Welcome to Plovdiv

With an easy grace, Plovdiv mingles invigorating nightlife among millennia-old ruins. Like Rome, Plovdiv straddles seven hills; but as Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city, it’s far more ancient. It is best loved for its romantic old town, packed with colourful and creaky 19th-century mansions that are now house-museums, galleries and guesthouses.

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But cobblestoned lanes and National Revival–era nostalgia are only part of the story. Bulgaria’s cosmopolitan second city has always been hot on the heels of Sofia, and a stint as European Capital of Culture 2019 seems sure to give Plovdiv the edge. Music and art festivals draw increasing crowds, while renovations in the Kapana creative quarter and Tsar Simeon Gardens have given the city new confidence. Once an amiable waystation between Bulgaria and Greece or Turkey, the city has flowered into a destination in its own right – and one that should be on any itinerary through central Bulgaria.

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Plovdiv activities

$51.75 Day Trips & Excursions

From Sofia to Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa Day Trip with Guide

Start your day with a pickup from central Sofia in the early morning. Hop inside an air-conditioned minivan with your expert driver-guide, and then relax as you travel out of the Bulgarian capital to the city of Plovdiv, one of the oldest towns in the country and Bulgaria’s second largest city.On arrival, after around two hours, stretch your legs on a walking tour of the city’s sights. With your guide leading the way, wander along Plovdiv’s cobbled streets, lined with bohemian cafes and art galleries, and hear about the 7,000-year-old settlement’s history and culture. Stroll amid the many house museums and historical monuments in Plovdiv’s lovely Old Town, and learn how it has been restored to its mid-19th-century appearance. Snap photos of the Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Bulgarian antiquities, and perhaps see the Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum or wonder at the Roman amphitheater.After touring Plovdiv, break for lunch at a local restaurant (own expense), and then return to your minivan and take in the scenic sights on route to Koprivshtitsa, a charming town with a fascinating history and beautiful 19th-century architecture. Enjoy a guided walking tour and learn how the tranquil town was the site of the Liberation of Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War, leading to its release from Ottoman rule. Then, choose to visit the homes of some of Koprivshtitsa’s most-celebrated residents, from rebels to writers.When the time comes, begin the journey back to Sofia, where your day trip concludes with a drop-off at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.Please note: If you take this tour between May and June, you’ll enjoy an additional stop on the way to Plovdiv to see the picturesque rosa damascene (oil-yielding rose) fields.
$34.50 Day Trips & Excursions

Plovdiv Full Day Tour from Sofia

ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Plovdiv Old Town, Plovdiv, Plovdiv ProvinceA remarkable part of Bulgarian Revival history, the old town of Plovdiv is a colourful must when visiting Bulgaria.Duration: 2 hoursStop At: Plovdiv Roman Theatre, Plovdiv, Plovdiv ProvinceOne of the best-preserved Roman theatres on the Balkans. Duration: 30 minutes
$65.20 Tours & Sightseeing

Plovdiv and Thracia Valley with Wine Tasting

Meet a driver at your Sofia hotel for 9am departure, then begin the 2-hour journey to Plovdiv, a historic city that's built across seven rolling hills. Get your bearings on a walking tour of the city's UNESCO-listed Old Town, visiting remains of the Ancient Roman Empire including the Roman Stadium, Roman Forum and the Amphitheater. Walking along the main street is the perfect way to experience the charming mood of the town, passing a blend of historic architecture, modern shops, and cafes. Pause for a lunch of traditional Bulgarian cuisine then continue to a vineyard in the Thracia Valley, where mountain-ringed vineyards produce some of Bulgaria's best wine. Taste several varieties in a boutique wine cellar, visit the vineyards, and learn about typical Bulgarian wine production. Following the tasting begin the return trip to Sofia, where this tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel. 
$40.25 Tours & Sightseeing

