Guesthouse Hadji Velinov Han ***

Welcome to “Hadji Velinov Han”*** Guesthouse 
    If you want to feel the atmosphere of old times do visit “Hadji Velinov Han” - the most popular guesthouse in the architectural and historical reserve of Bozhentsi. Inspired by the beauty and calmness of this village, many Bulgarian writers, musicians and painters created some of their greatest works there. 

   The fully restored 19th century house, situated in an architectural reserve village is encompassed by magnificent mountain nature: authentic old-style exterior and interior – cozy rooms, suites with fireplaces, romantic diner, outstanding spacious garden with ancient barbeque.

   The house was build in 1836 and its ancient appearance and spirit have been preserved ever since – with stonewalls, the wide gate, the overhanging stone roofs and traditional furnishing. Old masters have created a wonderful harmony and lasting beauty out of stone, wood and wrought iron.
 
   Go back into the centuries and indulge yourselves in the traditional Bulgarian atmosphere of hospitability and warmness, of real-tasting food, coming straight from the garden and remarkable wines, accompanied by unique folklore music and dances.

Hadji Velin's Entertainments 
 Wine & Dine
 Wine Tasting - try out some of the best famous Bulgarian wines, sitting by the fireplace, indulging in the romantic atmosphere of the original "The Barn" tavern of the guesthouse. By request we can invite for you a distinguished sommelier, under whose expert guidance you can learn many interesting facts about local wines and brandies. A wine tasting trip to the nearby oldest Bulgarian cellar /Lyaskovets/ is also available.

Barbeque in the open – grilling of meat and a lesson in making the traditional Bulgarian ‘Shopska Salad’ under the expert guidance of the cook at “Hadji Velinov Han” guesthouse.
 
   
Visits to historical and cultural sights and monuments
 Visit to a countryside home with a small animal breeding farm.

Visit to Bozhentsi’s Gallery and Museum House – home of the first textile-producing Bulgarian family. In the museum you can hear the history of the village and the region and learn spicy stories from the everyday life of local people.

Visit to the ancient capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom – the town of Veliko Tarnovo and its “St. Peter and Paul” church and medieval fortress “Tzarevets”; walk around the residential area of the 15th century aristocracy – Arbanassi /horseback riding is available there/. Veliko Tarnovo is 60 km away from Bozhenti.

Trip to the Bulgarian Capital of Humor – Gabrovo with visit to the museum of satire. Visit to the unique open-air ethnographic museum “Etura” and the picturesque Sokolski monastery. Dinner at traditional tavern with folklore show. /25 km/.

Visit to the open-air ethnographic complex "Etura" /25km/- to see functioning 17th century workshops, producing textiles, pottery, wrought iron, knives, pastries. Visit to the nearby Sokolski Monastery.

Visit to Dryanovo monastery, built in the 12th century and to the “Bacho Kiro” cave, followed by an attractive hike along a 4km long eco-path in the woods, surrounding the monastery /22 km away/.

Trip to the town of Tryavna – woodcarving and icon painting center – visit to museum houses with interesting architecture and exquisite wood carved ceilings. /36 km/.

Trip to Troyan Monastery & Crafts Fair – third largest monastery in Bulgaria, listed by UNESCO for its exquisite wall paintings; at the crafts fair you can observe traditional Bulgarian craftsmanship, try your skills at pottery and taste 5 kinds of locally produced plum brandy for which the region is well-known /90 km/.

Trip to the hometown of the Bulgarian Rose – Kazanluk and visit to the Thracian Tomb /UNESCO/, discovered there; on the way we stop at Shipka peak and monument to enjoy breathtaking panoramic view over the mountain as well as at the richly adorned Russian church in the village of Shipka /50 km away/.
   
Walking & Hiking
 Self-guided or guided walking trip to the town of Tryavna - woodcarving and icon painting center – visit to museum houses with interesting architecture and exquisite wood carved ceilings. The marked itinerary follows a forest dirt road, a walking path and remote asphalt road at the end. 2,30 hours walking one way.

Guided walking trip to the area “Sechen Kamuk” /cut stone/ - a nice location on top of the mountain hill, reachable along a pleasant, slightly steep path amongst pine and oak trees. The location features a mysterious stone formation man- or nature made as well as a splendid panorama towards the highest peaks of the Central Balkan Range Mountain.

Guided walking trip to Dryanovo Monastery and Eco-trail. Marked itinerary. 3,30 hours walking one way.

 
   
Biking
  The location of the guesthouse offers plenty of opportunities for biking adventures of various difficulty levels along different types of trails. One of the best routs is the one leading to the town of Tryavna, which follows a forest dirt road, a walking path and remote asphalt road at the end and combines both ascending and descending.