The date is 3 June every year.

The place – the remote village of Bulgari.

Accompanied by the sounds of the drum and bagpipes, the fire dancers – called nestinari, are stepping into the embers. They have been keeping the secrets of their mystic ritual for centuries – ever since the time when the Thracian priests were trying to connect with their gods.

This ritual is not just a dance in the embers. It unites legends, rituals, memories and prophecies for the future. What are the secrets of the nestinari and what happens in the beginning of June in the heart of Strandzha Mountain – join us on a journey through the secrets of the ancient rituals.

The five nestinari villages in Strandzha

Kosti, Kondolovo, Bulgari, Gramatikovo and Slivarovo – these are the last five nestinari villages. Every year, the people from these villages made a procession, bringing the icons of Saints Constantine and Helena to the Vlahov Dol area (located almost in the middle of the mountain). Each village had its own wooden bed, on which the icon was placed after being ritually washed. After that, they would perform a korban (animal sacrifice) and finally dance on the hot coals. Unfortunately, this tradition was interrupted in 1941.

Nowadays the last place in Bulgaria where nestinari dances are held is the village of Bulgari. The processions from the five nestinari villages to Vlahov Dol were started again a few years ago (on the last Sunday before 3 June), but the fire dance can only be seen in Bulgari.

Few people know that the nestinari ritual used to last seven full days. Due to the persecution of the nestinari it was shortened to three days, while today it lasts only one.

Not just dancing on fire

Many restaurants at Bulgarian the seaside have shows with dancers on embers but they have nothing to do with the original tradition. Since ancient times, divination is at the heart of the ritual. The nestinari community used to have its own secret life, guided by the lead nestinar. It was lead by a special nestinari calendar and mystic rituals and divination about the future were done throughout the whole year. The peak moment was the day of Sts. Constantine and Helena – 3 June.

It all began thousands of years ago…

Nobody knows exactly when our ancestors danced in the fire for the first time. It is known that thousands of years ago the ancient Thracian tribes performed rituals in the fire as part of their cult of the sun. The circle of fire on the ground was a reflection of the fire disc in the sky. At that time only the king-priest had the right to step on the coals and come into contact with the gods.

… from the pagan dances to the cult of Saint Constantine

Gradually, the pagan nestinari ritual began to Christianize. When the Roman emperor Constantine the Great proclaimed Christianity an equal religion in the fourth century, the nestinari dedicated their dance in the embers to him and his mother Helena as a token of gratitude. Over time the dance acquired some Christian elements, but it was never accepted by the church.

What exactly happens on 3 June?

On the day of Saints Constantine and Helena, early in the morning, the icons of the saints are brought out of the church and taken to the konak building in Bulgari village (a small building in which the main nestinar woman is preparing for the dance). The icons are then draped in red fabric and the nestinari procession heads to the chapel of Saint Constantine, which is located in the forest by the village. There the procession circles the chapel three times counterclockwise, the people pour themselves healing water from a spring and the icon is returned to the konak.

The main nestinar woman (or man) spends the entire day in the konak, where she focuses, prays and prepares to go into a trance. After dark, to the sounds of the drum and bagpipe, she begins making vocal sounds, through which she controls her breathing but also, it is said, communicates with the universe. The nestinari leave the konak in a solemn procession and do three rounds of the church and three rounds of the coals.

After that, the actual dance begins and it lasts 5-10 minutes. Starting from the oldest one, the nestinari pass barefoot through the fiery circle, with the icon in their hands. Finally, the nestinari horo (traditional folk dance) is danced around the fire and everyone else who knows the steps can also join the nestinari.

Nestinari melodies and dances

All fire dancing rituals are performed to the sounds of the holy drum (that is kept in the konak year-round) and the bagpipe. There are three nestinari melodies. The first one is played when the icons are taken from the church on the morning of 3 June. The second one – when the nestinari are getting ready to step into the fire. The third one – during the actual dance in the embers. It is interesting that the nestinari horo begins with the left foot – in Strandzha only two folklore dances start with the left foot, both of them ritual ones.

The last nestinari

In the past, the nestinari ritual used to be passed on through the generations. During the communist period it was forbidden by the authorities and the tradition was broken until the beginning of the 90s. Despite that in 1964 a film was made about the last two nestinari women – Babini Slatini (the film is kept in the town hall of Bulgari).

