Milla guest house is situated close to Tryvna in the nature reserve Bulgarka in the heart of the Balkan mountains. The Bulgaka national park Bulgarka was established as nature reserve in 2003 to protect, preserve and support natural beech ecosystems around the springs of the Yantra river and its tributaries, and is part of a European network of protected areas Natura 2000. The nature reserve plays a crucial role in preserving the wealth of wildlife in the area. More information about the park is at http://www.ppbulgarka.net/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarka_Nature_Park.
The surrounding area offers many possibilities for recreation – hiking and mountain biking/motorbiking routes, short and medium length treks in the open and forests, offering marvellous views of the mountain peaks. Nearby in village of Bazovets is one of the highest railway stations in Bulgaria. A couple of kilometers in the direction of Tryavna there is an off-road track.
Despite its rural location in the heart of the mountains, Milla guest house is ideally suited for those eager to explore the rich cultural and historical heritage of the area.
Tryavna
The nearest and most picturesque city in the area is Tryavna, about 13 km away. Known as the capital of carpentry and woodcraft, the town is a major tourist attraction with its unique Bulgarian Renaissance architecture and history, and with its old quarters. Popular tourist attractions and places of interest worth visiting include; the specialised museum of woodcraft and iconography, the Slaveykov (old) school, the churches “St. Archangel Michael” and “St. George”, the Clock Tower, the Daskalov house, the Slaveikov house, the Angel Kanchov house, the Raikov house, the Kalincheva house, the Royal Chapel – now the Museum of the Icon, the old Baths – now a Museum of Asian and African Art, the Royal Children Sanatorium. The city offers many old craft studios and shops, and art galleries as well as hotels, guest houses, restaurants and cafes.
For more information about Tryavna and its surroundings, please see http://bulgariatravel.org/en/object/236/Tryavna and http://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryavna.
Gabrovo
The next closest centre of national, cultural and historical significance is the district town of Gabrovo, about 34 km away. Close to the Shipka mountain pass, it extends 25 km along the Yantra river. A town with unique and rich industrial (the Bulgarian Manchester) and cultural past, Gabrovo is now known as the international capital of humor and satire. Besides the famous “House of Humor and Satire” the town has many tourist attractions and places of interest worth visiting; many churches and chapels, museums and art galleries, theaters, monuments, bridges over the Yantra river, facades of famous houses. Gabrovo also offers many food shops and shopping outlets, fine restaurants and hotels, parks and gardens. There is also a planetarium well worth a visit.
Situated 8 km south of the town centre is the most famous suburb of Gabrovo – the ethnographic village “Etar”. Architectural-Ethnographic Complex “Etar” is a an open air museum representing an artistic restoration of Bulgarian life, culture and crafts. There are no less than 16 different examples of Balkan architecture in which are re-enacted live are the traditions, craftsmanship and technique of the original craftsmen of the past.
The most famous area near Gabrovo is “Uzana”, about 22 km from Gabrovo (55 km from Milla guest house), the geographic centre of Bulgaria. This is the widest plateau area in the Bulgarian Balkan mountains, between 1220 to 1350 m in height, and is covered in beech forests. The area is a shared point between the two parks: to the west – national park “Central Balkan”, and to the east – national park “Bulgarka”.
“Usana” is a popular winter resort. There are eight ski runs in the area, of which the longest is 1300 m. All of them have ski lifts. The snowy plateau offers very good conditions for snow-kiting.
The nearest ecclesiatstical centre of interest to Gabrovo is the Sokolski nunnery “Assumption of Mary” – http://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Соколски_манастир, easy to reach when travelling on Tryavna-Gabrovo pass (40 km from Milla guest house).
For more information about Gabrovo and its district, please see http://www.gabrovo.bg/en/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrovo.
Bozhentsi
Another popular place, about 40 km away, is the architectural and historical complex “Bozhentsi”. Situated near Gabrovo, Tryavna and Dryanovo, it offers a unique cultural and architectural perspective on the Renaissance style in the region with its museums, guest houses and souvenir shops. There is also a marked route Bozhentsi—Tryavna that can be trekked in about 2 hours.
