Plovdiv Bulgaria Travel Guide, the European Capital of Culture 2019

Our Plovdiv travel guide covers the best things to do in the city and the Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019 programme and plans.

There is a lot to explore in Bulgaria’s second city. From the quaint Old Town with cobbled streets and historic buildings to its uncovered Roman ruins in the city centre. Plovdiv is a city that’s both charming and modern.

We first visited the city in 2016 when it was in snow during winter. We’ve since had the opportunity to return to Plovdiv in in the warm summer (highs of up to 40’C!) to explore the programme for their upcoming year as the European Capital of Culture in 2019.

Plovdiv, the European Capital of Culture 2019

Named as the European Capital of Culture for 2019, Plovdiv has experienced a cultural turning point with a dedicated arts programme, the regeneration of the creative district known as the Kapana neighbourhood and plans for cultural activities in the former Tobacco Warehouses.

The city won the title of European Capital of Culture back in 2014 and has since put an incredible effort into arts, culture and music around the city. Their focus has been on transforming urban spaces and bringing together different communities and generations through art and culture (hence their hashtag #together).

Events and performances are running now and throughout 2019. The programme for Plovdiv 2019 can be found here.

Things to Do in Plovdiv

We could hardly believe how much there actually is to do in Plovdiv. It’s really the kind of city where you need at least a couple of days to see the sights without rushing through. There are beautiful buildings and scenic spots to admire all around the city. Museums to explore, winding cobbled streets to walk and quirky cafes to sip coffee in.

Join a Free Walking Tour in Plovdiv – Like Sofia, there’s also a free walking tour of Plovdiv. We made the sensible decision to make this the very first thing that we did when we arrived in Plovdiv. We knew that it would help us get our bearings and fill us in on the history of the city. The tour covers everything from the main high street and the graffiti at Sahat Hill to the Old Town.

Walk the Longest Pedestrian Street in Europe – At 1750 metres in length, Plovdiv boasts the longest pedestrian street in Europe, apparently beating Copenhagen’s. The partially excavated Roman Stadium is located at one end of the street. Much of the ruins still lies hidden underneath the high street. The stadium, which was used for chariot races, could hold up to 30,000 people.

Small Basilica – A short walk from the city centre takes you to Plovdiv’s Small Basilica. These early Christian church ruins were found during the 1980s when a construction team began building a new apartment block. The church floor is covered in geometrical mosaics which have been lovingly restored. A raised platform over the basilica allows you to look at the floor below.

Tobacco City – Tobacco City is a collection of abandoned tobacco warehouses near to Plovdiv’s city centre. The warehouses are historic buildings which the European Capital of Culture 2019 team is working to preserve with the support of the private owners. There are plans for the buildings to be used as spaces for art and culture shows during 2019. However, as of yet, there are no plans to renovate the buildings. You can walk around the area and view the buildings which for the most part are still standing. It is now part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

Plovdiv Old Town

Explore the Old Town – The Old Town is home to beautiful 19th century timber houses with tops overhanging. Historic walls run through the area and the cobbled paths wind down the hill towards the city centre.

Plovdiv’s Ethnographic Museum – The beautiful Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv is an unmissable example of traditional Bulgarian architecture. Inside the museum, you can find exhibits from Plovdiv’s agricultural past, crafts, fabrics, clothing, musical instruments and religious items. We were impressed by the expanse of interesting historical relics housed in the museum. Don’t miss it if you’re travelling in Plovdiv.

Klianti House – Built in 1816, the Klianti House is one of the oldest preserved buildings from the Bulgarian Revival. The house has been painstakingly restored and is now open to visitors. It is ornately decorated with wooden ceilings, geometric patterns and murals.

Church of St Constantine and Helena – Drop by this Bulgarian Orthodox church when exploring Plovdiv’s Old Town. This church is different from Greek Orthodox churches you might’ve seen before. You can see an interesting iconostasis inside. The church itself is hidden from view behind a high stone wall because the Ottomans only allowed churches to exist out of public view.

Ancient Theatre – The ancient Roman theatre in Plovdiv was built almost 2,000 years ago, and it is still in use today. In summer, the venue can hold up to 7,000 spectators. The theatre is closed in winter, but you can still come to admire the architecture and the view.

Sunset on Nebet Hill – One of seven hills in Plovdiv, Nebet Hill was our favourite because it is a beautiful spot for admiring the cityscape and watching the sunset. The remains of Plovdiv’s earliest settlements are located on the hill. You can reach Nebet Hill through Plovdiv’s Old Town.

Kapana Creative District

Kapana is my favourite neighbourhood in the city! The area is characterised by beautiful cobblestone streets, flags that criss-cross the walkways and creative artwork. Independent coffee shops, bars and restaurants line the pedestrianised streets.

Kapana has undergone a revival since Plovdiv was named European Capital of Culture 2019. The buildings here were previously derelict and were given rent-free for a year to contemporary artists and entrepreneurs. Since then, this hipster area of Plovdiv has flourished. Now, new coffee shops and wine bars are popping up here all the time.

Day Trips from Plovdiv

Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress

No Plovdiv travel guide would be complete without mentioning day trips from the city. We recommend exploring Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress. These sights are quite close to each other, so you can combine them into one trip. We took a trip with a local guide, but we also read that you can take the bus from Plovdiv and then walk between these two areas if the weather is good. The monastery is about 30 km from Plovdiv.

Bachkovo Monastery – The Bachkovo Monastery is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria. It’s the most picturesque place that we visited in Bulgaria. We visited during the winter season, so we were the only ones there (it was absolutely freezing in the Rhodope mountains).

