Situated midway between the beaches of the Black Sea coast and the sprawling Bulgarian capital at Sofia, Plovdiv’s amalgamation of exquisite Eastern architecture, enthralling cultural exhibitions, raw history, exciting nightlife and Balkan warmth strikes a neat balance between the hedonism of the seaside resorts and the urban energy of the country’s largest metropolitan hub.
What instantly hits most first-time visitors here is the exquisite and startlingly well-preserved historical veneer, centred on the winding web of cobbled roadways that converge on Old Plovdiv; a place where an ancient Roman amphitheatres rubs shoulders with sights like the Ottoman Dzumaya Mosque and the gorgeous St. Marina Orthodox Church. Perhaps the best way to take it all in would be a walking tour covering its comprehensive museums and landmarks, punctuated by breaks at the lovely bohemian cafes along the way. Then there’s new Plovdiv and the surrounding districts, comprised of leafy parks, lingering monuments to Soviet Realism and lively Balkan shopping streets.
What’s more, if you’re interested in exploring the greater region of south-central Bulgaria, then this one’s the perfect base. Be sure to ask your Plovdiv tour guide about tips on reaching the formidable crumbling remnants of Assenova Krepost, or the aged, mysterious mountain monastery of Bachkovo—one of the oldest centres of Orthodox monks in all of Europe!