As of 1 August, Bulgaria’s seaside town of Tsarevo is hosting the most delicious festival, dedicated to manna honey, that is so typical of Strandzha. Beekeepers from all over the country are presenting an incredible array of beekeeping products. This year the festival also features discussions on issues like financing for beekeeping, as well as the novelties in the use of honey for medical purposes.

Strandzha’s manna honey was included in the EC Register of protected designations and protected geographical indications in 2019. The mountain where it is obtained – Strandzha – is part of the Natura 2000 protected areas network. Beekeeping has been an important means of livelihood here for a long time – evidence of which are the existing bee skeps and bee logs going back to the end of the 19^th century.

Compiled by Veneta Nikolova