Practicalities
State-run buses to Chiprovtsi depart from Montana's bus station, while privately operated services use a stop on the main road just outside the station - although it's difficult to obtain timetable information about the latter. The destination boards of most state-run Chiprovtsi-bound buses are marked either "Martinovo" (the next village up the valley from Chiprovtsi) or "MOK" (an acronym denoting the local mining company). The friendly and helpful museum administration office (same times as the museum; tel 09554/2168) acts as an unofficial tourist information centre, and will organize accommodation in their own self-contained apartment (US$9-18) or in private rooms in the village (US$9-18). There is currently no restaurant in Chiprovtsi, although there are numerous cafes round the main square, and a couple of late-opening food stores ( hranitelni stoki ). The best time to be in Chiprovtsi is during one of the Orthodox religious holidays , celebrated here (despite Chiprovtsi's Catholic past) with a verve and devotion which has largely disappeared from Bulgaria's main urban centres. Key dates are Ivanovden (St John's Day) on January 7, Gergyovden (St George's Day) on May 6, Petrovden (St Peter's Day) on June 29, and Ilinden (St Elijah's Day) on July 20. On each of these days, every mahala , or neighbourhood, cooks up a vat of kurban-chorba (stew made from a freshly sacrificed sheep) ready for a communal feast. On December 6 the entire population heads for the ruined Gushovski monastery 4km south of the village for an outdoor mass and more communal feasting.
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