Veliko Tarnovo walking tour - daily group tour

The group walking tour of Veliko Tarnovo takes place all year round. Your English-speaking guide will meet the group near the Church of St. Peter and Paul and accompany you throughout the entire route. Each participant receives an audio guide and headphones in their chosen language. The guide will give a brief instruction on how to use the devices and will hold up a numbered sign at each stop — you simply enter the number to hear the relevant story in your language.

This experience is part of the popular walking tours in Bulgaria, and one of the most informative walking tours in Veliko. It combines the structure of a guided visit with the flexibility of a self-guided format. Participants explore the fortress city step by step, gaining insight into the heritage of the former capital of Bulgaria. The route features major attractions, scenic views from the hill, and stops near workshops, historical buildings, and streets of the old town — offering a clear path back in time. The tour ends in a central area surrounded by local cuisine and artisan shops, making it a true highlight for any visitor.

When: every day at 12:00

Place of meeting: Church "St. Peter and Paul“

Duration: 2-2.5 hours

Price: €15 / 30 leva per person

2,5 h.

Tour languages

What does the walking tour of Veliko Tarnovo include?

PRICE INCLUDES:

Host or guide
Headphones & Audio guide device in 8 languages ENG | RO| FR | ES | IT | RU | BG |DE|
Audio guide for museums: "Tsarevets fortress"; Church-museum "Holy Forty Martyrs"; Museum "Prison"

PRICE EXCLUDES:

Museum entrance fees
Food and drinks

Recommendations!

Since the streets in the Old town are stone cobbled we suggest that you wear comfortable shoes
In the summer time we recommend that you use sunscreens to best protect your skin

What you can see on a walking tour of Veliko Tarnovo

This walking tour of Veliko Tarnovo offers a rich journey through the former medieval Bulgarian capital, combining expert guidance with an audio guide experience in multiple languages. With a local guide leading the way, each participant uses a audio device to access stories about each landmark—from Tsarevets Fortress, with its royal palace, cathedral, and Baldwin’s Tower, to the Royal Mausoleum, burial site of Tsar Kaloyan.

The route brings you through over 20 significant locations tied to the city’s history and culture, including Samovodska Charshiya, where traditional Bulgarian crafts like copperwork and sgraffito pottery are still practiced. You'll also have the chance to enter churches, a temple, small museums, and galleries as you explore Veliko Tarnovo at your own pace.

Along the way, music and commentary—prepared with support from the Veliko Turnovo museum archives—provide cultural context. For those wishing to expand the experience, the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration, one of the region’s important monasteries, is a recommended extension.

The tour concludes near the Mother Bulgaria monument, close to cafés, craft beer spots, and artisan shops. A thoughtful recommendation for any tourist looking to sightsee around Bulgaria. Booking and tourist information are available at the front of the tourist information center.

Looking for a full-day guided experience instead? Check out our Veliko Tarnovo Day Tour from Sofia

Walking tour route

0. History of the city of Veliko Tarnovo
1. Church St. Peter and Paul
2. "Shishman's bath"
3. "Vladishki bridge" the XVII century
4. Church-Mausoleum "Holy Forty Martyrs" + Visit to the temple. Inside we talk about the temple. In the church are buried King Kaloyan, Queens, as well as many other members of the royal family and the Bulgarian aristocracy.
5. Tsarevets fortress + visiting an attraction. There are audio guide recordings inside
6. Patriarchal Cathedral St. The Ascension Of God - Visit to the temple. Inside we talk about the temple
7. Trapezitsa Hill
8. Museum of the Bulgarian Revival and Constituent Assembly
9. Museum "Prison" + visiting an museum. There are audio guide recordings inside
10. Nativity of the Theotokos Cathedral
11. “General Gurko” Street - the central street of the Old Town
12. The ancient houses of Turnovo
13. "Panoramic site"
14. Monument of Assenevtsi
15. Stambolov bridge
16. The monument to the hanged
17. "Samovodska charshia" - architectural and ethnographic complex
18. The house "Han Hadji Nikoli"
19. The house with the monkey
20. Monument "Mother Bulgaria