Things to Do in Ruse

Ruse is Bulgaria's main river port on the Danube and sits directly across from Giurgiu, Romania, connected by the 2.2 km Friendship Bridge built in 1954.

The city was known as 'Rousse' under Ottoman rule for nearly 500 years and became a major commercial hub during the 19th century, earning it the nickname 'Little Vienna' for its Austro-Hungarian architecture.

Ruse's Liberty Monument, erected in 1908 on a hill overlooking the city, is one of the oldest monuments to freedom in Europe and stands 30 metres tall.

The city is home to Bulgaria's oldest operating theatre, the Ivan Vazov National Theatre, opened in 1882 and still hosting performances.

Ruse was heavily damaged during World War II bombing raids but much of its 19th-century Belle Époque architecture has been restored, making it an open-air museum of Austro-Hungarian design.