Traveling to Eastern Europe offers souvenir hunters the opportunity to purchase high-quality handmade gifts that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. These memories reflect regional traditions, generations of knowledge and pride in culture. When traveling to Bulgaria, look for handmade items that you can take home as a souvenir of your travels or as a unique gift for someone who appreciates art and accessories from the corners of the world.
ceramics
Bulgarian pottery is characterized by distinctive patterns. Trojan pottery is one of the most famous types of pottery in Bulgaria. The red clay is decorated with glazes in multiple, more subdued color schemes. Large pots are created with traditional Bulgarian recipes in mind, while items created for travelers who want to limit their luggage can easily be wrapped and stowed for the journey home.
Wine
Did you know that wine is grown in almost all parts of Bulgaria? Bulgarian wine ranges from rich and full-bodied wines to young and light wines that are easy to drink and produced by an increasing number of winemakers. Step into this world when you visit Bulgaria to broaden your palate and discover a favorite strain to take home.
Local health and beauty products
Bulgaria, as a rose-growing country, uses the rose to its fullest potential, incorporating it into beauty products and pressing the flowers for oil. Other products can be found, such as mountain tea (also known as ironwort) and cosmetics made with other local herbs.
Woodcarving
From Bulgaria come master woodcarvers, who can transform any ordinary wooden object into a work of art. There are three main woodcarving traditions in the world of Bulgarian carving: shepherd-style woodcarving, home woodcarving, and religious woodcarving. Shepherd wood carving evolved as shepherds who tended their flocks used their time to carve useful but beautiful objects, such as spoons or candle holders. Wood carving for the home was used to decorate the interior and exterior of the home.
Religious woodcarving is considered the most complex, and this style can be seen used in iconostases and as frames for individual icons. Bulgarians have translated their craft into useful and attractive souvenirs for travelers, including boxes and other decorative objects.
Icon painting
Icon painting is a Bulgarian craft with deep roots. Originally an art developed in Byzantium, from which Orthodox Christianity comes, it follows strict rules that the artist must adhere to, which explains the particular style of the icons and the similarities of one icon to another. Due to these restrictions, icon painting is not a skill that just anyone can master; It takes study and practice to create authentic pieces that honor the highest standards of tradition.
Leather craft
Bulgarians have been honing their leatherworking skills for centuries. Tanning and dying of leather is an arduous process that results in a material ready to be made into bags, shoes, hats, and other wearable items. These are decorative or utilitarian or both. A cozy pair of sheepskin slippers or a warm hat are easy to pack souvenirs that will last for years.
Jewelry
Bulgarian jewelry with traditional motifs has a distinctive look. Filigree, parchment, ice and enamel work are an integral part of preserved jewelery from the past. Contemporary jewelry artists sometimes incorporate the techniques and motifs of their ancestors to produce jewelry that reflects a long-established custom of decorating the body as part of Bulgarian national costume. Good examples of Bulgarian jewelry can be seen in the archaeological museum in Plovdiv. Sophisticatedly designed buckles were sought after items to complete an ensemble from the past, but jewelry artists in Bulgaria create wearable art for modern people.
Weaving
Weaving is an ancient tradition in Bulgaria. It uses natural fibers from plants and animals to produce carpets, rugs and blankets of distinctive design and quality that reveal the influences of ancient cultures. Weaving and owning a loom were necessary as part of traditional life to create useful objects for the home. Floral and geometric designs in a variety of color schemes mean that Bulgarian rugs and rugs can be found to suit any interior taste or decor. Today, the practice of weaving is preserved through dedicated artisans.
Two carpet manufacturing centers are located in Kotel and Chiprovtsi.
