Plovdiv is rightfully considered the most beautiful and interesting city in Bulgaria, and it also claims to be the oldest city in Europe. In any case, the first settlements on this place appeared already in the Paleolithic period, and the first real Thracian city arose here around 1200 BC. In the IV century. BC. the city was conquered by Philip the Great, the father of Alexander the Great, and for a long time the city bore the name Philippopolis, in his honor. The names of several streets, restaurants and the monument to Philip erected in the city remind of this. In the 1st century, the city became part of the Roman Empire, then Byzantium, then, like the rest of Bulgaria, it was under the Ottoman yoke for a long time and was liberated by Russian troops in 1878.
Now Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and a tourist center that attracts thousands of tourists. Many monuments have been preserved here, and its entire center has been declared an architectural and historical reserve. It is located in the center of the country, and it can be quite hot here in summer, so the best seasons to explore its beauty are spring and autumn.
Districts of Plovdiv
Plovdiv is divided into 34 administrative districts, and if you want to settle near the center so that you can reach it on foot or in a couple of public transport stops, then for life you should choose the Central, Mladezhki khlm and Karshiyaka districts. The center, in turn, is also divided into several quarters with its own attractions and with its own specifics. So, the districts of Plovdiv:
- Old city;
- Kapana;
- Bunardzhik;
- Tsari Simeon Park;
- Mladezhki hlm;
- Karshiyaka.
Old city
Plovdiv is a city with a history of over 8 thousand years. Its old town is a series of pedestrianized neighborhoods that have been declared entirely a historical landmark. Several buildings from ancient times have survived here: an amphitheater, an odeon (musical theater) and a stadium from Roman times.
The oldest Christian temple is the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena - it was built in the 4th century, and, although it has been rebuilt many times since then, it stands on the same foundation. And the symbol of Plovdiv is the Church of the Mother of God, built in 1844, the first church in Plovdiv, in which worship began after the liberation from the Turkish yoke.
The main buildings of the Old Town date back to the 19th-20th centuries. These are rich town houses built in a typical Bulgarian style. But here it is incredibly beautiful and stylish: the upper floors of old Bulgarian houses hang over the lower ones. There are houses decorated with stucco and paintings, courtyards with marble wells. Some buildings stand out in particular, for example, the Ethnographic Museum, which has occupied an old Baroque mansion. This museum tells about the culture of Bulgaria from the 18th century, from the period of the Bulgarian Revival.
All the most interesting museums, art gallery, shops, clubs and restaurants are located in the Old Town. But when preparing to walk here, stock up on good shoes: firstly, some of the streets have preserved picturesque, but not very comfortable paving stones, and secondly, Plovdiv is a city on the hills, and the streets of the historical center often run with a steep slope.
The Old Town has some of the best restaurants, either in historic buildings or with views, such as Philippopolis, Hebros Restaurant, and the best hotels, but it's not cheap to stay here.
Kapana
A small section of the city right behind the ancient Roman stadium - once there were craft settlements here. Now it has been turned into an art quarter. Buildings here are mainly of the late 19th and early 20th centuries; dates have been preserved on many houses. There are many different art galleries (pay attention to A + Gallery), unique souvenir shops, cafes with an interesting design and their own "chips". Here is the Bar CRAFT with the best beer in the city, the classic Bulgarian restaurant Old Plovdiv Restaurant, and closer to the mosque - the Turkish restaurant SOFRA. The walls of houses in this area are decorated with various street art and graffiti, so you can walk and take pictures for a long time.
Not far from this quarter, slightly northwest and closer to the river, there are two museums, the Archaeological Museum and the Natural History Museum. The Archaeological Museum has a very rich collection. Most tourists are attracted by Thracian gold, precious vessels dating back to the 3rd century BC. In addition to archaeological finds, there is a large numismatic collection, several halls of icon painting and Bulgarian painting of the 19th century, so history lovers should go here.
