Situated in the Stara Planina Mountain recesses Veliko Tarnovo uncovers ancient historical traces leading all the way to present-day Bulgaria. The visitors of the town can stay at one of the original hotels in Veliko Tarnovo which have preserved the original style of the old times until today.  The ancient Bulgarian capital is visited by various tourist groups every day.
Veliko Tarnovo is situated on the historical hills Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora, raising amidst the meanders of the Yantra River. There are various hotels with different categories in the town which are appropriate for a nice holiday. The natural and historical attractions further the development of the folk arts and crafts, as well as the tourism. The village of Arbanasi is situated 6 km from Veliko Tarnovo and opposite of it is “Sveta Troitsa” (“Holy Trinity”) Monastery.

HISTORY:
The town of Veliko Tarnovo is 7000 old as the first traces of human presence are dating from the 5th c. BC. Traces of Thracian culture are found on Trapezitsa Hill dating from the first half the 3rd millennium BC.
During the early Byzantine era (5th-7th c.) Tsarevets Hill becomes a fortified settlement with an active life. A large Slavic-Bulgarian settlement existed there during the 7th century becoming a fortified town in 12th c. and an important economic, cultural and military centre. 
The medieval town was situated on the Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, Momina Krepost, Sveta Gora hills and present-day “Asenov” district along the Yantra River valley. The two main medieval strongholds were built on Tsarevets and Trapezitsa hills. Between them on the banks of Yantra River was founded “the New town”. Below the south-eastern turret of Tsarevets was the foreign traders quarter, “Frank hisar”, the poorest population of the medieval town lived by the river.
In 1185 at “St Dimitar Solunski” Church the brothers Asen and Petar raised the rebellion which led to the end of the 167-year-rule of Byzantium and proclaimed Tarnovo the capital of the newly restored Bulgarian state. In 1205 King Kaloyan starts his crusade from here fighting the new threat – the Latin crusaders, he wins the battle in Edirne and captures Emperor Baldwin of Constantinople.
From here in March, 1230 King Ivan Asen the Second leads his winning army against the Despotate of Epirus' Theodore Komnenos Doukas, defeated him and captured the emperor along with his family and also frees all Romaioi soldiers. During the reign of King Ivan Alexander (1331-1371) Tarnovo becomes the centre of a fruitful intellectual uplift – the Second Golden Age of the Bulgarian culture. The capital is one of the last strongholds whose defenders, inspired by Patriarch Evtimiy, put up a desperate resistance against the Ottoman conquerors for many months. Despite the massive heroism on July 17, 1393 the town is conquered and ruined.
During the years of Ottoman rule Tarnovo is a robust stronghold of the Bulgarian national spirit. Here were prepared conspiracies, uprisings. At the April Uprising in 1876 – an apogee of the national liberation struggle, the town is a centre of the First revolutionary region.
Ever since 1838 the citizens of Tarnovo were fighting against The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople for independence of the Bulgarian church. The struggle ends successfully with the issue of an Ottoman firman in February 1870. Many prominent people of the national enlightenment work in Tarnovo – Stoyancho Penev Ahtar, Petko Rachev Slaveykov, Nikola Zlatarski, Petar Gumushev, Vasil Drumev, Dobri Voynikov, Tsani Ginchev, Dr Vasil Beron, Pandeli Kisimov, Kiro Tuleshkov, Todor Shishkov, Lyuben Karavelov and others.
In that same period the self-taught architect and builder Kolyu Ficheto creates Revival-period architecture masterpieces such as: the churches “Sv. Bogoroditsa” (“St Mother of God”), “St St Constantine and Elena”, “St Kiril”, “St Spas”, Hadzhi Nikola's Inn, The town-hall, The house with the monkey and buildings in Preobrazhensi and Plakovski Monasteries.
In the middle of 19th century the town is a significant administrative and economic centre with developed crafts – coppersmith's trade, homespun tailoring, goldsmith's, weaving, makers of goat’s-hair rugs, bags, etc.
Tarnovo traders hold offices in Manchester, Leipzig, Vienna, Bucharest, Brasov, Braila, Odessa, Moscow and run business all over the Ottoman Empire and in Europe.
On July 7, 1877 Tarnovo citizens welcome the winning army of General Gurko with wild geranium, bread and salt. In 1879 the Tarnovo Constitution - the first constitution of Bulgaria, was adopted by the Constituent National Assembly held in Veliko Tarnovo as part of the establishment of the Principality of Bulgaria.

