GENERAL INFORMATION

Situated on the northern slopes of the Middle Stara Planina and the central Pre-Balkan, along the banks of the r. The region of Gabrovo is distinguished by its beautiful nature and favourable climate. It is easy to find and reach us from anywhere in the country – the tourist region is located in the geographical centre of Bulgaria, 220 km south of the capital Sofia, 150 km from the town of Gabrovo. Plovdiv and Ruse, 274 km from Varna, 234 km from Burgas and 45 km from Veliko Tarnovo.

One of the most important road links crossing Bulgaria in the north-south direction passes through Gabrovo, which is part of Trans-European Transport Corridor No. 9 (Helsinki – St. Petersburg – Kiev – Bucharest – Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo – Gabrovo – Stara Zagora – Dimitrovgrad with diversions to Greece and Turkey).

Gabrovo is one of the towns with its own spirit and character. The region impresses with its preserved nature, museums, monuments of culture and architectural masterpieces, as well as with its rich and saturated with emotions cultural calendar.

The people of Gabrovo are notorious for their hospitality. The region offers a wealth of accommodation options in colourful guest houses, creating cosiness and tranquillity. Here you can enjoy delicious food and, above all, the freedom of having enough space to recharge and embark on adventures, living your unforgettable holiday.

LEGEND

At the end of the 11th century, a young blacksmith named Racho settled near the Yantra River. He shoed the horses of caravans and medieval caravans. Gradually, other people settled near his home who knew how to sew clothes, cook delicious meals, repair carts and work furs. And because a huge hornbeam rose near the blacksmith’s hearth, they named the settlement Gabrovo.

HISTORY

After the Liberation, in the newly established state, the Gabrovo intelligentsia became the basis of the state administration, for which it gave MPs, the first Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and the Minister of the Interior. Their strength was in the creation of the Bulgarian weaving, knitting, leather, and teff industries, and institutes for technical development.

TO THE OBJECTS

In a short time and not far from each other, you can visit interesting places, give yourself a chance and meet closely the history and modernity of crafts, of industry, of education, culture and smiles!

Whether it’s the peppery humour or the notorious thriftiness of Gabrovo’s people, the name of the town always brings smiles. And it is no coincidence that it bears the name Capital of Humour and Satire. There are many things that can make you laugh – Gabrovo’s jokes, witticisms, jokes and anecdotes, the annual Gabrovo Carnival, the one-of-a-kind Museum of Humour and Satire, taking you unconditionally into the world of laughter and irony. It is no coincidence that it is here that we can find the famous Gabrovo cat, who grants wishes, but possessing the typical Gabrovo temper, to make them come true we have to drop a coin. Jokes and humour are not just entertainment for Gabrovians, they are part of their lifestyle. It is their trademark of existence.

MUSEUM OF HUMOUR AND SATIRE

Gabrovo, ul. “Bryanska” № 68
+359 66 807 229
www.humorhouse.bg

The Museum of Humour and Satire is the heart of the Bulgarian capital of humour – Gabrovo. Since time immemorial, Gabrovians have been famous for their austerity and the countless anecdotes in which they ridicule themselves. The museum collects and presents humour from all over the world and organises large-scale exhibitions with the best achievements of world caricature and contemporary art. Our motto is “The world survived because it laughed!”

Permanent exhibitions
The exhibition How Gabrovo Became the Capital of Humour introduces the visitor to Gabrovo’s jokes and the personalities associated with Gabrovo’s humour. The Hall of Mirrors offers various mirror attractions and optical illusions. The most precious object in the hall is the glittering Fabergé egg with a tap – an eloquent symbol of the thrift of Gabrovians.

The Garden City is an exhibition for children, a place to socialize and to gain new knowledge and skills. Through active participation in ecological and creative games, children develop their imagination and learn to be full inhabitants of their city.

MUSEUM EATER

Gabrovo, ul. “Gen. Derozhinsky” № 144
+359 884 298 005
www.etar.bg

As soon as you step through the gate of the only open-air ethnographic museum in Bulgaria, a world detached from modernity unfolds before you – a living picture of the Bulgarian Renaissance. Here the flowing water drowns out the noise of everyday life, and the cobblestones beneath your feet whisper memories of times gone by.

The Regional Ethnographic Open-Air Museum “Etar” preserves the only collection of water-powered technical equipment in the country. Among them are two mills, a rolling mill, two rolling mills, a bullfighting mill, a gaitanjis odaya, lathes for mortars and barrels, and a rolling mill.

