Rose Valley

Rose Valley

For over 3 centuries Bulgarians have planted roses, picked their flowers and extracted their heavenly essence – the attar of roses.

Rosa Damascena

The valley of Kazanluk, known as Rose Valley, the largest producer of rose-oil in the world, is magically transformed with breathtaking blooms in May and early June each year when the Festival of Roses is celebrated in many towns of the region. Rose picking rituals and folklore displays are presented.

Rose Festival

The unique Bulgarian rose cultivation method has been able to preserve the character of the Kazanluk rose, most famous as Rosa Damascena almost unchanged along the centuries.

Rose Festival

Also unique, the multiple distillation technology applied has brought the success in rose-oil production. The Bulgarian rose-oil’s unique and optimal ingredients combination, the unique soil and climatic conditions are stimulating for the rich, saturated and unique aroma.

Museum of the Rose

The Museum of the rose in Kazanluk (founded in 1969) is unique in the world. Top travel hotspot in the Rose Valley, the museum houses over 15,000 items and features 350 years of rose oil making development and traditions in Bulgaria. A section of the museum is dedicated to the rose oil trade and the applications of the oil-yielding plants in daily lives.

‘Kulata’ Ethnographic museum

The ‘Kulata’ Ethnographic museum is one of the tourist hottest spots in Kazanluk. The houses are from the National Revival Period and display the typical interior life at the turn of the 20th century.

Apart from the collection of farming tools, a working rose oil primitive distillery and examples of traditional local crafts – violin-making, coppersmith’s trade and walnut oil extraction, you will see the live folklore presentation performed by children from the Kazanluk Choreography school. The young dancers bring to life a superb magical Bulgarian folklore atmosphere. You may also try the jam of roses – traditional for this part of Bulgaria.