BULGARIA, Part 9: Veliko Tarnovo

Described as one of the most beautiful cities in Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo is truly impressive and majestic when viewed from exposed viewpoints, as it rises up from the meanders of the Jantra River, deeply cut into the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. However, the city itself did not impress me as much, in a way forming the opposite of Plovdiv. It's not that I was disappointed, but honestly, I expected a bit more. There are Bulgarian Revival houses, Orthodox churches, as well as small and steep streets that reflect something typical of Bulgaria: dense tangles of hanging power lines, trash cans, and houses adorned with many air conditioning units and satellite dishes on the exterior facades. Unfortunately, the city is dominated by car traffic and the associated noise and smell. I didn't find the general hustle and bustle on a Saturday at 33 degrees Celsius very enjoyable. However, a walk to the fortress of Tsarevets is definitely interesting... one of those exposed viewpoints I mentioned earlier.