Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is located in the large plain between the Rhodope Mountains in the south of Bulgaria and the Balkan Range, or Old Mountains (Stara Planina) that runs through the center of Bulgaria. Both ranges are visible on clear days. The Maritsa River flows through the city on its way southeast before forming the Greek/Turkey border to the Aegean Sea.
Plovdiv is an ancient city, with a history stretching at least 5000 years. Originally it had 7 tall hills, some of which were used for quarries. It was controlled by the Romans and was called Trimontium at that time (the Three Hills), and by Philip of Macedonia (father of Alexander the Great), lending the city another old name, Philipopolis. There is a statue to Philip in the downtown business center. During the long occupation by the Ottoman Empire, a large mosque was built, still present in the downtown area as well. During Communist times, a statue to the "liberating" Russian soldiers was erected on one of the three main hills which overlooks the center.
Plovdiv hosted specialized expositions of the World's Fair several times in the 20th century. It has an Olympic-sized rowing lake and many hotels
PLACE TO VISIT
The old center of Plovdiv is compact and walkable, with the main downtown road blocked to car traffic. There is a good collection of Bulgarian revival buildings in use as museums, hotels, and restaurants etc. and is worth a visit if you have chance. The nearby Roman Amphitheater, discovered in the 1970's during a construction project, is part of the pedestrian zone, and typically has merchants selling art and other items nearby. Wander the cobblestone streets near the downtown to find the centuries old St. Marina church with a unique wooden tower, a mosque from the Ottoman Empire, and on the nearby hill the old town center. The old town center was walled, and has a famous gateway entrance. Nearby Puldin Restaurant has subterranean rooms where the old wall and historic artifacts can be seen. Continuing up the hill several older houses are now museums and the Roman amphitheater with an overlook of the town below is partially restored and still used for concerts and other occasions.
To the south of the city there is the Bachkovo Monastery, still in use. Farther into the Rhodope mountains one can find ski resorts and other natural attractions, such as the impressively narrow gorge and caves leading to Trigrad, not far from the mountainous Greek border.
WHAT TO DO
Despite of the fact that Plovdiv is a relatively small city compared to a large multi-million population mega-polis it offers surprisingly many things to do.
The Hills - For starters enjoying the sunset from all the different hills is a must. Walk all the way to the top in the late afternoon, pick something to drink and stay there for the sunset. Go down to enjoy the nightlife once it's dark.
Old Town - Another must is the old town of Plovdiv which is full of art, free of cars and very enjoyable. Go take a walk try it at day, try it at night it's amazing. Try some of the bars there are life performances sometimes there. You might be even lucky enough to catch an opera performance in the old roman theater.
Center - Enjoying the central park during the day, especially if it's a very, very hot day. Once the weather settles hit the main street and the bars/discos.
HOW TO REACH
By train - There are many daily trains to and from Sofia. Duration is about two and a half hours. There is also one daily train from Istanbul in Turkey which takes about 11 hours.
By car - The A1 expressway connects Plovdiv westward to Sofia. It also extends a short distance to the east. This is one of two true expressways in the country (the other was built north from Sofia to communist leader Todor Zhivkov's birthplace). Other destinations require two-lane roads, such as the most direct route to Pleven, which is the somewhat adventurous Troyan pass road.
By bus - Buses run approximately hourly from Sofia, and are slightly faster than the trains. There are also buses to most other major Bulgarian cities several times a day.
