Veliko Tarnovo is a breath of fresh air. Is easy to get there from Bucharest or even from Sofia. From Bucharest it’s something like a 3 hour drive with at least a short break included. And From Sofia.. I think it’s like a 4 hour drive. And from Sofia you can also take the bus from “Centralna avtogara”.

Veliko Tarnovo

For Romanians is like a second Sighisoara closer to home. Veliko Tarnovo or the city of the tsars as it’s sometimes called is a medieval city, dating back since the first Bulgarian Empire. But I won’t go all historical on you, there are books for that.

Let’s start with a few recommendations.

Where to Stay

This has never been a problem in V.T. It’s easy to find a nice deal in a small hotel or in a B&B, or even an apartment (most of the times they are the best deal, especially if your booking for a 4+ group). I can recommend with all my heart the hotel Stambolov.

Where to Eat:

Best place in town is Shtastlivetsa. It’s the classiest restaurant with an awesome view of the city and of Gurko Street. They serve the best pizza ever! But be careful! The big pizza is really quite big, for at least 2 people.

And there are also the Ego restaurants. They also have very good food and I am happy to say that also fast service. You will surely not regret entering there. There are 3-4 restaurants around town.

And also don’t forget to try the Ice cream from Raffy. You will mostly find them on the street. But they are the best you can find in Bulgaria. I know that normally you can find this near the Post Office, near to Square “Maika Balgaria”.

Veliko Tarnovo

What to Eat:

Bulgarian cuisine has a lot of similar dishes with other neighbouring countries like Romania and Greece. It’s hard to tell in the Balkans what belongs to who. So here are a few dishes that will surely delight you during your trip to Veliko Tarnovo:

1. Tarator is a cold soup (popular in the summertime in Albania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Turkey). It is made of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, walnuts, dill, vegetable oil, and water, and is served chilled or even with ice.
2. Lukanka is a Bulgarian spicy salami unique to Bulgarian cuisine.
3. Lyutenitsa is a national relish of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia. It is known under different names but it basically has the same ingredients and it’s used as an appetizer. The ingredients include tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, black pepper, vegetable oil, sugar and salt.
4. Shkembe chorba is kind of tripe soup. It contains cattle stomach and it is a traditional for the Balkans. Tripe is the thick lining of the stomach of cattle, well cleaned for human consumption. Shkembe chorba is made with milk; garlic, vinegar, and chili peppers are often added as seasoning.
5. Shopska Salad is a traditional Bulgarian cold salad popular throughout the Balkans. It is made from tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, raw or roasted peppers (preferably roasted), and sirene (white brine cheese).
6. Moussaka. All versions are based primarily on sautéed eggplant (aubergine) and tomato, usually with minced meat. The Greek version, which is the best-known outside the region, includes layers of meat and aubergine topped with a white sauce and baked. There are also variants with zucchini, carrots and potatoes. The Bulgarian version uses potatoes instead of aubergines.
7. Kebapche is a Bulgarian dish of grilled minced meat with spices. The meat is shaped into an elongated cylindrical form, similar to a hot dog‘s. Typically, a mix of pork and beef is used, although some recipes involve only pork. The preferred spices are black pepper, cumin and salt.
8. Banitsa is a traditional Bulgarian pastry prepared by layering a mixture of whisked eggs and pieces of sirene between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven. Banitsa is served for breakfast with plain yogurt. Some varieties include banitsa with spinach or the sweet version, banitsa with milk or pumpkin.
9. Sweets : Baklava, Kadaif and Halva.

And I would recommend you the best wine in Bulgaria, MAVRUD.  Unfortunately you can find it only dry and maybe semi-dry.  But for ladies a good option is a white Targovishte or No man’s Land.

Veliko Tarnovo

What to See:

1.Tsarevets is a medieval stronghold located on the hill bearing the same name in the city of Veliko Tarnovo. It served as the Second Bulgarian Empire‘s primary fortress and strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393, housing the royal and the patriarchal palaces, and is a popular tourist attraction. It’s all very well kept, and you have a lot of ground to cover once you are inside. Entrance is 2 or 4 leva. And it’s open daily.

2. “St. Fourty Martyrs” Church” It is located in Assenova mahala, just next to Tsarevets. It was built and its walls were painted during the reign of Bulgarian king Ivan Assen II.

