Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv’s appeal derives from its lovely old town, largely restored to its mid-19^th-century appearance. It is the second largest city in Bulgaria, located 130 km away from Sofia. Plovdiv – is a pretty good option for a day trip outside of Sofia. It’s packed with atmospheric house museums and art galleries.

Plovdiv’s history dates as far back as 5000BC, when it began life a Neolithic settlement. It is one of the World’s most ancient cities and Europe’s oldest inhabited city — even beating Athens. The settlement was originally Thracian, but it became a major Greek and then a Roman city known as Philippopolis, named after the King of Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great’s father, who conquered the city in 342BC. Plovdiv became a city in tune with the ever-changing evolution of history.

How to get there from Sofia?

• There’s a bus from the Central Bus Station at every hour (even every 30 minutes in the middle of the day). It takes around two hours and costs around 14 BGN one-way.
• Train to Plovdiv takes a bit longer than the bus but it’s also a good option. Check out the timetable on the website of the Bulgarian State Railways.

What to see?

• Roman Amphitheatre. Summer time (april – october) 09:00 am to 18:00 pm. Winter time (november - march) 09:00 am to 17:30 pm. Entrance – 5 lv. (student- 2 lv.)
• Roman Stadium
• Ethnographical Museum. - Summer time (april – october) 09:00 am to 18:00 pm. Winter time (november - march) 09:00 am to 17:30 pm. Entrance – 5 lv. (student- 2 lv.)
• Historical Museum - Summer time (april – october) 09:00 am to 18:00 pm. Winter time (november - march) 09:00 am to 17:30 pm. Entrance – 5 lv. (student- 2 lv.)
• Balabanov House - Summer time (april – october) 09:00 am to 18:00 pm. Winter time (november - march) 09:00 am to 17:30 pm. Entrance – 3 lv. (student- 2 lv.)
• Dzhumaya Mosque
• Roman Odeon

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