An exceptional opportunity for travellers wishing to discover the history and culture of Bulgaria at a very special time: the celebration of the ‘Surva’, or Kukeri Festival, in the town of Pernik. This trip to Bulgaria, adapted to winter, allows you to immerse yourself in local culture.
As well as attending this ancient carnival, we will explore Sofia and Plovdiv, visit rural villages and discover Bachkovo and Rila monasteries.
Single departure for the Surva Festival
What is the Surva Festival?
Declared the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, the Surva festival is the most important kukeri festival in the world and the largest parade in the Balkans. Although it is difficult to know for sure, it is also said to be the oldest carnival in Europe. During this annual festival, various kukeri groups from different regions of the country parade, dance and compete among themselves to win the festival award.
Who are the kukeri?
Kukeri are mystical figures who dance and perform rituals through Bulgarian villages in frightening costumes and masks, driving away evil spirits and encouraging good harvests and fertility.
Their spectacular costumes, typically made from animal skins and fur, are the main attraction. While costumes pass from generation to generation, each new kukeri makes a mask and adds elements over the years. These handmade masks often represent sheep, goats or bulls. Today, each group of kukeri, from different regions, also includes elements reflecting its own traditions and community.
Formerly, the kukeri figure was reserved only for young men, but today we can find women and men of all ages performing these rites and dances. These practices have been modernized and are now a mixture of the different ways of understanding Kukeri in various parts of Bulgaria and the Balkans.
Our attendance at the festival
The festival takes place on the streets of the city of Pernik. We will spend one day attending the festival, strolling through the streets of Pernik, watching several parades and enjoying the event next to the locals from the most remote regions of the country. This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Bulgarian culture.
Travel in January to Bulgaria
Surva Festival
Fearsome costumes, dances and parades at the world’s oldest carnival. We will experience this ancient celebration first hand, mingling with local people at the country’s most important festival.
Sofia and Plovdiv
Modern and cosmopolitan today, they were key cities in the past and recent history of the European continent, and their ruins and architecture are a clear example of the history of our continent.
Orthodox monasteries
The strategically located Rila and Bachkovo monasteries are Bulgaria’s most important, with impressive frescoes inside.
Bulgaria: Surva festival special
Bulgaria✔️ Departure 26 JAN 2025
✔️ Price from 1570€