Day trip to Kapinovo waterfall!

This was a spontaneous day trip we organized to the Kapinovo waterfall, it is a beautiful place to go for a good swim and relax with friends, my friend Andy took us there in the Hostel van, it was 5 of us alltogether, we took some snacks and soft drinks to munch on and our swimwear of course, it is a short 20 min. drive from Veliko Tarnovo and the waterfall is located within the town of Velchovo.

We departed from Hostel Mostel around 13:00 hrs and spent about 3 hours there swimming, singing and having fun snce my roomate Chu took his guitar to animate the atmosphere, the water was about 12 degrees celcius, it was a record swim since it is the first time Andy takes people swimming at this time of the year, but it was very fun and we loved the quietness since most tourists are gone.

If you stay at Hostel Mostel, just ask for Andy and talk to him about organizing a trip to the Kapinovo waterfall and he will be more than happy to do it for you if you get a group o at least 4 people together, note that in the summer time Andy actually organizes tours to different spots on a regular basis, contact me for details and don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned!

What to do in Veliko Tarnovo!

VELIKO TARNOVO is located approximately 230 km from the capital city of Sofia, It is a very nice city that shows more of the interesting Bulgarian culture, if you do not like the big tourist crowds then visiting from the end of August into the fall and winter is the best time to explore it at your own pace in a more quiet setup, yet you can still find cultural tours operating at this time like the City Walking Tour, similar to the one in Sofia, this one operates everyday and starts at 11:00 hrs, it goes for about 2.5 to 3 hours, after you can eat some lunch at one of the restaurants along the way, the meeting point it the TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER in the heart of town.

 

Tsarevets or Fortress is the main attraction in Veliko Tarnovo, this structure is located at 206 meters above sea level and served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's main fortress and strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393, the entire stronghold is girdled by thick walls more than 3 meters tall, you can do a guided tour or just pay your entry ticket which costs 6 Levas and explore it on your own. There is also a light and sound show organised sporadically which is very nice to see, check with the tourist information center or the receptionist at your place to find out when the next one is during your stay for you to enjoy!

  

The main Cathedral is another spot that you definitely want to explore, it has very peculiar and strange paintings inside worth taking some photos of. It was originally decorated with some very nice frescos, mosaic floors, multi-colored marble and precious gem stones like sapphire. However, time took its toll on the Church until it was finally reconstructed and decorated in the 20th century, during this reconstruction the Church got a very unusual remake with new paintings depicting Bulgarian history in a somewhat creepy style.

  

Check out the Asenevsti Monument which is one of the main symbols of Veliko Tarnovo. It was built in 1985 in celebration of the 800 year anniversary of Bulgaria's liberation from the Byzantine Empire, the uprising was orchestrated by brothers Asen and Petar whom after the revolt became rulers of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.

Take a day trip to the town of Arbanazi which is located a few kilometers away from Veliko Tarnovo, you can go on an organized tour or you can make your way and explore on your own, a taxi ride will cost about 5 levas each way, there is also a bus that takes you there. The monastery is one of the mos beautiful in Bulgaria and it is of great importance because it displays the National Revival architecture as well as the Nativity of Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in communist history or just history in general, look at my full page post on the Day trip to Buzludzha and read all the details there. 

If you are looking for a place to stay, my personal recommendation is HOSTEL MOSTEL, located very near the city centre but in a very quiet section of town, you will really enjoy your stay there, it counts with mixed dorms and private rooms, full kitchen, laundry service, all you can eat breakfast and one dish dinner with a beer for a minimal fee, definitely a great place to stay and relax after your daily activities, you can book directly on their website just by clicking HERE!

Please contact me by filling out the contact form below if you have specific questions and I will gladly address them for you, also don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more fresh posts about Bulgaria coming soon!

What to do in Sofia!

Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria, it is a city rich in history as much as the rest of the country, 3 to 5 days is plenty of time to explore and enjoy it. There are a number of interesting free tours everyday which I personally recommend, you might want to start with the Sofia City walking tour in which you will learn about the history of the foundation of Bulgaria and all the different important aspects of Bulgarian history, visit the SofiaTours website for schedules and languages available, you can get information from your group guide about the other tours available, there is a graffiti tour, a culinary tour, a communist tour and others which I am sure you will really like, most of these tours are free, however tips are appreciated at the end of every tour since the guides are all volunteers and most of them are students, there are other tours for a fee as well. If you want a great place to stay at a very reasonable price and with excellent installations, staff and service overall, I personally recommend HOSTEL MOSTEL in Sofia, they count with beds in mixed dorms as well as private rooms, booking just a few clicks away!

Sofia City Walking Tour Meeting Point

After the tours you can take a stroll to Vitosha Street which begins right at the meeting point of the tours, there you will find lots of bars and restaurants to sit down and have a coffee, a drink or a full meal altogether, there are also many shops and stores as well as exchange houses, for exchange I recommend the CROWN exchange, they give you the best rates and they will even exchange Euro coins for Levas.

If you want to get the best view of the city go to the tower restaurant which is located atop of an old government building, there you will enjoy good food and drinks at very reasonable prices and you will also have the opportunity to take some cool panoramic pictures, it is a popular place so if you are a party of more than 2 people you might have to wait a bit to get a table on the terrace, but believe me, it is definitely worth it!

For a night of party you might want to do the Sofia Pub Crawl Tour which will take you to some of Sofia’s unique hidden bars and pubs in the city for a fee of 21 Levas, during the weekdays you will be taken to some hidden cozy bars and pubs and during the weekend you will go to bigger places where you can dance the night away, the meeting point is at the Crystal Garden in the center of town.

The Sofia by Night Panoramic Show is another interesting activity, in this tour you will drive by some of the main sights in Sofia and then you will arrive at a typical Bulgarian restaurant where you will enjoy a delicious dinner and a Bulgarian folkloric show for a fee of 118 Levas, there is hotel pick up for any address within Sofia.

You can also take a hike up to Vitosha Mountain, this you can do in a guided tour or you can explore on your own, it is easy to get there by metro and bus.

Sofia is a very safe country, however common sense is always your best friend to prevent undesired situations, so whenever you are out partying at night, do not leave your drink unattended and avoid confrontation of any kind, it is not an everyday situation but drink spiking and arguments do happen once in a rare while, party wise, be safe and remember, good manners and behavior go a long way, always keep in mind that you are not at home and you are expected to be respectful and understanding of the local customs and culture. If you have any specific questions or want more detailed information about Sofia don’t forget to subscribe or contact me by filling out the contact form below and I will gladly address your questions.