Kazanlak and the Valley of the Thracian Kings
Bulgaria before Bulgaria
Before the medieval Bulgarian kings, the Thracians lived in these lands.
And right around Kazanlak you can come across some of the most impressive traces they left.
Amidst the fields in the valley, mounds rise, under which archaeologists have discovered tombs and temples of the Thracian aristocracy. The Kazanlak Tomb is famous for its remarkable ancient frescoes.
What to see
The Kazanlak Thracian Tomb.
Golyama Kosmatka.
The Historical Museum in Kazanlak.
And in May and June...
The valley has a completely different aroma.
This is the region of the oil-bearing rose and the traditional rose picking.
A visit to a rose garden early in the morning and the opportunity to see how rose oil is produced show another part of Bulgaria that you will hardly encounter elsewhere in the same way.
Allocate: 1–2 days
Suitable for: archaeology, history, traditions
Special experience: the rose season
Combine with: Shipka and Etara
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