Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting 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; frequent minibuses connect the two
(4 lv, 30 minutes). From other points of origin, connect in Gabrovo. By train, Tryavna is
along a spur track, and has nine passenger trains daily (7 lv, 50 minutes). It's one of the
closest stops to Veliko Târnovo and hence easy to see before or after visiting that town.
Etâr
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This complex of traditional artisans just 8km southeast of Gabrovo is fun for shopping, or
just wandering and watching the artisans at work. It also offers nearby hiking.
Cumulatively known as the
Etâr Ethnographic Village Museum
( 801 831;
www.etar.hit.bg
;
admission 7 lv; 8.30am-6pm)
, the market complex contains nearly 50
shops and workshops clustered along narrow lanes. It's set all by itself in a 7-hectare, tree-
lined spot along the Gabrovo-Shipka road.
Etâr's 19th-century National Revival buildings house the workshops of bakers,
cartwrights, cobblers, furriers, glass workers, hatters, jewellers, leather workers, millers,
potters, weavers and more. True, it's all a bit precious, but there are quality goods pro-
duced, and if you're looking to take home a memento of bygone days in the Balkans, this
is the place. Intriguingly, some of the workshops are powered by water from a stream run-
ning through the complex.
Enter the complex either on the northern side (near the Hotel Strannopriemnitsa), 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).
Fair Day (14 October) features traditional dance and music, played on instruments such
as locally made
kavals
(wooden flutes).
Besides the market, there's also excellent
hiking
in the lush, hilly forests around Etâr. A
large map standing opposite the entrance to the ethnographic village details some 15 dif-
ferent trails through the nearby
Bulgarka Natural Park
, plus the time required to hike