Nowadays the dances in Bulgari village are not performed by the children of the nestinari families.

In 2009, UNESCO entered nestinari dances in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Museum of nestinari

In 2014, The Road of the Nestinari visitor center was opened in Bulgari village. In it archival photos and objects tell about the past of the tradition.

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Demir Baba Тeke has been considered a holy place in Bulgaria for 3,000 years – since the time of the ancient Thracians. The peculiar shrine nestled in greenery welcomes everyone, regardless of their religion, to be enchanted by a number of local legends.

Who was Demir Baba?

Demir Baba was an Alevi saint, a wise man and healer. The Alevis are followers of an isolated branch of Islam, famous for its tolerance towards all other religions. For example, these spiritual people describe the difference between their religion and Christianity as no thicker than “onion skin”.

Demir Baba Teke, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

What you will see (+ some terminology)

Turbe – a heptagonal tomb

Teke (or khanqah, riban) – a holy place featuring a turbe of an Alevi saint

The turbe is Demir Baba’s tomb. It is built between two rocks, which once served as a Thracian sanctuary. Check out the house next to the tomb, where a small museum offers information about the Alevis and the life of Demir Baba.

If you are searching for God, go, look for him in man – Demir Baba

Demir Baba Teke, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

The rituals

You can participate in the many rituals that still take place here. Legend has it that in one dry year, Demir Baba touched a rock with his palm. Water started flowing from the rock, creating the spring that now bubbles in the teke`s yard. Wash yourself three times and drink from the water (it is clean). Then, on the way to the teke, tie a cloth to a tree branch for good health. Look for the rock to the left of the turbe; people believe that if they lie here with their head down, then stand up without using their hands, they will be healthy. To the left of the building there is a wall with two holes. Stand a few steps away from the holes and, with your eyes closed, point to them with your index fingers. This tradition is known as “stabbing the witch’s eyes out”. According to the legend, only the righteous succeed.

Stabbing the witch;s eyes at Demir Baba Teke, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

See also…

Demir Baba teke is part of Sboryanovo Archeological Reserve, which also includes a UNESCO world heritage site – the Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari. Also of interest in the region are the remains of Helis, an ancient Thracian town from the 4th or 3rd century BC, believed to have been the capital of the Getae tribe. Make sure you go to the plateau above the teke to appreciate splendid panoramic views. If you want to see everything, it’s a good idea to spend a whole day in the area. It’s not too far between sights, but it’s best to have a car or a bike.

Useful information

You can visit the teke at any time. It is 12 km from the town of Isperih, passing through the villages of Dragomazh and Malak Porovets. The road through the village of Sveshtari is the same length – 1.5 km from Isperih you will see a sign at the turn-off from the Isperih-Ruse road. Park your car by the grass area, where you’ll see summer houses and Thracian excavations, then take the stairs down to the teke. For more information: Historical Museum of Isperih – +359 8431/4783, www.museumisperih.com (in Bulgarian only, you will have to use Google Translate), www.getika.com.

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You won’t meet lovers of sand beaches in the Bulgarian seaside village of Tyulenovo (Тюленово), simply because there is no sand in the area. Along the entire coastline there are only majestic cliffs, plunging 20-30 m (65-100 ft), with curious folds, pinnacles and hollows shaped by the crashing waves. Below them lie many underwater caves, while the remains of ships that have wrecked against the dangerous coast lie scattered across the sea bed. Relics from ancient civilizations have been found in rock niches throughout the years – maybe many more still remain undiscovered.

Tyulenovo, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

What you will find in Tyulenovo

Lovers of diving and rock climbing, fans of wild sea beaches, explorers of ancient cultures and nature photographers are drawn to this place. Some pitch their tents right on the rocks, despite the strong wind, while others stay in family hotels and guest houses. But in Tyulenovo, everyone is searching for that extraordinary one thing that keeps popping up in your mind months after your visit.

Tyulenovo, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

The seals of Tyulenovo

Although its name translates from Bulgarian as “the village of seals,” there are no longer any seals in Tyulenovo. They disappeared years ago, probably in the 1970s, although a lack of exact data makes it impossible to know for sure. Almost as blurry is the story of how they came to be in the village in the first place. Many put the seals’ presence down to Maria, a Romanian queen who loved to spend her holidays at her summer residence in the nearby town of Balchik (the present-day Castle of Balchik, open to visitors). In the 1930s she raised a pair of seals, then decided one day to let them free. The seals settled near Tyulenovo, which was at the time named Kalach Kyoy. The village was renamed Tyulenovo (“of the seals”) in 1942 because of those seals.

