Another gem on the list of “oldest continuously settled cities in the world” is the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv. Located 150 km (93 mi) southeast of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, Plovdiv and its seven (now six) iconic hills have been inhabited for 8,000 years. Today, ongoing archaeological excavations often reveal evidence of its Roman and Ancient Thracians past inhabitants.
Plovdiv’s “Old Town” has an almost completely restored outdoor Roman theatre and as you wander through this part of town you feel like walking in an outdoor museum littered with stoneworks, cobbled alleys, old churches and even mansions dating back to its ancient, and not so ancient, past. Many old mansions date back to the Ottoman era, many of which are now open as museums and guesthouses.
The old town in Plovdiv has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage tentative list since 2004
Plovdiv was the first-ever Bulgarian city to be chosen as “European Capital of Culture”. In 2019, Plovdiv served under the motto of “Together” to highlight the city’s Roman, Persian and Ottoman influences on the culture of Europe.
Here are nine excitements not to miss when visiting Plovdiv:
1. Plovdiv has many hills – hike them all
Plovdiv was originally built across seven hills, although there are really only six now as one was quarried away centuries ago to construct the city.
The most scenic and popular hill, from a travellers’ point of view, is Nebet Tepe, one of the so-called “Three Hills of the Old Town”. The other two hills are Taksim Tepe and Dzhambaz Tepe. The other “less popular” hills are Danov’s Hill (Sahat Tepe), Alyosha Hill (Bunardzhik Tepe or Hill of Liberators) and Dzhendem Tepe (Youth Hill). Dzhendem is the highest hill in Plovdiv at 307 m (1,007 ft).
2. Relax in the ancient Turkish baths
After 80 years of operations, Banya (hamam) “Starinna”, the ancient Turkish baths, was partially restored in 1999 and turned into Center for Contemporary Art. The hamam is a unique architectural monument located near the northern approaches of the three hills.
The much older hamam of Plovdic no longer stands. News on August 29, 2018 from archaeologyinbulgaria.com confirmed: “17th-century Ottoman Turkish bath demolished on private property in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv”. The report explained: “The partly surviving ruins of an Ottoman Turkish bath likely dating to the beginning of the 17th century have been demolished in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv. The ruins in Plovdiv’s Karshiyaka Quarter have been levelled off using heavy machines to make way for the construction of a residential building”. Very sad news indeed.
Nowadays if you want to relax in a real Turkish bath in Plovdiv, head over to Complex Sila for its heated marble massage tables, and the chocolate & mud therapies. In addition to the Spa Centre, it also has pools and group exercise activities including spinning, yoga, pilates, and more. Complex Sila is located east of Youth Hill.
3. Enjoy open-air opera in an ancient Roman theatre
Plovdiv’s most famous cultural landmark is the Roman amphitheatre which is cut into the side of Taksim Tepe, one of the “Three Hills of the Old Town”. The theatre is still in use today, almost 2,000 years after it was constructed and only rediscovered in the 1970s after a landslide had taken place on the hill.
Here visitors can enjoy opera and theatre performances while sitting on one of the 7,000 ancient marble seats with breathtaking views over the city with the Rhodope mountains in the backdrop.
In addition to the Roman theatre, Plovdiv also offers a Roman stadium. At one time in the forgotten past, this 2nd-Century stadium could seat 30,000 spectators. Today you can only see remaining fragments of the structure. Head over to Dzhumaya Square from where you will have good views over the railings and down to a large section of the ancient stadium.
4. Stay in one of the Ottoman-era houses
While the Ottoman Turks seized Plovdiv in the 14th-Century (and possibly earlier), most of the mosques and mansions (homes owned by wealthy merchants) that are still standing today, were built during the Ottoman revival in the mid-19th-Century. During this time many houses were also embedded in the remains of the old stone walls around the city gates.
Today the Old Town is famed for its photogenic winding cobbled streets and some of the remaining Ottoman-era houses – some of which have been beautifully preserved and restored.
