Veliko Tarnovo Travel Guide

For more than two centuries, until the Ottoman conquest in 1393, Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. Its old quarters climb the bends of the Yantra river below Tsarevets Fortress. The municipality counts 77,067 residents (estimate, 31 December 2025), Bulgaria has used the euro since 1 January 2026, and visitors arrive through Sofia, Varna or Bucharest.

First Visit Sights Tours Day Trips Where To Stay

Things To Do In Veliko Tarnovo: The Short List

A first day pairs Tsarevets Fortress in the morning with Samovodska Charshiya, Gurko Street, the Church of the Holy Forty Martyrs and the Sound and Light show on an announced evening. The old centre is compact but hilly, so most stops are walkable and steep.

Veliko Tarnovo in one day
1Morning
Stone walls and towers of a hilltop medieval fortress in morning light

Tsarevets Fortress

Fortress of the medieval Bulgarian capital, crowned by the Patriarchal Cathedral on the summit. The adult ticket is 7.67 euros; from 25 October 2026 entry runs 09:00 to 16:00, closing at 17:00, with no day off.

7.67 Euro Ticket
2Late Morning
Cobbled craft lane with small workshops and wooden shopfronts

Samovodska Charshiya

A cobbled lane of craft workshops and the Revival-era Hadzhi Nikoli Inn. The street is public and free to walk at any hour, with Gurko Street running above the Yantra nearby.

Free
3Afternoon
Medieval stone church with a bell tower above a river bend

Holy Forty Martyrs Church

Bulgaria's independence was declared here on 22 September 1908. The church also holds the marble victory column of Ivan Asen II from 1230. Ticket 5.11 euros; October and winter 09:00 to 17:00, with Monday maintenance until 11:00.

5.11 Euro Ticket
4Evening
Fortress walls lit at night above a dark river valley

Sound And Light Show

A light show on Tsarevets, held on announced evenings only, with no fixed nightly schedule. Watching from Tsar Asen I Square in front of the fortress is free, while paid tickets give a seat on the panoramic platform.

Free Viewing
Small group with a guide on a cobbled street in Veliko Tarnovo, backs to camera
Monuments Walk, 2.5 Hours 4.4 from 18 reviews · from $17
Check availability

Veliko Tarnovo Sights And Ticket Prices

The prices below are Regional Museum of History adult tickets in euros, with free sights marked Free.

All Veliko Tarnovo attractions
Hilltop medieval fortress walls and towers above a river bend Ticket 7.67 euros Tsarevets FortressCapital fortress of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom with the Patriarchal Cathedral on the summit; family ticket 10.23 euros. Floodlit fortress walls at night above the river valley Free Viewing Sound And Light ShowRuns on announced evenings only, and is free to watch from Tsar Asen I Square. Ruined fortress hill with stone foundations overlooking the old town Ticket 5.11 euros Trapezitsa FortressThe second hill fortress, closed to visitors 30 November 2026 to 31 March 2027; the funicular stops on 31 October 2026. Cobbled craft street with small workshops and wooden upper floors Free Samovodska CharshiyaA cobbled lane of craft workshops and the Hadzhi Nikoli Inn; a public street, free at all hours. Medieval stone church with a bell tower on a river bend Ticket 5.11 euros Holy Forty Martyrs ChurchWhere independence was declared in 1908; houses the 1230 column of Ivan Asen II. Large monument with four mounted figures and raised swords against the sky Free Asenevtsi MonumentMonument to the medieval rulers on the modern centre side of the city; public space, free. Revival-era merchant house with a timber upper floor and bay windows Ticket 5.11 euros Sarafkina HouseHouse museum on General Gurko Street, built in 1861; open Tuesday to Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. Steep street of Revival houses stepping down toward the Yantra gorge Free Gurko StreetThe street of houses perched on the river gorge; public and free to walk.

