The village of Boykovetz lies hidden among Balkan range tops some 13 km away from the nearby town of Etropole. The houses climb the folds of the mountain, and the nearby crevice is the riverbed of a tributary by the somewhat unusual for the mountainous landscape name, Ravna, meaning “even, plain”. 

The village of Boykovetz has become a summer-holiday destination that offers gorgeous nature and rural calm.

One can still have a glimpse at the old houses scattered here and there and built of stone and sun-dried brick, with huge flat stone roofs lying amidst an orchard or a cornfield. However, the newly built modern-looking impressive homes dominate the view. The local residents hardly number 100, but the number of holidaymakers who spend the summer months, their holidays or weekends in this corner of paradise. The boom of Boykovetz as a favourite holiday destination started with the few Bulgarian film actors who spent some time in the village while shooting the TV version of the emblematic classical Bulgarian novel “Under the Yoke” by Ivan Vazov. Some of them built their own summerhouses in Boykovetz, and started recommending the village to their friends and fellow actors. It was not before long that the first foreign settlers came here, an Irishman and an Israeli man both married to Bulgarian wives from the village. The two foreigners are the ones who draw the far-fetched plans for the development of hoteliering and tourism in the village. Says entrepreneurial mayor Violeta Yotova:

“They have decided to build a tourist village of their own: 6 guest houses and a restaurant. The owners possess similar facilities in other places along the Black Sea coast or in the mountains, and thus they are able to organize holiday packages touring several destinations across Bulgaria.”

The nearby dam offers excellent opportunities for angling lovers. What used to be an old socialist style recreation facility is gradually turning into a modern cozy hotel. Boykovetz is a haven for the people who seek to get away from the hectic urban life. Visitors can go for a stroll across the meadows, or take in the direction of nearby mountaintops. One of the trails will take them to a spring, whose waters are ice cold in summer and warm in winter. Another natural phenomenon is the river made of round stones, and the cobblestone road that locals insist wasn’t artificial but a miracle of nature. The origins of the birch trees amidst huge areas of beech trees also remain a mystery. There are several historical sites: remains of ancient Roman roads, a tiny chapel, and a monument to wartime heroes. The village square exhibits a replica of an old canon turned into a monument. And yet, the greatest asset of the place is the quiet rural atmosphere, and the true rural idyll that reigns over the place. One can enjoy the sight of peacefully grazing cattle, or enjoy the cock-a-doodle-do. Local residents are happy to offer visitors a glass of fresh milk or a bunch of apples or walnuts, or a jar of homemade honey. The village’s latest pride is the St. Mary, Mother of God church built with donations and voluntary labour of local residents. The latter have made the church’s patron saint holiday into a large village festival and have decided to celebrate it every year in the month of August.