Rose essential oil is out — Bulgaria’s world’s largest vampire grave site is the new tourist draw

▲ Bulgaria promotes “vampire grave” tourism. (Photo / Klearchos Kapoutsis / CC BY 2.0)

Text by Rita

Whether it’s superstition or not, there are probably only a handful of countries in the world that can rake in serious tourism revenue from ghosts and ghouls. Beyond Ireland and Romania’s haunted castles, even Bulgaria — once known for its rose tourism — has recently started promoting “vampire grave tourism” on its national website. It all depends on whether travelers dare to visit.

According to the Lonely Planet website, Bulgaria’s tourism minister recently announced plans to actively promote vampire tourism, thanks to the discovery of several historical sites. In a Roman archaeological site on the Black Sea coast, 17 youth skeletons were found in 2004, pinned inside their coffins. This method is said to date back to a 4th-century pagan ritual, and officials have proposed an interpretation suggesting these stone sarcophagi make up the world’s largest vampire graveyard.

Such archaeological discoveries aren’t limited to just one site in Bulgaria. Another town, Sozopol, a well-known Black Sea tourist hub, also uncovered two 700-year-old skeletons between 2012 and 2013 with iron stakes driven through their chests — earning them the nickname “Sozopol’s twin vampires.” Because of this, the mayor of Sozopol is actively planning to create a vampire-themed tour route connecting multiple towns.