Even if you can’t dive, even if you can’t climb a rock, even if you don’t find a single cave once inhabited by the Thracians, it’s enough to wake up before sunrise, sit by the rock bridge and watch the sun shimmering off the waves.

Tyulenovo, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

We challenge you to…

…get up before sunrise and welcome the sun on the rocky coast – an unforgettable experience!

Useful information:

The village of Tyulenovo is 80 km from Varna. You can take a bus from Sofia and Varna to Shabla, then a bus from Shabla to Tyulenovo. However, that bus runs only twice a week, so it’s faster to hitchhike or rent a car.

A map of the best vantage point in Tyulenovo:

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A visit to the Rose Valley in Bulgaria in May and June is a must. You’ll see, touch and smell the oil-bearing roses, whose aroma has made them famous around the world, especially for visitors from China and Japan. It’s easy to understand why so many tourists travel thousands of miles to come here.

Why is the Bulgarian rose so special?

The oil-bearing rose Rosa Damascena, grown in the Rose Valley, is a symbol of Bulgaria recognized across the world. It possesses great beauty and a unique fragrance, and is widely recognized as the only rose capable of producing the highest quality rose oil. We can prove it: in almost every expensive French perfume there are several milligrams of Bulgarian rose oil.

Amazingly, the precious liquid is also used as the finest grease in NASA’s space shuttles.

The Rose Valley, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

How to join the rose picking at the Rose Festival?

The peak season for visiting Kazlanak, from the end of May until the end of June, coincides with the town’s Rose Festival, which has been held for more than a century. During this time, the town’s streets fill with the sweet fragrance of roses. Roll up your sleeves and help pick the rose petals, or see how the precious oil is extracted from the roses. There’s only one condition – you have to get up before sunrise to take part in the work.

Ask at your hotel what’s the nearest rose-picking event (they are usually held in a different village every Saturday and Sunday morning during the Rose Festival).

Rose oil distillation facility in Kazanlak, Bulgaria | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

Don’t miss Kazanlak’s Rose Museum, which displays more than 10,000 exhibits related to rose oil production. It’s the only one of its kind in the Balkans and is located in the Rose Park in the city.

What else can you do in the Rose Valley?

Kazanlak was crowned the capital of the Rose Valley a long time ago, but centuries earlier Thracian kings ruled their empire from this area. The UNESCO-listed Tomb of Kazanlak, located in Tyulbeto Park in the town center, is a masterpiece of antiquity with its exceptional frescoes.

Just a few kilometers from the town, submerged beneath the Koprinka Reservoir, the ancient city of Seuthopolis – the capital of the Odrysian kingdom – lies in its watery grave. Spread across the foot of the mountains, the Valley of the Thracian Kings is home to more than 1,500 Thracian mounds. Some of the most impressive to visit are Golyama Kosmatka (the Tomb if Seuths III), Shushmanets and Ostrusha.

More information about the tombs’ opening hours, admission fees, etc., you will find here.

The bronze head of Seuth III found in Golyamata Kosmatka Mound near Kazanlak | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

Fun fact…

A phial (“muskal” in Bulgarian) is a measurement unit of rose oil, equal to 4.810 grams. Until World War I, the oil was measured in phials (as gold is weighed in carats). One phial of pure rose oil was considered equal to 24 carats of gold.

Food from roses

The rose is not only used for fragrances in the Rose Valley. You can find it served on the table as well. Don’t leave the area without tasting the aromatic rose jam made from the rose petals and the rose liqueur that is a trade mark of the Rose Valley. You can try them during your visit of the Ethnographic Complex Kulata in Kazanlak, part of the History Museum (information here).

Rose jam | © Maria Angelova/203challenges.com

How and when to visit the Rose Valley in Bulgaria?

The Rose Festival takes place during the whole month of June, so you can plan your trip in this month. The most impressive events are held on the weekends. Kazanlak is located 230 km (143 mi) from Sofia, and can be reached by train, by bus or by a rental car.

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