the so-called "tsarvuli" | | | | other areas where the Bulgarian customs are very |
| - woollen or leather traditional shoes/slippers. The | | | | well preserved. Well-liked souvenirs for tourists and |
| male costumes include white or black traditional | | | | visitors are wood carved boxes, wooden dolls in |
| trousers, shirt, embroidered vest, wide woollen belt | | | | traditional costumes, wine or water bottles (baklitsa) |
| and black or white sheepskin hat (kalpak). The shoes | | | | and decorative wine cask (bure). The most popular |
| (tsarvuli) are hand made from calf leather and are | | | | pottery souvenirs are plates and bowls from the |
| typical for all Bulgarian regions. Other popular | | | | town Troyan which are brown coloured with beautiful |
| traditional textile products are handmade woollen | | | | white, black and blue droplet patterns. |
| carpets and rugs. The most popular ones are | | | | The traditional musical instruments of Bulgaria are |
| produced in Chiprovtsi, a small town in North Western | | | | great choice for tourist gift or memorabilia. They |
| Bulgaria. Another major centre of the carpet industry | | | | have been used through the centuries and the 500 |
| is the southern part of Rodopi Mountain. Very popular | | | | years Turkish rule to preserve the Bulgarian spirit |
| carpet patterns are abstract geometric shapes as | | | | alive. Typical folk music instruments include goat or |
| well as flowers and birds shapes. | | | | sheep bagpipe (caba gaida), flute (kaval), traditional |
| "Martenitsa" is traditional decoration from red and | | | | two- headed drum (tapan), rebec (gadulka) as well as |
| white thread which is related to the Bulgarian custom | | | | bells, clappers and whistles. |
| "Baba Marta" (Grandma March). It symbolises the end | | | | The roots of Bulgarians are going back in the time to |
| of the winter and the beginning of the spring. | | | | Slavic's, Thracians and even the mighty Genghis Khan. |
| Bulgarians give each other and wear "Martenitsa" | | | | Whether you are purchasing for close friend, relative |
| during the month of March. The belief is that | | | | or yourself the traditional Bulgarian souvenirs are |
| "Martenitsa" brings good luck. It comes in different | | | | great piece of the preserved history of this European |
| varieties, but the typical one is in the form of male | | | | country. |
| from white thread with the name of "Pizjo" and | | | | |