Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria
Page 65
Shumen
1Sights
1Regional Museum of HistoryD2
2Tombul MosqueA2
4Sleeping
3Hotel RaiC3
4Hotel ZamakaB2
Hotel-Restaurant Minaliat VekB2
5Eating
5Mehana Popsheitanova KashtaB2
6Minaliat Vek RestaurantB2
6Drinking & Nightlife
7Nightclub ColosseumF1
1Sights
oFounders of the Bulgarian State MonumentMONUMENT
( GOOGLE MAP ; Shumensko Plato Nature Park; adult/child 3/1 lv; h8am-8pm May-Sep, 8.30am-5pm Oct-Apr)
Visible within a 30km radius, this tremendous Soviet-era monument was opened in 1981 to commemorate the First Bulgarian Empire’s 1300th anniversary. Enormous futurist sculptures depict Bulgaria's medieval rulers, and the complex includes the Balkans' largest outdoor mosaic triptych.
Statues of Bulgarian khans tower 18m high around this angular complex, constructed with 50,000 cu metres of concrete and 2500 tonnes of steel. The inscription beneath Khan Omurtag's mighty statue translates roughly as 'Even if a man lives well, he dies and another comes into existence; let the one who comes later, when he sees this inscription, remember the one who made it'. A granite lion atop the monument weighs an estimated 1000 tonnes.
From central Shumen, a circuitous 5km road leads to the hilltop monument; it's uphill all the way from ul Saedinenie, south of Hotel Rai. A taxi from the city centre costs around 5 lv, and then you can walk back down the steps.
An information centre, about 300m from the monument, has details about the structure and surrounding flora. A 3km path passes the information centre and car park, finishing at Shumen Fortress.
Regional Museum of HistoryMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-875 487; http://museum-shumen.eu; bul Slavyanski 17; 3 lv; h10am-6pm daily Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri Nov-Mar)
This brick museum on the main road exhibits Thracian and Roman artefacts from Madara, Veliki Preslav and Pliska, along with ancient clay-pot burials and a re-creation of the Tomb of Smyadovo, a significant 4th-century-BC grave. The upper floor exhibits jewellery, 19th-century lanterns and fine work by Shumen's National Revival–era goldsmiths.
Shumen FortressFORTRESS
( GOOGLE MAP ; adult/student 3/1 lv; h9am-7pm daily summer, to 5pm Mon-Fri winter)
Standing proudly over Shumen at a height of 455m, this 3000-year-old fortress dates back to the Iron Age. Thracian, Roman and Byzantine fortifications followed, and its strategic significance heightened during the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396) when Shumen rose to prominence as one of northeast Bulgaria’s most significant settlements. Ottoman ruler Ali Pasha invaded in 1388, looting and burning the fortress.
Tombul MosqueMOSQUE
(Sherif Halil Pasha Mosque; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-802 875; ul Rakovski 21; adult/child 4/2 lv; h9am-6pm)
Shumen’s Tombul Mosque was built in 1744 in a fusion of oriental and French baroque styles. At 1730 sq metres, it's the largest mosque still in use in Bulgaria. The 40m-high minaret has 99 stone steps and local belief states that the courtyard fountain gushes sacred water.
WALKING TRAILS
Walking and cycling trails interlace Shumensko Plato, the protected area fanning out from the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument. Find routes and a map on www.shumenskoplato.net.
4Sleeping
Hotels in Shumen are geared towards business travellers, so some drop their prices at weekends. The friendliest digs are in family-run guesthouses, while high-end amenities abound in Shumen's rather-impersonal business hotels.
Hotel RaiHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-802 670; http://shumen-hotel-rai.alle.bg; ul Ohrid 26a; s/d/tr/apt 33/46/54/59 lv; aiW)
Within a butter-yellow building that fringes Shumensko Plato Nature Park, this family-run hotel is furnished in a cosy, grandmotherly style with bonus internet terminals in the rooms. Staff are friendly and eager to please, and breakfast costs a mere 2 lv.
oNirvana Art HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %054-800 127; www.hotelnirvana.bg; ul Nezavisimost 25; s/d/apt from 79/89/140 lv; paWs)
Marvellously at odds with Shumen's Soviet feel, this unique hotel resembles a Middle Eastern palace with its elegant white archways and elaborate trellises. Individually decorated rooms are painted in calming shades of sky blue and apricot. There's a seasonal outdoor pool, a wellness centre with spa and hammam, and massage treatments begin at a reasonable 25 lv.