Veliko Tarnovo Neighbourhoods At A Glance

Varosha is the old quarter at the foot of the Tsarevets approach, built on steep lanes. Samovodska Charshiya and Gurko Street pair a craft lane with a street of Revival houses above the Yantra. The modern centre spreads around the Asenevtsi Monument and Bulgaria Boulevard, with the Yug bus station. Arbanasi, a stone-house village, sits about 3 km straight-line northeast, and the hills of Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora frame the whole city.

Varosha And The Old Town · Samovodska Charshiya · Gurko Street · The City Centre · Arbanasi

2,740 traveller reviewsacross 46 checked tours
From $10cheapest paid tour today
Prices checkedagainst the booking page, refreshed monthly

Veliko Tarnovo Tours Worth Booking

Forty-six tours and tickets cover guided city walks, wine tasting and day trips to Etar, Buzludzha, the waterfalls and caves. Three questions narrow the choice to a shortlist.

1. What kind of experience are you after?
2. What can you spend per person?
3. Proven favorite or quieter pick?

Below is a starting shortlist of top-rated picks. Answer any question and it rebuilds around your choices.

  1. Full-Day Bulgaria Trip From Bucharest 12 hours from $89 ★ 4.6 1,289 Check availability
  2. Shared Full-Day Trip, 12 Hours 12 hours from $90 ★ 4.5 408 Check availability
  3. Budget Day Trip, 12 Hours 12 hours from $72 ★ 4.6 242 Check availability
  4. Small-Group Experience From Bucharest 1 day from $71 ★ 4.5 106 Check availability
  5. Rock Church, Cave Monastery 11 hours from $205 ★ 4.8 83 Check availability
  6. Small-Group North Bulgaria Trip 12 hours from $90 ★ 4.5 80 Check availability
  7. From Sofia, 4 to 12 Hours 4 - 12 hours from $55 ★ 4.7 68 Check availability
  8. ATV Quad, One Hour 1 hour from $52 ★ 5 61 Check availability
  9. Private Fortress Tour, 12 Hours 12 hours from $223 ★ 4.9 56 Check availability
  10. From Sofia With Transfer 1 day from $96 ★ 4.7 55 Check availability
  11. Illusions Museum Entry Ticket 1 hour from $15 ★ 4.8 41 Check availability
  12. Private Day Trip From Bucharest 10 to 12 hours from $286 ★ 4.9 35 Check availability
  13. Budget Fare, 11 to 12 Hours 11 to 12 hours from $57 ★ 4.1 29 Check availability
  14. Poets Interactive Talk, 40 Minutes 40 minutes from $17 ★ 5 19 Check availability
  15. Pickup From Sofia, Arbanasi 10 to 11 hours from $97 ★ 4.9 19 Check availability
  16. Monuments Walk, 2.5 Hours 2.5 hours from $17 ★ 4.4 18 Check availability
  17. From Sofia, Arbanasi and Emen Falls 10 hours from $166 ★ 4.9 15 Check availability
  18. Small-Group From Sofia, Budget Fare 11 hours from $23 ★ 4.3 15 Check availability
  19. Private or Self-Guided, Your Pace 2 to 4 hours from $33 ★ 3.9 12 Check availability
  20. Budget Private Tour From Bucharest 10 to 12 hours from $178 ★ 5 11 Check availability
  21. Monasteries and Waterfalls Tour 2 to 3 hours from $113 ★ 5 8 Check availability
  22. Buzludzha and Shipka, 4 Hours 4 hours from $263 ★ 4.8 8 Check availability
  23. Five-Wine Tasting Experience 1 hour 30 minutes from $22 ★ 5 7 Check availability
  24. Hike to Tsarevets Fortress 9 to 11 hours from $183 ★ 5 6 Check availability
  25. Private From Plovdiv, Shipka Church 11 hours 30 minutes from $172 ★ 4.7 6 Check availability
  26. Waterfalls and Caves, 7 Hours 7 hours from $97 ★ 5 4 Check availability
  27. Choose Shumen or Lovech 10 to 14 hours from $298 ★ 5 3 Check availability
  28. Private Medieval Bulgaria, 12 Hours 12 hours from $227 ★ 5 3 Check availability
  29. From Sofia, 10 to 11 Hours 10 to 11 hours from $136 ★ 5 3 Check availability
  30. Budget Fare From Bucharest, 10 Hours 10 hours from $56 ★ 4.7 3 Check availability
  31. City Walk, 2 to 3 Hours 2 to 3 hours from $17 ★ 3.7 3 Check availability
  32. Adds Basarabovo, Premium Fare 10 to 12 hours from $441 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  33. Private From Ruse, 9 Hours 9 hours from $241 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  34. Private Trip, 11 to 12 Hours 11 to 12 hours from $168 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  35. Holy Transfiguration Self-Guided 1 to 3 hours from $10 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  36. Mini Bulgaria, E-Guide and Entry 1 to 10 hours from $21 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  37. Small-Group From Sofia With Pickup 10 to 11 hours from $80 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  38. Mini Bulgaria Entry Ticket from $10 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  39. Etara Open-Air Museum Combo 9 hours from $103 ★ 5 2 Check availability
  40. ATV or Buggy, One Hour 1 hour from $67 ★ 4.3 2 Check availability
  41. Premium Small-Group, 12 Hours 12 hours from $113 ★ 5 1 Check availability
  42. Self-Guided Audio, 24-Hour Access 24 hours from $11 ★ 5 1 Check availability
  43. Full Day From Sofia, 11 Hours 11 hours from $171 ★ 5 1 Check availability
  44. Private Eco Tour, 10 Hours 10 hours from $200 ★ 5 1 Check availability
  45. Valley of Roses and Kings 8 hours from $219 ★ 5 1 Check availability
  46. Private Ruse Day Trip, 8 Hours 8 hours from $219 ★ 5 1 Check availability

