What will you say to your friends when you come back from Bulgaria? Make your vacation a story they will envy you. Go for the trip to Veliko Tarnovo – one of the top 10 places to visit in Bulgaria, and an open-air museum Etar. While the village Etar is not so much promoted to the foreigners, it is especially worth visiting because you will get a unique experience and a feeling of authentic Bulgarian culture and history. Understand, compare to Sunny Beach it’s a completely different world.
First, you will dive into a tale and pop up in a Bulgarian village from the 18th century. Etar is an open-air museum where you fully forget the rush of modern cities. While you walk through the village with picturesque old houses, a sweet scent attracts you to the local bakery where you can get literally fresh pastry. If you haven’t tried Turkish coffee yet, in the local cozy little coffee shop they prepare it in the traditional way in the hot sand. If you like coffee or not, it’s worth sitting here and watching the preparation. Feel the atmosphere, feel the place. You will learn about different crafts, old methods, and tools. Artworks will surround you so you won’t know where to go first. Ethno village Etar is in nature with forests and mountains and with the river buzzing through the village, which adds to its unique atmosphere.
After the ethnic village, Etar go to Veliko Tarnovo. There are plenty of things to do. Starting with a walk through the old town to the biggest attraction – fortress Tsarevets. It was built in the 12th century when Veliko Tarnovo became the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It’s nice to walk around the ruins, and take some pictures, but once in Veliko Tarnovo, you shouldn’t miss the Sound and Light show over the Tsarevets fortress. If you can, plan your trip for the day of the show. Check the schedule of the Sound and Light show in Veliko Tarnovo and book tickets. This makes the trip quite long in the summertime as the show starts when it’s dark, but it’s definitely worth it.
While waiting for the show you can visit the Multimedia visitor center Tsarevgrad Tarnov. For the price of 10 BGN, you can see the life of people from different social layers together with important events of the Second Bulgarian Empire presented in scenes with sculptures and paintings. You can go for an off-road trip with a socialist jeep or if you prefer for a walk by the river. The best way how to see most of Bulgaria in a blink is to visit the park of miniatures. 80 realistic miniatures of significant buildings and landscapes will help you decide where to plan your next trip. The entrance fee to the park Mini-Bulgaria is 10 BGN.
