Plovdiv: Picking Roses Workshop & Extracting Rose Oil in the Rose Valley

This experience brings you into the heart of one of Bulgaria’s most treasured crafts – the cultivation of the oil-bearing Kazanlak rose and the extraction of its precious essence. During the rose-picking season, you will take part in a traditional ritual alongside local rose-pickers dressed in authentic folk costumes, following customs passed down through generations. Surrounded by fragrant rose fields, you will learn why this flower grows only in specific latitudes and why its oil is among the most valuable natural products in the world.

The journey continues with warm Bulgarian hospitality, as you taste rose sweet, gulovitsa, and aromatic rose liqueur, all prepared according to traditional recipes. You will then step into an old-style house where the secrets of rose oil and rose water distillation are revealed through a live workshop using a mini distillery. This demonstration explains the delicate balance between temperature, timing, and technique that gives Bulgarian rose oil its unmatched quality.

A visit to a renowned Bulgarian rose factory adds a modern perspective to this ancient craft. Here, you will see how rose-based products such as soaps are created, connecting tradition with contemporary production methods. Throughout the experience, local guides share stories about village life, seasonal rituals, and the cultural importance of roses in Bulgarian identity.

This tour is a sensory journey filled with fragrance, flavors, and traditions, offering a rare opportunity to truly understand the soul of the Rose Valley.

Approximately 2 hours

• Participate in an authentic rose-picking ritual during the harvest season
• Learn how rose oil and rose water are extracted in a traditional distillery
• Taste local rose delicacies and traditional rose-based drinks
• Visit a leading Bulgarian rose oil factory and soap-making demonstration
• Enjoy a private cultural experience guided by local experts

Prices start from 19 EUR (exact pricing may vary based on group size and additional services).

• Traditional rose-picking ritual (seasonal)
• Tasting of rose sweet, gulovitsa, and rose liqueur
• Soap-making demonstration
• Workshop on rose oil and rose water extraction with a mini distillery
• Visit to the largest private Bulgarian rose oil factory
• On-site guide services

1. Meet your local guide in the Rose Valley area

2. Join the traditional rose-picking ritual in the rose fields (seasonal)

3. Enjoy tastings of rose sweet and local rose-based drinks

4. Visit a traditional house for a rose oil and rose water distillation workshop

5. Explore a Bulgarian rose factory and observe rose soap production

6. Conclude the experience with cultural insights and free time for questions

• This is a private tour; only your group will participate
• The itinerary order may vary depending on rose blooming conditions
• The experience takes place in Karlovo and Damascena near Kazanlak
• Transport between locations is available on request at an extra charge
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Service animals are allowed
• Free cancellation applies if canceled more than 2 days before the event