3. The light and sound show is usually held on weekends but during summer it can be every night if there are large groups in town. This is usually organized for 30+ people. It’s a wonderful show that lasts around 20 minutes, when all the lights on that part of town are darkened.

4. The Archeological Museum, which keeps numerous founds and remains of the ancient history of these lands

5. Samovodska Charshia, the old trade street which sheltered skilful craftsmen through the Revival Period and even today many of the houses and the workshops are fully restored.

6. The Museum of the Bulgarian Revival and the Constituent Assembly, located in the old Ottoman municipal building built by Nikola Fichev

7. The House with the Monkey

8. Gurko Street, an illustration of Bulgarian Revival architectural style where it is possible to visit the Sarafkina House. It’s a beautiful street from where you can see a different view of the city.

9. Church of St. Constantine and Helena, with panoramic view over the Yantra River and the Asens’ Monument

10. Stambolov’s Bridge, which is the way to the Asens’ Monument and the City Art Gallery

11. Preobrazhenski Monastery is the biggest of the monasteries around Veliko Turnovo and the fourth largest in the country. It lies at a distance of 6 km from Veliko Turnovo, below the caves in the cliffs which surround the Belyakovo Plateau.

Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo is strategically placed in the middle of the country. From here there are a lot of other nice places to visit depending on your time and desire. So even if you don’t have a car, you can easily do the 1 day trips, because VT has a lot of minibuses leaving in all directions several times per day!

1 day trips:

1. Dryanovo Monastery

2. Small city of Tryavna

3. Village Museum Etara, near the city of Gabrovo

4. Elena

5. Bojentsi

2-3 days trips:

1. Shoumen and around (Pliska, Veliki Preslav)

2. A sort of a tour through the cities Kazanlak – Kalofer – Karlovo – Sopot  – Troyan – Lovech

Veliko Tarnovo

1. Amberley Castle, England

http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/

The lovely 900-year-old medieval castle in England is perfect for a slow vacation. The castle has a legendary history, including ownership by Queen Elizabeth I from 1588 to 1603; visits from Charles II; and a bout in the civil war, when Cromwell attacked its walls. Nowadays the 19 rooms are luxurious and enchanting, boasting elegant four-poster beds, rich wall hangings and carpets, antique frills, and a few modern additions like en-suite jacuzzi, TVs and VCRs. A standard B&B double room can be your for about 440 EUR.

2. La Bourdasiere Castle – Val de Loire

http://www.labourdaisiere.com/

Constructed in the 15th century for the royal mistress of King François I, the castle today is a popular honeymoon destination (for officially married couples). Located less than an hour from Paris, and surrounded by 140 acres of enchanted woodlands, Château de la Bourdaisière lets guests live like royalty, with 11 luxurious rooms (and three apartments), outdoor heated swimming pool, tennis courts, and more.  Price of a standard room: 142 EUR.

3. Balfour Castle, Scotland

http://www.balfourcastle.co.uk

Right in the misty Orkney island of Shapinsay in Scotland, Balfour Castle is the world’s most northerly castle, lying at the very edge of Europe, and only reached via 25-minute ferry ride from Kirkwall. Set amid 10 miles of quiet hills and forested grounds, this 1848 baronial fortress is positively Victorian, complete with turrets, a magnificent old library, oil paintings, and even stuffed owls. The isolated manor also offers lush grounds, including an original walled garden, as well as two boats for guest to sail off to see the island’s spooky sea caves and dramatic cliffs.

4. Château de Castel Novel, France

http://www.castelnovel.com/

Located in the Limousin region of the country, this 14th-century property was originally designed as a fortified hilltop castle – still evident in its round towers and keep – but remodeling in the 19th centuries brought a soft Renaissance flair. Local legend tells of a star-crossed romance between a troubadour and the lady of the house, while, more recently, the famed French writer Colette found inspiration in its rooms and even penned several novels here (guests can opt to stay in the Louis XVI apartment that served as her chambers). A double standard room is 200 EUR.

