Plovdiv

Bulgarian road trip: Sofia to the city of the tsars

One of the Balkans' larger countries, Bulgaria makes an excellent place for road tripping. Despite now being an EU member, enough of Bulgaria’s wildness (literal and figurative) remains to guarantee that travellers have their own unique experiences while exploring the country.

Ivan Vazov National Theatre, Sofia. Image by David Holt / CC BY-SA 2.0

Chris Deliso

Lonely Planet Writer

A walking tour of old Plovdiv

There’s a lot to love about Plovdiv: just ask the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Turks, all of whom fought to claim it as their own. Originally established by the Thracians around 5000 BC, Plovdiv was proclaimed the sixth-oldest city in the world, and while it’s not future-shy (it’s recently been named the European Capital of Culture for 2019), Bulgaria’s second city rightfully revels in its past. Soak up the ancient atmosphere on an afternoon amble through old Plovdiv.

Partially restored Roman Odeon, Plovdiv. Image by Dennis Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0

Tamara Sheward

Lonely Planet Writer

Party in Plovdiv 2015: top festivals in Bulgaria’s second city

In a city older than Rome, where colourful period houses jostle next to craft markets, galleries and edgy nightlife, there's never a bad time to visit. Springtime sends flocks of hikers exploring the Rhodope Mountains, right on the city’s outskirts. Summers are spent revelling in a calendar of musical and cultural events, and slurping cooling tarator soup in the shade. Autumn is perfect timing to explore the local wine scene, while the cold season dusts the city’s seven hills with snow – and sees rakiya boiled up as a winter warmer.

If you’re tempted to explore Plovdiv, why not time your first trip for a festival? From twilight operas to hedonistic mountain retreats, these six events are the perfect way into Plovdiv’s rich heritage and irresistible sense of fun.