Where to stay in Veliko Tarnovo
In Veliko Tarnovo the choice is short: Varosha by Tsarevets for the view, or the centre nearer the bus station — the town is small, everything else is on foot either way.
- The old town
- Varosha by Tsarevets
- Hostel
- from €7 per person, a dorm bed
- 3* hotel
- €30–38 per person, sharing a room
Veliko Tarnovo takes 1–2 days to see, so accommodation is mostly a single booking rather than a choice of district. Varosha, the old quarter along the Yantra gorge with the climb up to Tsarevets, is quiet and close to the Samovodska Charshia; the centre around the bus station is flatter and more practical when the coach from Sofia gets in in the evening. A hostel bed is from €7 per person, a three-star hotel €30–38.
Two parts of town, both on foot
Varosha climbs from the river up towards Tsarevets: narrow streets, old houses, five minutes from the Samovodska Charshia. The centre, down around the main street and the bus station, is more modern and flat, with newer hotels. The difference is not distance — the town is small enough to cover entirely on foot — but where you end up in the evening: Varosha is a quiet old street, the centre sits closer to cafés and transport.
Hostel or hotel
A dorm bed is from €7 per person. A three-star hotel, a double room with breakfast per person, is €30–38 — the price depends on the day of the week, higher on Fridays and Saturdays than midweek.
Arriving late by bus
The bus from Sofia takes about 3 h 20, so anyone leaving after lunch gets in during the evening. For that arrival the centre sits closer to the bus stop; anyone arriving in the morning and heading straight up to Tsarevets shortens the walk by staying in Varosha.
What not to choose
- A car for a town you walk. Everything is on foot — a car here only adds parking, not saved time.
- A place far outside the centre for the sake of Arbanasi. The trip takes 15–20 min from central town; a distant address does not shorten it.
- A Friday or Saturday room at the midweek rate. €30–38 is a range tied to the day you arrive, not a flat price — weekends sit at the top of it.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How much is a hostel bed in Veliko Tarnovo?
from €7 per person for a dorm bed; beds fill up quickly in summer.
Do I need a car for a place in the old town?
No. Everything is on foot, Tsarevets and the Samovodska Charshia included.
How much is a three-star hotel in Veliko Tarnovo?
€30–38 per person in a double room with breakfast; the price is higher on Fridays and Saturdays than midweek.
Ready for Veliko Tarnovo?
Where to next
What Veliko Tarnovo costs
→A day in Veliko Tarnovo runs from €24–30 per person in a hostel to €65–77 in a hotel with two restaurant…
Plovdiv · 126 km
→A Roman theatre, the cobbles of the Old Town and the crooked lanes of Kapana, all on one hill and in the quarter below it.
How well does Veliko Tarnovo suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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