Bulgarian Souvenirs
Home > Bulgarian Souvenirs
People visiting Bulgaria keep bringing souvenirs from vacation in that country more and more often. Although the polling made by the Bulgarian “24 Czasa” newspaper shows that the most popular souvenirs bought by foreign tourists are Russian matrioshkas, shells and starfish made in China, or t-shirts with the CCCP inscription, you should definitely stay with typical Bulgarian products, because it’s really worth it.
The tourists can get all the souvenirs out of Bulgaria without any duty, as long as they’re not meant to be sold somewhere else. And what should you bring from Bulgaria? To start off, you should know that this country is the biggest export of attar in the world, that’s why it’s worth buying a phial of this extract. The most recommended type of attar is the one that is produced in Kanzaluku – the city that is the worldwide centre of growing roses. We’ll have to pay 5000 dollars to get one liter of this kind of attar, but the interesting thing about it is that it’s enough for a few decades of using. When you’re buying Bulgarian attar, you should also buy some green clay, which is quite cheep, well-made and also works soothingly for the skin.
Some people say that the most beautiful Bulgarian souvenirs are artistic hand-made masterpieces, such as wooden sculptures, weaving or the stunning embroidery from Varna and Nesebyr. In some shops we can also find carpets hand-made upon former patterns and colors. The especially interesting thing are the original covers dressed in lively colors and kilims full of patterns.
Ceramic, iron and jewelery products will definitely be a perfect souvenir. For example, the surroundings of Troyan are famous for ceramic products with interesting patterns, where you can get yourself beautiful kettles, plates, or metal/ceramic bells. In many galleries you cam get small icons and pictures. However, you’re going to have to deal with the fact, that hand-painted icons are very, very expensive.
Another Bulgarian souvenir that’s definitely worth its attention are the skin and fur products, mostly sheepskin coat, leathery men’s jackets, hats with a bit of fur and gloves. All of these products are known for their high quality and easy availability. An original souvenir might also be some folk instruments sold in such places as the ethnographic museum in Sophia, or a special dish for making Turkish coffee. (known as dzezwe)
When being in Bulgaria, you can’t forget about the traditional drinks, because this country is famous for making wines, rakija, or something a bit stronger – Mastika. In this country the perfect wine called Marut is made out of a specific kind of grapes, which are only produced in Bulgaria. Other popular types of wine are Kadarka, Sofia and Varna Chardonnay. In the Balkan region rakija is also quite common, in fact, it is a traditional Bulgarian alcohol drink. It’s flavor is similar to the flavor of the bimber or the brandy. The most well-known rakija is the plum-flavored Tetevenska.
Among the food products, which are worth bringing from Bulgaria, you definitely have to mention the sweet lokumi – nuts, almonds and coconut dipped in jelly; the Bulgarian cheese sirene or the yellow cheese called the cashcaval. These are just some of the souvenirs available in this beautiful country, but they are undoubtedly the most popular ones.
