If you are planning a trip to Bulgaria, you should know when the holidays are commemorated and a little about those celebrations. If you are on vacation, you are an eyewitness to the culture, history, and personality of the country, and that adds an interesting dimension to your visit. But you should also take into account that on national and religious holidays, public institutions, shops and restaurants may be closed.
January 1: New Years Day
Bulgaria celebrates the New Year with the rest of the world on January 1. If you are in Sofia, the capital, head to Batenburg Square, where annual performances are held in honor of this holiday.
March 1: Baba Marta
Baba Marta, or Grandmother March, is characterized by the delivery of red and white Martenitsa, red and white tassels made by hand or sold by street vendors. The colors symbolize blood and snow, and Bulgarians wear these tassels on their clothing to ensure good health and prosperity.
March 3: Bulgarian Liberation Day
The Bulgarian Liberation Day celebrates the establishment of the Bulgarian state in 1878. This holiday, like similar ones in different countries of the world, is marked with public ceremonies.
Spring: Easter Sunday and Monday
Easter is an important holiday in Bulgaria. Traditional foods are prepared and eaten, and the eggs are dyed. These dyed eggs are often red in color, which is a custom for Bulgarian Easter. Breaking eggs as a family is a common tradition that is said to predict the wealth and success that lies ahead.
May 1: Labor Day
Bulgarian Labor Day has been celebrated since the middle of the 20th century and is marked as a day of rest.
May 24: Day of Slavic Education and Culture
This day is also known as the Day of the Slavic Alphabet and Culture and the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius. This unusual holiday celebrates the Cyrillic alphabet and its developers, Cyril and Methodius. In the 9th century, these two Greek monks created the Cyrillic alphabet, a form of which is still used today in Bulgaria.
September 6: Unification Day
This day celebrates the unification of Bulgaria with the province of Eastern Rumelia in the 19th century. Unification almost doubled the size of Bulgaria. As with other national holidays related to borders and origin, the day is honored with public ceremonies.
September 22: Independence Day
Bulgaria celebrates its independence from the Ottoman Empire with ceremonies marking this important event. Bulgaria became independent on September 22, 1908, shortly before the First World War.
December 24, 25 and 26: Christmas Eve, Christmas and the second day of Christmas
Christmas in Bulgaria is celebrated over three days: Christmas Eve, Christmas and December 26, which is considered the second day of Christmas. Christmas Day dinner is traditionally a big feast that features a meat main course. Families follow Christmas customs and enjoy traditional meals on this long winter break.