5. Saddell Castle, Kintyre

They were a cautious lot back in 1508. The builders of Saddell Castle included a trap door in the floor of the main entrance passage: when it was opened, unwelcome visitors would tumble straight into a deep pit prison with no other exit. Well, things are a lot more peaceful now: walk the battlements and you see only wooded hills, and seals rippling the still surface of the water just a few steps from your gate. Inside, the rooms are huge, it’s comfortable without being flash, and there’s a fireplace (with supply of logs) to tell stories by in the evening. Sleeps 8; four nights from 450 EUR; Landmark Trust ( landmarktrust.org.uk).

6. Langley Castle, Northumberland

LANGLEY CASTLE, Northumberland

http://www.langleycastle.com

Built in 1350, during the reign of Edward III, the castle has retained its architectural integrity and is regarded as one of the few medieval fortified Castle Hotels in England. Set in its own ten acre woodland estate, the Castle’s 7 feet thick walls provide a peaceful and tranquil refuge in which to escape from today’s hustle and bustle to a bygone age, making it perfect for weddings or for a special break, they say. Castle doubles room from EUR 260, B&B.

7. Chateau de Mercues, France

http://www.chateaudemercues.com

High on a bluff overlooking the River Lot, Mercuès was built to defend Cahors in the 13th century, and it has seen plenty of boiling oil poured since then — it was knocked about a fair bit in the Hundred Years’ war, but was properly restored in 1627. Now, it’s a seriously posh Relais & Châteaux hotel, where the 30 splendid rooms reek of antiquity and the view from the ancient stone battlements still stirs the blood. Standard double room: 272 EUR.

8. Castello Di Pavone, Piedmont

CASTELLO DI PAVONE, Piedmont

http://www.castellodipavone.com

This extraordinary pre-renaissance castle was built between 9th to the 14th century, with the purpose to guard the route from Italy to France. It’s a masterclass in combining grand aesthetics with military utility. Nowadays is a 4-5 stars hotel with a friendly service and a fantastic architecture. Doubles from 160 EUR.

9.  Waterford Castle, Ireland

Waterford Castle

http://www.waterfordcastle.com

Offering an extraordinary escape from the mundane, the secluded and majestic Waterford Castle Hotel is situated on a sprawling 310-acre island, encircled by the flowing waters of the River Suir, in southern Ireland. Reachable only by the castle’s private ferry, your activities here are an 18-hole championship golf course, horseback rides in the surrounding woodlands, or watersports and fishing. the interior houses 19 luxury bedrooms and opulent main rooms decorated with colorful tapestries, antiques, and period decor. Owned by the illustrious Fitzgerald family from the 15th through mid-20th centuries, the castle was converted to a luxury hotel in 1988. Double room price: 279 EUR.

10.  Palazzo Gritti, Venice

http://www.hotelgrittipalacevenice.com/

Commissioned in 1525 as the residence of the Doge of Venice, the Gritti Palace has hosted a long list of VIPs since, providing luxurious lodging for numerous heads of state, international royalty, literary bigwigs, and film and rock stars, including the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Greta Garbo, and Winston Churchill. While some claim the place has seen better days, others argue there is no more celebrated and history-rich hotel in Venice. Whichever side you take, there’s no disputing the Gritti’s prime location: Overlooking the Grand Canal, this palazzo provides unrivaled views of animated, aquatic Venice – vistas best enjoyed from the restaurant terrace. The classy interior is also loaded with antique-filled lounges and over 82 guest rooms and suites adorned with ornate Venetian-style furnishings. Standard double room from 460 EUR.

- Be sure to pack all his things he’d normally use when at home -- food, water, bowls, snacks, leash, collar, medicine, toys, bedding;

- Besides the essentials, you should have with you the dog’s ID & health certificate, paper towels, stain remover and some anti-diarrhea and car sick pills;

- Plan longer breaks while driving, and keep the dog in the back seat; consider some sedatives if he is very active, but be sure to check it with the vet first;

- Book a pet-friendly hotel if you need to spend a night somewhere. You should be able to find an online booking option for ‘pets allowed’, or just use a dedicated place like http://www.doginmysuitcase.com;

- Don’t leave your dog alone in the hotel room though -- he’s not familiar with the place, and he might harm himself or the personnel of the hotel;

- Don’t leave your dog in the car while you grab some lunch either, especially in a hot sunny day. Check the whether before you go, and plan to eat in shady sites, even if that means no fancy restaurant for you this time.