Veliko Tarnovo With Kids

The Tsarevets family ticket is 10.23 euros for parents and up to 3 children aged 7 to 18, and children under 7 enter free. Sveta Gora Park has woodland trails, and the Etar open-air museum has craft workshops.

Wide stone fortress walls with grass paths and open lawns, no people in focusTsarevets FortressBig walls and towers; family ticket 10.23 euros, under 7 free. Woodland path through a city park with trees and a lookout, no people in focusSveta Gora ParkWoodland trails with city views above the Yantra. Cobbled street between old houses with an open view of the river valleyOne Day In Veliko TarnovoA walkable first-day route that suits a child pace.
Miniature landmark models in an open park, no people in focusMini Bulgaria ParkMini Bulgaria Entry Ticket5.0 from 2 reviews · from $10Check availability

Veliko Tarnovo In The Rain

Rainy days suit the Archaeological Museum, the Revival and Constituent Assembly museum, Sarafkina House and Tsarevgrad Tarnov, each 5.11 euros except the last at 7.67 euros. May is the wettest month at about 96 mm modelled.

Museum gallery with display cases and stone floor, emptyMuseums In TownArchaeology, the Revival museum and the wax-figure centre under one roof-line. Revival merchant house interior with wooden ceiling and rugs, emptySarafkina HouseA restored 1861 house, open Tuesday to Saturday. Bright gallery room with framed paintings on white walls, no peopleState Of Art GalleryIndoor gallery in the Asenevtsi Park area.
Bright indoor room with optical illusion installations, no peopleIllusions MuseumIllusions Museum Entry Ticket4.8 from 41 reviews · from $15Check availability

Veliko Tarnovo At Night

The Sound and Light show on Tsarevets runs on announced evenings only, free to watch from Tsar Asen I Square. Student bars and Old Town terraces fill the evenings.

