Sokolski Monastery sits in the hills southeast of Gabrovo, close enough to combine with Etar but quiet enough to feel like a separate mountain stop. The monastery dates from the Bulgarian National Revival period and is known for its courtyard, arcades, and fountain.
It is a good contrast to Etar. Where the museum shows craft and domestic life, Sokolski gives you the religious side of the same revival landscape: icons, stone, forest, and a sense of retreat above the city.