Local culture strikes with an abundance of beautiful customs and traditions, interesting festivals and rituals, many of which have pagan roots. An acquaintance with local culture is an integral part of the holiday for many tourists; from the very first days of their stay in Sofia they are charmed with unique national spirit. Many travelers come to visit the city on the New Year’s Eve; this holiday is celebrated on a noble scale. The local name of the holiday is ‘Surva Godin.’ Like many years ago, New Year celebration is accompanied by a mass of symbolic events.
Bulgaria's capital, Sofia is a city rich in history, many notable places and spectacular natural landscapes. In the center of town is located Slaveykov Square, from which diverge beautiful …
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On the feast young people go for a walk along the streets in colorful costumes of animals; according to the tradition New Year outfits are decorated with survakari bells. It is believed that ringing bells attached to a belt helps to fight evil and bring good luck, so survakari are among the most popular New Year gifts. The celebration of 1st of March, the Feast of the arrival of spring, is beautiful and symbolic.
This festival also has its own symbols - small ornaments of red and white threads called martenicas. It is common to give hand-woven jewelry as a gift to the family and friends; it is fixed to the clothing. There are special carnival festivities in Sofia; here this holiday is called Sirnitza. The main festive meal is halva; this sweet dish is a prime example of the unique combination of Slavic and Eastern cultures. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
You could find restaurants of any cuisine in Sofia. Travelers will enjoy local eating places and attractive prices. Among the most prestigious dining places the L'etranger international …
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According to the Eastern interpretation, halva is a symbol of a sweet and happy life. Slavs also perceive dish produced from sunflower seeds and associate it with money in the house. During the festival, mass of colorful performances and competitions, which also shows a clear influence of pagan traditions, are held on city streets. Each national holiday is an amazing action, which has being enriched with interesting and symbolic traditions for hundreds of years. Residents of the city will gladly introduce the diversity of cultural traditions for travelers. Every foreigner will feel welcome at local festivals.
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National traditions of Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a very popular tourist destination due to the cordiality and hospitality of the locals. Hospitable Bulgarians greet visitors of their country with special attention. Tourists feel incredibly comfortable in the country. Bulgaria is a Slavic country, a secular state with freedom of religion. More than 70 percent of the population professes Orthodoxy. This Orthodox Church affected the culture and customs of locals. The ancestors of the Bulgarians are the Thracians, an ancient flourishing civilization, and the Slavs, who, having mixed with the Thracian people created the modern population of Bulgaria.
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