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What are the best bulgarian souvenirs?

Travel Info
I will be in Bulgaria for a month. Looking to ship back authentic bulgarian goods not found in the States. I appreciate all suggestions.

Travel Tips

If you鈥檙e looking to buy a ton of little souvenirs, go for rose water. It comes in tiny wooden hand-painted-looking containers (鈥渕uskali鈥? and you鈥檒l find them everywhere souvenirs are sold for about $1-$3 depending on the style of the container and the location of the market 鈥?the more touristy, the more expensive - but you might be able to negotiate on the spot for larger quantity. You can also get small traditional red woven napkins/doilies to go with them for a nice display. Of course, world-famous Bulgarian rose oil is a great option but that can get pricey. Both the rose water and rose oil are aphrodisiacs among other things.

If you鈥檇 like to get something special for yourself or someone close to you, go for original art. Not the paint-by-the numbers landscapes sold at those same touristy markets (which go in the above category of inexpensive gifts), but art from a local gallery. You can get an astounding oil painting for a few hundred dollars. Hand-painted icons and wood carvings are beautiful and uniquely Bulgarian, too. The pieces we鈥檝e bought came with some sticker or certificate allowing them to be exported.

You may also get Bulgarian cookbooks 鈥?in English, of course! There are so many different ones, varying in size, cover, pictures (thus price) and quality of the translation, but all with tasty traditional Bulgarian recipes. And to go with the cookbooks, grab some spices 鈥?"chubrista" (the closest in the U.S. is savory but not the same), "giuzum" (a kind of mint), and "mirodiya" (often in combination with other spices and sometimes salt, layered inside small jars in beautiful designs). Small hand-made clay pots (鈥済iuvecheta鈥? and other pottery items are nice and traditional, but can get heavy and need to be packaged well.

As already noted, hand-embroidered items, CD鈥檚 of national music, wooden or copper jewelry boxes and dolls in national costumes always work well鈥?

Make sure to get a bottle or two of Rakiya (Bulgarian hard liquor with over 40% alcohol content)鈥?br /> Have fun during your trip!
Others

try some of those dolls dressed in the old traditional clothing or some folk instrument...