Plovdiv

Plovdiv lies in the western part of the Upper Thracian Plain, on the banks of the river Maritsa, the largest by discharge on the Balkan peninsula. To the north, the valley extends to the "bottom" of the Balkan Mountains - the Sredna Gora mountain range, the Sub-Balkan Valleys ("The Valley of Roses"), and then the southern slopes of the main chain itself. To the south, the northern slopes of the Rhodope Mountains rise not far from Plovdiv, easily visible on a clear day.

Plovdiv was built around several small, but steep hills, though only six of them survive (the others were quarried for stone and gravel). They are locally called tepeta ("tepe"-s), from the Turkish word for "hill", and journalists like calling Plovdiv "the city under the tepes". The river Maritsa (Марица) flows through the city roughly east to west. Most of the city and the Old Town are on its southern bank.

Plovdiv is perhaps the oldest continually inhabited city in Europe, whose history began around 6000 BC. It used to have seven tall hills, some of which were used for quarries. It began as a Thracian settlement called Eumolpias. The city has changed its name many times with new settlers and rulers: from Philippoupolis and Pulpudeva ("the city of Philip", the father of Alexander the Great), through Trimontium ("the three hills"), to Pəldin, Pləpdiv (Плъпдив) and Plovdiv. They also left their marks behind: there are several Roman ruins that can be seen in or near the city centre. During the long occupation by the Ottoman Empire, a large mosque, still present, was built in the center of the city. During Communist times, a statue of the unnamed Russian soldier was erected on one of the three main hills which overlook the city.

Today, Plovdiv is a famous tourist destination and serves as a gateway to many other points of interest. Plovdiv is well known for hosting the Plovdiv International Fair twice a year and for its ancient, medieval and enlightenment sites.

When you are in Plovdiv, you can get help and more information about the city from one of the two tourist information centres in the city. The first one is in the middle of the city, next to the post office; when arriving in the city via train or bus through the "Yug" or "Rhodope" stations, this is one of the first buildings you'll come across in the city center. The second one is in the Old City, on its main street (Saborna St), close to the Ethnographic museum and the beautiful church of Saint Konstantin and Elena.

Tourist information centres can help you with all kinds of information including city maps, information about concerts, bus and train schedules, and finding a place to sleep.

Plovdiv was a "European Capital of Culture" for 2019, an honour it shared with Matera.

Taxis and buses are prevalent. Downtown has a large pedestrian zone. Taxis are (Summer 2010) as cheap if not cheaper than bus rides when split between 3-4 people in general. A 5-7 km of traveled distance was charged at around 5 лв (charge for km is 0.99 лв daily and 1.09 лв nightly); an average ride within the city costs around 3 лв. The taxi arrives in about 3-5 min. Remember to order the Taxi from the companies that offer the best deals and wait for it. Generally taking the taxi that is already waiting will cost you more (sometimes up to 5 times more) avoid them or ask for a flat price that fits you! Learn who offers best prices from the locals who often use taxis. Most of the taxi cars have 4-digit numbers on them, remember some and use it if you need a car, for example: 6155, 6142, 9199 and so on.

As of summer 2011, if your taxi ride costs more than 5 лв, you are entitled to a 20% discount off the fare.

Old Plovdiv is compact and walkable, with the main downtown road blocked to car traffic. There is a good collection of Bulgarian revival buildings in use as museums, hotels, and restaurants etc. and is worth a visit if you have a chance.

• 🌍 Roman Amphitheatre. The Roman Amphitheatre, discovered in the 1970s during a construction project, is part of the pedestrian zone, and typically has merchants selling art and other items nearby. (updated Feb 2016)
• 🌍 St. Marina church. It has a unique wooden tower. (updated Feb 2016)

Wander the cobblestone streets near the downtown to find, a mosque from the Ottoman Empire, and on the nearby hill the old town center. The old town centre was walled, and has a famous gateway entrance. Nearby Puldin Restaurant has subterranean rooms where the old wall and historic artifacts can be seen. Continuing up the hill several older houses are now museums and the Roman amphitheater with an overlook of the town below is partially restored and still used for concerts and other occasions.

In the new center of the city, right before you go up into the old city, you will see the 🌍 Roman Stadium, which dates back to the late 1st/early 2nd century. It had a capacity of 30,000 people, and as the Roman laws dictated that the city stadium should have seating for at least half the population, it summarily shows the town had 60,000 inhabitants during Roman times. In addition, the ancient theatre is capable of seating 6,000 people at once, and yes, as you already guessed, Roman laws were dictating that the theatres should accommodate one-tenth of the population at a time.

When you go to the other end of the pedestrian street, next to the Tourist Information Centre and the post office, you will see the Roman Odeon and Forum. The forum was to Romans what the city centers are to modern human. This one had three sides of 13 shops on each side, and a fourth one for the bank, library, and other institutions of this sort. There's also a nice park with kid playgrounds and colour+music fountains.

• 🌍 Dzhumaya Mosque, ul. Konstantin Irechek 3, ☏ +359 32 629 097. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Plovdiv Regional Archaeological Museum, ul. Ploshtad Saedinenie 1, ☏ +359 32 624 339. M closed, Tu-Su 10ː00-18ː00. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Imaret Mosque. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Ottoman Clock Tower. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Church of St Constantine and Helena. (updated Sep 2021)
• 🌍 Bishop's Basilica of Philippopolis, 2 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd, ☏ +359 876 662 900. Daily 09:00 – 18:00. Rich Roman mosaics from late antiquity. (updated Jul 2023)
• 🌍 Small Basilica Archeological Site, 31 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd. Roman mosaics from the 5th - 6th centuries. (updated Jul 2023)

Plovdiv offers many things to do, and most are easily walkable.

