Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria – Everything You Need To Know

Veliko Tarnovo is sometimes referred to as the prettiest city in Bulgaria. “The old capital” definitely deserves that title, at least the Old Town.

Where is Veliko Tarnovo?

Veliko Tarnovo is at a roughly equal distance from Sofia (220km), Plovdiv (210km), Varna(220km), and Burgas (215km) in northern Bulgaria. However, it’s even closer to Bucharest, the capital of Romania (180km).

The easiest way to reach Veliko Tarnovo from these cities is by car. I couldn’t find an understandable train schedule, but buses are also a decent option.

A bit of history

Archaeologists found an inhabited settlement here dating from the 3rd millennium BC. That makes Veliko Tarnovo one of the oldest cities in Europe.

The town’s best time came with independence from the Byzantine empire in the 12th century. It lasted about two centuries until it fell again under Turkish occupation. Liberated in 1877, Veliko Tarnovo became the capital of Bulgaria for two years, before passing the title to Sofia.

Is Veliko Tarnovo worth visiting?

Definitely.

Its charming streets, traditional houses, and rich history are reasons enough to visit. Still, I’ll throw in a few things to see in and around Veliko Tarnovo.

Things to do in Veliko Tarnovo

Tsaravets Citadel

The main attraction in Veliko Tarnovo is Tsaravets Citadel. The medieval fortress on Tsaravets Hill was easy to defend due to its naturally impenetrable position. It flourished in the Medieval Age. About 370 houses and more than 20 churches were found on the hill.

At the top of Tsaravets Hill, you’ll find the reconstructed Ascension of Christ church. The interior paintings will come as a surprise, but they’re not to my taste, I must say.

The admission to Tsaravets Complex is 6 leva (which is about 3€). There is also a combined ticket option of 2 days’ access to 10 museums for 20 leva (about 10€).

Samovodska Charshia

Samovodska is a charming street in the old part of Veliko Tarnovo. It starts very close to the citadel and leads to the center.

The houses here were restored to respect the traditional architecture. Afterward, some workshops opened here. The street has a very authentic feeling, and you can find some amazing hand-crafted things. Reserve an hour to visit the copper, wood carving, leather, pottery, and icons workshops. This is also the place to buy some traditional sweets.

Getting back to the center, you’ll come across some restaurants and cafes where you can stop for lunch. Bulgarian cuisine is one of my favorites, but I’ll talk about it in another post.

Gurko Street

Another charming cobble-stoned street is General Gurko. The street lies between the Yantra River and the traditional houses seemingly on top of each other. It’s one of the oldest streets in Veliko Tarnovo.

A museum worth seeing on Gurko St. is Sarafkina’s House, a traditional 1861 house holding an interesting regional collection. An entrance ticket is 6 leva, and the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday.

The Asenevtsi Monument

The Asen’s Monument was built in 1985 to celebrate 800 years of independence from the Byzantine Empire. The four horsemen of the monument represent the Bulgarian kings of the Asen dynasty.

However, the main reason to walk to the Asen’s monument is the spectacular view over the old part of Veliko Tarnovo.

Wine Tasting

How about trying a couple of local wines and some appetizers on the most iconic part of Veliko Tarnovo? A wine tasting sounds great to me!

A Food Tour

The best way to experience a new place, in my opinion, is to book a food tour with a local.

Where to stay

• Studio Hotel is perfectly situated, and it comes with free parking. That is a great bonus in Veliko Tarnovo. Also, breakfast is included with every room option.
• Le Rendezvous Apartment is located in the New Town, but still close to everything. It looks amazing, so I’d give it a try. This apartment also comes with free parking.
• My favorite is Gurko Hotel, on the cutest street in Veliko Tarnovo. You need to reserve a parking space here, but it’s still free. Breakfast is also included in the room rate here.

Day Trips from Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Arbanassi

This spectacular village is less than 4km from Veliko Tarnovo. It doesn’t necessarily fit the day trip definition.

Arbanassi is almost an open-air museum, with traditional houses and churches. Also, it’s a great place to stop for lunch in one of the many traditional restaurants.

If you’d prefer to stay in Arbanassi for a quiet weekend, I suggest staying at Park Hotel Arbanassi.

Emen Canyon Eco-Trail

Emen Canyon Trail is a spectacular trail leading to a peaceful waterfall. It is about 20km from Veliko Tarnovo, with the trail starting in the village of Emen.

Hotnitsa Waterfall

Close to the village of Hotnitsa, about 20km from Veliko Tarnovo there is another waterfall. The colors here are amazing and the place is pretty popular among the locals. There is also an eco-trail starting at the base of the waterfall which takes about 35 minutes to complete (photos included).

ETAR – the Open Air Etnographic Museum

This suggestion is a little farther from Veliko Tarnovo, about 50km, but it’s worth the extra time. ETAR is an ethnographic museum featuring traditional buildings from all-over Bulgaria. The amazing thing is that ETAR has real craftsmen working there. Each workshop is functioning and you can see wooden objects being carved or copper bracelets being crafted. Watermills power the whole complex. I loved the place, it feels alive and stuck in time.

The entrance fee is 5 leva (about 2,5€). There’s also a restaurant where you can taste some traditional food.

Nicopolis ad Istrum

The Roman emperor Traianus founded a new city on today’s Bulgarian territory, Nicopolis ad Istrum. It became one of the most important cities in this part of the empire. Its location was on the road linking the Roman Odesos (now Varna) and Serdica (now Sofia).

The ruins of the ancient Roman city lie in Nikyup village, about 20 km north of Veliko Tarnovo. The Roman city is only partly unearthed. It also suffered a lot of damage, but you can still walk on the ancient Roman road and see the ruins of the forum.

All in all, it’s an easy half-day trip from Veliko Tarnovo to Ancient Rome, which is something to consider.

The entrance fee is 6 BGN (roughly 3€). You can visit Nicopolis ad Istrum from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on the summer schedule and from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM from November to March.

That’s about it. If you plan a trip to Bulgaria, read my posts about the ancient city of Plovdiv and the things to do in Sofia.

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