And why you should make it a part of your summer break...
Just south of the mighty Balkan Mountains, in the outskirts of the Stara Gora Mountain, snuggled between two rambling rivers, spreading across the picturesque villages of Karlovo and Kazanluk is the entrancing Bulgarian Rose Valley.
Well known, but not well known enough, the Valley of Roses in Bulgaria is where high-quality olfactory producers such as Channel, Dior and Givenchy, outsource their rose oil. And no wonder! The Rose Valley is the largest producer of rose oil in the world. Rosa damascene is the most aromatic rose species in existence, and the one populating the soils of the Rose Valley.
Rose damascene is said to have been brought to Bulgaria by Alexander the Great in the 17th century. In Bulgarian soil, the roses grew high in fragrance-exuding chemicals. It became apparent that the flowers favoured the mild, rainy climate in the territory of Kazanluk and Karlovo, rendering their aroma the most narcotically hypnotising a rose can emanate. And this is what makes the Bulgarian Rose Valley so unique!
To honour the 3-century-old tradition of producing rose oil, every year in the beginning of June the locals hold one of the most celebrated festivals in the country throughout the year, The Festival of Roses.
The festival begins with an early morning rose picking in the dewy fields with the villagers wearing traditional folk costumes reminiscent of the early days of rose picking. The day unfolds with a line-up of time-honoured dances, songs and rituals and culminates with a beauty contest that crowns the most beautiful of the young village girls, Queen Rose.
The festival attracts hundreds of visitors every year with its shows and parades, unveiling of rose distillery secrets and most of all the enticing fragrance of the rose valley in the hot summer days! The locals await the celebrations with fervour and their community spirit, respect for the gifts of the earth and unbridled vitality are contagious and life affirming!
Surrounded by the tranquil Bulgarian countryside and ancient cities permeated by culture, the Valley of Roses, or Rose Valley, is the centrepiece of the region, a place worthy to be the setting of a fairy tail.
A lot can be said about this spellbinding valley and its solemn festival, but the only way to truly experience the magic is by visiting the valley during festival season this June. So, why don’t you. And if you do, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses!
*image by Wikimedia Commons