The best things to see and do in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) in 1 day

With a trip to bulgaria You have a must-see stop in the city of Plovdiv, currently the second city in the country with 350.000 inhabitants.

Located in the Upper Thrace Valley, when you get closer to Plovdiv You will see that compared to the mountainous landscapes that characterize the regions that surround it, the city is located on a large plain that opens on both banks of the river. Maritsa river.

It is a Bulgarian region dedicated to agriculture and where there are plenty of sunflower fields.

Plovdiv It was one of the visits we made in our sightseeing trip to bulgaria with a tourism agency specialized in tailor-made trips (here we tell you our very good experience).

La Plovdiv city It has two clearly differentiated areas.

If you arrive from Sofia, the first image you will have of Plovdiv They show you an ugly residential city with large apartment blocks built with the gray architecture of the soviet era.

But don't be scared, they are its neighboring areas, and what you are going to visit is the historic city which extends over several hills, which is located on the other side of the river that crosses the city.

Curiosities History of Plovdiv

Indeed, Plovdiv It has a very long history as it dates back to about 4.000 BC, when the Thracians arrived in this region from Asia, so it is one of the oldest cities in Europe.

The city center and historic city They are located between six hills, which was the initial settlement of the first settlers of Plovdiv.

The fortress built was the largest of all Thrace, and after a period of occupation by the Macedonians, in the 1st century Plovdiv joined the Roman empire.

It took the Romans more than 100 years to conquer the city, and during that previous period they had a long relationship of respect and coexistence with the Thracians.

You will have several examples of the Roman occupation during your visit as you see the important archaeological remains that are still preserved in the city.

After several historical vicissitudes, being in the power of the Byzantines, Bulgarians, and even the Crusader Knights, in 1364 it was occupied by the Ottomans, so that Byzantine architecture was replaced by oriental-style buildings.

During the Renacimiento, Plovdiv had a great boom, whose expression is the large mansions built in the old City, with great ornamentation.

After the end of the Russo-Turkish War of 1878 and the founding of the new free state of Bulgaria, the city spent a period of seven years in which it remained an autonomous community under Ottoman rule.

Plovdiv, European City of Culture 2019

Nowadays it is an attractive city with great tourist interest (much more than Sofia), and a good example of this is that during 2019 the declaration of European City of Culture, which gave it an economic boost.

On the occasion of this celebration, an extensive cultural activities program that complemented the various cultural activities that usually take place during the year.

What is essential to see and do when visiting Plovdiv?

A main axis in your Plovdiv visit It's going to be long and wide pedestrian street Alexander I that connects a park with the square where the Dzhumaya Mosque.

It is an eminently commercial street with modern establishments and beautiful baroque houses with colorful facades.

This is a historic area in which a process of rehabilitation of houses and facades is being completed, the final milestone of which was undoubtedly the celebration of the events linked to the aforementioned declaration of European Cultural City 2019.

Plovdiv Roman Stadium

Next to the mosque you will find the remains of the ancient roman stadium from the second century, whose route runs below the aforementioned Alexander I Street.

In that place you find a stone reproduction of said Roman stadium, and you can go down to the base of it, as well as sit on the terrace of a cafeteria located in front of the section of stands.

Dzhumaya Mosque in Plovdiv

The aforementioned Dzhumaya Mosque It was built in 1369 and is on the site of the ancient Byzantine cathedral that the Turks burned after their occupation of the city.

Although, as you know, in most countries you are not allowed to enter mosques if you are not Muslim, in this case you can access the door and see inside.

There you will see its huge carpet that you will not be able to step on, and its decoration in which the white color of the walls is the protagonist.

Rimski Stadion Square in Plovdiv

Externally, you will be struck by the contrast of the large mosque building with baroque buildings with colorful facades that surround it in the Rimski Stadion square where it is located.

It is a prominent tourist spot because there is also the tourist office and the headquarters of the Plovdiv Foundation 2019.

In the mosque building there is a Turkish pastry and tea shop, where you can taste the typical arabic baklavas.

Regarding the Muslim presence in Plovdiv, it should be noted that this bulgarian city It is located about two hours from the Turkish border and three hours from Istanbul.

Due to this proximity, it is common for many Turks to arrive on weekends to Plovdiv to go to the various casinos in the city, since gambling is prohibited in Türkiye.

Kapana neighborhood of Plovdiv

From the aforementioned Rimski Stadion square extends the Kapana neighborhood where local artisans and artists take place, and which has become fashionable in recent times

It is an area with bars, cafes and terraces where in summer you can find atmosphere until 3 in the morning.

Plovdiv Old Town

But the main Plovdiv tourist attraction you will find it in your walk through the Old City, an area that extends across the three hills that were initially inhabited by the Thracians.

When you reach the top of the main hill, you will be able to see remains of the Wall that the Romans built on the original Thracian fortification.

During your ascent to Old City Hill You will walk through streets with cobblestone roads and leafy trees, which are closed to traffic.

Above all, the houses from the 18th and 19th centuries in the style of balkan baroque, most of which are renovated and have become small museums, like that of the decorative artsOr a old pharmacy.

You will also see artists galleries and some store remembrances or crafts.

A corner worth highlighting is the door that opens into a walled section where there is a beautiful house that houses a museum of ethnography.

There is also a nice Orthodox Church with the bell tower separated from the main building, since during the Turkish occupation Christian churches were not allowed to have bell towers, and they only began to be built after they left.

Artisans Street in Plovdiv

Other corners worth highlighting are the one known as Artisans Street, which are located in picturesque houses.

Or also the place where an ancient dervish monastery of the 19th century, a brotherhood of the Muslim religion that is characterized by the dances of its monks making circles without stopping.

Now the old building houses a restaurant with cozy wooden decor, in the basement room of which you can see remains of the ancient Roman wall.

Plovdiv Roman Theater

Finally, your visit to the Plovdiv Old Town It will be incomplete if you do not visit the 1st century Roman theater that was discovered during the communist era, and which, contrary to what was common then, was preserved in this case.

You will surely be surprised by its location on the side of a hill, and its large dimensions, as it had capacity for about 3.500 people.

Nowadays it is used for shows and concerts and has become not only the Plovdiv icon monument, but even Bulgaria, along with others like Rila monastery.

Where to sleep in Plovdiv

Looking ahead to your stay in Plovdiv, I would like to recommend a small design hotel with great charm where we stayed on our trip, which is located in the very center of the city.

Is 8 1\2 Art Guest House, which you can see gets excellent ratings on platforms like TripAdvisor y Booking .

We can assure you that the quality/price ratio is excellent…as is generally the case throughout Bulgaria when you travel for tourism.