Hotel-Restaurant Minaliat VekHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-801 615; www.minaliatvek.com; bul Simeon Veliki 81; s/d/ste 58/70/95 lv; paW)
This great-value hotel in the western part of Shumen inhabits a restored 18th-century building and is managed by chirpy staff who speak a smattering of foreign languages. Rooms are basic but nicely maintained, the wi-fi signal is strong and a small choice of breakfasts costs an extra 5 lv per person.
Hotel ZamakaHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-800 409; www.zamakbg.eu; ul Vasil Levski 17; s/d/ste 50/70/85 lv; aW)
This lovely hotel snoozes away in a quiet residential neighbourhood west of the main square. Airy, light-filled rooms are arranged around a garden courtyard (nine rooms and three suites in all), plus there's a traditional restaurant attached. Staff are warm and speak English.
5Eating & Drinking
Shumen's best restaurants stand along ul Tsar Osvoboditel, near the main square, or within high-end lodgings such as Nirvana Art Hotel and Grand Hotel Shumen. Look out for Gorna Oryakhovski sudzuk, a spicy regional flat sausage.
Minaliat Vek RestaurantBULGARIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-801 615; www.minaliatvek.com; bul Simeon Veliki 81; mains 9-17 lv; W)
This local favourite, which is part of the Minaliat Vek Hotel, seeks to re-create the 'old time' tastes its name suggests. The long list of Bulgarian specialities ranges from triple pork fillet baked in chewy kashkaval (cheese), to grilled fish, tripe soup and refreshing salads. There is also an extensive menu of rakia (Bulgarian brandy).
Mehana Popsheitanova KashtaBULGARIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-802 222; ul Tsar Osvoboditel 158; mains 5-12 lv; hnoon-11pm; W)
This wood-framed traditional restaurant has big outdoor benches and also big portions. Try the skewered chicken with cooked red peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushroom.
Gourmet Nirvana RestaurantINTERNATIONAL$$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %054-800 127; www.hotelnirvana.bg; ul Nezavisinost 25; mains 12-25 lv; Wv)
Refined European dining within this neoclassical hotel is worth the 10-minute drive south from central Shumen. Sophisticated fish dishes, Mediterranean-style grills and vegetarian-friendly Italian fare such as cannelloni are laid gracefully on tables overlooking a peaceful garden.
Nightclub ColosseumCLUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %054-830 444; www.facebook.com/ColosseumOficial; ul Simeon Veliki; h11pm-4am Wed-Mon; W)
Shumen's most popular club nights unfold inside this cavernous disco, which has more than a decade's worth of late nights under its belt. Check its Facebook page for events, from student nights to DJ parties and retro.
8Information
The tourist information centre ( GOOGLE MAP ; %054-857 773; www.shumen.bg/en/tourism; bul Slavyanski 17; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) has maps, tips and local information. The souvenir booth (9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm) adjoining the Museum Complex of Pancho Vladigerov sells maps of local attractions (2.50 lv).
8Getting There & Away
The bus and train stations are adjacent each other at Shumen's eastern end. From the bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %054-830 890; ul Rilski Pohod), buses serve Burgas (14 lv, three hours, two to four daily), Ruse (6 lv to 10 lv, 2½ hours, one daily), Dobrich (13 lv, two to 2½ hours, two daily), Silistra (13 lv, three hours, three daily), Veliko Târnovo (13 lv, two to 2½ hours, three daily), Sofia (31 lv, six hours, seven daily) and Varna (7 lv, 1½ hours, nine daily). Private buses, such as those operated by Etap Adress ( GOOGL
E MAP ; %054-830 670; www.etapgroup.com; bul Madara 33), also stop (at the same station) in Shumen on the Sofia–Varna route. Twice-daily buses reach Istanbul, Turkey (60 lv, nine hours).
