Day Trip: Sofia – Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi

Visit the old Bulgarian capital on a day tour from Sofia. Send your requirements now and let us show you the best of our beautiful country.

Details about Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Turnovo, huddled in the initial folds of the Balkan mountains, lures with its scenery and charm of old houses and streets. The Yantra river winds by, and can be seen from the town’s most picturesque Gurko Street which leads visitors past olden time houses with unique architecture, with plenty of pots of scented flowers by the windows, and restaurants which offer delicious meals together with a view of the monument and the art gallery.

Veliko Turnovo is a university town. The Saints Cyril and Methodius University and the Vassil Levski Military University attract students from the whole country. But there is also a whole bouquet of sights. They literally dot the whole area of the old town. The Nativity Cathedral, the Tsarevets castle and Trapezitsa fortress, a number of old buildings built by eminent masters and turned into museums await everyone who appreciates learning about ancient history in picturesque settings.

Details about Arbanasi

The village of Arbanasi, 5 kilometers away from Veliko Turnovo, lies on a high plateau dividing the city from the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa which is an important railway station. The whole village is an architectural and museum reserve and ranks among the 100 most important Bulgarian sites which should be visited. According to legend, refugees from Albania settled there and gave it the name it bears now.

The Arbanasi site has existed since the epoch of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. Then, Turnovo was the capital, and the tsars minted coins in Arbanasi. Cattle and silk worms breeding formed the livelihood of the residents. Trading was among the livelihood ways, too, as well as diverse crafts. Thus in the 17^th century Arbanasi rose in importance as a trading site. The merchants’ houses dating from then resemble small fortresses. However, inside they are opulent and colorful, with woodcarving, plaster decorations, etc.