How to Get from Veliko Tarnovo to Arbanasi, Bulgaria

Choose your route based on whether you care most about flexibility, price, or making the uphill journey part of the day.

Key route points:

• Best option for most travelers: Take a taxi when you want to reach Arbanasi without planning around a bus timetable or an uphill trail.
• Best public-transport option: Bus 12 connects Veliko Tarnovo with Arbanasi, but check the outbound and return timetable before relying on it.
• Best active option: Walk via Worker's Bridge and the wooded trail only if you are comfortable with climbing, uneven ground, and a path that may not always be obvious.
• Driving: A car makes the most sense when Arbanasi is part of a larger driving day. Once you arrive, walk between the village sights.
• Arrival: Taxi, bus, and car bring you into Arbanasi; the walking route reaches the village from the wooded approach.
• Return: Check the bus back before leaving Veliko Tarnovo. Taxi is the more flexible backup when the bus schedule does not fit.

For a short sightseeing visit, taxi gives you the most control over when you arrive and leave. Choose the walk because you want the route, not merely because Arbanasi looks close on a map.

Located a short distance from Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi is a historic village that offers an abundance of sightseeing opportunities. If you're in the area, Arbanasi is a gem you won't want to miss!

We wrote an entire blog about the history and architecture of Arbanasi. We also included some tips on where to eat and drink while in Arbanasi.

Whether you're looking for a day trip or an extended stay, check out our article for tips on how to make the most of your time in this charming Bulgarian village.

Taxi, bus, car, and walking are all realistic, but they solve different problems. Taxi gives you the most flexibility, the bus costs less, a car helps with a larger driving itinerary, and walking turns the transfer into a separate outdoor route.

Driving makes sense when you already have a car or plan to combine Arbanasi with other places outside central Veliko Tarnovo. The villages are close enough that renting a car solely for this transfer adds little once you factor in picking up the vehicle and parking it again.

After reaching Arbanasi, leave the car and walk between the historic sights. The village visit is more compact on foot than by repeatedly moving the car.

Choose a taxi when you want to spend your time in Arbanasi rather than on the approach. You can leave central Veliko Tarnovo when you are ready and arrange the drop-off around where you want to start walking through the village.

ALEX OK currently operates taxi services in Veliko Tarnovo. Do not rely on an old quoted fare; confirm the current price or meter arrangement when you book and decide how you will arrange the return from Arbanasi.

Bus 12 is the main public-transport option between Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi. The published route starts at West Bus Station and passes Nikola Gabrovski Boulevard, the Central Cooperative Market, and Sheremetya before reaching Arbanasi.

The main drawback is flexibility. Check the current timetable for both directions before you board. If the return does not give you enough time in Arbanasi, take a taxi instead of rushing the village to catch a bus.

CAUTION! WALKING FROM VELIKO TARNOVO TO ARBANASI IS NOT FOR THE NOVICE HIKER.

First, there is no shoulder on the road, so walking the entire way along the highway is not a viable option. However, we found an excellent (albeit old) blog on the internet with detailed instructions, including photos explaining how to walk on a trail through the woods almost the entire way to Arbanasi.

The route included faint trail sections, vegetation, and rock-slide areas when we walked it. Trail conditions can change, so download an offline map before starting and turn back if the path is no longer clear rather than forcing your way through vegetation.

We considered turning around several times but pressed on because we thought the trail would improve. Unfortunately, it did not - and got worse all the way to the end. By the time we reached the road on the outskirts of Arbanasi, we were firmly regretting our decision to walk.

As we warned above, walking from Veliko Tarnovo is not for the novice hiker. While it is possible, we would not recommend it for most travelers. In addition to a walking stick, it is advisable to carry a machete to clear the path of briar bushes and thorn tree branches.

With that caveat, we understand many people are more adventurous than us. Therefore, we will provide as much information as possible about our experience walking from Veliko Tarnovo to Arbanasi and what to expect.

From the Old Town, you’ll need to walk along ul. Kraybrezhna and then continue to ul. Sveti Kliment Ohridski until you reach Worker’s Bridge. The Yantra River will be on your right, and Tsarevets Hill will be on your left.

