Isn’t that view just amazing?…
We were lucky enough to have visited the Fortress on a wonderful day all thanks for Mr Tripp.
To get the same experience make sure to book:
Day trip to Bulgaria (Veliko Tarnovo) from Romania (Bucharest) – Mr Tripp
One of the trips that were added last minute in our itinerary replacing Sofia, Bulgaria, was a day trip to Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria). Various travel agents offer day trip from Bucharest to Veliko Tarnovo and one of them is Mr Tripp.
Mr Tripp is based at Bucharest, Romania and offers various tours around Romania and outside its borders. Check out their website here.
The trip includes…
Full pick-up and drop-off service from Bucharest and 2 stops at Bulgaria (1) Basarbovo Rock Monastery (blog post coming soon) and (2) Veliko Tarnovo-Tsarevets Fortress.
WHY VISIT?
Veliko Tarnovo is a city located north of Bulgaria, near the borders of Romania and 2-3 hours drive from Bucharest. It is also known to be the old capital city of Bulgaria and one of the oldest town in the country. In this place stands Tsarevets Fortress, which is a hidden fortress with beautiful and exhilarating panoramic views.
The city is surrounded by stacked houses situated in a valley divided by river Yantra. This means that most of the accommodations within the area is guaranteed to have a panoramic view.
Are you a budget traveller? Are you a backpacker?…
Bulgaria is one of the most affordable places to visit in Europe along with its neighbours (Romania and Turkey) making it ideal and value for money. Make sure you have cash with you as Bulgaria and Romania do not accept Euro widely.
HOW TO GET THERE?
As we were travelling with Mr Tripp our mode of transportation is a minivan. The tour consisted of 5 tourists including myself. Travelling from one country to another I highly recommend joining a tour group if you want a hassle-free holiday. Crossing borders are often taking time but when you are on a tour with locals the process is smooth and fast.
Other options
FLIGHT – the nearest airport is Gorna Oryahovitsa which is 10km away from Veliko Tarnovo. For more info about the airport please check out the Tourist Information of Veliko Tarnovo website here.
BUS – Various local and international bus operators go to Veliko Tarnovo. Local operators are available from Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv, Ruse and Burgas. International operator is available from Bucharest. Check out the timetables here.
TRAIN – Locally you can travel from Plovdiv and Ruse to Veliko Tarnovo direct. Whilst from Sofia and Varna you can take the train going to Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport and take a connecting train from there to Veliko Tarnovo.
International trains are also available from Bucharest and Istanbul. Check out more details about travel in The Tourist Information centre of Veliko Tarnovo available here.
WHERE TO STAY?
If you have decided to spend the night at Veliko Tarnovo one of the most popular things to see in the evening is the light show on Tsarevets Fortress. This light show can be seen on some of the accommodation overlooking the Fortress. Make sure to choose the perfect area that gives you both the river and the landscape view to make the most of it.
Check out my top 3 recommended accommodations based on booking.com. My criteria are based on the location, accessibility to the centre and satisfaction of guests (ie reviews)
1 The Yellow Door Apartments (Highly Rated in Booking.com)
2 Rooster Hostel (Most Affordable)
3 The Lion’s Residence (Luxurious)
The photo shown above is taken in the centre of the city next to the Panoramic Restaurant. The multicoloured stacked houses are what makes the city of Veliko Tarnovo interesting and eye-catching.
TOP 5 MUST DO
Make sure to check out my TOP 5 must do at Veliko Tarnovo especially if you are on a day trip tour.
1.Visit the Tsarevets Fortress
One of Veliko Tarnovo’s most popular attraction. This Medieval fortress is located on top of the hill, surrounded by ruins and lush greens.
Apparently, the view of the fortress at night is astounding. I was not able to witness it personally but our tour guide Roxanna did mention that some of her friends and colleagues do recommend it at night when spending a night at the place.
The photo above is taken from one of Tsarevets towers surrounding the fortress. The view from above unveils the hidden beauty of Veliko Tarnovo’s city.
2.Go around Veliko Tarnovo’s centre
Veliko Tarnovo, unlike other city, is tiny which means you can go around from point a to point be in minutes. Even though this place is a small city there are quite a lot of cars passing by so make sure you keep your heads up. The city has a small town feel.
3.Visit the panoramic view restaurant
This is by far the most visited restaurant in the area due to its beautiful panoramic views. Whether you choose to sit outdoors or indoors the view is spectacular. The interior of the restaurant has a shabby chic and cosy feel.
As described earlier their interiors have a shabby chic and french vibe making the whole experience cosy and relaxing whilst enjoying the beautiful view of the city.
4.Appreciate the views on the narrow viewing deck
The views on this narrow viewing deck are different from the one on the restaurant as you get to see more of the stacked houses laid on the uneven hill of Veliko Tarnovo and how it surrounds the fortress along with the narrow stream of Yantra river.
4.Appreciate the views on the narrow viewing deck
The views on this narrow viewing deck are different from the one on the restaurant as you get to see more of the stacked houses laid on the uneven hill of Veliko Tarnovo and how it surrounds the fortress along with the narrow stream of Yantra river.
5.Buy rose products
Apart from being called the oldest city in the country, Veliko Tarnovo is also dubbed as the Rose Capital of Bulgaria. Upon visiting the city centre, various souvenir shops sell a variety of rose products ranging from hand cream to face cream and perfumes. Make sure to sample some of these as they are not overwhelming, unlike your grandmothers rose oil or rose perfume that has a strong punch.
(Interesting fact: They also sell rose flavoured ice cream)
Will I recommend this place to someone else?…
Definitely, Veliko Tarnovo did exceed my expectation as I was not expecting much to be honest. I have learned that it is much more fun to discover underrated cities/places as it gives you (the traveller) the chance to get to know more of the place, the people and culture. Submerge yourself and allow yourself to get lost, as you will find your way back at the end.
If you have any other recommendations of places to visit in Bulgaria or Europe that you highly recommend please feel free to leave a comment down below for me to check.
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If you’ve missed my previous post please click the links below
TRAVEL TOPICS:
Do you
Travelling on a budget? read my previous post about Wanderlust Fund – Savings Challenge.
Planning for your next destination? read this post Book your holiday through social media, How travel around 6 European countries in 10 days, How to plan your trip and Travel Essentials – Summer Holiday
BLOGGING TOPICS:
Are you considering blogging on the side? check out the 10 blogging lessons you need to know
PERSONAL FINANCE TOPICS:
Interested in personal finance topics? read 10 money saving tips and my top 5 money mistakes