Things to do in Veliko Tarnovo during the holidays
Visit a museum – working hours during the Christmas and New Year holidays
“Tsarevets” architectural-museum reserve will receive tourists non-stop during the holidays, such as on December 31 this year. the fortress will be open for visits from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and on January 1, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The “Tsarevgrad Tarnov” multimedia visitor center will be closed on December 24, 25 and 31 2023 and on January 1, 2024.
Church “St. 40 Martyrs” will not work on December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Church “Nativity” will not work on December 31 and January 1. On the temple holiday – December 25, the temple will be open for free visits from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with no candles allowed, except for the interior candlesticks.
If you are wondering what to do in Veliko Tarnovo in December, we have the perfect suggestion for you.
Traditional Christmas bazaar in Veliko Tarnovo
Up to January 1 of the new year, “Marno Pole” park is a peculiar Christmas town, full of fabulous surprises. For the first time, the attractions of the bazaar are located together with the festive stage in front of the entrance to the Summer Theatre. An interesting and festive music programme awaits you throughout the month with the participation of local performers, formations, and groups.
For the second year in a row, next to the traditional houses, the new wooden pavilions will be located to present an even greater variety of goods. At the Christmas Bazaar you’ll find great Christmas gifts and decorations, lucky charms, candles, leather and woodwork, home and tree decorations, handmade jewellery, paintings, iris photography, and much more.
The attraction starts on July 1 and will offer panoramic tours of the old part of Veliko Tarnovo town
The tourist train will again travel by the Tsarevets and Trapezitsa fortresses, the Vladishki bridge, and the churches in Asenova Mahala. After a four-year hiatus, together with the Tsarevgrad Tarnov Municipal Tourist Agency, the Municipality is resuming the attraction tours from July 1. And as a gesture to all residents and guests of Veliko Tarnovo, on July 1 to 9, the train will be free.
Fusion Fest will be held in Veliko Tarnovo this weekend. On July 29 and 30, Friday and Saturday from 8:30 p.m., two groups will perform on the Art Summer stage next to the Asenevtsi monument.
On Friday, “Del Padre”, a Bulgarian flamenco/world/fusion band, will take care of the good mood of the audience. The group was founded in 2009 by Hristo Kolikov – “Padre”, together with the guitarists Tsvetan Andreev and Simeon Ivanov, under the name “Rumba Aficionado”. In the process of searching and building their own original sound, Zivko Vasilev – kaval, Orlin Tsvetanov – violin, Deyan Iliev – drums and Dimitar Sirakov – bass, joined the band’s main composition. In 2012, they changed their name to “Del Padre”. An important push for “Del Padre” to assert their unique signature in mixing flamenco rhythms with Bulgarian folk motives was given by Neshka Robeva, who assigned the group the musical arrangement of the performance “Carmen from The faculty”.
The group’s musical style is influenced by Spanish-language music – Spanish traditional flamenco, music from Cuba and Latin America, as well as folk and ethnic elements from around the world.
On July 30, Saturday at 8:30 p.m., the irresistible Philip Avramov, Kalin Velov and friends will present the project “God Rock”. Philip can sing and dance amazingly. Here, however, in addition to the guitar, he will also play the harmonica, and if that’s not enough for you, prepare yourself for a lot of laughter as Philip tells you about the roots of…”Devil’s Music”. In fact, it is music that is the main actor. The one that was “forbidden” from the 60s and 70s and just like the “forbidden fruit” is becoming more and more sought after and listened to! A rebellious mood provoked by the music of Muddy Waters, Nirvana, Joe Cocker, Whitesnakes, James Brown and many more rock and blues idols.
The Fusion Fest is realized with the financial support of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo under the program “Art and culture” and admission to both events is free.
The world-famous Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra will perform two concerts at Tsarevets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo as part of the Summer Opera Season “Stage of the Ages” 2022.
The first announced date for the tour of the Viennese musicians was August 6, but due to the great interest in the event, the orchestra will perform on the open stage in the Palace of the historical fortress on August 5 at 9:00 p.m.