Floodlit fortress walls above a dark valley, no people in focusSound And Light ShowFree from the square on announced evenings. Outdoor cafe terrace in an old-town lane at night, empty chairsVeliko Tarnovo NightlifeStudent bars and Old Town terraces. Steep cobbled street with warm lamp light on old house fronts, no peopleGurko Street After DarkLit house fronts above the river gorge.
Wine glasses on a stone table in a dim cellar roomWine TastingFive-Wine Tasting Experience5.0 from 7 reviews · from $22Check availability

Veliko Tarnovo In Winter

Winter hours start 25 October 2026, with Tsarevets entry from 09:00 to 16:00. Trapezitsa closes to visitors from 30 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, and January modelled temperatures range from a 4.9 C max to a -3.8 C min.

Quiet old-town lane in cool winter lightVeliko Tarnovo In WinterWhat stays open in Veliko Tarnovo between November and March. Park path with warm festive lights at duskChristmas MarketThe seasonal market and festive lights in Veliko Tarnovo. Bare hilltop fortress ruins in cold lightTrapezitsa ClosureTrapezitsa is closed to visitors from 30 November 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Small warm indoor room with a lectern and bookshelvesIndoor TalkPoets Interactive Talk, 40 Minutes5.0 from 19 reviews · from $17Check availability
Steep cobbled street of old house fronts above a river gorge Narrow old-town lane with stone walls and a view toward the fortress

Free Things To Do In Veliko Tarnovo

Watching the Sound and Light show from Tsar Asen I Square is free, and so are Samovodska Charshiya, Gurko Street, the Asenevtsi Monument, the Varosha lanes and Stambolov Bridge. Tsarevets entry costs 7.67 euros; the fortress views from the street do not.

Sound And Light Viewing Samovodska Charshiya Gurko Street Asenevtsi Monument Stambolov Bridge All Free Things

What To Eat In Veliko Tarnovo

Banitsa, a cheese filo pastry, is the breakfast staple, alongside shopska salad, grilled kebapche and kyufte, clay-pot kavarma and cold tarator soup. Rakia is the fruit brandy of the table.

Bulgarian food guide
Golden square of cheese filo pastry on a plain plate Banitsa Banitsa, the cheese filo pastry that is the standard Bulgarian breakfast. Chopped tomato cucumber salad with grated white cheese beside grilled meat Shopska And The Grill Shopska salad with white cheese and grilled kebapche. Small glass of clear spirit and a wine glass on a wooden table Rakia And Wine Rakia is Bulgaria's fruit brandy, and Bulgarian wine has its own place alongside it on the table.

Veliko Tarnovo On The Map

Loading the map. Every place is also listed below.

Click the map to zoom with the scroll wheel.Pinch to zoom and drag to move. Numbers match the list.

  1. Tsarevets FortressTsarevets Fortress, where most first days start
  2. ArbanasiOld Town or Area · 2 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  3. Asenov QuarterOld Town or Area · 440 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  4. Gurko StreetOld Town or Area · 1.1 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  5. Samovodska CharshiyaOld Town or Area · 1 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  6. Varosha QuarterOld Town or Area · 1.3 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  7. Sveta Gora HillHill · 1.1 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  8. Trapezitsa FortressHill · 540 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  9. Asenevtsi MonumentLandmark · 1.2 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  10. Baldwin's TowerLandmark · 340 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  11. Church of St Dimitar of ThessalonikiLandmark · 590 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  12. Church of Sts Peter and PaulLandmark · 470 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  13. Church of the Holy Forty MartyrsLandmark · 220 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  14. Church of the Nativity, ArbanasiLandmark · 1.8 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  15. Hadzhi Nikoli InnLandmark · 1.1 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  16. Patriarchal Cathedral of the Holy AscensionLandmark · 70 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  17. Archaeological MuseumMuseum · 900 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  18. Boris Denev Art GalleryMuseum · 1.1 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  19. Konstantsalieva House, ArbanasiMuseum · 2 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  20. Museum of the Revival and Constituent AssemblyMuseum · 860 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  21. Prison MuseumMuseum · 880 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  22. Sarafkina HouseMuseum · 970 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  23. Tsarevgrad Tarnov Wax MuseumMuseum · 730 m from Tsarevets Fortress
  24. Bus Station YugGetting Around · 1.8 km from Tsarevets Fortress
  25. Veliko Tarnovo Railway StationGetting Around · 1.6 km from Tsarevets Fortress

Day Trips From Veliko Tarnovo: Etar, Buzludzha, Krushuna Falls

Etar lies about 53 road km from the centre, Buzludzha about 73 and Krushuna Falls about 79. Longer days reach Kazanlak and Shipka, at 98 and 79 km.

