2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #15 - Ruse, Bulgaria

Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi
Witness True Bulgarian Character
Tour two cultural gems rich in Bulgarian heritage during this full-day excursion into the heart of the country.

Begin with a drive through Ruse, then continue to Veliko Tarnovo, a fascinating medieval town built around Tsarevets Hill and its castle. After a coffee break, stop at the Yantra River bridge for a nice view of the majestic Assenev Brothers monument, a towering obelisk flanked by horses. Next, explore Samovodska Charshia, a traditional street teeming with handicrafts, or visit the castle ruins and enjoy vistas of the Old Town and countryside. Afterward, proceed to Arbanasi, rich in history and Greek influence. After lunch at a local restaurant, sample the Damascus rose products, locally made from the essence of roses. After, you will visit a local merchant house and see the intricate frescoes of the Nativity Church with a local guide.

A very long day!

We were up and moving about 6:10 am. Although my back was better than Thursday night, I skipped my morning Peleton Core or Bodyweight workout.

We had breakfast in the restaurant. We sat with Cindy and Don from Wisconsin This was not someone that we had talked to before; I frankly don't remember seeing them on any of our excursions.

We were signed up for the included Viking "Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi" excursion. We boarded the bus just before 8:30 am. It was a two hour drive to the Village of Arbansi.

I was surprised by the amount of agriculture. There were miles and miles of fields. Apparently, they grow a lot of wheat, rye, corn, sunflowers and rapeseed (often referred to as Canola or winter oilseed rape). The rapeseed fields were bright yellow as we drove through the countryside.

We made a stop for the restrooms and coffee at the Kaloyanova Fortress just outside the viilage.

The first stop in the village of Arbanasi was the Chruch of the Nativity. I was very surprised by this stop. It was beautiful. We had a very good local guide.

The church is often called the "Sistine Chapel of the Balkans." From the outside, it looks like a low, stone house with no bell tower. This was because, during the Ottoman era, Christian churches were not allowed to be taller than a man on a horse. Inside, it is entirely covered in over 3,500 frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries.

After the church, we stopped briefly at the Lema Rose Shop (or simply the Rose Distillery Lema outlet). We tasted Rose Liqueur.

The third stop was the Konstantsalieva House. We toured the upper floor with the Viking guide. The house is one of the most famous examples of the "house-fortress" style that Arbanasi is known for. This 17th-century merchant’s home offered a great look at how wealthy families lived during the Ottoman era—combining high-security defenses with a surprisingly cozy, refined interior.

Finally, we had lunch at the Izvora Tavern nearby. We sat with Colleen and Chris at lunch; we met them on the first Viking tour in Prague. At the end of the meal, there was some regional music and dancing entertainment.

After lunch, we headed to the town of Veliko Tarnovo. The town is one of Bulgaria's most visually striking and historically significant cities. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars," it served as the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire between the 12th and 14th centuries. The city is famous for its unique layout, with houses stacked steeply along the cliffs of the Yantra River gorge.

We did a walking tour through Samovodska Charshiya (The Old Market). The cobblestone street has workshops for pottery, copper-smithing, and weaving.


While Sharon did some shopping, I continued on the walking tour to Tsar Asen I Square. From there, we had a view of Tsarevets Fortress. This massive medieval stronghold sits on a hill and was once the primary seat of Bulgarian royalty and the patriarchate. It is surrounded by thick walls and features the Patriarchal Cathedral at its summit.


Getting a water and a lemonade, we sat for a while at a cafe along the shopping district. We were back on the bus at 3:45 pm.

It was 5:30 pm by the time we pulled up to the dock. A nine hour excursion!?!

We rushed to get cleaned up and get to the final drink with the captain.

Heading to dinner, we ended up sitting with Jim and Renee (Colorado) and Gary and Germana(?) (New Jersey). I had the regional dinner, including; Ciorba de Perisoare (Romanian meatball soup); Saramura de Pui (brined chicken, bell pepper; grilled polenta); and Alba ca Zapada - "Snow White" (Romanian lemon cream cake). Sharon had Beetroot Salad (pickled pumpkin & radish, seeds, chimichurri sauce) and Seared Sea Bass Fillet (lemon, caper & parsley sauce). She started with the regional chicken, but sent it back.

We crashed just before 10 pm. With a transfer to a hotel in Bucharest tomorrow morning, we never made it to the lounge after dinner...