Located 140 km north of Helsinki, this small Finnish town has a unique summer theater built on water and Finland's oldest swimming hall, dating back to 1957.
Start your trip in Pleven by walking through Kaylaka Park, where stone paths wind past pine trees and small lakes. Visit the Pleven Panorama, a circular museum with detailed paintings and dioramas showing the 1877 Siege of Pleven. Stop by the Regional Historical Museum to see Roman coins and medieval weapons displayed in a renovated Ottoman-era building. On weekends, locals gather at the central square to drink coffee at open-air cafes near the 19th-century St. George Church. If you have time, take a 20-minute bus ride to the nearby vineyards where some wineries let visitors taste white wines made from local grapes.
Top Attractions in Pleven The Pleven Panorama charges 10 leva for admission and uses life-sized battle scenes to explain the city’s role in the Russo-Turkish War. Guides speak Bulgarian and Russian, but English audio guides are available. Kaylaka Park remains open until sunset, with clear signs marking trails to viewpoints over the Devnya Gorge. At the Regional Historical Museum, don’t miss the second-floor exhibit displaying Thracian gold jewelry found in burial mounds near the city. For a quiet afternoon, borrow fishing gear from the park’s rental station and try catching carp in Lake Kaylaka.
Local Food and Markets Try patatnik, a potato pancake baked with mint and sirene cheese, at Mehana Chuchura restaurant near the Drama Theater. Street vendors sell lukanka sausages and roasted sunflower seeds along Knyaz Alexander I Street during morning hours. Most bakeries offer tikvenik, a pumpkin-filled pastry, for under 3 leva. On Tuesdays, farmers set up stalls near the city stadium to sell honeycomb, plum rakia, and jars of rosehip jam. Avoid restaurants with laminated menus translated into five languages—smaller spots with chalkboard menus usually serve better food.
Getting Around Pleven’s bus system works best for reaching the Panorama and vineyards—buy tickets from kiosks before boarding. Taxis cost less than in Sofia, but insist the driver uses the meter. The train station has direct routes to Sofia (three hours) and Varna (five hours), though buses run more frequently. Central streets like Veliko Tarnovo and Skobelev are pedestrian-friendly, with wide sidewalks and benches. If renting a car, note that parking near the main square requires a permit from 8 AM to 6 PM on weekdays.
Day Trips Driving 40 minutes northeast takes you to the medieval rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo, a UNESCO site with frescoes painted by monks in the 1300s. Head south to Nikopol to walk along Danube River docks where fishermen sell freshly caught carp and catfish. In summer, buses run to Krushuna Waterfalls, where a 30-minute hike leads to turquoise pools surrounded by limestone formations. Archaeology buffs can join guided tours to the ruins of Storgozia Fortress, a Roman military camp discovered during highway construction in 2005.