- That being said -- enjoy your time together! Though more difficult to manage, a trip with your dog is a great opportunity to spent time together and do some exercise. Besides, you will be sure that he’s ok all the time. And he might even like to get his picture take or get filmed all over the country. Like the little guy in this short film:

We’ve heard much about green travel in the past few months, and people seem to have a positive reaction and encourage it as well. But   what is green travel after all, and how can we actually do that on our next trip? There seem to be various definitions, but the one for the Ecotourism is used the most as guidance:  “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” (TIES, 1990).

Ok, so it’s about responsability and improvement. Hmm… that sounds nice, but why should we care? Well, one simple answer is that there are ~1 billion tourists traveling the world each year, and the number is growing. People and especially places will not stay like they are forever, and is very likely to suffer from the crowds passing by each day. Think about how much you love the places you went to, and the memories that you have – won’t it be nice if other people can see those places too? At first I thought that well, green traveling, like using bio products, will certainly be more expensive. But it actually isn’t, and it is very likely to give you a good feeling about the trip when you end it, and the people you met in each place you’ve been.

But how do we do you go green exactly? Is the travel agent really responsible towards the environment when he checks you to a 5 star hotel, or when the guide takes you to visit the crowded must see’s in city? Do you need to dramatically change your travel habits and give up the little pleasures? We’ve put together some small things that you can do to help improve the local communities and get a little bit more responsible in your next trip:

• Turn off or unplug all appliances in your home: some appliances can pull up to 40 watts per hour even if turned off.
• Turn off your water connection when leaving home.
• Try to use public transportation as much as you can.
• Leave your car at home, if possible, and opt for a rented one if you must at your destination.
• Choose the train instead of the airplane (especially if you visit Europe).
• Choose electronic tickets for your airline flights.
• Try to book an eco-friendly hotel – some of them have special recycling programs, use solar power, have automatic turn off lights when the guests leave their rooms, and others.
• Choose to reuse your towels, not change them every day (as most hotels do).
• When leaving the room, turn off all lights and appliances, and turn down the heat or A/C.
• Keep your showers short, and shut off the water while you’re brushing your teeth.
• Buy local products instead of the ones you are used to from at home.
• Ask your travel agent about the hotel, the guide/staff at the destination – try to choose a travel agent that works with locals and eco-friendly hotels.
• Use the recycling trash bins used by the locals, and sort your trash accordingly.
• Meet people! Learn a few words, and talk to the communities you visit. Learn about their environment problems and how they work them out, and spread the word when coming home.

Looking at the list above and thinking of my latest trips I realize that, well, I’m not the most ungreen traveler, but there are many things to improve, that I could to better and still have my perfect vacation.

1. The Crooked House (Sopot, Poland)

Bult in 2004, this crazy looking building is situated in Sopot, at Bohaterów Monte Cassino Street. The architecture of the  building is based on drawings by Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg. It’s a popular tourist destination and inside are a number of pubs and restaurants, and it  is the most photographed building in Poland (no wonder).

2. The Basket Building (Ohio, United States)

The Longaberger Basket Company building in Newark, Ohio is 2nd most strangest building in the world ! The 180,000-square-foot building is a replica of the company’s famous market basket, cost $30 million and took two years to complete. I guess the CEO of the company who envisioned this building can now rest assure that all employees are ‘touched’ by the product.

3. Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

The original idea of these cubic houses came about in the 1970s. Piet Blom developed a couple of these cubic houses that were built in Helmond. The city of Rotterdam asked him to design housing on top of a pedestrian bridge and he decided to use the cubic houses idea. Blom’s vision was to create a kind of village. Now you can still see the shops on the ground floor, while upstairs families live in strange-shaped little homes.

4. Forest Spiral – Hundertwasser Building (Darmstadt, Germany)

This building is called “Forest Spiral” and it’s located in Darmstadt, Germany. Its designer is Friedensreich Hundertwasser , and was built in  between 1998 and 2000.  The architect is renowned for his colorful designs which incorporate irregular, organic forms in an incomparable individualism. The structure of the altogether 12 floors has 105 apartments’. The roof is formed by a garden of beech, maple, and lime trees.