Full-Day Plovdiv and Asen’s Fortress Tour from Sofia

ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Plovdiv Old Town, Plovdiv, Plovdiv ProvinceAncient Plovdiv Architectural Reserve is a well-preserved complex where on a relatively small area visitors can take walks through different historical ages, see ancient buildings adapted to the modern way of life and feel the spirit of the town from the Bulgarian Revival Period.The Old Town, as the complex is known, lies on a natural elevation – the three hills (the closely situated Dzhambaz Hill, Nebet Hill, and Taksim Hill). Many peoples have inhabited this place through the centuries. And all of them have left traces of their cultures and also the different names they gave to the town. Plovdiv is one of the oldest towns in Europe – it dates back to 4000 years BC. During Antiquity the Thracians came to the hill and set up a fortified settlement that was conquered by Philip of Macedon in the 2nd century BC. He gave one of the many names of the town - Philipopolis, and surrounded it with thick fortification walls. Later the Thracians regained control over the town, but after a series of battles they lost it to the Romans in the 1st century. A fortress from Thracian times is preserved on the very summit of Nebet Hill.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Plovdiv Roman Theatre, Plovdiv, Plovdiv ProvinceThe Roman theatre of Plovdiv is one of the world's best-preserved ancient theaters, located in the city center of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It was constructed in the 90s of the 1st century AD, probably under the ruler ship of Emperor Domitian. The theater can host between 5000 and 7000 spectators and it is currently in use.Duration: 15 minutesStop At: Assenova krepost (Asen's Fortress), Asenovgrad, Plovdiv ProvinceThis beautiful medieval fortification will allow you to learn some history and take wonderful pictures from the top. At 16:00 your tour will be over and you will start your journey back to Sofia with an expected time of arrival at Alexander Nevski Square in Sofia around 18:00h.Duration: 1 hour
$43.70 Day Trips & Excursions

Wonderful Bridges, Bachkovo Monastery, Assen's Fortress Private Day Tour from Plovdiv

ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: Assenova krepost (Asen's Fortress), Asenovgrad, Plovdiv ProvinceExplore the Assen's Fortress. Admission fee: 4 leva per person. Duration: 30 minutesStop At: Bachkovo Monastery, Bachkovo, Plovdiv ProvinceExplore the Bachkovo MonasteryDuration: 45 minutesStop At: The Wonderful Bridges, Smolyan, Smolyan ProvinceExplore the Wonderful BridgesDuration: 45 minutes
$259.19 Multi-day & Extended Tours

4-Night Bulgaria from Sofia: Bansko and Plovdiv

Day 1:Arrival in Sofia. Transfer from the airport to the hotel. Free time. Overnight in the hotelDay 2:Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Bansko. Take a walking tour of Bansko, a world-famous mountain resort within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pirin National Park. Free time. Overnight in the hotel.Day 3:Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Plovdiv.Plovdiv, the second biggest city of Bulgaria, is considered to be one of the oldest settlements of Europe, with more than 7,000 years of history. Plovdiv is situated on the crossroads between the West and the East, amid the fertile plain of Thrace, where history and modernity go hand in hand. The city is home of the remains of the Ancient Roman Empire – the Roman Stadium, Roman Forum and the Amphitheatre. The Old Town of Plovdiv, situated on the three hills of the ancient Trimontium, with its houses from the National Revival period (18-19th century) is proclaimed an architectural open air museum. The tour offers visit to some of the main landmarks of Bulgaria from Thracian times, trough the Roman Empire period, the national revival, till the modern age.Day 4:Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Sofia. Afternoon tour “Sofia Food, Heritage and Culture tour” from 3pm till 6pm. Free time.During this tour, you'll explore the rest of the sights in the Sofia center like National Theater, ex Royal Palace, Presidency, St. George Rotunda, the place named The Small Jerusalem with orthodox St. Petka church, Banya Bashi mosque, The Synagogue and the Catholic Church St. Josef. We will visit the biggest indoor market Central Hali, will ride the newest underground in Europe and will taste fantastic Bulgarian wine with traditional Bulgarian meat pieces called meze, you will taste also the fantastic Shopska Salad and typical Bulgarian cold soup tarator.Overnight in the hotel.Day 5:Transfer from your hotel to the airport.
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