Veliko Turnovo guide

As the renowned East European philosopher Borat may have put it, “Yagshemash, welcome to my village, ah hope you like, I like!”

Of course, Veliko Turnovo is no village. The former capital of Bulgaria is now a thriving, vibrant and much loved city, especially amongst foreigners.

Where is it
So, what’s the attraction? Three little words: location, location, location.

Perched on a granite hillside, three hours drive from Sofia in the west, and three hours to Varna in the east, tier upon tier of houses sit improbably on top of one another, overlooking the Yantra River which meanders gracefully at the base of the hills. The effect is amazingly picturesque, homes of various hues stacked like childrens’ play bricks. Large enough to be cosmopolitan, and small enough to avoid being overwhelming, Veliko Turnovo manages to combine a certain degree of sophistication without the attendant evils of big city life.

Treasures of the old town
The heart of the city is the old town, which starts not too far east of the newer municipality buildings. Here in the old town you will find many shops catering to the strange compulsion of tourists to buy overpriced rubbish! ‘Traditional Bulgarian’ dolls, placemats showing scenes from rural life, ‘humorous’ pottery figurines. But before I begin to sound too cynical and jaded I should also point out that the old town also plays host to many traditional crafts, icon painters, wood carvers, knife makers. It’s a joy to wander the cobbled streets to watch these artisans carry on the old traditions. Some of their works are quite lovely.

The old town also plays host to a couple of antique shops, which never fail to fascinate me. One in particular holds an overwhelming attraction for me. It is the most disorganised shop I have ever been in. Antiques fill the small shop, lying in haphazard piles on the floor or hanging from wires from the ceiling. Every visit there is an adventure, you never know just what treasure you’ll discover buried under dust and junk. World War II memorabilia, jostles for space with cat gut tennis rackets and positively ancient musical instruments. From the west end of St Stambolov Str head east towards Tsaravets, keep on the left and you will be heading into the old town, the antique shop is the first you come to past the children’s play equipment.

What’s there
Quaint as Veliko Turnovo and its’ old town are, VT as it’s known to the locals, is not a city frozen in the past, it’s constantly evolving. Currently the shopping patterns of the town are being changed. New commercial developments to the west of the town centre are pulling consumers away from the more traditional shopping areas. The central mall on the main VT-Sofia road sparked off the change. The mall is a modern, airy shopper’s paradise, following the established rules for malls worldwide. Several eateries, ranging from snack-type food to a not too bad pizza-style restaurant, can be found. A large and reasonably varied stocked supermarket is perhaps the main draw to the mall. In addition you can play some ten pin bowling at the American style bowling alley, or get tanned at the health centre before catching the latest movie at the multiplex cinema.

I personally wonder how long the cinema can survive. I went to two movies there, Casino Royale and Borat, to find myself the only customer! So please, do me a favour if you are ever in VT with a few hours to spare, go watch a movie at the central mall. It’s cheap and clean and the popcorn is reasonably tasty! Other international stores are discovering VT, there is a large Praktiker, not easily missed if you head for the mall from city centre it’s well signposted on your left. There is also a theatre/cinema at the municipality buildings just to the east of the centre, a bustling vibrant area, with al fresco cafés attracting a young crowd.

Eating out and round and about
Talking about food, VT boasts a varied selection of eateries, Italian, Chinese and of course traditional Bulgarian dishes. My own preference lies with the Lucky Man restaurant on St Stambolov Str . Externally, it could easily be mistaken for just another pizzeria or spaghetti house, but in fact it serves an incredibly extensive range of food, from Italian pasta to Yugoslavian minced meat. Service is friendly, prices are very reasonable, it overlooks the city art gallery and its downstairs section has recently been completely revamped to give a neo-regency feel to the place, as opposed to the ground level section with its huge stone pizza oven and rustic décor.

Other than the Lucky Man, there are many adequate pizza houses around town, Tempo, Eterna, Ego. Tempo and Ego are just south of the east end of St Stambolov Str virtually en route to the Hotel Etar bus terminal.  Eterna takes a bit more finding, but it’s worth it, located in a small commercial street on the west of the town before the state hospital. The huge Grand Hotel on St Stambolov Str, serves a wide selection of western dishes, as does the newly opened and impressively styled Hotel Bolyarski in the town centre. For those of you looking for more traditional Bulgarian food, I can suggest the Gurko Hotel and Mehana, a wonderful little restaurant with magnificent views over the art gallery, located, naturally, in the oldest street in VT, Gurko. Food is fresh traditional and cheap, staff are friendly and very helpful.

Taxis are readily available and cheap and for ‘Yoof’ culture, VT has several night clubs playing hip hop, trance and house music. In my days we called them discotheques. Locals seem to like Scream bar located below the Ego Pizzeria.

Old rivalries
 It has to be said that there is a certain rivalry between VT and Sofia, Turnovians are rightly irritated by the Sofians assumption that all living outside of the capital can be labelled ‘village people,’ a condescending view that is not well received in this city of culture. VT cannot compete with Sofia for retail therapy, but it doesn’t have to. It’s got other things going for it. One of these is Tsarevets, the old hill fortress of former kings. Panoramically overlooking the city the walled fortress is a big draw for foreigners.

