oDaskalov HouseMUSEUM
(Museum of Woodcarving & Icon Painting; www.tryavna-museum.com; ul PR Slaveikov 27; adult/student 2/1 lv; h9am-6pm)
As well as faithfully representing 19th-century design styles within its walls, Daskalov House contains the fascinating Museum of Woodcarving and Icon Painting. There are magnificent examples of the Tryavna school of woodcarving, including a re-created workshop. The superb carvings within the 1808 mansion are the result of a fierce competition between two craftsmen, Ivan Bochukovetsa and Dimitar Oshanetsa. Note the 'July sun', a starburst carved in the wooden ceiling, that won the contest.
Church of Sveti Arhangeli MihailCHURCH
(cnr ul Pencho Raikov & ul Chuchura; 1 lv)
Overlooking the square near the clock tower is slate-roofed St Archangel Michael, Tryavna’s oldest church. Local lore dates it to the 12th century. It was burnt down by the Turks, but rebuilt in 1819, and holds remarkably intricate Tryavna-school woodcarvings.
Museum of IconsMUSEUM
(%0896755938; ul Breza 1; 2 lv; h10am-6pm Wed-Sun summer, 9am-4.30pm Wed-Sun winter)
Housed in a former chapel, Tryavna’s Museum of Icons contains more than 160 religious icons from the erstwhile collections of famous local families. The museum is beyond the train line, and signposted from ul PR Slaveikov.
Angel Kânchev House-MuseumMUSEUM
(ul Angel Kânchev 39; 2 lv; h9.30am-1.30pm & 2-6pm Wed-Sun summer, 10am-4pm Wed-Sun winter)
It's impossible to miss the dark wooden building with a steeply overhanging upper floor along ul Angel Kânchev. Now housing the Angel Kânchev House-Museum, the 1805 building contains exhibits about revolutionary hero Kânchev and the liberation of Tryavna during the Russo-Turkish War.
Tryavna Museum School of PaintingMUSEUM
(adult/student 2/1 lv; h9am-6pm summer, to 5pm winter)
Housed in the restored Staroto Shkolo (the town’s old school, built in 1836), the Tryavna Museum School of Painting has exemplary works by local artists.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
TRYAVNA WOODCARVING
Local legends say Tryavna's association with intricate woodcarvings began with a gifted young boy, Vitan, who learned the art from a monk. Generations of woodcarvers, passing their skills from father to son, helped Tryavna bloom into a hub for this painstaking craft during the Bulgarian National Revival period. Designs chiselled from local walnut, birch, poplar and oak trees were used to decorate monasteries in Gabrovo, Veliko Târnovo, Arbanasi and Rila. Tryavna carvers were sought after by builders and house owners as far away as Serbia, Turkey and modern-day Iran.
By the early 19th century more than 40 Tryavna workshops were producing wooden cradles, frames, icons, friezes, doors and crosses, each individually designed. Ornate and detailed flower and starburst motifs became particularly associated with the Tryavna school. Some beautiful exhibits include the ‘July sun ceiling’ inside Tryavna's Daskalov House, home to the Museum of Woodcarving and Icon Painting.
Carving courses for tourists are available, starting at around 60 lv per hour; see the local tourist information centre for details.
4Sleeping
Though many are within modern constructions, Tryavna's numerous guesthouses and hotels often live up to the charisma of the town's historic buildings. There are lodgings to suit most budgets, with the majority aimed at travellers in the midrange bracket. The tourist office can help arrange private rooms for about 25 lv per person.
oDream of HappinessGUESTHOUSE$
(%0892281441; http://dreamofhappiness.tryavna.biz; ul Angel Kânchev 63; d 50 lv; paW)
This whimsically named guesthouse offers comfortable rooms in a spotlessly clean house on Tryavna's main drag. Rooms are immaculate, there's a tranquil private garden, and a shared kitchen if you're tired of dining out on kebabcheta (spicy grilled sausage). Ebullient staff can share tips on local dining and wine. Ask ahead for directions to its car park, accessible via a back street.
You can request an extra bed for 10 lv.
Hotel TigaraHOTEL$
(%0889393154; www.tigara.tryavna.biz; ul D Gorov 7a; d/apt 35/60 lv)
This friendly, family-run place in the centre, near the History Museum, has trim, balconied rooms.
