Veliko Tarnovo is one of my favorite places to visit in Bulgaria. This is one of the oldest cities in the country, its third capital (in medieval times), and the symbol of independence and Bulgarian statehood. With such a long and turbulent history, you will find many attractions and things to do in Veliko Tarnovo that make the city a must-visit place in your Bulgaria itinerary.

I’ve been to Veliko Tarnovo three times so far and fell under its charm each time. The beautiful architecture, the fantastic historical sights, and the stunning location of the city keep impressing me, and I know I will be back there again to enjoy this fantastic place some more. For me, this is the most beautiful city in Bulgaria, and I honestly can’t recommend visiting Veliko Tarnovo enough.

If you plan a trip to Bulgaria, I have put together this guide with the best things to do in Veliko Tarnovo so you can enjoy your visit there to the fullest. Read on and get ready to discover Veliko Tarnovo!

Where is Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Veliko Tarnovo, a city of around sixty thousand inhabitants, is located in the central part of Bulgaria. Sofia, the capital city, is located 220 km west of Veliko Tarnovo, Varna is 220 km east, and Plovdiv is 210 km south.

How to get to Veliko Tarnovo

The easiest way to reach Veliko Tarnovo is by bus. There are a few connections throughout the day from Sofia, Varna, or Plovdiv. I recommend getting the ticket in advance as you might not be lucky enough to score the seat before departure (I’m speaking from experience here).

There are two bus stations in Veliko Tarnovo: one close to the center (around 1 km away) and one in the south. If you travel from Sofia or Varna, most likely you will arrive at the central bus station, but buses from Plovdiv or Ruse are served by the south one.

You can also get to Veliko Tarnovo by train, but you will most likely change in nearby Gorna Oryahovitsa, which is on the main railway line connecting Sofia with Varna and Bucharest in Romania. The train station is located not too far from Old Town, but the road goes around the city so it’s better to take a taxi to get to your accommodation.

You can check the bus and train schedules here (this website gives you a general overview, but it’s always better to double-check the time with the bus or railway company).

You can also visit Veliko Tarnovo on a day trip from Sofia or Bucharest. Here are the recommended tours:

• Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi day tour from Sofia with pickup
• Full-Day Tour to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi
• Full Day Trip to Bulgaria from Bucharest

How to get around Veliko Tarnovo

Once you are in the Old Town, all the best Veliko Tarnovo attractions are within walking distance. If you need to get to places a bit further away, you can take a taxi – those are affordable in Veliko Tarnovo, but it’s always best to agree on the price before the trip.

Where to stay in Veliko Tarnovo

Since Veliko Tarnovo is a popular tourist destination, there are some fine accommodation options to choose from. Here are the recommended places to stay in Veliko Tarnovo:

• Gurko Hotel (9.4/10)
• Hotel Kiev (9.4/10)
• Family Hotel “Slavianska dusha” (8.9/10)
• Yantra Grand Hotel (8.5/10)
• and many more!

Things to do in Veliko Tarnovo

And finally, here are the best things to do in Veliko Tarnovo.

Explore the Tsarevets fortress

The biggest highlight of Veliko Tarnovo and one of the must-visit places in Bulgaria is the Tsarevets fortress dominating the area on the edge of the city. This impressive sight dates back to medieval times when it was the primary fortress of the Second Bulgarian Empire (between 1185 and 1393). However, the first settlement was present here already in the 2nd century BC.

The fortress was surrounded by a ten-meter-high wall with a total length of around one kilometer. Inside was a tsar’s palace with private rooms, servants’ quarters, and a private Orthodox church. Next to the palace, almost five hundred residential houses, several Orthodox churches, monasteries, and inns were located.

In 1393, during the Ottoman attack, the Tsarevets fortress was bravely defended for three months, but eventually, the Bulgarian Empire lost its stronghold. The reconstruction works started only in the 1930s, but now you can explore the vast premises of the Tsarevets fortress and find the remnants of the past golden times.

