Cool Things to Do in Plovdiv takes you to a Roman Theater and Stadium, walks you through the charming Old Town to eat delicious Bulgarian meals and enjoy thriving nightlife, all on just $30 a day!
updated in December 2018
Why go to Plovdiv Bulgaria?
Because it’s been named a European Capital of Culture for 2019!
To walk around the Plovdiv Old Town. Plovdiv is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in Europe. The first Thracian settlement on Nebet hill has been dated back to 6,000 BC. Consider a Free Walking Tour with Plovdiv Tours.
Catch a concert at the well-preserved Plovdiv Roman Theater.
Hike up the biggest hill in town to view the city and the Soviet Army Memorial statue
Have a seat in the Roman Stadium uncovered directly below the main street. It was built in the 2nd century, and seated 30,000 people! To uncover it all would mean destroying the center of the city, so just a small perfectly preserved section is visible.
Plovdiv has more history than any city in Europe. The physical layers of ancient city upon city are nearly 40 feet deep. More is dug up every year. There is evidence of Neolithic settlements here as far back as 6000BC, and continuous habitation since at least 4000BC. It’s “modern” history dates back to the conquering of the city by Philip II of Macedon (Alexander The Great’s dad), who renamed it Philippopolis in 342 BC. It’s been conquered by the Thracians, the Persians, the Macedonians, the Celts, the Romans, the Goths, the Huns, the Byzantines, the Crusaders, and the Ottomans.
The most visible traces of history today are Plovdiv’s well preserved Roman ruins, to include a theatre, a stadium, and a forum. And also the beautiful Bulgarian Revival houses of the Plovdiv old town that date back to the late 1800’s. Plovdiv has both a busy and modern city center, and a quiet cobblestoned Old Town. Both sections are pedestrian-friendly, making it a great city for strolling and window shopping. It’s a lovely place to be on a summer day!
Thing to Do in Plovdiv Bulgaria – My Experience:
My visit to Plovdiv began via a scenic five hour bus ride from Veliko Tarnovo, in which I saw miles of farmland and men driving wooden carts pulled by horses and donkeys. Plovdiv’s main street is a wide thoroughfare with shops and restaurants. In the evenings it was full of families, and throughout the day the outdoor cafes reverberated with the cheers of men watching sports on portable TVs.
Here I saw one of my first glimpses of Soviet style sculpture. From what I’ve read many older Bulgarians have a fondness for the good old days of the Warsaw pact, and being able to rely on Soviet subsidies. Times were particularly tough here right after the breakup of the Soviet Union. For now, things seem to be growing and thriving, with lots of construction and western brands moving into the shelves.
I had a beer next to the Plovdiv Roman Theatre (early 200’s AD) that has been well-restored, and is used weekly for concerts. Plovdiv has Roman ruins all over, including a Roman stadium (late 200’s AD), that has been uncovered beneath the main street! In America they probably would demolish all the surrounding buildings and make it a national park. In Bulgaria, they just re-routed the street around either side of it and put a plexiglass barrier around it for easy viewing.
I enjoyed a run along the Maritsa River, and up a big hill to the foot of a massive sword wielding statue atop the “Hill of the Liberators”. Every town should have a big statue of a guy holding a sword aloft in victory. Even the towns that have never fought in anything much. It just looks cool.
Plovdiv- Need to Know Before You Go:
Backpacker Daily Budget:
$30. Bulgaria is among the very cheapest places to live in Europe. Here you can get a hostel bed with breakfast for $12. Lunch and dinner can be had for $4 each. Three beers will set you back $4. A free walking tour tip, or entry to a historical site can be had for $6.
Cheap Beer index:
$1.16 (2 Lev) for a 12 ounce bottle of Kamenitsa in a bar or restaurant.
When to visit Plovdiv:
Plovdiv weather has hot summers and cold winters. Summertime or Fall is when you want to visit, with highs in the 70’s in May and September, and in the 80s in June, July and August. Or, you could go in winter, and take advantage of the nearby ski resorts. January and February are peak skiing months.
What languages are spoken in Bulgaria?
Everyone speaks Bulgarian, with signs in Cyrillic. Younger people are also taught English in schools. Older people will usually also speak Russian.
Do you need a Bulgarian visa?
Visas are not required. Nationals of USA, AUS, and CAN can stay for up to 90 days in a 6 month period. UK nationals can stay indefinitely (until Brexit happens).
Plovdiv – How to Get there:
The easiest way to arrive is to fly directly into tiny Plovdiv Airport (PDV). Not many airlines fly into Plovdiv airport though, so you may have to arrive elsewhere. Plovdiv airport destinations are:
- London Stansted – RyanAir
- Moscow Domodedevo – S7
- Tel Aviv Ben Gurion – Arkia
From Veliko Tarnovo to Plovdiv you can take a train which arrives directly in town and takes 3-4 hours. A bus leaves 2-3 times a day for the 3-4 hour ride for 20 lev ($12) and arrives at Bus Station South. You could rent a car, and make it in under three hours. Check out my Veliko Tarnovo Travel Guide.