From the train station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %054-860 155; ul Stantsionna) direct daily services reach Varna (6 lv to 7 lv, two hours, 10 daily) and Sofia (20 lv to 26 lv, six to 6½ hours, three to four daily). Services reach Ruse (12 lv, 3½ to 4½ hours, one daily) via Gorna Oryakhovitsa. Aside from one direct train, reaching Plovdiv (18 lv to 20 lv, seven to nine hours, 10 daily) also requires changing trains at various stations. Seven daily trains reach Madara (1.50 lv to 3 lv, 15 minutes).
Madara Мадара
Pop 1300
A striking rock carving, the Madara Horseman, has secured this quiet village's place in history. Madara, 15km east of Shumen, was an important town for the horse-riding, nomadic Thracians around 7000 years ago, and was later settled by the Romans. Madara was also a key location during the 7th-century foundation of the Bulgarian state. Though the village is languid today, it remains famous for its archaeological reserve: caves, chapels and the horseman, which was carved dramatically into the cliff face during the 8th-century Bulgar khanate.
The reserve is also an excellent place for walkers, with trails up to a ruined fortress offering sweeping views over white cliffs that jut from tangles of forest, and a tapestry of green fields.
1Sights
Madara Archaeological ReserveHISTORIC SITE
(adult/child 5/2 lv; h8.30am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar)
The carved figure of a horseback warrior, spearing a lion while his dog trots behind, is this archaeological reserve's highlight. The Madara Horseman (Madarski Konnik), 1.5km east of Madara village, was sculpted 23m high into the cliff face during the 8th century, to commemorate the victorious Khan Tervel and the creation of the First Bulgarian Empire (681–1018). Bulgaria’s only known medieval rock carving, it’s a Unesco World Heritage site. Caves, chapels and an ecotrail are signposted within the reserve.
Follow the stone stairs to view the horseman. About 200m right of the stairs, find the 12th- to 14th-century St Panteleimon Chapel, an icon-filled cave-sanctuary. A steep uphill trail left of the stairs leads to the ruin of the 4th- to 5th-century Madara Fortress (about 20 minutes), with its uplifting views over the surrounding plains.
4Sleeping
A mountain hut lies just northwest of the Madara rider, plus there is a campground 500m walk from the archaeological complex. A couple of more comfortable guesthouses can be found in Madara village, 1.5km west of the archaeological complex, but most people stay in busy, amenity-packed Shumen, 15km west.
Guesthouse ValentinaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0895990260; ul Madarski konnik 44; d 40 lv; pW)
This four-room family guesthouse in Madara village is off the main road, 1km west of the archaeological complex. You can enjoy cliff views from the cheerful yard, which is full of flowers, birds and garden gnomes, and the rooms are simple and tidy.
Hizha Madarski KonnikHUT$
(%0896688536; dm 20 lv)
This bare-bones mountain hut, 200m northwest of the Madara rider on the main road, offers dorm beds geared towards hikers passing through.
8Getting There & Away
Public transport to Madara is limited, and the horseman is 2km up a steep road from the village. A taxi from Shumen costs 30 lv return, including waiting time. Madara itself has no taxis.
Seven daily Shumen–Varna trains stop at Madara (3 lv, 15 minutes). Shumen–Madara buses are unreliable, though there is one daily bus to Kaspichan, from where you can catch a minibus to Madara.
Veliko Târnovo ВЕЛИКО ТЪРНОВО
Pop 68,783
Medieval history emanates from Veliko Târnovo’s fortified walls and cobbled lanes. One of Bulgaria’s oldest towns, Veliko Târnovo has as its centrepiece the magnificent restored Tsarevets Fortress, citadel of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
Historic Târnovo is tucked into the dramatic bends of the Yantra River, clasped by an amphitheatre of forested hills. Bulgaria’s 19th-century National Revival splendour is easy to relive along historic lanes such as ul Gurko; similarly evocative is handicraft market Samovodska Charshiya, which retains much the same atmosphere it had two centuries ago.
The modern town has burst these tidy seams, splaying west from busy bul Bulgaria. Today’s Târnovo has Bulgaria’s second-largest university and is home to a multicultural expat scene. Its location between Bucharest and Istanbul has made it a backpacker favourite, though it’s worth more than a stopover if you’re to see it from the heights of its fortress down to its tangle of ramshackle lanes.
