The Plovdiv province has one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the entire world. The heart of your trip is the Plovdiv old town which sits on three hills made of solid granite. You can walk the steep cobblestone streets past colorful houses with wooden frames and overhanging upper floors. The most impressive sight is the Roman theater which was built nearly two thousand years ago and is still used for opera and theater today. Standing on the stone seats and looking out over the modern city is an experience you will never forget.
Drive away from the city center to the Kapana district which is known as the trap because of its narrow winding streets. This area is full of small craft shops and vibrant cafes that spill out onto the sidewalk. You can spend hours wandering through the alleys to find local art and hidden murals on the walls. It is the creative soul of the city and a great place to stop for a coffee and people watch. The energy here is youthful and artistic making it a favorite spot for travelers.
The journey takes you south toward the Rhodope mountains to find the Asen’s Fortress perched on a sharp cliff. This medieval stronghold looks like something out of a fairy tale and guards the road into the mountains. You can climb the narrow stairs to the small church at the top for a view that will take your breath away. The river below flows through a deep canyon and the forest stretches as far as you can see. This province is a perfect blend of ancient ruins and modern mountain adventures.
Plovdiv (province) highlights
- Ancient Theater features a Roman stage made of white marble still used for opera and music today. Sit in the stone seats for a view of the modern city and the high mountains in the distance. Visit one of the best kept ancient theaters in the world located in the heart of the old town.
- Old Town Hills offer cobblestone streets and colorful merchant houses with old wooden frames. Walk the narrow alleys to find hidden gardens and the remains of very old stone walls. Visit the houses which serve as museums to learn the stories of the people who lived here.
- Asen’s Fortress sits as a fairy tale castle on a sharp rock guarding the road into the mountains. Climb to the small church at the top for a view that is truly grand and wide. Look at the medieval walls from the road below to see why it remains a symbol of strength.
- Bachkovo Monastery remains a huge spiritual site with a famous icon and paths leading to mountain springs. See the old dining hall with murals and eat local food sold at the main stone gate. Explore the second largest monastery in the land tucked into a beautiful green valley.
- The Singing Fountains dance to light and music in a large city park during the warm summer nights. Join the local people who meet here to enjoy the show and the happy atmosphere of the city. End a long day of walking with a visit to this colorful and musical water display.
- Nebet Tepe reveals the ruins of the first city on a hill with a view of the whole valley. Watch the sunset from the layers of history in the stone walls from the time of ancient tribes. Look out over the modern city and the river from this high point in the old quarter.
- Kapana District provides a maze of small streets full of art shops and modern creative cafes. Find colorful murals on the walls and enjoy the youthful energy of this famous city area. Stop here for a good coffee and a chance to watch the local life pass you by.
- Roman Stadium hides a huge stone track right under the main shopping street of the modern city center. Go downstairs to see the seats where people once watched the runners thousands of years ago. Learn how the ancient city was much larger than the one people see on the surface today.
- Red Church stands as a massive red brick ruin in the middle of a quiet and green field. Capture a dramatic photo of the tall arches against the blue sky and the distant hills. Walk through the site to see the old brick work and the scale of this ancient temple.
- Hisarya Spa Town contains a full Roman wall that is still standing and many hot water springs. Walk the green parks and drink mineral water from the public stone taps during your visit. Explore some of the best Roman ruins in the country located in this quiet southern town.
The local Four
History of Plovdiv (province)
Plovdiv is arguably the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe, but the province is the Thracian Heart. It is dotted with hundreds of burial mounds, the most famous being the Valley of the Kings near Starosel, where a massive temple tomb with a grand staircase was discovered. The region was the center of the Odrysian Kingdom, and later, a Roman provincial capital called Trimontium, featuring a marble stadium and an amphitheater still in use today.
The province medieval history is anchored by Asen Fortress, a 13th century stronghold perched on a vertical cliff guarding the pass into the Rhodopes. During the National Revival, Plovdiv became the center of Bulgarian culture and trade; the wealthy merchants built the Baroque Houses of the Old Town, which are now architectural museums. The province was also the site of the Unification of Bulgaria in 1885, a pivotal moment in modern history.
Driving through Plovdiv Province, you encounter the Red Church near Perushtitsa, a 5th century brick ruin of an early Christian basilica that remains one of the most photographed sites in the country. The Hisarya Spa features a perfectly preserved 2 kilometer Roman wall and 22 mineral springs. From the art filled streets of the Kapana district to the mountain silence of Bachkovo Monastery, the province is the ultimate crossroads of civilizations.