Art-M Gallery HotelHOTEL$$
(%0887097373; www.artmgallery.com; ul Angel Kânchev 20; d 78-98 lv; pW)
Attached to a little gallery, this boutique place is winning hearts for warm service and its atmospheric period building. Rooms within the slate-roofed hotel are comfortable, wooden-floored and have accents such as regional artwork and sloping ceilings in attic rooms. The location, opposite the clock tower and paces from the bridge leading to cobblestone ul PR Slveiykov, couldn't be finer.
Zograf InnGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0677-64 970; http://zograf.tryavna.biz; ul PR Slaveikov 1; d/apt from 59/78 lv; W)
In the heart of Tryavna, near the clock tower, the Zograf occupies a renovated historic house. Rooms are good value, though (unlike the National Revival–style building) they are simple and modern. Hearty breakfasts cost an extra 4 lv. Ask ahead for car space in its tiny garage.
5Eating & Drinking
In keeping with the town's nostalgic feel, Tryavna's plentiful restaurants and cafes almost invariably serve traditional Bulgarian food. Find several options along ul PR Slaveikov.
oStarata LozaBULGARIAN$$
(%0677-64 501; http://starata-loza.tryavna.biz; ul PR Slaveikov 44; mains 6-15 lv; h10am-10pm; W)
The traditional Bulgarian mehana experience is given a whimsical twist with decorative touches such as wine casks bulging out of the walls. Meals are nicely cooked, from barbecued river fish to salty shopska (tomato, cucumber and cheese salad), while the service is genial and very efficient. It’s opposite the entrance to Daskalov House.
Restaurant Trevnenski KatBULGARIAN$$
(%0677-62 066; http://trevnenski-kat.tryavna.biz; ul Angel Kânchev 55; mains 8-12 lv; h8am-midnight)
This atmospheric restaurant in an imposing National Revival–style house has worn wooden floors and carved ceilings, and a good range of homemade Bulgarian cooking.
Biraria TryavnaBREWERY
(%0667-63 727; http://lucs.tryavna.biz; ul Pencho Raikov 5; hnoon-late)
Sup local brews by the river at this cheerful tavern, enormously popular with visitors and with a refreshing beer garden. It's close to the Starata Skola, less than 100m north of the Arch Bridge.
Kafe ParaliiteCAFE
(%0898545407; ul Osmimart 8; h9am-8pm)
Perch on a crescent-moon-shaped stool, gulp coffee from colourful Troyan pottery and nibble a meringue stuffed with hazelnuts at this friendly cafe near the clock tower.
8Information
An ATM and some restaurants are around the square.
Tourist Information CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
(%0677-62 247; www.tryavna.bg; ul Bacho Kiro 1; h9am-12.30pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri)
In the town-hall building; can help with bus and train schedules, and arrange private rooms.
8Getting There & Away
The bus and train stations are 100m apart, west of ul Angel Kânchev, the main road through the old town.
Most public transport to Tryavna goes via Gabrovo (4 lv, 30 minutes); half-hourly to hourly minibuses connect the two. Occasional direct buses reach Sofia (23 lv, four hours, one to two daily).
By train, Tryavna is accessible from Veliko Târnovo (3 lv, one hour, eight daily). For Sofia, change trains at Gorna Oryakhovitsa.
Etâr Етър
Step into Bulgaria's rustic past at Etâr's open-air historic village, 8km southeast of Gabrovo. This family-friendly complex has superb places to shop, and you can watch artisans shaping pottery and metalwork. Beyond the museum, travellers can unwind along walking trails and visit sublime Sokolski Monastery.
1Sights
oSokolski MonasteryMONASTERY
(%0886308017; Vodnitsi; h7am-5pm)
A sky-blue church, posing against forested valleys, is the centrepiece of this
1833 monastery. What began as a humble wooden church outside Sokola Cave (Falcon Cave) expanded into the outbuildings and well-preened garden here today. Like many cloisters in Bulgaria, Sokolski Monastery sheltered revolutionary fighter Vasil Levski. The monastery is a 2.5km drive southwest of Etâr's Open-Air Museum, near Vodnitsi village.
The stone fountain at the centre of the garden was crafted in 1868 by Kolyu Ficheto, Bulgaria's pre-eminent National Revival–era architect. Its eight spouts are a nod to eight Gabrovo rebels who were captured and hanged.
