Festivals

Name of the Program	Odysseia-In Tour Code	Land Only Price	Duration
KUKERI FESTIVAL	FEST	Please note that these prices do not include flights! Starting from: - € 380 per person sharing a double/twin room - € 50 single supplement	5 days
ROSE FESTIVAL	ROSE	Please note that these prices do not include flights! Starting from: € 435 per person sharing a double/twin room € 75 single supplement	6 days

Vibrant folklore is seen in villages, in performances by world renowned song and dance troupes, and in pre-Christian pagan rituals. Bulgaria is known for its wonderful architecture, monasteries, wine, cuisine, and art.

"Bulgarians love to celebrate and their calendar is full of traditional and other festivities. The extent to which some of the more traditional holidays are celebrated may vary from region to region and the folklore traditions are more prevalent in rural Bulgaria than in the larger towns."

Sofia Inside&out ' 04

If one wishes to dive off to the world of traditions of Bulgaria, spring probably would be the most rewarding time to visit. The advent of spring, Baba Marta (literally "Granny March") is celebrated on March 1 when the household gets down to spring cleaning - symbolically sweeping the winter months away. On the same day people present each other with martenitsa, good-luck charms made of red and white woolen threads.

Bulgarian culture and customs still contain elements of pre-Christian traditions. During Kukeri masquerades, locals dress in animal-like costumes to scare away evil spirits.

"A very important role is played by the name days. Most name days are fixed calendar days although some are related to religious events such as Easter and therefore fall on different dates each year."

Sofia Inside&out ' 04

The Orthodox Easter occurs roughly a week or two later than in Western Europe, and its exact timing varies from year to year. After midnight Mass on Easter Saturday, congregation floods out onto the streets bearing candles symbolizing the Resurrection, before smashing especially painted eggs. Certain other festivals (chiefly Lent) are also timed in relation to Easter, rather than occurring on a fixed date.

Bulgaria is the land of Orpheus. The richness and variety of traditional Bulgarian music lives on today. Orthodox ecclesiastic chants dating back to the 9th century are still performed in some churches.

Traditional female vocal music features a beautiful timbre with a rich and stirring sound. Music from "The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices" was included in a time capsule placed in the Voyager 2 space ship to get in touch with other civilizations.

Bulgarian crafts include woven rugs and cloth, handmade lace, woodcarvings, and ceramics.