The city of Veliko Tarnovo was once the capital of Bulgaria. I wonder if it is good to live in the ancient capital? I will tell you about this city, its pros and cons. And you will understand for yourself whether this city is suitable for you to live in.
We will also evaluate the city on all the main criteria. You can also take part in the resort assessment by giving your assessment at the end of the article.
Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of Bulgaria for over 200 years. In our time, the city has won several times in the categories: historical city, cultural and beautiful city, the most beautiful city.
A charming Bulgarian city where you can see both the ancient times and the life of today’s citizens and fashionable boutiques and shops with handmade souvenirs. The city’s population is 65,793 people.
Location
The city of Veliko Tarnovo is located in northern Bulgaria, approximately in the middle of the country. On the rocky slopes of the valley of the winding Yantra River.
The old part of the city is located on three hills: Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Svyatogora, rising among the rays of Yantra.
This location of the city has some advantages. So the distance to the capital Sofia, Varna and Burgas is 220 km. Bucharest is even closer and the ski resort Pamporovo is not far away.
The main areas of the city are the old center, the new center, the wide center and residential areas. The city is very picturesque and beautiful, which attracts many tourists from different parts of the world.
Climate in Veliko Tarnovo
The climate is moderately continental. The warmest month in Veliko Tarnovo is July, with an average air temperature of 21.2 degrees. And cold winter.
Due to the geographical location, westerly, northwesterly and northeasterly winds prevail.
Transport
You can get to Veliko Tarnovo by bus or train. Trains depart from the capital and from Varna and Burgas . The price of a regular city bus ticket is 0.75 euros per trip.
In the parking zones there are taximeters with which you can pay for parking. The minimum rate is 0.25 euros for 30 minutes, 1 hour of parking costs 0.5 euros. The maximum parking time is 6 hours.
Accommodation in Veliko Tarnovo
What about housing in Veliko Tarnovo? What are the prices? Prices for renting a one-room apartment start from 150 euros per month. Here is an option we found at this price.
This is the option we found at this price.
Rental prices for a two-room apartment also start from 150 euros per month.
We found this option for 179 euros right in the city center.
We randomly checked several such ads, contacted the sellers and almost all the ads were relevant. The apartments are available for occupancy and the prices correspond to those stated, exactly as in the ads. I would like to note that the prices are for long-term rent. This means that you need to sign a lease agreement for one year or more; if you rent for a shorter period, many consider the daily rent price multiplied by the number of days of rent and, accordingly, the price becomes much higher. You can see what a typical apartment building in Veliko Tarnovo looks like on the secondary market in the photo gallery.
Prices for apartments start from 28 thousand euros.
A furnished one-room apartment like this can be purchased for 28 thousand euros.
And here is a new two-room apartment that costs 43,500 euros, but it is not in the center.
Economy. Salaries and standard of living
According to the most recent data, the average monthly salary before taxes and fees is 661 euros, for comparison in Sofia it is 1216 euros, and in Varna it is 787 euros. The unemployment rate in Veliko Tarnovo is 3.7%, in Sofia 2.7%, and in Varna 1.6%. As we can see, in terms of salary, the city is significantly inferior to the previous cities from the series of the best city to live in.
Crime
The number of crimes against persons and property per thousand people in Veliko Tarnovo in 2021 was 10.4, compared to 10.4 in Sofia and 11.8 in Varna. The active police patrolling of the city’s central streets was striking.
Medicine
The number of people per doctor in medical institutions according to the latest data is 304 people, in Sofia 184, in Varna 197 people. The higher this value, the loaded the medical system.
Infrastructure
Municipal expenses per person living in the city are 632 euros, in Sofia such expenses are 625 euros and in Varna 588 euros.
Education
Veliko Tarnovo has two universities, more than a dozen schools and gymnasiums and two colleges.
Culture and attractions
The pearl of the ancient city is the architectural reserve Tsarevets. This is the most striking and popular landmark of the old capital. The fortress itself is located on the continuation of the entire hill, which in turn is located between two others – the Holy Mountain and Trapezitsa. The fortress is a reconstruction of the Middle Ages, in it the royal palace has been reconstructed.
The city is home to 18 places of worship, including many famous churches, and the city’s surroundings also contain numerous medieval monasteries, some of which have been rebuilt.
There are 27 monuments with names around the city. The city also has a drama theater, an operetta theater, a symphony orchestra, and an art gallery.
There are 15 museums in the city. And a few kilometers from the city is the popular village of Arbanasi, known for its incredible ethnographic spirit. Veliko Tarnovo also has a new attraction, the Mini Bulgaria Park. There are about 50 caves and stone niches around Veliko Tarnovo. For shopping lovers, there is a real shopping center, Mall Veliko Tarnovo.
Pros
- The city has a convenient location, for example, close to the capital and the Black Sea.
- There is a “heart of the city” in the form of the Old Town with churches and fortresses.
- Bulgarian streets and alleys in the characteristic style of Bulgarian traditions, panoramic terraces, theaters, many museums – everything for lovers of cultural recreation.
- Almost all chain stores are present in the city, there are even Metro and Praktiker.
- The city is small, so there are practically no traffic jams.
Cons
- The city is built on hills, so there are large differences in altitude. There is a version that the city was specially designed in such a way to make it as difficult as possible for enemies to capture it.
- Also, rental prices are higher than in larger cities.
Conclusions
Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most amazing, beautiful and picturesque cities in Bulgaria. On the one hand, it is a small city, but at the same time it is a regional center with all the accompanying infrastructure. The city has its own indescribable atmosphere and its own face. The small city will appeal to people who are looking for more peace and do not like megalopolises.
The list of attractions in Veliko Tarnovo is simply impressive. They are the ones that attract many tourists from all over the world. True, there is one drawback – these are large differences in altitude. Be that as it may, and if you do not plan to live in Veliko Tarnovo, we recommend visiting this city. I hope this article was useful for you, write comments.
