Plovdiv, The Second Largest City In Bulgaria

Traveling to Plovdiv means discovering one of the most beautiful cities in Bulgaria, and also one of the largest, since it is the second largest city in the country, surpassed in dimensions only by Sofia, the capital. But not only that, but we are talking about one of the oldest populations in the country, since its origins date back to 4,000 BC. In other words, this trip to Plovdiv is actually a journey through the history of Bulgaria and Europe.

How to get to Plovdiv

Plovdiv has its own airport, although it is small and few international flights arrive. For this reason, it is common to fly to Sofia airport, which is only an hour’s drive from Plovdiv.

However, with the capital there is excellent communication both with daily trains and with cheap buses that cross the 130 kilometers that separate the two main Bulgarian cities.

Plovdiv, the city of seven hills

Like many other ancient cities, for example Rome or Lisbon, also Plovdiv was based on 7 hills. And three of them are the ones that serve as the location for the best-preserved complex of its historic center. An ancient nucleus in which artistic buildings, as well as archaeological remains, succeed one another.

Do not forget that, given its antiquity, many civilizations such as the Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, etc. have passed through here. And all of them have left their footprints in Plovdiv.

The Bulgarian Renaissance in Plovdiv

Regardless of the ancient and archaeological remains, the most striking thing about the population are its large houses, very characteristic of the so-called Bulgarian Renaissance, which took place between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Some houses that were built by the bourgeoisie, enriched by trade, since at this time the country was part of important routes that linked east and west, Asia and Europe.

These are houses that are very well preserved today, and they attract attention because their high floors stand out in width compared to the lower part. And in addition, the color of its facades, as well as the exterior carpentry full of details with great taste, make them very photogenic buildings. Although if you have to name a specific one, we invite you to discover the Lamartine House or the Zlatyu Boyadejiev House, converted into a museum.

The churches and mosques of Plovdiv

With so many civilizations and peoples that have passed through here, it is not surprising that there are temples of different faiths. Although now we will only mention the most monumental. One of the most beautiful religious buildings is the Church of St. Constantine and Helena, the oldest in the city and dedicated to Constantine the Great and his mother.

The church of Sveta Nedelya can also be named after its walnut iconostasis, or that of Syeta Marina, whose wooden bell tower is really reminiscent of a pagoda. The latter is outside the historic center, like the two great mosques that the Ottoman empire bequeathed here: the Dzhumaya and Imaret mosques, two of the 50 that existed.

The oldest remains of Plovdiv

But on the sightseeing tour of Plovdiv you also have to take time to see two of the most important archaeological sites in Bulgaria. In the first place, the impressive Roman amphitheater in Plovdiv stands out, in which up to 6,000 spectators came to sit to watch the bloody spectacles of that time.

And secondly, you have to go to Nebet Tepe, that is, to the ruins of Eumolpias, with the oldest surviving remains of the city that founded the enigmatic Indo-European civilization of the Thracians millennia ago.

A place that today occupies the so-called Hill of Prayers, and that in addition to giving the pleasure of walking through the most remote history, also provides incredible views of the entire city.