This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Veliko Turnovo.
Veliko Turnovo is a very beautiful city in Bulgaria that is just a few hours from Sofia, Varna, Russe; Arbanassi, a picturesque village with old houses and traditional cuisine, is less than ten kilometers from Veliko Turnovo. The town was a Bulgarian capital in the Medieval Ages and still has monuments from that time -- you can spend several days experiencing it all. Few cities in Bulgaria can match Veliko Turnovo's many sights from almost any time in history, including the main sight, Tsarevets, the fortress on the hill with the same name where Bulgarian kings used to live for two centuries. It is quite large and you will need several hours to walk through it. There is a light night show in the summer on Tsarevets. There are many museums, churches, monuments, and old buildings. Take a walk near Yantra, the river.
There are several hostels in Veliko Turnovo, most fairly new, and all located in the Old Town near Tsarevets. Hostels in Veliko Turnovo are generally cheap and do not differ much in price with a few exceptions. They are a bit hard to find as the streets are small, but the view is amazing and Tsarevets is close. Food is cheap and you can have a great lunch at a restaurant, there are bars and clubs for any taste and price level, and nightlife is good.
Taxis are very cheap and a better option than public transportation if there are several in your group. The train station is about seven kilometers away, but there are buses that go to the city. At weekends, there are not so many buses, so you can easily wait one hour for the next bus. In general, transport links to other cities are not great.
Written by local enthusiast for Veliko Turnovo hostels
George Traveller