After crossing Worker’s Bridge, you will turn left and briefly walk along ul. Ksiliforska until you reach ul. Stoyancho Ahtar on your right. At the start of this road, you will pass through a gate with yellow markings. Continue on ul. Stoyancho Ahtar until you reach the end of the road.

Once you reach the end of ul. Stoyancho Ahtar, there will be a road on your left, a gate at the top of the hill straight ahead, and two paths leading into the woods to your right. You should turn right and follow the left path.

NOTE: It would be easy to get lost at this point. Do not go up the path that leads to the road. While it is possible to get to Arbanasi on the road, it is narrow, with no sidewalk or path on the side.

Take the path on the left that leads up the hill. At first, it looks like the path disappears, but continue up the hill, and the trail will appear again.

PRO TIP: While the trail may not be obvious at eye level, the worn path and the opening closer to ground level are easier to recognize. There are several places where a machete to clear the path will be helpful.

The trail continues between the road above and the creek below for approximately 1 mile. You will come across rock slides at some points, so just be careful where you step.

Eventually, the path will lead you to an opening where you can see the road above. You will need to climb up a small embankment to reach the road.

You will need to walk along the shoulder of the road for 200 to 300 yards. Thankfully, there is a metal barrier along the road that makes this short walk relatively safe.

After a short walk, you will see a sign for Manastir Sv. Nikolay Chudotvorets. We took this route to get off the main road and start our tour of Arbanasi.

After a short walk, you will see a sign for Manastir Sv. Nikolay Chudotvorets. We took this route to get off the main road and start our tour of Arbanasi.

Where you enter Arbanasi depends on whether you arrive by taxi, car, bus, or on foot. Once you reach the village, the main historic sights are best connected on foot.

A taxi or car brings you directly into Arbanasi without the climb and trail conditions of the walking route. Choose your drop-off or parking area based on where you want to start sightseeing rather than trying to drive between every church and merchant house.

Once you stop, continue on foot. Arbanasi is compact enough that walking makes more sense for the historic center, especially around the Church of the Nativity, Konstantsalieva House, and the other churches.

Bus 12 brings you into Arbanasi from Veliko Tarnovo. Before walking away from the stop, identify where you will board the return bus and confirm the current departure times.

From the bus arrival area, continue through the village on foot. The important planning issue is not the final walk but the limited return schedule, so settle your return plan before you start sightseeing.

Our walking route reached Arbanasi near the sign for St. Nicholas Monastery after the wooded climb from Veliko Tarnovo. At that point, the difficult trail section was behind us and the route continued on village streets.

From the monastery sign, we turned onto ul. Sveti Nikola so we could visit St. Nicholas Monastery and see the views across the valley. We later used ul. Kapitan Pavel Gramadov as another route through the village.

Whichever way you arrive, walking is the practical way to connect Arbanasi's historic sights. You do not need to keep using a taxi or move your car between individual churches and houses.

For the Church of the Nativity, Konstantsalieva House, the other historic churches, monasteries, walking order, food, drink, and accommodation, continue with Explore Arbanasi, Bulgaria.

Plan the return before you start sightseeing in Arbanasi. This matters most when you use Bus 12 because the timetable gives you much less flexibility than a taxi or car.

If you drove to Arbanasi, return to Veliko Tarnovo by road when you finish. A car gives you complete control over departure time, which is most valuable when Arbanasi is one stop in a longer day outside the city.

A taxi gives you the most flexible return to Veliko Tarnovo. Save the number of a Veliko Tarnovo operator before leaving the city and confirm that it can collect you in Arbanasi when you are ready to return.

ALEX OK publishes its current taxi contact details online. Confirm the pickup and current fare when arranging the ride rather than depending on an older price quoted elsewhere.

Check the Arbanasi-to-Veliko Tarnovo departures before taking the outbound bus. The current Line 12 timetable has only a limited number of return trips and fewer options on holidays.

Make sure you know where to board the return bus when you arrive in Arbanasi. Do not wait until the end of the visit to work out the stop and discover that your planned departure no longer fits.

You can retrace the walking route only when you are comfortable finding the wooded path again and have enough daylight. Because parts of the trail were faint when we walked it, walking back becomes a poor choice if you are tired, the weather has changed, or dusk is approaching.