Asen’s Fortress – Just down the road from the Bachkovo monastery is Asen’s Fortress, set in the same stunning mountain range. The most well-preserved part of the fortress is the Church of the Holy Mother of God, which was built in the 12th-13th century. The chapel is small and dusty with rows of chairs and very minimal decor. From the church, you can climb up the steps to look out over the valley.

Best Restaurants in Plovdiv

Plovdiv is a good place to try traditional Bulgarian food, though there are also Italian, Indian, Lebanese and other cuisines on offer here.

Hemingway – From the outside, Hemingway looks misleadingly like a fancy wine bar. In fact, this restaurant has an excellent Bulgarian menu included many vegetarian and vegan options. We ate from the salad menu and can heartily recommend the Plovdiv Old Town salad. They make fresh pita bread (called “focaccia bread” on the menu) which we had to accompany our salads. A good restaurant to relax over a bottle of red.

Google Map: Пловдив, ул. Ген.И.В.Гурко 10, 4000 Tsentar, Plovdiv

Pavaj – Pavaj is a popular lunch and dinner spot which serves trendy versions of Bulgarian cuisine. We came by at 12 midday and were lucky to get the last table (all the others had been reserved). Vegetarian options were limited but included salads and katak (a Bulgarian spread of white cheese and red pepper) and housemade bread. The food was nice, but we’ve had better Bulgarian food in more traditional meyhanes. Service was a little bit on the moody side.

Google Map: ul. “Zlatarska” 7, 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv

Looking for more places to eat in Plovdiv? Check out our guide to eating vegan in Plovdiv where we cover the city’s best vegan lunch and dinner spots.

Best Cafes in Plovdiv

Turkish Coffee Shop – This beautiful Ottoman-style wooden teahouse is right next to Dzhumaya Mosque. The waitresses are really unfriendly and service is slow but the place is unique and the coffee is strong.

Google Map: пл. „Джумаята“, ul. “Zhelezarska” 1, 4000 Staria grad, Plovdiv

Art News Cafe – Art News Cafe is the go-to cafe-come-bar in Plovdiv for the young and artsy. It’s located next door to the Hotel Odeon, a block away from the main high street. By day, people sit at their Macs on the fast wifi and sip coffee. By night, the cafe turns into a bar with music and people drinking wine and beer in the street outside.

Google Map: ul. “Otets Paisiy” 38, 4000 Tsentar, Plovdiv

Monkey House – Short and simple menu of coffee. Sit outside on the Kapana street while you enjoy an espresso. The cafe doesn’t sell food.

Google Map: 3 Zlatarska St., 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv

Best Wine Bars and Craft Beer Bars in Plovdiv

Vino Culture – Sample Bulgarian wines at wine and tapas bar Vino Culture. The owner has an intimate knowledge of all of his wines, making this a really unique experience. We sampled some biodynamic red wines and munched on bruschetta and sundried tomatoes.

Google Map: ul. “Otets Paisiy” 5, 4000 Staria grad, Plovdiv

Degustostation – This little wine bar is located in the Kapana neighbourhood. Enjoy a glass of local Bulgarian wine outside on the wooden wine barrel tables. This family-run bar sells only local wines made from Bulgarian grapes from the Bendida Winery. Local grapes such as Mavrud and Rubin can be found here. When we came by late one evening, the daughter of the family greeted us and asked us what type of wine we liked before nipping inside to find us a perfect match for our palette.

Google Map: ul. “Zlatarska” 9, 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv

Cat & Mouse Craft Beer Bar – Kapana district’s first craft beer bar, Cat & Mouse serves 100 types of beer, including Belgian, German, Czech, British, Serbian and Bulgarian craft beer. Expect hipster style decor, window seat cushions outside and hanging light bulbs here. There’s also a small coworking space inside and by day you can order coffee and crisps.

Google Map: ul. “Hristo Dyukmedzhiev” 14, 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv

Gingertale Bar – Cocktails and swing dance are the name of the game at Gingertale Bar. The bar is open daily but Thursday is when you can find the locals swing dancing here. The atmosphere is friendly and warm, and locals are happy to have tourists join in swing culture with them.

Google Map: ul. “Bratya Pulevi” 1, 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv

Best Hotels and Hostels in Plovdiv

Hostel Old Plovdiv – I’m convinced that we stayed in the best hostel in Plovdiv. I’d go as far as to say that Hostel Old Plovdiv is one of the best hostels that we’ve ever stayed in! The hostel is a charming, lovingly restored townhouse furnished with antiques from local antique shops. There are beautiful wooden floors and ceilings, wrought iron bedsteads, singer sewing machines and paintings all over. Charming and antique are the words.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a welcoming sign with our names on it and friendly staff who showed us round. We were also on our vegan travel challenge during our stay in Plovdiv and the hostel were so accommodating that they even made us a vegan breakfast and specially bought in soy milk for us. Truly amazing.

Google Map: ul. “Chetvarti yanuari” 3, 4000 Staria grad, Plovdiv

Hotel Odeon – We stayed in Hotel Odeon on our second visit to Plovdiv during their celebrations and opening ceremony for European Capital of Culture 2019. It’s a small, traditional hotel with an old world charm about it.

Downstairs the restaurant has large windows with a view over Roman ruins. These are usually beautiful though were undergoing maintenance during our stay. A fine breakfast made-to-order from a short menu of Bulgarian dishes is included.

Google Map: ul. “Otets Paisiy” 40, 4000 Tsentar, Plovdiv

Getting to Plovdiv from Sofia

There are limited flights to Plodiv Airport. Most people fly to Sofia Airport then take a bus or a taxi to Plovdiv. It should take just over an hour and a half to drive to Plovdiv from Sofia Airport. We took a taxi with Mr. Todor (00 359 899 209944), a friendly and professional driver with excellent English.

Are you travelling to Plovdiv? Let us know how useful you found our Plovdiv travel guide and what other gems you discovered!