It’s worth going all the way up to the Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord, which was added to the Tsarevets fortress in 1981. Not only the view over Veliko Tarnovo and its surroundings is spectacular from here, but inside the cathedral, you will find unique frescoes painted in the modernist style.

The cathedral isn’t the only good viewpoint in Tsarevets; you can admire the beautiful panorama from numerous points all over the fortress.

To get to the fortress, you need to go through the gate at Sveti Kliment Ohridski Street. You need to pay a fee to enter the premises; the ticket office is next to the gate.

In the summertime, the sound and light show is performed every weekend at the fortress in the evening. It shows the crucial moments in the history of Bulgaria, and especially Tsarevets fortress. If you happen to be in the city when the show is scheduled, be sure to add it to your Veliko Tarnovo itinerary.

See Trapezitsa fortress

Another medieval stronghold, located across the Yantra River from Tsarevets, is Trapezitsa. Due to its difficult-to-conquer location, surrounded by the river and with the plateau high above the water, the hill was an important place in the area.

The first settlement here dates back to 4200 BC, but the medieval defense system appeared here in the 12th century. In the Second Bulgarian Empire period, Trapezitsa was the second important fortress in the area, right after nearby Tsarevets, with homes of noble locals and numerous churches located here.

Today, the site is mainly rebuilt, but a lot of work still needs to be done here. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting place to visit to get more insight into the past of Veliko Tarnovo and the region and to admire even more stunning views of the city and its surroundings.

Visit museums

Since Veliko Tarnovo is a popular tourist destination with so much history surrounding the city, you will find some interesting museums here, too. Some of the top-rated places to visit are the Archeological Museum, Museum of the Revival and Constituent Assembly, Tsarevgrad Tarnov Multimedia Center, and the State Art Gallery “Boris Denev.”

Visit the Mini Bulgaria Park

Only a short walk away from the Tsarevets fortress, you can visit the Mini Bulgaria Park, which displays miniatures of some of the top attractions in the country. There are cathedrals from Sofia and Varna, Ivan Vazov theater, Rila Monastery, Belogradchik fortress, the brutalist Monument from Shumen, and many more. This is a great option for those who don’t have many places planned in their Bulgaria itinerary but would like to learn more about the country and its attractions.

Explore the market quarter

The part of the Old Town that used to be the bazaar area in the past is a wonderful place to explore. Its main part is known as Samovodska Charshia and stretches along Georgi S. Rakovski Street, parallel to the main street. This is where you will find some of the beautifully restored houses from the 19th century – the perfect example of the stunning Bulgarian Revival Style – often home to souvenir shops, bars, and restaurants.

While this area is very picturesque, you should venture a bit further, up the hill, to see a more authentic part of the Old Town. Houses are still beautiful but often in need of renovation, the cobbled streets are very picturesque, and the views from the upper parts are simply breathtaking.

It’s best to wander around without a map; let your intuition guide you, and you might find some really great spots around. If you get lost, simply go down, and you will eventually reach the main street.

Admire views from the main street

The main street of Veliko Tarnovo – Stefan Stambolov – is a must-visit place not only for its location, connecting the Tsarevets fortress with the Old Town, but also for the spectacular views you can admire along the way. There are a few observation decks on the side of the road – you will easily stumble across them when wandering around.

The best one of them is a bit hidden, though. A small balcony overlooks the Yantra River bend, offering a breathtaking panorama of the city and green hills surrounding Veliko Tarnovo. You can find the spot near Hotel Panorama, where the main street forks into Mednikarska Street on the right (here’s the exact location). You can also admire a similar view from the nearby Shtastliveca restaurant (a highly-rated place with delicious food).

See amazing bas-reliefs

When wandering along the main street, be sure to find incredible bas-reliefs that show important scenes and people from the history of the country. Bulgaria is known for this kind of art and commemoration, and the bas-reliefs you will see in Veliko Tarnovo are among the best ones I’ve seen there. I found five in the center, but who knows, maybe there are more. The bonus with finding those bas-reliefs is yet another stunning panorama you can admire from the square in front of the three of them.

