Veliko Târnovo

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Introducing Veliko Târnovo

The evocative capital of the medieval Bulgarian tsars, sublime Veliko Târnovo is dramatically set amidst an amphitheatre of forested hills, divided by the ribboning Yantra River. Commanding pride of place is the magisterial, well-restored Tsarevets Fortress, citadel of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It is complemented by scores of churches and other ruins, many of which are still being unearthed.

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Overgrown Trapezitsa Hill, one time residence of Bulgaria’s kings, is especially exciting in this regard, and clambering up to it you will encounter teams of local helpers digging away at numerous church foundations and washing colourful Byzantine ceramic plates. Since there’s much work to be done still, chances are good that Trapezitsa will yield many more treasures.

As the site of Bulgaria’s most prestigious university, Veliko Târnovo also boasts a revved-up nightlife of which many larger towns would be jealous. There’s great food and drink, too, with the best places enjoying stunning views of the river and castle. The old-world ambience of the Varosha quarter, with its terracotta rooftops and lounging cats, makes for wonderful leisurely walks in a place where you can feel the spirit of a ­bygone time.

As one of the main stops on the BucharestIstanbul express train, Veliko Târnovo is also a favourite with backpackers, as the ever-increasing number of youth hostels attests. However, it’s also popular with weekending Bulgarians drawn by its romantic ambience and European tour groups peering over the sites. Certainly, it’s one of the ‘obligatory’ destinations for getting the full Bulgarian experience, but Târnovo is well worth it, and will probably draw you in for at least a few days.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009

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Thorn Tree forum discussion

Recent posts

  1. valmeister avatar
    Sofia/Varna/VT... in six/seven days? And while broke?

    by valmeister 28 July 2009

    On a whim I just booked a week for a solo trip in Bulgaria - getting into Sofia on 8/18 and leaving on 8/26. (I originally wanted this…
  2. lavale avatar
    Help on Bulgarian accomodations

    by lavale 24 July 2007

    Hello!
    Thanks so much again to those who helped me with the accomodation in Sofia, now I'm back with some accomodation questions again:
  3. coldlady avatar
    Veliko Târnovo

    by coldlady 08 July 2007

    Hi Veliko Tarnovo is a very nice town, offering much more than you can imagine. Maybe you should base yourself around VT for about 5 nights…

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