Open-air museum street of timber workshops and a water-powered millOpen-Air Museum

Etar Open-Air Museum

An open-air crafts museum about 53 road km away, open all year, adult ticket 7.16 euros.

9-hour tour · 5.0 from 2 reviews · from $103Check availability
Large concrete saucer-shaped monument on a misty mountain ridgeMonument

Buzludzha Monument

A mountain-top monument on the Balkan ridge, about 73 road km from the centre.

4-hour tour · 4.8 from 8 reviews · from $263Check availability
Travertine waterfall cascading into green pools in a wooded gorgeWaterfalls

Krushuna Falls

Terraced waterfalls in a wooded gorge, about 79 road km from the centre.

7-hour tour · 5.0 from 4 reviews · from $97Check availability
Orthodox monastery tucked under a limestone cliff in a green river valleyMonastery And Cave

Dryanovo Monastery And Bacho Kiro Cave

A monastery under a cliff and a cave beside it, about 31 to 33 road km away.

About 33 kmRead the day trip
Domed Thracian tomb entrance in a green field with rose bushesUNESCO Tomb

Kazanlak And The Rose Valley

The Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, inscribed by UNESCO in 1979, about 98 road km from the centre.

8-hour tour · 5.0 from 1 review · from $219Check availability

All day trips

Veliko Tarnovo Right Now: Weather And Golden Hour

At the last check, on 17 October, the forecast for Veliko Tarnovo was 4°C and clear. Sunset was at 18:31, so the Old Town glowed best from about 17:31.

Forecast, old town
4°C
clear, cloud 8%
Sunrise and sunset
07:33 / 18:31
17 October, Veliko Tarnovo time
Golden hour
from 17:31
about an hour before sunset

Weather data from MET Norway (Locationforecast 2.0 and Sunrise 3.0, Norwegian Meteorological Institute), under NLOD 2.0 / CC BY 4.0. A forecast-model value for the grid point at the Old Town, not a thermometer reading.

When To Visit Veliko Tarnovo, Month By Month

Tap a month: figures are ERA5 reanalysis, 1991 to 2020, via Open-Meteo for the Veliko Tarnovo grid point at 43.08 N 25.64 E, modelled rather than a weather-station record.

Veliko Tarnovo's wettest month is May at 95.7 mm on average, and June follows at 85 mm, about 2 times the 51.3 mm of August, the driest. These are modelled grid-cell averages for 1991-2020, not a station record.

Jan: 0.2℃Feb: 2.1℃Mar: 6.3℃Apr: 11.6℃May: 16.6℃Jun: 20.5℃Jul: 22.7℃Aug: 22.9℃Sep: 18.1℃Oct: 12.6℃Nov: 7℃Dec: 1.8℃ 055110 -5°13°30° JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Rain mm Temp ℃
  • Monthly rainfall (mm)
  • Mean temperature (°C)
Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis for the Veliko Tarnovo grid cell, 1991-2020 averages (a model reconstruction, not a station record): August is warmest at 22.9°C average, January coldest at 0.2°C, May wettest at 95.7 mm and August driest at 51.3 mm, 798.7 mm across the year.
MonthMean tempMean highMean lowRainfall
January0.2°C4.9°C-3.8°C56.1 mm
February2.1°C7.2°C-2.3°C54.1 mm
March6.3°C11.5°C1.4°C68.6 mm
April11.6°C16.9°C6°C71.6 mm
May16.6°C21.7°C11.1°C95.7 mm
June20.5°C25.4°C15.1°C85 mm
July22.7°C27.6°C17.2°C79.5 mm
August22.9°C28.1°C17.1°C51.3 mm
September18.1°C23.3°C13°C63 mm
October12.6°C17.7°C8°C58.9 mm
November7°C11.8°C3.1°C54.5 mm
December1.8°C6.1°C-1.7°C60.6 mm

Data: Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis, 1991-2020 (retrieved through Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0); contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information).