Wander around the lower town

Many tourists seem to skip the area of Veliko Tarnovo, which is below the bazaar part and the main street. But that’s such a charming place, too, with cobbled streets and beautiful traditional houses. This is also where you will find even more stunning views of the town. Wandering around here was one of my favorite things to do in Veliko Tarnovo. You will find the most charming spots along General Gurko Street.

Find great street art

Bulgaria has a pretty decent street art scene, and you will find some good works in Veliko Tarnovo, too. The city is home to a very good art university therefore many students try to leave their work on the walls around the town.

During my recent visit, I had the impression that many of the fine pieces had disappeared from the city’s walls, but some nice works are still around. Just keep your eyes open and look around when exploring Veliko Tarnovo, and you will surely find them.

Visit Arbanasi

Only 4 km away from the city, you can visit Arbanasi village, which is a perfect side trip when visiting Veliko Tarnovo. It is known especially for its architecture, including a few historical churches (mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries) and beautiful houses built in the Bulgarian National Revival style.

The most important place to visit in Arbanasi is the Nativity Church covered in frescoes. To get here, you can either hike from Veliko Tarnovo or take a taxi for a few levas.

See the brutalist hotel

Bulgaria has some really spectacular masterpieces of brutalist architecture (such as the monuments in Varna, Shumen, or Buzludzha) and you will find one of such creations in the center of Veliko Tarnovo, too.

The Interhotel, located in the valley on the shore of the Yantra River, was opened in 1981 and is a perfect example of the communist architecture from that period. The brutalist exterior is full of little quirks: round balconies, gutter-shaped designs, exterior staircases, and more.

Currently, the hotel is closed to visitors as it looks like it’s undergoing renovations (the gloomy concrete color is gone, replaced by yellow).

See the Monument to the Assen Dynasty

When looking at the panorama of Veliko Tarnovo, you can see the impressive Monument to the Assen Dynasty from numerous spots. Located inside the river Yantra bend, the Monument is dedicated to the medieval dynasty that founded and ruled the Bulgarian state between 1185 and 1280.

The Monument, with some nice brutalist touches, was built in 1985 to commemorate the 800 years since the Assen’s country’s foundation. The four riders in the Monument are the most prominent Assens, and the massive sword in the middle symbolizes the power and the rise of the medieval Bulgarian state.

The Monument is a good place to visit not only to admire its artistic value from up close but also to see another picturesque view of Veliko Tarnovo from a different perspective. Next to the Monument, you can visit the State Art Gallery “Boris Denev”.

Enjoy Bulgarian food

I’ve been a huge fan of Bulgarian food since the first time I visited the country, and my affection for it only grows with each trip there. I think it’s one of the most underrated cuisines, with delicious dishes and many great options for vegetarians.

Some of my favorites are tarator (the cold soup made of yogurt and cucumber), shopska salad, or fries topped with Bulgarian white cheese (sirene), but there are so many great dishes to try in Bulgaria.

In Veliko Tarnovo, you will find many good restaurants serving local food. You will find most of them along the main street. The most recommended and highly rated place is Shtastliveca. Not only does it serve delicious food, but the view from here is spectacular. If there are no free tables, you can find some of the nearby restaurants, too.

Further reading

I published many articles about Bulgaria that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 23 Amazing Places to Visit in Bulgaria
• Bulgaria itinerary – what to see in Bulgaria in 2 weeks
• 19 Amazing Things to Do in Sofia, Bulgaria
• 11 Wonderful Day Trips from Sofia, Bulgaria
• Koprivshtitsa, Bulgaria – is this the prettiest town in the country?
• 7 Perfect Things to Do in Sozopol, Bulgaria
• 9 Great Things to Do in Burgas, Bulgaria
• Why you should visit Shumen, Bulgaria
• and more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there.

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