Veliko Tarnovo | Велико Търново

One of the most beautiful and unexpected cities I’ve ever come across. I hadn’t realised (thanks to the language barrier) that it would be part of another trip I had booked — a banitsa festival, actually! (If you’re curious about that, the blog post is here.)

After the festival, we had three hours to explore Veliko Tarnovo. I knew nothing about this town except what my mother had told me: it was the medieval capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire and later served as the temporary capital of modern Bulgaria from 1878 to 1879. Today, it remains an important cultural, economic, and administrative centre for its province of the same name.

When we arrived, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The day was overcast, but the city’s mix of brick-and-stone architecture, rich ornamentation, and touches from the Bulgarian National Revival, with its ornate, overhanging bourgeois houses, made everything feel straight out of a storybook.

Not knowing where to start, I wandered through the streets, soaking in the scenery. Eventually, I spotted a castle in the distance and thought, what better way to spend my time than exploring a castle? So that’s exactly where I headed.

It turned out to be the Tsarevets Fortress, part of the the Regional Museum of History and it was beautiful. Tickets cost 15 lev. I made my way to the highest point, where I found the Patriarchal Church “Ascension of Christ” with its bell tower standing proudly in the centre of the courtyard. I loved every minute of it, though next time I’d definitely opt for a tour guide to learn the history in real time instead of researching afterwards.

I had a bit of time before I needed to head back to the bus, so I wandered through some of the local stores. I came across the Museum of the Revival and Constituent Assembly, I didn’t go inside, but I loved its peaceful courtyard. Eventually, I stumbled upon a shop called Shevitsata Yanasdreams, filled with the most beautiful dresses inspired by traditional Bulgarian clothing. I couldn’t resist and treated myself to one — a little naughty, considering it was on the pricier side (just over 100 lev) but I’m so glad I did. I never came across anything else like it during my time in Bulgaria, and I didn’t get the chance to return to Veliko Tarnovo.