From Sofia to Plovdiv, you can take an express train, which takes 2.5 hours. A Sofia to Plovdiv bus leaves hourly for the 2.5 hour ride for 14 lev ($9). It arrives at the “Jug” (South) station. You could rent a car, and make it in two hours from Sofia to Plovdiv. You could also do a Plovdiv Full-Day Excursion Guided Tour from Sofia for just $34.
You can get a bus from Istanbul to Plovdiv, that will take about 7 hours, including border formalities, for about $24. There is a night train that takes about 11 hours. It leaves from Halkali station at 1030pm. Tickets are around $30
From Bucharest, Romania to Plovdiv you can take a train which arrives directly in town and takes about 9 hours. You could rent a car, and make it in under three hours.
For Bus schedules click here:
For Train schedule, click here: http://www.bdz.bg
Learn how to fly to Bulgaria for free on my page: Nine Steps to Free Flights Worldwide.
Getting Around Plovdiv:
Walking or renting a bike is the easiest way to get around.
You can get Taxis by waiving a hand or having your hostel call one. Flag-fall is 1 lev, then 0.85 leva per kilometer.
Bulgarian Currency and how to get it:
Bulgarian Lev (1.72 BGN = $1USD) are available in numerous ATM’s. For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when traveling, check out my post on How to Access your Money in Foreign Countries.
Stay Connected:
Bulgaria has three telecom providers:
- A1 Bulgaria Their Tourist SIM is now called A1 Holiday+ and sold at 6 BGN in their stores. It comes pre-loaded with 1.5 GB 4G/LTE data and 30 minutes voice. You can add for more:
- 2 GB for 10 days: 9.99 BGN
- 5 GB for 30 days: 29.99 BGN
- Telenor (Теленор) The Prepaid Starter Pack Telenor Tourist is 6 BGN. It contains 30 mins voice and 1.5 GB 4G/LTE data, all valid for 7 days. Out of bundle use is 0.19 BGN per MB. These packages can be added for more data:
- 2 GB for 7 days: 9.90 BGN
- 3 GB for 30 days: 19.90 BGN
- 10 GB for 30 days: 49.99 BGN
- Vivacom (Виваком)
SIM cards are available in the shops of the providers and in big supermarkets. You need a valid passport or ID card for registration. Bulgaria is part of the EU, where international roaming rules are enforced. If you already have a SIM from another EU country, you can now ‘roam like at home’ at domestic rates rather than excessive roaming rates.
For more info on your telecom options, check out my post on How to Get Cheap Mobile Phone Service Worldwide.
Where to stay:
You have some excellent budget options in Plovdiv. You can choose between several highly rated hostels, or get your own room, all for under $20 a night.
- Pijama Hostel has comfy dorm beds with continental breakfast for $12. It has fast wi-fi, and is well located right by the Roman Stadium and Old Town.
- Ginger House has dorm beds with breakfast for $12. It has fast wi-fi, air-con, helpful owners, and bike rental. About a ten minute walk to Old Town.
- Best Rest Guest House has dorm beds with breakfast for $15. It has fast wi-fi, air-con, helpful owners, big lockers, very clean, and very large rooms with lots of space. About a ten minute walk to Old Town.
- Home Hostel Plovdiv offers your own private room with shared bathroom, wi-fi in a good location for $17.
Plovdiv Restaurants:
The best cheap eats can be found at:
- SOFRA Turkish Restaurant
- Skaptobara 2
- Rahat Tepe
- XIX Vek
For something fun and little more upscale: Megdana is a traditional “mehana” that hosts traditional Bulgarian folk dances almost every evening. Great food, great performances. Make reservations, and dress nicely.
Plovdiv Nightlife:
I recommend starting your first night out with the Plovdiv Cultural Pub Crawl. For just $12 you get a guided tour to 4 bars and a club, with a free drink or shot at each stop.
Best Bars:
- Fabric Bar
- Kotka i Mishka
- Vino Culture
Cool Clubs:
- Basquiat
- Rorschach’s Inkblot
- Art Club Nylon
- Club Gramaphone
Get a Plovdiv travel guide book:
Lonely Planet Romania and Bulgaria is the best print Plovdiv travel guide with up to date info. Even better is this online Bulgaria Travel Guide, which covers everything you could possibly need to know about visiting Bulgaria.
What to Pack:
You can wear whatever you would normally wear in Europe. To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post The Worldwide Travel Packing List.
Is Bulgaria safe?
Yes. Plovdiv is very safe, with low violent crime. The only safety issue is likely going to be pickpockets. They target tourists and often work in teams and may concoct a variety of scams and situations to confuse and distract you. My friend got pickpocketed in Sofia by an old lady. He caught her in the act, and she just smiled, shrugged her shoulders and calmly walked away!
Pay attention to drink prices at high-end bars and nightclubs, especially strip-clubs. There have been instances of tourists being charged exorbitant prices (several hundred dollars), and then large men show up to ensure payment.
Be wary of skimming devices placed on ATMs. Take actions to protect your PIN, although that does not eliminate the risk. Use ATMs inside banks when possible. Limit use of credit cards to trusted major business. Use cash instead.
Be aware that body language norms differ from those in the U.S. Shaking one’s head side-to-side means “no” in the U.S., but it means “yes” in Bulgaria. Conversely an up-and-down nodding in the U.S. means “yes” while it means “no” in Bulgaria.
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