There are souvenir and snack stands inside and outside the complex, as well as an excellent sweet shop selling rooster-shaped bonbons and lokum (rose-scented candy).
oEtâr Ethnographic Open-Air MuseumMUSEUM
(%guides 066-810 571; www.etar.org; Etâr; adult/child 5/2 lv; h8.30am-6pm)
If ambling down cobbled lanes with a stick of halva in hand sounds like an agreeable foray into Bulgaria's past, a day in Etâr will delight. Nearly 50 shops and workshops cluster along the lanes of this historic complex, set between trees along a tributary of the Yantra River. Officially an open-air museum, Etâr feels like a movie set with its costumed performers and traditional handicrafts. The museum is on the Gabrovo–Shipka road, a 17km drive north from Shipka.
Etâr’s 19th-century National Revival–style buildings, gaily painted in peach and periwinkle blue, house the workshops of bakers, cartwrights, cobblers, furriers, glass workers, hatters, jewellers, leather workers, millers, potters, weavers and more. Yes, it's rather twee, but if you’re looking to take home a memento of bygone days in the Balkans, there are quality goods from silverware to pottery on sale. Some of the workshops are powered by water from a stream running through the complex; the Karadzheika Watermill dates to 1780.
Aside from shopping, it's possible to peer inside traditional cottages, watch an old sawmill and pause inside the Holy Epiphany Church, a replica of an 1868 temple in Radovtsi village.
Enter the complex either on the northern side (near the Hotel Stranopriemnitsa), at the central administration building, or on the far southern side, near the large car park. A multi-entry, one-day ticket is usually required, and guided tours (in English, French or German) are available for another 7 lv per person (minimum of five people).
2Activities
There is excellent hiking in the forested hills around Etâr. A large map standing opposite the entrance to the ethnographic village details 15 different trails through the nearby Bulgarka Natural Park, plus the time required to hike them. Some trails can be done as loop day hikes, starting and finishing at Etâr.
4Sleeping & Eating
Because of its guaranteed influx of tourists, Etâr's accommodation offerings don't need to work hard to bring in guests. There are a few acceptable guesthouses and hotels in walking distance of the historic complex, but Etâr also makes an easy day trip from Shipka (10km), Tryavna (12km) or Kazanlâk (25km).
Hotel StranopriemnitsaHOTEL$
(%066-810 580; [email protected]; s/d/tr incl breakfast 36/60/84 lv)
At the northern (Gabrovo) end of the historic complex, this hotel is decent value, though rooms don't live up to the promise of the olde-worlde hotel exterior.
Todorovi GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0879080862; bul Derozhinski 102, Etâr village; s/d 30/45 lv; W)
Five hundred metres north of the historic complex lies this bare-bones guesthouse, which is a clean and convenient budget stop. Breakfast costs an extra 4 lv.
Mehana EtârBULGARIAN$
(%0879851462; mains 7 lv; h10am-7pm)
Quieter than eateries upriver within the ethnographic museum, Mehana Etâr has affectionate service and shaded outdoor tables. There is an ample menu of Bulgarian fare, such as shish kebabs smoked on a barbecue and gleaming salads of peppers and tomato. It's a few paces south of the complex, on the opposite side of the river.
Renaissance TavernBULGARIAN$
(mains 8-10 lv; h8.30am-6pm)
Sure, its location within Etâr's historic complex is touristy, but if you want sausages smoked in the open air or heaving platefuls of shopska salad (cucumber, tomato and cheese) served on wooden tables outside, the canteen-style Renaissance is a good choice, especially for families.
8Getting There & Away
Etâr is best served from the nondescript city of Gabrovo, which has local buses (1 lv) for the 20-minute trip. Alternatively, take a Gabrovo–Kazanlâk bus and disembark at the turn-off near Lyubovo, from where it's a 2km walk. A taxi from Gabrovo costs about 10 lv. From Etâr, a taxi to Tryavna (25 lv to 30 lv) saves the trouble of bussing via Gabrovo.
Driving is more convenient, and Etâr makes a good day trip from Veliko Târnovo, Shipka or Tryavna.
Lovech ЛОВЕЧ
Pop 38,000
Bulgaria’s ‘town of lilacs’ has a fortress, old town and unique covered bridge among its intriguing attractions. Spring is an especially lovely time to visit, when abundant lilac bushes add fragrance to the town. Foreign tourists are few, but Bulgarian weekend visitors arrive in groups to traipse through cobbled lanes in the historic Varosha quarter, and shop for handicrafts within the covered bridge. Lovech is a convenient detour if you’re travelling between Sofia and Veliko Târnovo.
