Plovdiv

Plovdiv is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in Europe, with history dating back to around 6000 BC. The city served as European Capital of Culture in 2019, offering a compact Old Town with colorful Bulgarian National Revival architecture, Roman ruins including an ancient theatre and stadium, and a vibrant arts scene centered in the Kapana creative district. It's a cheaper, less crowded alternative to major European destinations with excellent food, nightlife, and access to the Rhodope Mountains.

Plovdiv lies in the western part of the Upper Thracian Plain on the banks of the Maritsa River, the largest by discharge on the Balkan peninsula. The city was built around several steep hills called 'tepeta' (from the Turkish word for hill), and journalists call it 'the city under the tepes.' The river Maritsa flows through roughly east to west, with most of the city and Old Town on its southern bank. The city has changed names many times: from Thracian Eumolpias to Philippoupolis and Pulpudeva (the city of Philip, father of Alexander the Great), through Roman Trimontium (the three hills), to the modern Plovdiv.

Plovdiv is served by Plovdiv International Airport (originally called Krumovo) with low-cost flights. The city has a central railway station and bus stations including Yug and Rhodope stations. The narrow-gauge train to Bansko offers a gorgeous ride through the mountains. The Sofia-Plovdiv-Istanbul Night Train connects Plovdiv to Turkey daily, with tickets costing about €35 for a two-bed sleeper compartment purchased at the international office of the train station.

Taxis and buses are prevalent in Plovdiv. Downtown has a large pedestrian zone perfect for walking. Taxis are cheap when split between 3-4 people: a 5-7 km ride costs around 5 лв (0.99 лв per km daily, 1.09 лв nightly). An average ride within the city costs around 3 лв. Avoid taxis already waiting as they can cost up to 5 times more; instead order from companies with better deals. As of summer 2011, rides over 5 лв qualify for a 20% discount.

Plovdiv hosts the Plovdiv International Fair twice a year and the Plovdiv Jazz Nights festival, a high-quality 3-day event featuring Bulgaria's best musicians. Summer evenings feature singing fountains in the central park (shows at 22:00 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). The city is beautiful in spring and fall when weather is pleasant for walking the hills and Old Town.

Budget options include The Crib Hostel (€9 with breakfast) just two blocks from Dzhumaya Mosque with rooftop views of the Old Town, and Hiker's Hostel (22 лв per person per night with free breakfast) which organizes trips to local attractions. For mid-range options, A&M Hotel near the train station costs approximately €30 per night. The Saborna 25 Guest House in the Old Town offers twelve rooms with an art cafe and tourist information. The Ramada by Wyndham Plovdiv Trimontium offers rooms around 185 лв per night with some jacuzzi rooms available.

Eating in Plovdiv is cheap for westerners. Fast food is available and generally of high quality. For local cuisine, try Smokini (20-50 лв) near the Dzhumaya mosque for traditional Bulgarian cuisine with international delicacies. Adisa is a folk-style snack bar with excellent vegetarian and local dishes, often with a queue at noon. For riverside dining, Restaurant Uncles on Boulevard Maritza 90 offers good fish cuisine with Bulgarian spirit. The Kapana District is the cultural heart of the city with numerous bars and restaurants.

Walk the hills for sunset views, especially Bunardjik Hill with the Alyosha monument to the Soviet Army. The Old Town is car-free, full of art, and enjoyable day or night. Take a ride on the kids train (1 лв) on Mladeshki hill. The main walking street 'Glavnata' has shops, galleries, and cafes. Visit the Roman Theatre (capacity 6,000) still used for concerts, the Roman Stadium under the city streets (30,000 capacity), and the Dzhumaya Mosque from Ottoman times. Football fans can catch Botev or Lokomotiv Plovdiv matches at their respective stadiums.

Plovdiv is generally very safe. Avoid the ghetto area and you will be very safe. Old Town and the main street are busy and safe. Parks are safe during the day but avoid them at night unless in a larger group. Avoid wearing football shirts or scarves of Plovdiv or Sofia-based teams, especially on match days. Beggars may approach with badges from 'charity foundations' - firmly say 'No' and keep walking. Be careful on overcrowded buses like line 1 as pickpockets target them.

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

Plovdiv is very affordable for backpackers. Budget accommodation starts at 22 лв per night at hostels. Street food and local restaurants offer meals for 20-50 лв. Taxi rides within the city average 3 лв. Train tickets to nearby destinations like Burgas cost about 15 лв. Daily budget of 50-80 лв is comfortable for accommodation, food, and transport.

Bachkovo Monastery is a short bus ride from the Rhodope bus station (platform 1), featuring a lovely chapel and easy walking paths in the surrounding area with opportunities to buy jams and honey. Asenovgrad Krepost offers another perfect day trip with many bus connections. The narrow-gauge train to Bansko provides a gorgeous ride to a gateway for the Pirin Mountains with excellent hiking and skiing.

Take the narrow-gauge train to Bansko for hiking and skiing in the Pirin Mountains. High-speed trains connect to Burgas or Sofia quickly, while bus travel to Burgas takes about 5 hours (train about 5½-6½ hours, approximately 15 лв). The Sofia-Plovdiv-Istanbul Night Train runs daily to Turkey (about €35 for sleeper). The Rhodope Mountains offer ski resorts and natural attractions like the impressively narrow gorge and caves at Trigrad near the Greek border.