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City in north central Bulgaria
Photo: Nikola Gruev uploded by en:User:Dimovi, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgarian: Велико Търново, also romanized as Veliko Turnovo) is a historic city in the central-north of Bulgaria notable for its medieval ruins and its picturesque cityscape – it was built on the steep banks of the Yantra River as it snakes through the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. In the middle ages, Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396) and the partially restored ruins of the Tsarevets Fortress are the main sight of the city. Today, it's a university city with a population of about 66,000 and the administrative centre of the eponymous region.
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Tsarevets, the medieval stronghold of the Second Bulgarian Empire, served as the capital's primary fortress from 1185 to 1393. The complex housed the royal and patriarchal palaces on the hill. Visitors can access the site to view these foundations. The reconstructed Baldwin Tower is open, demonstrating the design and function of medieval fortifications. Views of the city, the surrounding hills and the Yantra River.
A small language school offering Bulgarian lessons by qualified tutors with PhDs who specialise in the teaching of Bulgarian as a second language.
Every day at 11:00hr a free walking tour. No reservation needed, just show up.
Local cuisine, run by a nice family. It is cosy with lovely and interesting decor of a lot of musical instruments. Tasty food and inexpensive.
National and foreign cuisine, cheap prices. There are three "Ego" restaurants, at 17, Nezavisimost St., at 1, Slaveykov Square, and at the 3rd floor of Central Mall.
Pizza and national cuisine.
A menu with mainly Bulgarian dishes, and a nice view of Yantra River.
A mixture of Bulgarian and foreign dishes is on the menu.
Housed in a beautifully renovated old inn, this fine dining restaurant with Bulgarian cuisine on the menu offers home-made wine. Also doubles as a cafe (with an open air section) and a wine bar.
Nice live music concerts at night time (around 11pm). During summer they do open air concerts in front of the Beaux Arts Museum.
A great campsite with free Wifi, newly fitted showerblock, fully equipped laundry, tents for rent, sports and leisure facilities, cafe/bar/shop on site. The owners, Nick & Nicky will try to help you with anything you need. You can even get your hair cut on site! Collection service available from Veliko Turnovo.
Beds from ~€10.39 per person. Good quiet but central location and lovely view of the fortress. Free pickup service and very helpful English speaking staff. Free internet, Wi-Fi, breakfast.
~€10.39 per person per night for a dorm, ~€15.58 per person per night for a double en-suite room. Free Internet access and Wi-Fi, free breakfast, and a free light meal and a local beer at night. Friendly and helpful staff. Good value day trips available. Can organise tours to various attractions around VT including the famous Buzludzha monument.
About ~€15.58 for twin room (3 rooms available). Friendly owner who provides free transport to and from the station.
A lovely hostel which has been decorated by a well known Bulgarian interior designer: full of art works and with beautifully decorated rooms. There is a common room and a reasonably well equipped kitchen. Four shared bathroom. It is immaculately clean and the family running it are really helpful with information and directions. Budget prices even for single/double rooms. The front rooms downstairs look over the town and valley, and upstairs the rooms are in the attic but are spacious.
Mid-range prices by Bulgarian standards, but still cheap. Stay a great small guesthouse (a family business) with very good rooms and have a great breakfast in the garden. In the same building is an English school for children located, so you might see or hear them. In a few steps you are from the main street. Excellent quality yet affordable. The hosts speak Bulgarian, English and Russian. Call for bookings or search the well-known hotel booking sites.
Mid range prices by Bulgarian standards but still cheap. Large luxury self catering apartments close to Veliko Turnovo in the peaceful village of Tserova Koriya. High quality at affordable prices.
A very traditional style hotel with a popular restaurant and good quality rooms. Can be a little bit noisy, and the rooms above the reception and restaurant should be avoided by light sleepers.
More expensive than some hotels but there is a difference. Excellent roof bar provides a good view of the light show (when it happens). Good breakfast and there is a restaurant. Decor is a bit dark and quirky, and may not be to everyone's taste.
By train
Veliko Tarnovo is one of the major stops on Line 4, which runs north-south from Ruse on the Danube to Stara Zagora in Southern Bulgaria, crossing the Balkan Mountains.
By car
One of the main roads in Bulgaria runs through the city, so car transport is not a problem to and from the city.
By bus
Busses run approximately hourly from Sofia.35) and from Varna. The small bus station is ~1 km from the centre of town so arrange pickup during winter.99.
By public transport
Since Veliko Tarnovo is not that large, you'll probably never use it. Buses run from 07:00 till 21:00 with frequency of rides varying between 20 and 60 minutes. Buses #20, #50 and #40 go to Tsarevets.
By taxi
Taxis in Veliko Tarnovo are yellow and can be caught on the streets by waiving a hand or can be called.31 per kilometer afterwards.08. Overall this means of transport is very reliable.
By car
Although Veliko Tarnovo is generally a calm city, transportation by car could be very complicated due to the frequent traffic reorganisations. The maximum speed within the city is 50 km/h.
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