Veliko Trnovo, Bulgaria | Arsenie Krasnevsky / Shutterstock©
History
The strategic geography of Târnovo’s hills attracted settlers from early times. Neolithic people in 5500 BC, and Thracian tribes three millennia later, inhabited Tsarevets Hill (on which the fortress stands today) and Trapezitsa Hill opposite. The Romans built the fortress’ first walls and, in the 6th century, Byzantine Emperor Justinian created a citadel. Slavic tribes captured it in the 7th century, but it was soon fought over in the interminable wars between Byzantium and the First Bulgarian Empire.
In 1185, under brothers Asen and Petâr, Târnovgrad became a hotspot for rebellion against weakening Byzantine rule. With their foundation of the Second Bulgarian Empire, it replaced the destroyed Pliska and Veliki Preslav as the new capital, becoming second only to Constantinople in importance. Trade and culture flourished for the next 200 years.
On 17 July 1393 the Ottomans captured Târnovgrad, destroying the citadel. No longer very strategic in the middle of a vast empire, the town stagnated through Ottoman times until Bulgarian nationalism asserted itself during the mid-19th century. In 1877, during the Russo-Turkish War, Russian General Gurko liberated Târnovgrad.
Because of its importance during the Second Bulgarian Empire, Veliko Târnovo (as it was renamed) was the location for the writing of Bulgaria’s Constitution in 1879, and was where the independence of the Bulgarian state was officially proclaimed in 1908. An earthquake in 1913 had drastic effects, destroying around one-third of the town, though gradual rebuilding restored some of the period architecture to its former glory.
Veliko Târnovo
1Top Sights
1Tsarevets FortressH3
1Sights
2Asenevtsi MonumentG6
3Church of Sveti DimitârG1
4Church of Sveti Petar & PavelG1
5Multimedia Visitors CentreE3
6Museum of National Revival & Constituent AssemblyE4
7Samovodska CharshiyaH5
8Sarafkina KâshtaE3
9State Art MuseumD3
10Ulitsa GurkoD3
11Veliko Târnovo Archaeological MuseumE4
2Activities, Courses & Tours
12Free Veliko Turnovo Walking ToursC3
13The VT FoodiesG5
4Sleeping
14Hikers HostelD2
15Hostel MostelF4
16Hotel AnheaC2
17Hotel BolyarskiG5
18Hotel ComfortH5
19Hotel PremierB2
20Hotel-Mehana GurkoG5
21Kâshata Private FlatsF5
22Slavianska DushaH5
5Eating
23Han Hadji NikoliH5
Hotel-Mehana GurkoG5
24Ivan AsenF3
25ShtastlivecaF5
26StratilatH5
6Drinking & Nightlife
27Cafe ProvenceH6
28Sammy's BarC2
29ShekerdzinitsaH6
30TamB3
31Tequila BarH6
3Entertainment
32Club JackB3
33Melon Live Music ClubC3
Sound & Light ShowE3
7Shopping
34Book CaveH6
35Galeria ManyaH6
36Icons Krasimir IvanovG5
37Samovodska CharshiyaH5
1Sights
oTsarevets FortressFORTRESS
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br /> ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; adult/student 6/2 lv, scenic elevator 2 lv; h8am-7pm Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Nov-Mar)
The inescapable symbol of Veliko Târnovo, this reconstructed fortress dominates the skyline and is one of Bulgaria’s most beloved monuments. The former seat of the medieval tsars, it boasts the remains of more than 400 houses, 18 churches, the royal palace, an execution rock and more. Watch your step: there are lots of potholes, broken steps and unfenced drops. The fortress morphs into a psychedelic spectacle with a magnificent night-time Sound & Light Show.
Tsarevets Museum-Reserve is located on Tsarevets Hill, which has been settled since time immemorial due to its strategic location. Thracians and Romans used it as a defensive position, but the Byzantines built the first significant fortress here between the 5th and 7th centuries AD. The fortress was rebuilt and fortified by the Slavs and Bulgars between the 8th and 10th centuries, and again by the Byzantines in the early 12th century. When Târnovgrad became the Second Bulgarian Empire’s capital, the fortress was truly magnificent, but with the Turkish invasion in 1393, it was sacked and destroyed. Tourists can thank the communists for returning it to a semblance of its former glory (although some archaeologists grumble about the faithfulness of the restoration).
Not much English-language information is provided, but guided English-language tours (10 lv) can be arranged by enquiring at the tourist-information centre.