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Why Visit Veliko Tarnovo?

Veliko Tarnovo is one of those places that once you’ve visited it’s difficult to understand why you’d never even heard of it before. It’s one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities (Plovdiv is the oldest) and still has a lot of its old world charm. From the picturesque Tsaravets fortress to the traditional restaurants that line the cobbled streets, Veliko Tarnovo is the perfect destination to escape for a couple of days.

How to Reach Veliko Tarnovo?

Now that you know why Veliko Tarnovo deserves a spot on your bucket list, here’s how to get there (on a budget)!

We included Veliko Tarnovo as part of our larger overland trip from Romania to Central Asia. If you’re coming from Romania like we did, it’s actually pretty easy to reach from Bucharest. The Bulgarian train network is good, and you can catch a train to reach Veliko Tarnovo.

The closest train station to Veliko Tarnovo is Gorna Oryahovitsa, just a 15-minute drive away. From Gorna Oryahovitsa, you can grab a bus or a taxi into the old town of Veliko Tarnovo— we decided to take a taxi which only cost 15 LEV (£6.45).

Want to follow our route from Bucharest? First take a train to Ruse (just across the Bulgarian border), then change and take a train to Gorna Oryahovitsa which is close to Veliko Tarnovo. This can easily be achieved in one day.

Here’s a quick price breakdown:

• Bucharest to Ruse: Approx 5.5 LEV (£3), around 2 hours 40 minutes by train
• Ruse to Gorna Oryahovitsa: Approx 7 LEV (£3.80), around 2 hours by train

You can also reach Veliko Tarnovo from Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital city:

• Sofia to Gorna Oryahovitsa: Approx 15 LEV (£6.35), around 4 hours by train

You can book trains at the station in Bulgaria or online – to book in advance you can easily buy train tickets with 12GoAsia here.

Bulgarian and Romanian trains are great value so we’d recommend using them to keep costs low if you’re travelling through either of these countries. We actually used the trains all the way to Istanbul on this trip – so we can definitely vouch for how reliable (and budget-friendly) they are!

Planning on visiting Istanbul too? Check out our post on the Top Things to do in Istanbul.

Budget Accommodation

Veliko Tarnovo is a small and walkable city, and chances are you’ll want to stay right in the heart of the Old Town. This is where you’ll find all the charm, beautiful cobbled streets, and lots of restaurants and cafés. It’s also super close to Tsarevets Fortress, which is one of the top places to visit in Veliko Tarnovo.

We stayed in a beautiful but budget-friendly boutique guesthouse tucked right in the middle of it all. If you want a private, clean, and comfortable place to stay without spending a fortune, we’d recommend where we stayed. You can check it out here. Our room was only £32 per night, and for that price and location, it felt like an absolute bargain.

If you’re on an even tighter budget, there are a few hostels in Veliko Tarnovo too, such as Hostel Mostel and Rooster Hostel.

What To See & Do in Veliko Tarnovo

Honestly, Veliko Tarnovo isn’t a big place—but it’s one of those destinations where it’s more about the feeling than ticking off a list of sights. That’s what made us love it so much. However, some of the main places to visit include:

Tsarevets Fortress

This is the most iconic spot in Veliko Tarnovo. It’s on old fortress from when Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Bulgarian empire and it’s the perfect place to take a walk along the fortress walls or head up to the top and see the church that overlooks the rolling hills. The entry fee is 15 Bulgarian LEV or £6.50 but it’s worth it just for the views!

Something we missed (due to the dates but wish we could’ve done) was the Sound and Light Show at Tsarevets Fortress. They run it pretty regularly and it looks so cool—music, lights, and the whole fortress lit up at night. It’s meant to be such a good evening activity if you’re in Veliko Tarnovo. You can check the schedule here.

Samovodska Charshia (Crafts Street)

This little street is full of charm! You’ll find locals making pottery, woodwork, and all sorts of handmade goods.

Assen Dynasty Monument

This monument from the Assen Dynasty shows four horsemen who played a huge role in the second Bulgarian Empire and for making Veliko Tarnovo the centre of this empire. The monument is really impressive, and its location is beautiful. It offers stunning views over the river, as well as a panoramic view looking up towards Veliko Tarnovo.

Art Galleries & Museums

If you’re into art and museums, there are a few around the Old Town and near the monument. We’ll be honest though—it’s not really our thing. So we skipped them and spent more time doing what we do love: eating great food and hunting down good coffee.

Where to Eat & Drink

Okay, so this was hands down our favourite part of Veliko Tarnovo — the food here was SO good. The city has plenty of old-school tavern-style restaurants, some more popular than others, but honestly, nearly every meal we had was incredible.

Here are some places we loved, along with (a rough idea of) what they cost us to give you an idea:

Shtastliveca

Pronouncing this one was a bit of a nightmare for us—if you want a laugh, check out our YouTube video where we try to say it! But seriously, this place was one of the best meals we had in Bulgaria. It has over 12,000 reviews and a solid 4.6-star rating, and we can confirm it absolutely deserves that. The views from the restaurant are stunning, the food was outstanding, and it didn’t cost a fortune. We spent about £30 for two meals and two beers, which is a steal for such quality and atmosphere.

Rich

Another place we highly recommend is Rich, run by a lovely Bulgarian couple. It’s a tiny spot with only about six tables (more in summer) and a balcony overlooking the river. The food here was lovely—we tried classic Bulgarian dishes like Shopska Salad and Kavarma. Two meals, a salad, and two beers came to just £20. So you definitely don’t have to be Rich to visit… (terrible pun we know – blame Callum he couldn’t resist).

Local Bakery (Закуски банички милинки)

To save money on breakfast or lunch, we hit up a local bakery almost every day. Banitsa, a traditional Bulgarian pastry filled with white cheese, quickly became an obsession. We probably had one every morning during our whole trip! The small hole in the wall bakery that we loved only charged £1.50 each, and honestly, these were the best banitsas we had in Bulgaria. You can find the bakery here.

Samurai Coffee

If you’re a coffee lover, Samurai Coffee is the spot. It’s one of the only places serving specialty coffee in Veliko Tarnovo, and it’s got a nice outdoor seating area. On a warm day, it’s the perfect chill spot to enjoy a really good cup of coffee with views of the city.

So, Is Veliko Tarnovo Worth It? (Yes, 100%)

Hopefully, this gives you a good idea of what to expect from Veliko Tarnovo—and shows that it’s a really affordable place to visit without skimping on charm or great food. We honestly think it’s the perfect spot for a weekend getaway or a stop-off on a bigger Eastern Europe trip.

Looking back at our budget, it’s totally doable to stay in a nice private room, grab breakfast from a local bakery, explore the main sights, and enjoy your meals in high-quality restaurants—all for as little as £35–£50 per person, per day. Most of the sightseeing is free, the food is reasonably priced, and there are loads of great value accommodation options.

So if you’re like us and love discovering picturesque, budget-friendly destinations, make sure Veliko Tarnovo is on your travel list!

Check out our experience of Veliko Tarnovo below:

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