CLIMATE:
The climate in Veliko Tarnovo is moderate continental, characteristic for the region are the temperature anomalies – very cold weather in winer, heat in summer time, and most recently high temperature records during winter.

TOURISM CONDITIONS:
The town is pretty and has a rich history. The cultural tourism in the last few years has become a priority for Veliko Tarnovo Municipality.
There are different categories of accommodation in the town: from hostels to 4 and 5 star luxurious hotels. In the evening time the guests of the town can visit one of the numerous taverns with cosy atmosphere or entertain themselves in one of the crowded discotheques.

LOCATION:
The town of Veliko Tarnovo is situated in Stara Planina Mountain, 210 m altitude, almost the same distance from the main cities in Bulgaria - 241 km north-east of Sofia, 228 km west of Varna, 192 km north-east of Plovdiv, 224 km north-west of Bourgas and 107 km of Rouse.
Other towns and settlements in the region: the towns of Gabrovo, Lovech, Elena, Tryavna, Lyaskovets, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Pavlikeni; the villages of Arbanasi, Malki Chiflik, Sheremetya, Debelets, Belyakovets.

TRANSPORT:
How can we reach Veliko Tarnovo?
By bus:
You can take a direct bus to Veliko Tarnovo from Sofia, Plovdiv and the rest of the bigger towns in the country.
By train:
You can take a train from the Central Railway Stations in Sofia and Plovdiv.

ATTRACTIONS:
Here are some suggestions for places you can visit:
- The "Tsarevgrad Turnov – Sound and Light" audio-visual show is an unique attraction wrapping Tsarevets after nightfall. This is a programme combining sound and light effects to create an unforgettable and emotional image of the Tsarevets Hill and Castle treasuring up the history, grandeur and glory of the ancient capital city of Turnovgrad which has become synonymous with the Bulgarian spirit and national pride;
- “Konstantin Kisimov” State Music and Drama Theatre;
- state and many private art galleries;
- pop-folk music and pop-folk performers in “Planeta Payner Club” - the biggest club with live concerts;
- International Folklore Festival – it is held annually in July;
- taste “Bolyarka” beer – the water used for the production of the beer comes from the mountain around Elena and has very good characteristics;
- you can visit one of the cosy restaurants with European, Chinese and traditional Bulgarian cuisines.

SPORTS ACTIVITIES:
There are various options:
-echo routs in the surroundings of the town;
- outdoor and indoor swimming pools, as well as sports playgrounds – tennis courts, basketball, etc.;
- relaxation and rehabilitation zones, green areas, providing high standard of living;
- fitness and spa centres in the hotels in close proximity;
- winter stadium – a host of the national ice hockey championship;
- “Tsarevets” Club organizes extreme sports: alpine climbing in and outside Bulgaria, passages and marathons with different denivelation, winter traverse, ski passages and ride, canyoning, yoga courses, water sports, delta and paragliding; paneuritmia activities – created by the teacher Petar Danov between 1927 – 1943.

RESTAURANTS AND NIGHT LIFE:
- “Hashove” (“Outcasts”) Tavern, tel.: + 359 0888 71 21 85; +359 62 62 02 11;
- “Ethno” Restaurant, tel.: +359 62 606 670; +359 896 722732;
- “Shtastlivetsa” (“The Lucky Man”) Restaurant 1 and 2, tel.: +359 62 600 656; +359 62 606 053;
- “Deva 2” Restaurant, tel.: +359 62624073;
- “Unicato” Pizza restaurant, tel.: +359 889 622 999;
Veliko Tarnovo in the night:
- “Organza” Discotheque & Club, in “Vasil Levski” sports hall, tel.: +359 888 134 752;
- “Bacardi Club” Bar & Disco, 29 “St. Stambolov” St, tel.: +359 887 510 811;
- “Zodiac” Karaoke Club, tel.: +359 62 601 514, + 359 889 674 968;
- “Music Place Negro“ Discotheque, 3 “Hristo Botev” St, tel.: +359 888 505 588.

HEALTH & BALNEOLOGY:
The modern SPA centres in Veliko Tarnovo offer varied spa procedures:
- “Yantra” Grand Hotel, 4*;
- “Premier” Spa Hotel, 4 *;
- “Bolyari” Spa Hotel, 3*;
- “Ambaritsa” Spa Hotel Complex, the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa;
- “Arbanasi Palace” Spa Hotel, 5*, the village of Arbanasi.

