Mushrooms in Bulgaria. Where to buy property for a keen mushroom picker

Mushroom-picking spots in Bulgaria can be found in different parts of the country. There are places near Burgas and Varna, and on Sunny Beach. The mushroom season begins in October–November, and in the seaside regions you can sometimes head out mushroom picking even in December. About 200 species of wild edible mushrooms grow here. By the way, Bulgarians are not as keen mushroom pickers as, for example, Russians. For local residents who gather mushrooms, a mushroom trip is most often an opportunity for additional income. “Quiet hunting” also appeals to people who have moved from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Germany and bought property in Bulgaria. It is impossible to give up the pleasure of wandering through the forest, frying or pickling mushrooms, and then enjoying them with potatoes, salads and other delicacies.

Burgas region

If you have a flat in Burgas and its surroundings, the best place to look for mushrooms is in the forests of the Strandzha mountain range.

After heavy rains in early summer or autumn boletes, chanterelles, parasol mushrooms and oyster mushrooms grow here. There are also handsome porcini. You can find them near Malko Tarnovo, the village of Zvezdets, between the villages of Brodilovo and Sinemorets, and in the area of Tsarevo. 

Mushroom spots can be found in the mountains, forests and fields. The main requirement is a sufficient amount of moisture.

For button mushrooms and meadow honey fungi we suggest heading to the Otmanli area, near the Fishing Village (Ribarsko selishte). They also grow in the fields between the towns of Chernomorets and Sozopol.

Lovers of edible giant puffballs are recommended to go to the area of the village of Panitsovo. Perhaps the local nature will enchant you so much that you will want to buy a house or cottage there. 

Sunny Beach, Kosharitsa, Sveti Vlas

These wonderful resorts lie at the foot of the Stara Planina mountains. Fresh air, sandy beaches and entertainment attract tourists from countries all over the world. The developed infrastructure means that every year thousands of tourists come to buy a flat in Sveti Vlas, on Sunny Beach or a house in Kosharitsa.

Besides the usual beach entertainment, water sports and restaurant visits, here you can also take walks in the forests that cover the mountain slopes. In September–October, and sometimes in November, mushroom pickers gather Caesar’s mushroom. It looks very much like the fly agaric, so its search and collection should be approached carefully. 

In Stara Planina there are chanterelles and parasol mushrooms. 

Varna region

Another famous resort reveals itself from an unusual side – Golden Sands. For many this is a splendid holiday spot where you can buy an apartment and enjoy a summer holiday or earn income by renting out the property.

The nature park is also a famous mushroom-picking location. In autumn parasol mushrooms, honey fungi, oyster mushrooms and milk-caps – which are quite rare in Bulgaria – grow here. 

Other areas of the Varna region also attract mushroom pickers. In September you can go to the village of Asparuhovo and wander around the Kamchia area and the village of Tsonevo.

Bansko

Do not think that the little town of Bansko is famous only for its ski runs and lifts. In summer it is more humid here than on the Black Sea coast. Already at the end of July you can head to the villages closest to Bansko in search of meadow honey fungi and button mushrooms. One such village is Dobrinishte. 

Specifics of mushroom picking in Bulgaria

Foreigners who have chosen Bulgaria as their permanent place of residence go into the forest for a “quiet hunt” in the summer, but find nothing. Summer on the Black Sea resorts is hot and dry, with rain falling only in spring and autumn. Mushrooms start growing only after several rainy days. Therefore, in order not to be disappointed, wait until heavy rains have passed and the air becomes saturated with moisture, and only then set off in search of fragrant porcini, boletes and parasol mushrooms. 

Mushrooms may be gathered throughout the country, with the exception of nature reserves and border zones. In the Burgas region these are Uzun Budzhak and the village of Rezovo. In the Varna region there are no restrictions. 

Bulgaria is also rich in poisonous mushrooms. Many of them look very similar to edible ones, and only experts can tell them apart. That is why, before going into the forest, it is recommended to study carefully what you are going to gather. And if there is any suspicion that a mushroom is inedible, do not take it.

There are mushroom-picking spots in many regions of Bulgaria. Buy a flat or a house in the area you love, and you will definitely find a forest or a field that at a certain time of year becomes a paradise for mushroom pickers.