The Natural History Museum, opened in 1960, is the largest museum in Plovdiv. He talks about the nature of Bulgaria. There are rooms dedicated to geology, paleontology, botany, zoology, 44 aquariums with inhabitants of freshwater reservoirs and much more.
And closer to the center from the Kapana district is another important attraction of Plovdiv - the Ulu Jumaya Mosque, built in the 14th century.
Bunardzhik
Bunardzhik is a high hill in the western part of the central region. This name itself is translated as "a hill on the source", from the Turkish "bunar" - a well. There were many springs that supplied the city with water. Until the middle of the 20th century, the main reservoir of the city water supply was located at the foot of the hill.
But another name for the hill is "Liberator Hill". In 1881, a monument to Tsar Alexander II, Tsar-Liberator, was erected here. Then this monument was dismantled, but a new one was installed: in 1954, a huge statue of a Soviet soldier-liberator was erected, who was immediately dubbed Alyosha in Bulgaria. This monument is one of the symbols of the city, it is visible almost from everywhere.
At the foot of the hill is one of the oldest restaurants in the city, Malak Bunardzhik, which was opened in 1901. Not far from it there is a large shopping and entertainment center Markovo Tepe Mall, and opposite it there is a beautiful 4-star Leipzig hotel.
Park Tsar Simeon
Tsar Simeon Park is located in the southern part of the historical center. This is a kind of "university town": the old building of the Plovdiv University, several other educational institutions, as well as the city municipality are located here, so the area is very beautiful, well-groomed and prestigious.
The center is not far from here, and the main attraction of the area is Tsar Simeon Park. It was demolished in 1892 to host the first agricultural exhibition. In Soviet times, singing fountains were built here, and not so long ago the park was reconstructed, and some of the park buildings of the 30s were restored in it. Now there are 10 monuments, the most interesting of which are a monument to the creator of the garden, Lucien Shevalas and a monument to Philip the Great. The remains of an ancient forum are located very close to the park - the area has always been the center of social life. Directly opposite the singing fountains there is a restaurant Morado Bar and Diner with a view of them.
Some hotels in the area are also architectural monuments, for example, the Skerzzo Guesthouse, a former merchant's mansion of the mid-19th century, or the five-star Residence City Garden, which occupied a pompous building of the early 20th century.
Mladezhki khlm
Hill of Youth is a green place, located quite far from the center, you can get there from here on foot, but it is better to use buses. This area is also a transport hub, close to the railway station and the bus station. There are several attractions here that are worth seeing, and accommodation here is much cheaper than in hotels in the central part. On Molodezhniy Hill there is a Children's Railway with a kilometer-long route: a small train with three trailers that travels through the natural park and stops at the observation deck, from where you can see the whole of Plovdiv.
A little to the west is another large green area - the Park of Culture, and in it is the Plovdiv Zoo. It is not too big, there are birds and a small aquarium, but the children love it. Nearby there is a rowing canal, where competitions are held in summer, and a sports youth center, which is also essentially a hotel - only with a sports bias.
Karshiyaka
The area located on the other bank of the Maritsa River, its name is from Turkish and is translated - "the other bank". The area was a huge craft settlement that served the horse yard located here. Jews, Armenians, Turks, Greeks settled here, they all left some kind of memory about themselves, so this area, although less colorful than the old city, is also rich in beautiful and interesting places.
Of the sights, it is worth noting the church of St. John of Rylsky in 1931 and the old buildings of the late 19th century. Now the center of the district is the Plovdiv International Fair and the three most prestigious city hotels: Plovdiv, Park Sankt Peterburg and Maritza. The Maritza, built in 1967, defines the architectural appearance of the embankment, and its windows offer a beautiful view of the hills of the old city. At the same time, if we consider not business-class hotels for housing, but ordinary apartments, then here, in general, it is more budgetary than on the other side, and there are more opportunities for interesting shopping.
