29 June – 3 July 2026 | Plovdiv, Bulgaria

A five-day olfactory journey through the fragrant heritage of Bulgaria — where lavender fields, rose gardens, and tobacco plantations tell their aromatic stories.

Discover the origins of local scents

Join us for an extraordinary perfume-making experience designed to deepen your understanding of fragrance creation. Through field trips, hands-on classes, and encounters with local producers, you’ll explore both the artistry and science behind perfume formulation.

What to expect:

• Perfume-making sessions with Karen Gilbert, perfumer, author, and host of The Perfume Making Podcast. Under her guidance, you’ll work with a wide palette of natural and synthetic materials to create your own compositions. All tools and ingredients are provided.

• Field visits to distilleries and extraction facilities for rose, tobacco, oakmoss, beeswax, and lavender, where you’ll meet the people behind these iconic raw materials and experience lavender harvest firsthand.

• Culinary and cultural experiences — taste regional wines and dishes that share the same terroir as the plants we’ll study, and spend the evenings exploring Plovdiv, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe — a place where Roman ruins, Ottoman courtyards, and creative modern life coexist in harmony.

• Exclusive access to locally produced perfume materials such as rose oil, rose absolute, tobacco absolute, oakmoss absolute, beeswax absolute, helichrysum, lavender, linden, clary sage, and juniper berry — available for participants at preferential prices.

A sensory immersion

You’ll not only learn how to compose a perfume — you’ll understand the landscape it comes from. Each activity adds a new note to your memory, blending into a fragrance that is uniquely yours.

Highlights

The perfume-making classes will take place at the Art Gallery Philippopolis, conveniently located just a few minutes from your accommodation at the Hillhouse Hotel.

Course Facilitators: Silvia Yonkova, Roseoverdose, and Karen Gilbert.

Dates: 29 June – 3 July 2026

Location: Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Fly directly from the UK or land in Sofia and arrive in Plovdiv in about 1 hour and 20 minutes)

Transfers: Transfers from Sofia to Plovdiv on Monday, June 29th, and from Plovdiv to Sofia on Friday, July 3rd, can be organised at an additional cost.

Focus: Exploring natural perfume materials produced in Bulgaria and not only!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Silvia at silvia@roseoverdose.com or +359888790007.

Is this experience for you?

This retreat is perfect for you if:
🌿 You work with fragrance or flavour and want to deepen your material knowledge.
👃 You’d love to learn how to make perfumes and understand how accords come to life.
🌹 You already have a perfume brand and wish to connect directly with Bulgarian producers and distillers.
✈️ You’re passionate about travel, scent, and culture, and love discovering the stories behind aromatic plants.

If that sounds like you, then Perfume Plants of Bulgaria is your next adventure. 🚀

Prices & Payments

Your journey can begin only with a €300 deposit🌿

You can also pay the full amount directly through the website if you prefer to finalise your booking in one step.

If paying in full isn’t possible at the moment, you can secure your place with the deposit first and then continue with two or three instalments — monthly or bimonthly, whichever suits you best. (Instalment options are available until 1 May 2026.)

You can complete your payments online through the website, or via Revolut, PayPal, or bank transfer — just let us know your preference.

Pricing Categories

Choose the plan that fits your timing:

• Early Bird — €1800 / person
  13 November 2025 – 31 January 2026

• Standard — €2000 / person
  1 February – 30 April 2026

• Last Call — €2200 / person
  1 May – 10 June 2026

Share the experience 🤍

Coming with a friend? If you share a hotel room, both of you will receive a 10% discount on the total price. (Please note: this offer cannot be combined with other discounts.)

To arrange your payment or discuss instalments, reach out to Silvia:
📩 silvia@roseoverdose.com | 📞 +359 888 790 007

What’s Included

✨ All perfume-making sessions and materials
🌸 Field and distillery visits
🏨 Accommodation in Plovdiv — Europe’s oldest living city
🍽️ Two local lunches and a wine tasting
🧴 Access to Bulgarian perfume ingredients at preferential prices

Not Included

✈️ Flights and travel insurance
🚗 Transfers from Sofia to Plovdiv and back (if arriving in Sofia)
👜 Personal expenses

Refunds & Cancellations

Your deposit is non-refundable.

If you cancel:

• Before 1 February 2026 → 100% refund (excluding deposit)

• Before 1 March 2026 → 50% refund (excluding deposit)

• Before 1 April 2026 → 25% refund (excluding deposit)

• After 1 April 2026 → no refunds will be issued