Where To Stay In Veliko Tarnovo

Choose between the Varosha old quarter at the foot of Tsarevets, Gurko Street and Samovodska above the Yantra, and Arbanasi village about 3 km out. The modern centre sits around the Asenevtsi Monument and Bulgaria Boulevard.

Full where-to-stay guide
Old-town stone lane with houses stepping toward a fortress hill

Varosha And The Old Town

Best For The Fortress Walk

The old quarter at the foot of the Tsarevets approach, with steep lanes, a walk to the fortress gate and hotels on Chitalishtna Street. Stays are listed below.

Varosha Area Guide
Row of Revival houses on a steep street above a river gorge

Gurko Street And Samovodska

Best For Riverside Views

General Gurko Street runs above the Yantra, a short walk from the craft lane of Samovodska Charshiya, and stays are listed below.

Gurko Street Area Guide
Fortified stone houses with high walls and wooden gates on a village lane

Arbanasi

Best For Quiet Escape

Arbanasi is a quiet stone-house village about 3 km straight-line northeast of the centre, best reached with a car or taxi, and stays are listed below.

Arbanasi Area Guide

Getting To Veliko Tarnovo From Sofia And Bucharest

No airport with scheduled flights serves the city: Sofia airport lies about 216 road km away, Varna about 214 km and Bucharest Otopeni about 205 km. There is no direct train from Sofia; trains change, usually at Gorna Oryahovitsa, and the fastest journey on the BDZ timetable takes about 4 h 33 min. Varna has one direct train at 3 h 53 min. Buses from Sofia run about 3 to 3.5 hours into the Yug bus station on Hristo Botev Boulevard. Direct buses from Bucharest take about 3 h 50 min to 4 h 15 min.

How to get to Veliko Tarnovo · Nearest airport · Train station · Bus station

What Is Veliko Tarnovo Famous For?

1

Capital Of The Second Bulgarian Kingdom

The city was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom for more than two centuries. Its rule began with the 1185 to 1186 uprising of Asen and Peter and ended with the Ottoman conquest in 1393.

2

Tsarevets Fortress

Tsarevets was the fortress hill of the medieval capital, crowned by the Patriarchal Cathedral. The adult ticket is 7.67 euros and it is open every day.

3

Where Independence Was Declared

Bulgaria's independence was declared on 22 September 1908 and the Manifesto was read at the Church of the Holy Forty Martyrs. The Tarnovo Constitution dates from 1879.

4

Not A UNESCO Site

Nothing in the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The nearest inscribed sites are the Ivanovo rock-hewn churches and the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (both 1979), while Nicopolis ad Istrum has been on the Tentative List since 1984.

5

Sound And Light Show

Sound and Light is a show projected on Tsarevets, held on announced evenings with no fixed nightly schedule. It is free to watch from Tsar Asen I Square.

6

Arbanasi

Arbanasi is a stone-house village about 3 km northeast of the centre. It holds the church of the Nativity, at 7.67 euros adult, plus two more churches and a house museum.

What Was The Old Capital Of Bulgaria?

The old capital of Bulgaria was Veliko Tarnovo, an inland city on the Yantra river that served as the seat of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom for more than two centuries, from the late 12th century to the 14th.

Read the full answer

Is Veliko Tarnovo Worth Visiting?

An honest, source-backed answer to whether the medieval capital on the Yantra deserves a place on a Bulgaria itinerary, with the fortress hours, euro prices and train times that decide it.

Read the full answer

Is Veliko Tarnovo Safe?

Is Veliko Tarnovo safe to visit? Here is what the official record and the practical facts support: entry rules under Schengen and the euro, the 112 emergency number, seasonal sight closures, and the street-level basics of an inland university city on the Yantra.

