Vratsa is a small town in northwestern Bulgaria, filled with history and beautiful landscapes where you could go mountain hiking or just have chilled out walks around the centre of the city. The historical museum is not far from the big monument of Hristo Botev (One of the freedom fighters during the Ottoman’s occupation on the Balkans).
Everyone in Bulgaria has heard how wild the Vratsan people are and how hard their character is and how hard it is to live there. Despite that Vratsa is worth going to visit it’s a wonderful city under the foot of the great mountains, the Balkans.
Must Do
You should definitely visit the cave Ledenika (Led means Ice), in this area, there are more than 500 caves, but the most famous one is the Ledenika cave because of the icy stalagmites. It has been famous for centuries from the Ottoman occupation to the present.
The shepherds have used to it to store sheep milk. Ledenika has amazing acoustic which is why many concerts are being performed there. You can also see 4 species of birds, including hawks. This is a place you definitely want to visit while in Vratsa. The great mountain is waiting for you!
How to get to Vratsa from Sofia by train
To get from Sofia to Vratsa by train, you can take a regional or express train from Sofia Central Station. The journey takes about 2 hours and trains run several times a day.
Here is a step-by-step guide to getting to Vratsa from Sofia by train:
- From Sofia, go to Sofia Central Station. This is the main train station in Sofia and is located in the city center. You can get there by taking the subway, bus, or taxi.
- Once you arrive at Sofia Central Station, go to the ticketing office or use the ticket machines to purchase a ticket to Vratsa. Make sure to check the schedule to ensure that you are catching a train that goes to Vratsa.
- Board the regional or express train to Vratsa. The train will depart from a platform at Sofia Central Station and the journey to Vratsa takes about 2 hours.
- Get off the train at Vratsa. The train station in Vratsa is located in the center of the town, so you can easily walk to your destination from there.
What do you like best about your city?
Skaklia – It’s the highest waterfall on the Balkans Peninsula, even though many people don’t know this fact since there is not a constant flow of water. Skaklia is 142 meters high, which is around 20 metres higher than the officially the highest waterfall on the Balkans Peninsula – Raiskoto Pruskalo (The Heavenly sprayer) – high 124,5 meters.
Best Walk in Vratsa
The Hut and the stunning views from the monument of the Herald of Freedom is standing proudly. In order to reach that heavenly place from the center of the city, you need literally 5 minutes, but that place instantly throws you in the atmosphere of the Vratsa’s Balkan. The Tourist home The Hut is built in 1926 from the goodwill of the citizens of the city. It has been a place for joy, business meetings, and tourist fellowship, for one night or more.
Best Hotels in Vratsa
I have added a list of the most popular hotels in Vratsa. If you’d like more details and customer reviews please hit the links where you will be taken to TripAdvisor
- Hemus Hotel -is a family-friendly hotel that brings the best of Vratsa to your doorstep. The rooms offer a minibar, air conditioning, and a refrigerator, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.
- Hotel Rade 1 – is an excellent choice for travellers visiting Vratsa, offering a family-friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay.
- Hotel Leva Vratsa – Situated in Vratsa, Хотел “Лева” Враца offers a garden. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi throughout the property.
Best Restaurants in Vratsa
The Restaurant “Vinarna” is a really good place to have a rest after walking around the city, it offers a good amount of food and drink to replenish yourself, it has Bulgarian, Greek and Bavarian cuisine.
Restaurant Chaika – One of the oldest and most famous restaurants in Vratsa, it is 1km from the center of the city, the views from the restaurant are amazing, just like the food. It is a hotel and restaurant. Chaika offers traditional Bulgarian cuisine, pizzas, fish delicacies, European cuisine as well as good parking with the place for kids to play close to the restaurant. It is a pretty good idea to visit this restaurant before taking on your next adventure in Vratsa.
Restaraunt Hemus – One of the biggest and most expensive restaurants in Vratsa, and well worthwhile visiting. It is a hotel and restaurant. The Restaurant has 180 seats and a panorama terrace with 80 seats, with a wonderful view of the Hristo Botev’s Square and the Balkans. It offers local and international dishes selected by the Chef. There’s a good selection of wines as well, so all the wine lovers will fall in love with this amazing restaurant that offers you comfort and good times spent. Restaurant Hemus serves – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Best Music/Festival in Vratsa
The “Music in the Cave” which is performed in the Ledenika Cave, as the acoustics there are beautiful and folk signers perform these festivals and concerts there. Many people gather there to hear the unique sound of their favorite singers in a natural acoustic and enjoy the music they produce. Vratsa’s Ledenika offers such an amazing and unique sound at the same time that even the people who usually wouldn’t like such type of music will be tangled in the charm of the sound from the cave.
Best Nightlife in Vratsa
Cocktail bar Karamel
is a great place to find the nightlife you’re looking for it, many young people gather in the night time, to have had fun and enjoy the night to its fullest. It is one of the famous bars in Vratsa and so most of the young people gather there, it is a good way to chill during the night after the long walks during the days in Vratsa.
Metalik
Another place where you could spend your evening and night time with your friends, it is a great place to start the evening with a chilling drink and meal, it is considered as one of the oldest bars in Vratsa and its pretty decent due to its price and servings.
Best Day Trip Out of Vratsa
It is a good idea to visit the “Mogilanskata Mogila” – This is a tomb that has been built around IV century B.C. This is a really stunning place to visit outside Vratsa. Scientists believe that this tomb has been a family tomb of dynasty members, which have been ruling the “Tribals”. “Vratsa’s Balkan” is the second biggest natural park in Bulgaria. It covers the Vratsa’s mountains with “Lakatnishkite Skali” and the “Ritlite”.
It was made official in 1989, so it could be protected as it has animals and plants that need to be protected. This territory is considered as one of the most beautiful landscapes in Bulgaria, it is really beautiful and colorful, for the people who like mountains, that can be heaven and unforgettable experience.
Something that not many travelers would know about Vratsa
The Coat of Arms of Vratsa was made in 1967, the author was an artist named Luben Orozov, who won a national competition.
The graphics of it symbolises a specific orographic rainfall phenomena, which carries the name of its city – the natural phenomena – the passage of the Vratzata Gorge.
The graphical depicts two sheer rocks with two topographic triangles, between which makes the way to the passage. The whole image of it is over a shield, to symbolize the unity of it. The motto of the city is “City like the Balkan – ancient and young” it describes and depicts the glorious past of Vratsa as an old Bulgarian tradition and its new and developing city.
10 interesting facts about Vratsa
- Vratsa is a city located in northwestern Bulgaria, with a population of around 75,000 people.
- The city is located in the Vratsa Balkan Mountains, which are a popular destination for hiking, climbing, and other outdoor activities.
- Vratsa is known for its rich cultural heritage, with many historic buildings, museums, and galleries located in the city.
- The city is also home to the Vratsa National Museum, which showcases the history and culture of the region.
- Vratsa is an important economic center, with many industrial and manufacturing companies based in the city.
- The city is also home to several universities and colleges, including the University of Forestry and the Vratsa Free University.
- Vratsa is known for its vibrant nightlife, with many bars, clubs, and restaurants to choose from.
- The city is also home to several sports teams, including the Vratsa football team, which plays in the Bulgarian First League.
- Vratsa is located in a beautiful natural setting, with many parks and green spaces to enjoy.
- The city is easily accessible by train, bus, or car from other major cities in Bulgaria, such as Sofia and Plovdiv.