5. Dancing Building (Prague, Czech Republic)

This interesting building was constructed between 1992-1996, and is somewhat of a rarity in Prague: a modern, glass building surrounded by historic architecture. Dancing House has daring, curvy outlines, which led its architects, Vlado Milunc and the American Frank O Gehry, to initially name it the “Astaire & Rogers Building”, after the legendary dance duo. Like-minded Czechs tend to call it The Dancing Building, while less appreciative viewers have names for it like: “terrible“ and “looks like a crushed can of Coke“ to name but a few. Ouch!

6. Erwin Wurm: House Attack (Viena, Austria)

On number 6 we have Erwin Wurm – House Attack; it was a temporary installation during the Erwin Wurm exhibition in the end of 2006. This building is an outdoor sculpture at the Museum Moderner Kunst (MuMoK) in Vienna. Architects: Ortner & Ortner, 1998–2001.

7. Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, United States)

The  impressive bookshelf covering the Kansas City Public Library parking garage is definitely our pick for number 7. The 480-car garage, at 10th Street and Baltimore Avenue, was completed in 2004. Its south façade looks like a giant’s book shelf, with 22 nearly 30-foot tall book spines sandwiched between glass-surrounded stairwells made to look like bookends. Designed for the people, for a real library experience. Nice!

8. Hang Nga Guesthouse/ Crazy House (Vietnam)

The famous attraction in Dalat, often called The Crazy House, is a bizarre network of caves, cubbyholes and hidden stairwells, with precarious bridges leading from one concrete tree house to another. It was designed by eccentric architect Hang Nga, also the daughter of former president Truong Chinh. Most tourists leave before dark, but if you like it you can rent a room there, and you may expect to go to sleep with the giant girafe’s red eyes on your window. BOOO!

9. Beijing National Stadium (Beijing, China)

The Beijing National Stadium is a sports arena built to prepare for the 2008 Olympics. Because of its characteristic appearance, it is also known as the Bird’s Nest Stadium. The $423 million stadium (according to Wikipedia) is the world’s largest steel structure, as you probably already know. However, after the Olympics the stadium has not found significant use, and it seems that it will be transformed in a shopping-events area.

10. Nautilus House (Mexico City, Mexico)

Built using mainly chicken wire & concrete, this quite unique home claims to not only be earthquake proof but also maintenance free. Inside, the Nautilus House is all about smooth surfaces & gleaming bathroom fixtures. Nautilus Shell House was build for a Mexico City couple by Javier Senosiain, and we could not end this list in more wacky way

So people, how many of them have you seen up to now? What other wacky buildings do you know?

It took me a while, but I’ve found some great tunes and I know I could have found many, many more  (just love their hit the road spirit),  but anyway here’s my 30 road trip inspiration playlist:

1. Born to be wild -- Steppenwolf

2. Highway to Hell -- AC/DC

3. Hit the road Jack -- Percy Mayfield

4. I can’t drive 55 -- Sammy Haggar

5. Drive my car -- The Beatless

6. I’ve been everywhere -- Johnny Cash

7. Proud Mary -- Creedance Clearwater Revival

8. California -- Phantom Planet

9. Life is a highway -- Tom Cochrane

10. LA Woman -- The Doors

11. Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen

12. Baba O’Reily -- The Who

13. Magic Carpet Ride -- Steppenwolf

14.Paradise By The Dashboard Light -- MeatLoaf

15. Don’t Stop -- Fletwood Mac

16. Land Down Under -- Men at Work

17. Cheap Sunglasses -- ZZ Top

18. Panama -- Van Hallen

19. Stay -- Dave Mathews Band

20. Where the Streets Have no Name -- U2

21. Graceland -- Paul Simon

22. Fell in love with a girl -- The White Stripes

23. No Rain -- Blind Melon

24. Sympathy for the Devil -- The Rolling Stones

25. Money for Nothing -- Dire Straits

26. Possum Kingdom -- The Toadies

27. Free Fallin’ -- Tom Petty

28. Gimme 3 Steps -- Lynyrd Skynyrd

29. Stuck in The Middle with You -- Stealers Wheel

30. Dont Stop Me Now -- Queen

I hope you find this selection useful, I know I do! Come add stuff if you have some of your own favorite driving songs and I’ll edit the post. Now let’s road trip!