EXCURSIONS AND SIGHTSEEING AROUND VELIKO TARNOVO:
Tourist destinations around Veliko Tarnovo are: the village of Arbanasi and its unique atmosphere (just 5 km from the town), the town of Elena which have preserved the old Bulgarian spirit (30 km from the town), the crafts centre – the town of Tryavna (30 km from the town).
Visit the “Tsarevets Hill” Archaeological reserve.
Historical churches:
“Sv Dimitar Solunski” Church – where the brothers Asen and Petar raised the rebellion which ended the Byzantine rule. In this church were crowned the kings Asen, Petar and Kaloyan.
“Sv Georgi” Church (1612). The frescoes by an unknown author from the Tarnovo Art School are very interesting.
“St Petar and Pavel” Church;
“Sveti Chetirideset Machenitsi” Church (“Forty Holy Martyrs”) – built in 1230 by the order of King Ivan Asen Second to commemorate his big victory over the Byzantines at Klokotnitsa. The church keeps one of the most significant written monuments drawn on Omourtag's, Asen's and Granichna's column from the Rodosto stronghold since the time of khan Krum; another priceless object in the church is King Kaloyan's ring;
Frescoes: “Procol's vision”, The Battle at Klokotnitsa (March 9, 1230), The big victory of King Ivan Asen Second over the Epir despot Kir Theodoros Comnenos, The might of the Bulgarian state during the reign of King Ivan Asen Second (1218 – 1241), etc.
Here are buried the kings Kaloyan and Ivan Asen Second, the queens Anna Maria and Irina, Sveti Sava Srabski, as well as many other members of the royal family and the Bulgarian aristocracy.
On September 22, 1908 Prince Ferdinand First proclaims the independence of Bulgaria in the church.
Trapezitsa Hill - “boyar's hill”, many boyar's homes have been found; most of them had a little family church inside their homes.
Sveta Gora Hill – in the Middle Ages the hill was a cultural and intellectual centre of the Bulgarian state. There were many churches and monasteries. In the biggest monastery - “Sv Bogoroditsa Odigitriya”, Tarnovo Literary and Art School developed its multilateral and great activity. The titans of the Bulgarian medieval spirit worked there – Patriarch Evtimiy and Teodisii of Tarnovo. Today on the monastery's place lie the buildings of the Veliko Tarnovo University “St St Cyril and Methodius”.
Gurko Street – Revival-period houses, perched on each other over the river. One of the most beautiful houses on that street is Sarafkina House (1861).
Buildings created by the self-educated Bulgarian architect and builder Kolyu Ficheto:
Konaka (1872), related to many historical events – the interrogation of the captured Vasil Levski in 1872, The First National Assembly in 1879, etc.
Hadji Nikola' s Inn (1858) – one of the most interesting architectural monuments from the Revival period.
Churches: “St Cyril and Methodius” (1861), “St Spas”(Ascension) from 1862-1863 and “St Constantine and Elena” (1872), as well as many monasteries.
The house with the monkey (1849) – named after the sitting monkey above the ground floor.
The Museum of the Second Bulgarian State – it is situated next to Konaka.
Kokona Anastasia's House – from the end of 18th century.
Stambolov' s Inn – owned by the family of Stefan Stambolov.
The Art Gallery and Asenevets Monument – situated on a picturesque peninsula raised over Yantra River.
The regional Museum of History (1871) – the oldest and biggest outside the capital city, with 2130 cultural monuments, 52 of which with national significance.
Prison Museum (1862) – many liberty-loving Bulgarians were kept there like Vasil Levski, Filip Totyu, Stefan Karadzha, Bacho Kiro.
“Samovodska Charshiya” (Market Place) Ethnographic Complex.
“Emiliyan Stanev” Museum-house – the home of the Bulgarian prose writer Emiliyan Stanev.
“P. R. Slaveikov” Museum-house.
“Mother Bulgaria” Memorial dedicated to the perished in the Balkan Wars and the First World War.
Arbanasi Architectural Museum Reserve - 4 km from the town where there are preserved medieval and Revival-period houses.
In the surroundings of Veliko Tarnovo you can visit the following monasteries:
Dryanovo Monastery;
Kilifarev Monastery;
Preobrazhenski Monastery;
Lyaskovski Monastery;
Patriarsheski Monastery;
and others.