Particularly as the city fathers have seen fit to produce one of the most spectacular son et lumiere spectacles in Europe. I’ve seen these sound and light shows played out on castles in England, on Roman remains in Italy and on Renaissance Chateaux in France, and nothing can compare with humble VT’s display. It’s very emotional, the lasers being accompanied by a sound track that Pink Floyd would be happy with, the music reflecting the turbulent and at times tragic history of Bulgaria. The son et lumiere takes place at weekends on a fairly regular basis in the summer months. At other times best check with the local tourism information office.

Another big draw to the town for some is the St Cyril and Methodious University, with its much praised language department. Perched imposingly high on a hillside overlooking the town, the university doubtless has a large part to play in the feel of the town. The student population brings new blood to this ancient community.

Indeed, VT seems determined to reinvent itself as the cultural capital of Bulgaria. It plays host to annual folk festivals, it holds open-air concerts in the town centre. Current mayor Rumen Rashev recently involved himself in a grand literary project. The pleasing thing is that VT manages to do all this without being a parody of Bulgarian culture. There is an honesty in all of its’ endeavours, which avoids either kitsch, or overt commercialism, which is very pleasant in this day and age.

What’s in it for the Brits
Furthermore facilities in and around VT, enable many expats to easily make the transition to life abroad.

You can find private medical centres, offering excellent care at a fraction of the cost of similar treatment back in the UK. My own experience has been with a private surgery located near to the state hospital. I’d gladly recommend it, however the partners seem somewhat publicity shy and in deference to their wishes I can’t give out information on them in such a public forum. However, if you are in need of medical help feel free to contact me direct.

There is an American college catering for the needs of English speaking pupils, and the towns’ renowned university is about to launch an international  course in art for foreigners.

For those seeking a healthier lifestyle, VT and environs offer ample opportunities for hill walking, hiking, camping, fishing and cycling.

I’m also going to take a wild guess here and suggest that sales of 2nd hand Lada Nivas have risen since Bits discovered the area, it seems that many are drawn to the ‘Russian Land Rover’ as the Niva is often referred to.

For all or some of the above reasons the town draws a lot of attention from Brits looking to move to Bulgaria. I’ve met a number of fellow countrymen, who have purchased property in the area, and they all have said almost the same thing, “Oh I bought a place over here for investment, but it’s so nice I’ve decided to move here.”

So what kind of people does VT attract?

It would appear that the area appeals to people from England who are tired of the claustrophobia of British life. They are seeking an uncomplicated, healthy existence. It attracts people looking for early retirement, who do not want to end their days simply sitting in front of a TV. It does not attract those looking for little Britain. True, there is a VT British club, but membership is entirely voluntary. I’ve spoken to Brits living in the area who have moved specifically to VT to escape from everything British. Which is perhaps ironic, because most Brits living here indulge in a very British pastime…commuting.

Where to buy
Expats tend not to live in VT itself, but rather to buy older properties in surrounding villages, largely perhaps on the grounds of cost, but I like to think that there is also an element of trying to regain something which has disappeared from British lifestyles, a sense of community. I’m told by people older and presumably wiser than me that in the recent past, Brits did not just live in houses, they lived in communities. That community may have been a village or small town, equally it could have been a street in a major metropolitan area, the point being that you knew your neighbours, they talked to you, they helped you, and they looked out for you even before neighbourhood watch schemes became fashionable. Nowadays in the UK every man is an island. We tend to live in splendid isolation. Don’t ask me why, I don’t have any easy answer, perhaps rising crime makes us anti-social, perhaps it’s easy to blame television, perhaps it’s the loss of local shops as we all jump in our cars to buy everything at the nearest huge supermarket.

Whatever the reason, we all tend to live alone, and we feel the loss. Living in a village house in Bulgaria, takes us back into the past, a sense of community is restored. I know my neighbours in my village, despite their lack of spoken English, my presence is acknowledged by a friendly smile or a wave of a hand. Gifts of homemade rakia are left at my door, a visit to the local café often brings an unexpected windfall of apples or nuts, handed over by the café owners in appreciation of my custom. The villages around Veliko Turnovo are invariably green and pleasant places, perhaps we Brits are drawn to them by some ancestral memory of village life.

Nothing is perfect
I confess to being biased in this article, I love my new life in a small village not far from VT, but of course nothing is perfect. The things that irk me include poor road conditions, bad drivers, the lack of parking in VT town centre and the fact that if you park your car ignoring parking restrictions you can expect to return finding one of the following. Your car surrounded by two or more police cars and several irate policemen is one option. Or alternatively you’ll arrive back to find no car at all, in VT contractors are legally entitled to tow away improperly parked cars! I also get vexed at the frequent power cuts we experience, and the fact that mobile phone reception is almost non-existent in our village. But all in all these are small prices to pay for living in such a lovely area amongst so many friendly people.

By Colin Munro