Blooming late roses – the floral symbol of Bulgaria – have just marked the autumn part of the floral season that runs in the country to November. A great variety of beautiful flowers feature gorgeous floral landscapes are the best hikes in Bulgaria. With this post, I share insights into the best places to visit in Bulgaria that offer great hiking.
The best hikes in Bulgaria start at festivals
The national floral exhibition Flora Burgas 2022 launches events devoted to the blooming season in Bulgaria. At the same time, such venues offer excellent hiking opportunities because they are on the most scenic landscapes – the best hikes in Bulgaria. This year the 38th edition of Flora Burgas gathered over 90 participants: florists, garden designers, and floral entrepreneurs.
With the floral installations, they created a network of amazing hiking routes two kilometres long. The floral wardrobe by Kol’o Fizeto was one of my favourite projects (see the feature image). The impressive arch of European Hornbeam by Pro Plants Garden is another memorable installation.
This year, Burgas Flora 2022 lasted for one week in May. Yet, after the exhibition finished, a beautifully decorated walking route is still there. Because Expo Centre Flora offers visitors an impressive variety of local flora and fauna: chestnut, catalpa, honey locust, and the possibility of encountering the common chaffinch, the great and blue tits.
The Rose Valley is one of the best places to visit in Bulgaria
Bulgaria is one of the biggest rose-oil producers in the world, and a country that has been closely related to the beautiful flower for centuries. The rose is one of the main Bulgarian symbols reflected in the designs of the local currency, tourist destinations, and numerous souvenirs.
These days, roses are starting to bloom in their wide varieties, and this beauty is celebrated with the Festival of Roses and beautiful photo sessions.
The Rose Museum, Kazanlak (part of the Rose Valley) is a great place to learn about the history of rose production, see the best species of flowers and acquire a wide range of rose products: rose oil, rose water, rose jam, etc.
The museum with 15000 artefacts devoted to the history of rose oil production in Bulgaria and its garden of 1000 blossoming roses is an iconic landmark and a must-visit attraction in Bulgaria.
The unique place sheds light on the history of the European perfume industry for the last three centuries.
The new building with an impressive rose garden has been home to the Rose Museum for just five years. Before, the Institute of Roses, Essential and Medical Cultures for 50 years had offered educational and cultural activities devoted to rose oil production.
Of all the sections, I liked the one which displays the equipment used for rose oil production. It’s an incredibly laborious process! From 3000 kg of flowers just one kg of rose oil can be extracted.
The gift shop offers visitors a great variety of rose products. It’s possible to have a virtual tour.
Of course, the museum garden is one of the most unique Bulgarian locations, where one can see dozens of varieties of roses. The most iconic and fragrant species is Damascena – the source of rose oil production.
Explore the best hikes in Bulgaria with a map!
With the following map, discover other areas planted with roses and other flowers across the country. You can easily create your own route considering your experience in hiking and floral preferences. The best time is from May to November when the best places to visit in Bulgaria are a synonym for the best hiking routes in Bulgaria.
Find more curiosities about Bulgaria in the Places section of this blog.