Among these is the Armenian Hindliyan House with its rose-water fountain in the hayet (main living space); the Klianti House with its beautifully painted ceilings; and the Mevlevi Hane which belonged to the Mevlevi Order of Sufis, which makes it kind of a rarity in Bulgaria. All that remains today of the Mevlevi is the hall where the Sufis performed their famous liturgical dances.
5. Hike up to the Alyosha monument
Plovdiv’s second-highest hill, Bunardzhik Tepe – also known as the “Hill of Liberators” and “Alyosha Hill”, is located west of downtown.
On top of the hill stands the 10.5 m (34 ft) high monument of Alyosha – a Russian soldier watching over the city and reminding us of the Soviet period in Bulgaria. Erected in 1957, Alyosha stands as a monument to the Red Army’s “liberation” of Plovdiv during World War II.
Alyosha apparently is the prototype of the Russian soldier Alexei Ivanovich Skurlatov and it’s a symbol of the Soviet Army. Close to Alyosha stands a monument with a cross at the top to remind us of the Russian King Alexander II (Alexander the Liberator) and the troops who “liberated” Plovdiv on January 4th, 1879.
6. People watching along pedestrian streets
Plovdiv’s main street, “Knyaz Aleksandar I”, is the main pedestrian area and stretches for almost 2 km from Central Square to the Novotel Plovdiv. It consists of Knyaz Alexander I Battenberg Street, and then continues along Rayko Daskalov Street.
The pedestrian street hosts a number of fashion shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, book stores and the usual tourist gift shops. Here are also many cafes and restaurants. Many of the houses in this area were built in the early 20th century.
The Kapana area is the creative heart of the city, packed with shops, restaurants and galleries. Its transformation to a pedestrianised area began in 2014, when ten creative enterprises moved into the area, funded by the European Capital of Culture Foundation, and things have taken off from there. A pleasant area to stroll around, especially in the evenings.
7. Stroll the pebble-paved alleys of the Old Town
Strolling along the vehicle-free cobblestone streets of Plovdiv’s Old Town is pure joy. Here traditional homes blend with ancient Roman ruins and walled alleys. The houses are half-timbered and many are painted in vivid colours, while others in pastel hues.
8. Shop for local arts and crafts
Magura Street in the Kapana area is home to many shops selling local crafts and souvenirs. Here you can buy handmade belts with ornate buckles and the kukeri masks worn by Bulgarians (mostly men) to scare off evil spirits – an ancient Bulgarian pagan ritual. The leather sandals and leather bags are also a great buy in this area.
In Plovdiv’s Old Town you will find Stramna street, the so-called “Street of Crafts” that is a great place to buy local wares and to see artisans at work in their studios.
9. Indulge in Bulgarian cuisines and wines
The Plovdiv area has a perfect climate for growing grapes, particularly red varieties such as the rich, dark mavrud. Local vineyards of note include Dragomir, Villa Yustine and the organic Zagreus.
While in Bulgaria, try the Pomorie Special Rakia that is enjoyed across the Balkans. It tends to be slightly different depending on the region of production. Also, make sure to try the Thracian wines.
Traditional Bulgarian dishes share some similarities with Turkish and Greek food. Bulgarian food often includes meat, yoghurt, cheese, and vegetables. Among some of the best dishes are the banitza (a buttery and cheesy pastry), lukanka (a type of salami), Tarator (cucumber soup), kebapche (kebab), meshana skara (mixed grill), gyuvech (stew), moussaka (a type of lasagne), and my personal favourite, the shkembe (tripe soup).
The above are just a drop in the bucket of the many experiences to enjoy in Plovdiv. Outside the city are even more attractions such as the Bachkovo Monastery (outside the town of Asenovgrad in the heart of the Rhodope mountains), Asen’s Fortress (southeast of Plovdiv), and Belintash (a cult site for the Thracians who once inhabited this part of the mountains).
Enjoy Plovdiv. You may not want to leave again. If you do leave, head east to Sozopol along the Black Sea.
☛ Read more: Other Top 9 and Top 10 lists
Further reading:
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.