This calm Bulgarian city is known for its massive circular panorama painting depicting the 1877 Battle of Pleven. Nearby hills create good walking routes through wine country.
Pleven, Bulgaria's seventh largest city, lies in the Danubian Plain, with limestone hills and agricultural fields stretching to its edges. You can walk through the Kaylaka nature park with its unusual rock formations, visit the 24-hall Regional Historical Museum, or spend an evening at a performance in the 19th-century Ivan Radoev Theater. The city's former public baths now house art galleries, while the surrounding area contains the Chernelka canyon with its prehistoric caves and the warm mineral springs of Krushuna.
Getting to Pleven from Sofia
Trains depart daily from Sofia to Pleven, taking two hours and costing 14 euros. Buses run every two hours between 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM, with tickets from 5 to 9 euros. By car, the 170km journey takes about two hours via the A2 highway, with fuel costs between 15 and 21 euros.
Weather and Climate in Pleven
Pleven has four distinct seasons. Winter temperatures range from -20°C to 0°C with regular snowfall from December to February. Summer days (June-August) reach 38°C. Spring temperatures stay around 20°C, making April and May good months for walking tours. The average annual temperature is 12°C.
Arts and Museums
The Regional Historical Museum spans 24 halls with 250,000 exhibits from prehistoric tools to modern artifacts. Its numismatic collection includes 25,000 coins from ancient Greek to medieval Bulgarian periods. The Svetlin Rusev Donative Exhibition displays 400 paintings and sculptures in a renovated Ottoman-era bathhouse. The Ivan Radoev Drama Theater, built in 1919, maintains its original facade with ornate stone carvings and puts on performances Thursday through Sunday.
Natural Areas Around Pleven
The Chernelka canyon extends for 7 kilometers between limestone walls 10 to 30 meters high. Inside the canyon, you'll find traces of prehistoric settlements and the Vodopada cave system with white stalactites and stalagmites. The Krushuna area's mineral springs reach temperatures of 58°C, with several public pools available for swimming.
Historical Sites from the Russo-Turkish War
The Pleven Panorama measures 115 meters in circumference, making it larger than the Borodino Panorama in Russia. Inside, you'll find paintings and artifacts from the 1877 siege. The St. George the Conqueror Chapel Mausoleum contains the remains of soldiers from Bulgaria, Russia, and Romania. Skobelev Park includes an ossuary and monuments with detailed inscriptions about the battle.
Local Dining
Paraklisa Club Restaurant (open 11:00-23:00) serves Eastern European dishes like kavarma and shopska salad, with main courses from 8-15 euros. Hummus House (10:00-22:00) specializes in vegetarian meals, including falafel plates for 6 euros. Corona (12:00-23:00) combines Bulgarian and modern European cuisine, with daily lunch specials for 7 euros. Budapeshta opens at 11:00 AM and closes at midnight, focusing on Hungarian-influenced dishes like goulash and stuffed peppers.