The Craftsmen’s Charshie is still as lively today as it was during the Renaissance. It reproduces the main street of an old town with buildings from the 19th century – workshops, workshops, a café and homes of craftsmen and merchants. The craftsmen create and sell their wares in front of the visitors’ eyes, showing traditional techniques of working metal, wood, leather, clay, wool and other natural materials.

On the charshie you can taste aromatic coffee made on sand, taste simidi, pretzels and pies, as well as sweets such as pestil, halva, white jam and homemade sweets – a real experience for the senses and the soul.

MUSEUM BOGENCI

с. Bozhentsi
+359 878 716 290
www.bojentsi.com

If you want to immerse yourself in the era of the Bulgarian Revival and to be transported back in time, you should definitely visit the Gabrovo village of Bozhentsi. The Museum of the Architectural and Historical Reserve “Bozhentsi” is a specialized ethnographic museum, an educational institution and a centre of attraction for cultural tourism.

As you stroll along the cobbled streets, embraced by the shadows of the old trees, the stories of the guides will take you back in time to the caravan travelling merchants, the clatter of the domestic looms, the clanging of the bellows and the clamour of the children playing at will.

Your walk in the Renaissance will start from an 18th century house-museum, pass through a school with an attractive exhibition, the unique wax refining workshop “Mengema” and end in the house of a rich 19th century merchant. In the guest houses of Bozhentsi Museum you can enjoy the Renaissance architecture, the peace and quiet guaranteeing a relaxing holiday.

REGIONAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Gabrovo, ul. “Nikolaevska” № 10
066 809 767
www.h-museum-gabrovo.bg

You can feel the magic of Gabrovo in the main streets. The town has preserved its history and boasts several landmark exhibitions at the Regional History Museum and the Dechkov House.

The museum is housed in a beautiful baroque building, a monument of national importance, built in 1904. In the exhibition “Gabrovo and the Gabrovians” are presented cultural treasures from 40 000 BC to 1944. The historical narrative is complemented by screens, 3D-projectors and interactive areas – a merchant’s shop, a banker’s office, a map of the city, the “Ship of Dreams”.

Young visitors can learn curious facts from the specially created Children’s Library and take on the role of explorers with the Mysterious Odyssey game.

CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Gabrovo, ul. “Opalchenska” № 8
066 806 905
www.h-museum-gabrovo.bg

Gathering the memories of the days of Gabrovo’s industrial and cultural boom, in the centre of the town, amidst the rhythm of the fast-paced modernity, Dechko’s House transports its guests to the atmosphere of the emerging urban culture in Bulgaria at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Called the House of Memories, it has preserved the spirit of the Bulgarian Renaissance, the memories of the lives of town leaders, industrialists and their families, of the Gabrovo people who, through enterprise, hard work, perseverance and courage, became a symbol of the success of a liberated nation.

The romance of urban culture that Gabrovians have carried over the years through their travels abroad still fascinates in the masterfully crafted Viennese furniture, the beautiful decorative objects originating from countries near and far.

With the help of VR-glasses, visitors have the opportunity to take an exciting journey through time.

REGIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Gabrovo, ul. “Nikolaevska” № 10
066 809 767
www.h-museum-gabrovo.bg

You can feel the magic of Gabrovo in the main streets. The town has preserved its history and boasts several landmark exhibitions at the Regional History Museum and the Dechkov House.

The museum is housed in a beautiful baroque building, a monument of national importance, built in 1904. In the exhibition “Gabrovo and the Gabrovians” are presented cultural treasures from 40 000 BC to 1944. The historical narrative is complemented by screens, 3D-projectors and interactive areas – a merchant’s shop, a banker’s office, a map of the city, the “Ship of Dreams”.

Young visitors can learn curious facts from the specially created Children’s Library and take on the role of explorers with the Mysterious Odyssey game.

CHILDREN’S HOUSE

Gabrovo, ul. “Opalchenska” № 8
066 806 905
www.h-museum-gabrovo.bg

Gathering the memories of the days of Gabrovo’s industrial and cultural boom, in the centre of the town, amidst the rhythm of the fast-paced modernity, Dechko’s House transports its guests to the atmosphere of the emerging urban culture in Bulgaria at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Called the House of Memories, it has preserved the spirit of the Bulgarian Renaissance, the memories of the lives of town leaders, industrialists and their families, of the Gabrovo people who, through enterprise, hard work, perseverance and courage, became a symbol of the success of a liberated nation.

The romance of urban culture, which Gabrovians have carried over the years through their travels abroad, still fascinates in the masterfully crafted Viennese furniture, the beautiful decorative objects originating from countries near and far.

With the help of VR-glasses, visitors have the opportunity to take an exciting journey through time.