Bulgarian souvenirs: what to buy and where in Varna

The best souvenirs from Bulgaria are rose cosmetics, rakia, Bulgarian wine and food you can actually taste at home: lyutenitsa, sharena sol spice mix and local honey. In Varna, buy rose products in specialist shops, spices, honey and cheese at the Kolhozen market, and jars and bottles in supermarkets, where they cost the least.

What is Bulgaria most famous for as a gift?

The Bulgarian rose. The Rose Valley around Kazanlak and Karlovo grows Rosa damascena, and its oil goes into perfumes worldwide. Most visitors bring home rose water, hand cream or soap; a few buy pure rose oil, which is one of the most expensive natural ingredients there is.

How do you tell real rose oil from rose water or cream?

• Size and price go together. Pure oil is sold in tiny vials (a few millilitres). A big, cheap bottle labelled “rose oil” is almost always diluted or a perfume oil.
• Read the label. Look for “Rosa damascena flower oil”, a note that it is pure and the producer’s name. Rose water and creams are fine gifts, just not oil.
• Buy from a shop that lets you test. Specialist cosmetics shops let you compare scents before paying.

Where to buy souvenirs in Varna?

• Kolhozen market (central market): honey, spices, homemade lyutenitsa, cheese. Go in the morning and bring cash.
• Supermarkets (Lidl, Kaufland and others): the cheapest place for food souvenirs and rakia, and the shelves are what locals actually buy.
• The centre and the seafront: souvenir shops for pottery, magnets, textiles and rose soaps. Compare a few shops; prices vary.
• Wineries nearby: tasting first, then buying, is the best way to choose Bulgarian wine.

What can you take home through customs?

• Travelling within the EU: personal-use guide levels are 10 L of spirits and 90 L of wine per adult, and cheese and sausage for personal use are fine.
• Great Britain: GOV.UK bans personal imports of all EU dairy (cheese included) and of pork, beef, lamb, goat and deer products. Alcohol: 4 L of spirits and 18 L of wine duty-free. Honey is allowed.
• Turkey, Ukraine and other non-EU countries: duty-free limits are much lower than within the EU, and animal products are often restricted. Check your national customs website before you pack.
• Liquids over 100 ml go in checked luggage, not in your carry-on.

How to plan your souvenir shopping

1. Morning: the market for honey, spices and cheese.
2. Afternoon: a rose cosmetics shop in the Greek quarter.
3. Last day: a supermarket for lyutenitsa, rakia and wine, so heavy bottles go straight into your suitcase.

Prices are in euros since January 2026, so check receipts if a shop still shows old lev labels.

What should you read before you shop?

For the stories behind rose oil, yogurt and martenitsi, see what Bulgaria is famous for. Choosing a bottle? Our guide to Bulgarian drinks: rakia, wine and boza explains the styles, and the euro money guide covers cards, cash and old leva.