• The Hills - For starters enjoying the sunset from all the different hills is a must. Walk all the way to the top in the late afternoon, pick something to drink and stay there for the sunset. Go down to enjoy the nightlife once it's dark.
• Kids train, On one of the hills there is a kids train (don't worry it's not for kids) that goes up into the hill and gets back down. It costs 1 лв and it's on the Mladeshki hill. On the top of the Bunardjik Hill, you can see the monument to the Soviet Army, known by locals simply as Alyosha.
• Old Town - Another must is the old town of Plovdiv which is full of art, free of cars and very enjoyable. Go take a walk. Try it at day, try it at night - it's amazing. Try some of the bars - there are life performances sometimes there. You might be even lucky enough to catch an opera performance in the old Roman theater.
• Center - Take a stroll up and down the main walking street of Plovdiv, known as "Glavnata" (The Main). It is full of shops, galleries, and cafes. Enjoy the central park during the day or at night, especially if it's a very hot day. Once the weather settles hit the main street and the bars/discos. On summer evenings, many locals gather to enjoy the marvelous singing fountains, located in a large pond on the western edge of the park (show starts at 22:00 every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).
• Attend a Folk/Jazz music festival. The International Festival Plovdiv Jazz Nights is a low key but high-quality 3-day event featuring some of the nation's best musicians along with some regional talents. Be there to witness a riot of colorful improvisations from great musicians. A variety of genres, styles, instruments are used although the music revolves around the central theme of Jazz and Blues.
• Visit 🌍 Bachkovo Monastery and Asenovgrad Krepost, a perfect day trip. There are many bus connections Asenovgrad by bus from the Rhodope bus station. Bachkovo Monastery is a small monastery up the valley from the nearby town of Bachkovo. Buses leave from platform 1 at the Rhodope bus station (across the tracks from the train station). The monastery is small but has a lovely chapel and some paths for easy walks in the surrounding area. Also many chances to buy jams and honey, though not all sellers are the actual producers.

• Football: Botev play soccer in First League, Bulgaria's top tier. Their home ground is Stadion Hristo Botev (capacity 22,800) east side of city centre.

Lokomotiv Plovdiv also play in First League, at Stadion Lokomotiv (capacity 10,000) 2 km southeast of the centre.

You can buy many different souvenirs from Bulgaria that represent the country.

Bulgarian rose products tend to be one of the most popular souvenirs from the country, you can buy all kinds of rose goods — mostly cosmetics from soaps to shampoos, gels, oils, and perfumes.

Cutlery made of wood or clay might also be worthwhile to look for.

Or perhaps you might be looking for a painting or even a musical instrument?

Many great antique shops have objects from the Russo-Turkish War up to World War II.

Generally speaking, eating in Plovdiv should be cheap for the westerner's pocket. Fast food is available and of high quality (in general).

There are McDonald's, KFC, Kastello, Verde and other popular restaurants.

• 🌍 Zanzibar, ul. Peshtersko shose 88, ☏ +359 88 424 2200. Club Zanzibar is the ideal place to drink in Plovdiv. It contains a stylish African interior Cocktail Bar which offers the best drinks in the city and at night time offers the largest nightclub in all of Plovdiv. (updated Mar 2015)
• Kapana District. If you want to immerse yourself in the liveliest area in Plovdiv, head to the Kapana creative district. It used to be a neglected area in the centre of Plovdiv, where the buildings were crumbling and the sidewalks were full of parked cars, but has become the cultural heart of the city. (updated Jun 2019)

As of Sept 2021, Plovdiv has 5G from A1 and Vivacom, and 4G from Telenor, with coverage all along the main highway to the north. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Generally speaking, Plovdiv is a very safe place. Avoid the ghetto area and you will be very safe. Old town and the main street are generally very busy and safe. Parks during the day are safe to avoid them at night unless you are with a larger company.

Avoid wearing football shirts or scarves of the Plovdiv or Sofia-based football teams, especially on match days.

Beggars have many forms, including people holding documents and having badges from "charity foundations". If such people try to stop you, just say firmly "No" and don't stop.

Overall the city has improved in terms of safety.

If you are using public transport always keep an eye on your personal belongings. Many pickpockets take advantage of overcrowded buses (like bus line 1 for example).

• Take the narrow-gauge train to Bansko, a gorgeous ride to a great doorway to the Pirin, which offer some of Bulgaria's best hiking and skiing.
• High speed trains will take you to Burgas or Sofia, making them quickly accessible options. Travel by bus to Burgas takes about 5 hr, by not-so-high-speed train about 5½ hr (may delay i.e. up to 6½ hr; about 15 лв for a person).
• Farther into the Rhodope Mountains you'll find ski resorts and other natural attractions, such as the impressively narrow gorge and caves leading to Trigrad, not far from the mountainous Greek border.
• The Sofia-Plovdiv-Istanbul Night Train connects Plovdiv to Turkey daily. Tickets must be bought in person at the international office of the train station and cost about €35 for both reservation and one spot in a two bed sleeper. Cheaper options available.