1Sights
The most colourful photo opportunity in Lovech is from ul Osamska, near the entrance to the Covered Bridge on the western bank of the Osȃm River. From here you can see riverside mansions, painted canary yellow and coral pink, hanging over the water's edge.
The Varosha quarter, flowing from the eastern end of the Covered Bridge, is Lovech's cobblestone old town with around 150 restored National Revival–period structures. From here, ul Marin Poplukanov leads to Lovech's museums and eventually Stratesh Hill, where an imposing Vasil Levski statue stands before the entrance to the fortress.
Covered BridgeBRIDGE
(Pokritiyat Most)
A touch of Florence in the heart of Bulgaria, this covered bridge is the only such structure in the Balkans. Renowned Bulgarian architect Kolyu Ficheto masterminded the bridge, with stone foundations and wooden buildings, between 1874 and 1876. A fire in 1925 destroyed the wooden parts, but faithful reconstruction in the spirit of Ficheto's original began two years later. Today this dark wooden bridge is packed with craft and art shops, as well as cheap souvenirs and snacks.
Hisar FortressRUINS
(adult/student 4/2 lv; h9am-noon & 2-7pm Apr-Oct, 8am-noon & 1-5pm Nov-Mar)
One of Bulgaria's few remaining Ottoman citadels overlooks Lovech from a steep hill, enveloped by a bend in the Osȃm River. Extensive ruins of mortar and crushed limestone walls, dating to between the 8th and 10th centuries, spread across the 1200-sq-metre site. Its major points of interest are an 8m-high main gate and the remains of an early Byzantine domed basilica. Paved pathways lead around the site and give inspiring views across the hills.
From Varosha, it’s a 10- to 15-minute uphill walk.
Vasil Levski MuseumMUSEUM
(ul Marin Poplukanov 14; 3 lv; h9am-1pm & 2.30-6pm summer, 9am-noon & 1-5pm winter)
This museum examines the life and trials of one of Bulgaria's best-known revolutionaries, Vasil Levski, through items from his life (including weapons) and artwork inspired by the dashing freedom fighter. Explanations are almost all in Bulgarian, but you'll be handed a manual to explain the various exhibits, plus there's an enormous mural to admire.
4Sleeping & Eating
Lovech has a reasonable range of accommodation, mostly aimed at tourists on midrange budgets and business travellers. Its several riverside and Varosha-quarter guesthouses represent the best mix of value and charm.
Hotel VaroshaHOTEL$
(%068-603 377; www.hotelvarosha.com; pl Todor Kirov 36; s/d/tr/f from 40/50/70/80 lv; pW)
Rooms are a little plain at this hotel near the eastern-bank entrance to the Covered Bridge, but there is accommodating, English-speaking staff and the location can't be beaten. It's worth an extra 5 lv to 10 lv to stay in a 'superior room' wit
h warm, satiny decor and a balcony.
Hotel Varosha 2003GUESTHOUSE$$
(%068-622-277; www.varosha2003.com; ul Ivan Drasov 23; d/ste/apt incl breakfast 60/80/120 lv; paW)
Bed down in a Bulgarian Revival atmosphere at family-run Varosha 2003, with its flower-filled balconies overlooking the river. Rooms with smooth wood floors are among the most comfortable in town, while breakfast and evening meals are served in a pretty garden terrace.
Hotel LovechHOTEL$$
(%068-604 717; www.hotellovech.com; ul Târgovska 12; s 30-70 lv, d 46-110 lv incl breakfast; paWs)
On the western bank of the Osȃm River, rooms in this rather austere structure are divided between the cheaper, older part of the hotel and the more comfortable, renovated wing. It's chock-full of amenities geared towards business travellers, including a casino, cocktail bar and reasonable restaurant. The spa centre, with Turkish bath and sauna, plus an open-air pool (summer only) is included in the price.
Mehana GallereyaBULGARIAN$$
(ul Vasil Levski; mains 7-12 lv)
Located beside the art gallery, this mehana (tavern) features a large courtyard, good service and standard Bulgarian dishes such as hotplates of meat and veg, soups and grills.
8Information
Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria Page 68