Read the full answer

Is Veliko Tarnovo A Good Place To Live?

Veliko Tarnovo is an inland city of about 77,000 municipality residents on the Yantra river, with a university, a continental climate and train links that run through Gorna Oryahovitsa. Here is what the recorded facts say about living in it.

Read the full answer

What Is The Womb Cave?

The Womb Cave appears on maps of the Veliko Tarnovo area as a named place, and searchers often arrive here expecting a ticketed attraction. Here is what the record supports, and what the region's documented caves offer instead.

Read the full answer

What Is Veliko Tarnovo Famous For?

Veliko Tarnovo, an inland city on the Yantra river in Bulgaria, is famous as the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and for Tsarevets Fortress, the Sound and Light show, Samovodska Charshiya and the nearby village of Arbanasi.

Read the full answer

How Many Days Do You Need In Veliko Tarnovo?

Two days is the working answer for Veliko Tarnovo: one for Tsarevets and the old-city streets, one for Arbanasi, Trapezitsa and the museums, with a third day for monasteries, waterfalls and the day-trip ring.

Read the full answer

Is Veliko Tarnovo Expensive?

Sight tickets in Veliko Tarnovo run from 5.11 euro at the museums to 7.67 euro at Tsarevets Fortress, the Sound and Light show is free from Tsar Asen I Square, and four of the city's best-known quarters cost nothing to walk through.

Read the full answer

Veliko Tarnovo Trip Planning Guides

All guides and answers
How To Get To Veliko Tarnovo Best Time To Visit Veliko Tarnovo Where To Stay In Veliko Tarnovo Getting Around Veliko Tarnovo How Much A Trip Costs Nearest Airport To Veliko Tarnovo

What Visitors Say

“Thoroughly memorable and wonderful day with Lokta our guide. A full, long day but very enjoyable. Highly recommend this tour. My favorite was the fortress, make sure you visit the church at the top. Its worth the climb!”

Joan, Verified traveller review of Full-Day Bulgaria Trip From Bucharest

“The tour guide Ana was very friendly and informative. The fortress was amazing and the restaurant recommended by Ana was very good and with a view. Highly recommend.”

SauTak_L, Verified traveller review of Shared Full-Day Trip, 12 Hours

“The Veliko fortress was very impressive and the church caves in Bararbovo were great. Our guide Octavian was amazing. He was very personable, had great information on each site we visited and wonderful recommendations for our free time.”

Patrick_K, Verified traveller review of Rock Church, Cave Monastery

“Floren was excellent. It was a long drive but he kept us well informed. Veliko Tarnovo was beautiful. The town was charm. We lunched over looking the valley. Spectacular.”

Maria_H, Verified traveller review of Private Day Trip From Bucharest

“We visited a rock monastery, a very richly decorated church, and a museum of daily life before arriving at the fortress of Veliko Tarnovo, which gives you a view of the city, the river, etc.”

Alexandra_S, Verified traveller review of Budget Fare, 11 to 12 Hours

“Antonio made our visit very pleasant, he came to pick each of us up at our hotel, he told us a lot of things about Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi, in addition to being a great driver. Both my friend Raúl and I were delighted with the tour and with Anton!!!”

MariaMargarita_C, Verified traveller review of Pickup From Sofia, Arbanasi

“Maria, our tour guide, was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of Bulgaria that it made our tour to the ancient capital come alive. This is a real quality tour.”

Beverly_Z, Verified traveller review of From Sofia, Arbanasi and Emen Falls

“The best attraction we visited in Bulgaria, staff were friendly and helpful, equipment was clean and well maintained. Our guide made us feel welcomed and went out of his way to make our experience unique and personal. We had an amazing time. Thank you so much”

Chris_B, Verified traveller review of ATV Quad, One Hour

Verified traveller reviews, reproduced word for word including the reviewer's own wording.

46 tours compared by price and rating · from $1046 tours · from $10 Compare Tours →