Plovdiv: Medieval charm in Bulgaria

We first chose to go Plovdiv mainly because of the convenient location in south-central Bulgaria. Not knowing much about this second largest city of the country beforehand, it was a very positive surprise, and we were quickly enchanted by the charm of the city. First evidence of habitation in the area dates back to 6th millennium BC, and the long history shows in several ancient monuments and sites right in the city center. The geography is part of the grace; Plovdiv lies on the banks of Maritsa river and there are six (originally seven) hills on which the city has been built. Cobblestone streets of the old town wind along the hill sides and after every turn there is something new to explore.

Roman Amphitheater from 2nd century, partly restored Roman Stadium under a pedestrian street, ruins of Eumolpias on top of a hill, medieval gates and walls, Oden of Philippopolis, old churches, mosques, museums, galleries, statues… The list of sights is impressive and most of them are in a relatively small area, easily within walking distance. It is still recommended to reserve a whole day for walking tours around the city – and to not wear high heels, since part of the old town streets are steep and cobblestones are uneven to say the least.

History and sights are not the only thing this city has to offer. Pedestrian streets of the old town are full of cafes, shops and restaurants, so you can spend hours just wandering around, admiring the beautiful buildings, stopping for a coffee and eating cheap street food. Old town seemed to be busy no matter the day and time, both locals and visitors enjoy walking around the pedestrian area. For craft beer enthusiasts there are some decent beer pubs to stop by, or how does a glass of wine in a jazz-bar after a walking tour sound?

To fully enjoy the Plovdiv charm, we recommend to book your accommodation from the old town. There are some budget hostels and high-quality options as well. We stayed two nights in basic but very centrally situated Guest Rooms Contact for around 20 EUR per night (we managed to catch a great last minute deal). For a more demanding taste a nice, very highly rated but still affordable option would be Hotel Evmolpia. If you are planning a bit longer stay or are in a group bigger than 2 persons, booking an apartment could be the best bet. For example Kapana Vibes and Kapana Spirit apartments come with perfect location, quality and reasonable price, at least in off-season.

How to get to Plovdiv?

Plovdiv is easy to reach basically from everywhere in Europe. Most visitors who come to Bulgaria start their trip from the capital Sofia, which is very well connected. However, there is also an international airport 12 km away from Plovdiv city center. Low-cost airline Ryanair has flights straight to Plovdiv with very reasonable prices from for example London Stansted, Frankfurt-Hahn and Milan Bergamo. We recommend using SkyScanner to find the best flight deals.

If coming from Sofia, there is a regular bus service between these who cities and a train connection as well. By bus the trip takes just around two hours, and by train from two and a half to four hours depending on the type of the train (express or regular slow train). If flying straight to Plovdiv, you can take either a taxi (max. 10 euros) or a public shared shuttle from the airport to downtown.

Travel guide for Bulgaria

Lonely Planet is a great choice for a travel guide wherever you may roam! For your adventurer in Bulgaria and neighboring Romania there is a useful combined guide.

We have found LP travel guides especially handy for gathering background information about the destination countries and for checking transportation details, city maps and must-see sights. There also are introductions and recommendations for  places to sleep and eat, among other useful info.

Your can easily order paperbacks or handy e-books to destinations all over the world from Lonely Planet shop.