Taking a taxi or bus back also gives you the option to enjoy the uphill route in one direction without committing to the same rough sections twice.

The short distance between Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi does not make every transport option equally practical. These decisions matter most when you use the limited bus service or take the wooded walking route.

Look at the Arbanasi-to-Veliko Tarnovo departures before choosing your outbound Bus 12. A bus into Arbanasi is not a good deal if its return schedule forces you to rush or leaves a long gap after you finish.

Choose a taxi when you want to arrive at a particular part of the day without working around the bus. This is especially helpful when your Arbanasi visit depends on access to church or museum interiors.

The walking route changes from city streets to a wooded path, and some sections were faint when we used it. Download the area before leaving Veliko Tarnovo so losing a mobile signal does not also remove your navigation.

Vegetation can change a lightly used trail quickly. If you reach a section where the path has disappeared, turn back instead of cutting through briars or branches in search of the route.

On our visit, the road alternative was narrow and did not give us the pedestrian space we wanted, which is why we used the wooded route. If the trail is no longer practical, switching to a taxi or bus is a better backup than automatically moving onto the vehicle road.

The wooded sections are easier to judge when you can see the trail, vegetation, and loose ground clearly. Do not begin the route late in the day if there is any chance you will still be finding your way through the woods near dusk.

The walk is not a paved city stroll from beginning to end. Wear shoes that can handle dirt, loose rock, vegetation, and the uphill sections before you reach Arbanasi.

A guided tour is worth considering when you want transportation from Veliko Tarnovo and someone to explain Arbanasi's churches, merchant houses, and history after you arrive. Independent travel is still straightforward by taxi or Bus 12, so the main reason to book a tour is the combination of transportation and a guided visit.

Choose a tour that starts in Veliko Tarnovo when you want to avoid arranging your own transportation and return. A guide can also add context inside Arbanasi, where the plain exteriors of the historic churches give little indication of the frescoes and decoration inside.

Compare the available tours below, paying particular attention to the meeting point, transportation, tour length, and whether entrance fees are included.

Stay in Veliko Tarnovo when Arbanasi is a half-day or day trip. Stay in Arbanasi when you want a quieter overnight in the village or do not need to return to Veliko Tarnovo after sightseeing.

A taxi is the easiest choice for most travelers because you can leave when you want and do not need to match your sightseeing to the limited Bus 12 timetable. Take the bus when price matters more than flexibility.

Yes. Taxi, Bus 12, and walking all let you reach Arbanasi without renting a car. Taxi is the most flexible, while walking requires the most effort and route-finding.

Yes. Bus 12 connects Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanasi. Check the current timetable before traveling because departures are limited and the holiday schedule has fewer options.

The published Bus 12 route starts at West Bus Station in Veliko Tarnovo and continues through the city toward Sheremetya and Arbanasi. Use West Bus Station when you want the clearest starting point and check the current route before leaving.

Yes. We walked from Worker's Bridge via Ksiliforska Street, Stoyancho Ahtar Street, and a wooded uphill trail into Arbanasi. The route included faint path sections and rock-slide areas, so it is not the same as walking along a normal city sidewalk.

The main difficulty is not the distance alone. The route climbs toward the plateau and includes uneven ground, vegetation, and places where the path was difficult to see when we walked it.

Arbanasi sits about 4 km from Veliko Tarnovo on a plateau above the city. That makes taxi and car transfers short, but the uphill walking route requires more effort than the distance suggests.

Yes. Driving is practical when you already have a car or plan to combine Arbanasi with other stops outside Veliko Tarnovo. Once you reach the village, walking is the better way to connect the main sights.

Return by taxi, Bus 12, car, or the same walking route. Check the bus return before leaving Veliko Tarnovo, and use taxi as the more flexible choice if the timetable does not fit your visit.

Yes. The short distance makes Arbanasi well suited to a half-day away from Veliko Tarnovo. For how long to spend, which churches and houses to prioritize, where to eat or drink, and whether to stay overnight, see Explore Arbanasi, Bulgaria.

For the rest of your stay, Explore Veliko Tarnovo covers how long to stay and the city's main sightseeing decisions. Once you reach the village, Explore Arbanasi, Bulgaria covers the churches, merchant houses, walking route, food, drink, and accommodation.