For more information about Bozhentsi, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozhentsi.
Dryanovo
Another famous town in the area is Dryanovo, about 18 km away. Famous in the past for its trade and craft in carpentry and masonry, Dryanovo is remembered as the hometown of Kolyo Ficheto (born 1800), the most famous Bulgarian Renaissance builder, architect and sculptor.
The town offers several unique specimens of Renaissance architecture and design, including the Art Gallery, “St. Nicholas” church and Ikonomov House. Dryanovo also has an interesting architecturally flexible town centre and old quarters.
The area of Dryanovo is renowned for its distinctive Dryanovo’s cliffs and caves, including the “Bacho Kiro” cave, where archаeologists have discovered the oldest European remains of human inhabitants and their tools of trade (150,000 – 10,000 BC).
Close to Dryanovo, about 4 km in the direction of Gabrovo (21 km from Milla guest house), is the famous Dryanovo monastery “St. Archangel Michael” and the anthropological museum which is annexed to the monastery.
Near the monastery is Dryanovo Park Hotel, with an open swimming pool facility. Another nearer, more developed and attractive water complex is available in the village of Tsareva Livada (King’s Meadow), situated on the route Dryanovo—Tryavna (15 km from Milla guest house). The water complex in Tsareva Livada was the first ever project for an outdoor pool in Bulgaria.
For more information about Dryanovo and its surroundings, please see http://bulgariatravel.org/Article/search?search=1&sText=Dryanovo and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryanovo.
Veliko Tarnovo
The largest and most developed city in the area is Veliko Tarnovo, about 56 km away. It is most famous for the castle “Tsarevets”, as well as the city with the most churches in Bulgaria.
Veliko Tarnovo (often colloquially called just Tarnovo) is one of the oldest settlements in Bulgaria with a history of over 5,000 years. The old quarters of Veliko Tarnovo – the Tzar’s castle since the times Tarnovo was a capital of Bulgaria during the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1187–1393) – is situated on three hills; Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Aton along the Yantra river. Best preserved and most impressive is the Tsarevets hill which borders on the Yantra river on three of its sides. In the 14th century as the Byzantine Empire weakened, Tarnovo claimed to be the Third Rome based on its preeminent cultural influence throughout the Balkans and the Slavic Orthodox world.
The city offers many opportunities for cultural, art and culinary experiences with its museums, art galleries, churches, archaeological and traditional houses museums, monuments, restaurants, shopping centers and a theatre.
The nearest religious centre to Veliko Tarnovo is the Kilifarski nunnery “The Virgin Birth of Jesus”, located 20 km in the direction of the village of Voneshta Voda (44 km from Milla guest house).
For more information about Veliko Tarnovo and its district, please see http://www.bulgariatravel.org/en/article/details/15/Veliko%20Tarnovo/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veliko_Tarnovo и http://veliko-tarnovo.net/english/about-veliko-tarnovo.html.
Voneshta Voda
The village of Voneshta Voda, about 15 km away, is named after its mineral springs with healing waters. It is situated 28 km south from Veliko Tarnovo and 20 km east of Tryavna, just at the start of the Hainboaz mountain pass.
We recommend the following recreational activities in the area:
- Trekking
- Tryavna—Bojentsi—Tryavna, ~ 6 km taking ~ 2 hours each direction
- Tsareva Livada—”Boruna” meadow—Dryanovo, ~ 3 km taking ~ 2 hours each direction
- Tryavna—village Koychevtsi—village Rashevite—peak “Golyama Kalimyavka”
- Tryavna—lake “Svetushkata”
- Biking
- Tryavna—village Stanchov Han—village Bazovets—village Plachkovtsi—Tryavna. ~ 85.2 km
- Tryavna—village Skortsi, ~ 7 km
- Tryavna—village Enchevtsi, ~ 8 km
- Climbing
- Off-roading
- myriads of opportunities locally
Further information can be requested at
- Tourist information center – Tryavna
33 Angel Kanchev Street, Tryavna 5350
+359 677 62247
[email protected] - Tourist union “Planinets” – Tryavna
10 Bacho Kiro Street, Tryavna 5350
+359 677 2482
+359 886 100 450
