Combine it with Etar in one day, dress respectfully and verify winter road conditions.
Stays 
Evashumkova · CC BY-SA 4.0Places · Etar above Gabrovo
Sokolski Monastery
Соколски манастир
A forest monastery associated with architect Kolyu Ficheto overlooks the Yantra valley from the slopes above Etar.
01
Visiting advice
Photos & short video
Bulgarian food
Local food →Local food
Gabrovo chocolate plum · Balkan cheese · herb dishes · homemade banitsa
Biso / Wikimedia CommonsBreakfast · pastry
Banitsa
Crisp filo layers wrapped around eggs, yogurt and white cheese—a warm Bulgarian breakfast staple.
What's in it Filo pastry, eggs, yogurt, sirene cheese and butter or oil.
Wikimedia Commons contributorsDry-cured sausage
Lukanka
A flattened, air-dried sausage with a dense texture and warm spice, sliced thin as a meze.
What's in it Pork and beef, salt, black pepper, cumin and curing cultures in a natural casing.
Viktorija N. Ivanov / Wikimedia CommonsSalad · vegetarian
Shopska salad
The classic first order: tomatoes, cucumber and peppers under a generous snowy layer of white brined cheese.
What's in it Tomatoes, cucumber, roasted or fresh pepper, onion, parsley and sirene cheese.
Sumit Surai / Wikimedia CommonsCold soup · vegetarian
Tarator
A cooling yogurt and cucumber soup served cold—simple, fresh and especially popular in summer.
What's in it Yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, walnuts, water and a little oil.
Jeroen Kransen / Wikimedia CommonsSlow-cooked main
Kavarma
Rich meat and vegetables slowly cooked with paprika and savory, often arriving sizzling in a clay pot.
What's in it Pork or chicken, onion, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and spices.
Biso / Wikimedia CommonsGrill · street favorite
Kebapche
Seasoned minced meat shaped into long rolls and grilled over high heat for a smoky crust.
What's in it Minced pork or mixed meat, cumin, black pepper and salt.NEARBY
Public transport
Етъра над Габрово
© OpenStreetMap contributors · Open Database License · availability depends on local mapping
Map
Directions
02
Directions
Buses and trains
First reach Gabrovo by train or intercity bus. Confirm the local bus in advance; when it does not match your return time, pre-book a licensed taxi for the last kilometres.
03
Nearby places
www.vacacionesbulgaria.com · CC BY-SA 4.0GabrovoEtar open-air museum
Етнографски музей Етър
Working water-powered workshops, stone lanes and craft houses recreate a 19th-century Balkan settlement.
Read the guide
Elena Chochkova · CC BY-SA 3.0Bozhentsi villageBozhentsi
Боженци
Whitewashed stone-and-timber houses line a tiny preserved village in a wooded Balkan valley.
Read the guide
Nenko Lazarov · CC BY 2.5TryavnaTryavna old quarter
Старият квартал на Трявна
A clock tower, carved wooden ceilings and painters' workshops preserve a refined Revival-town atmosphere.
Read the guide