Plovdiv (Пловдив)

Long ago, Plovdiv (pop. 350,000) was a Thracian settlement and an important city in the Roman empire.
Traces of its former glory remain, including the ruins of theaters, temples, and palaces, including one of the
best-preserved amphitheaters in the world. The Old Town is graced with National Revival houses and 19th-
century churches, and when the sun goes down, some rolicking nightlife.

Transportation. The main train station is on bul. Khristo Botev. (Христо Ботев; ☎ 63 27 20. Open daily
7:30am-7:30pm.) Trains run to: Burgas (5hr., 4 per day, 11lv) via Karlovo; Sofia (2-3hr., 15 per day, 6.70lv);
and Varna (6-7hr., 3 per day, 14lv). Most trains from Sofia to Burgas or ~stanbul, Turkey stop in Plovdiv. Rila
station, bul. Khristo Botev 31a, sells international train tickets. (☎ 64 31 20. Open M-F 8am-7:30pm, Sa 8am-
2pm. Cash only.) There are 3 main bus stations in Plovdiv; each serves different destinations. The Yug (South)
and Rodolpi stations are within walking distance from the center. Take a city bus or taxi (2lv) to the Sever
(north) station. Yug (г; South; ☎ 62 69 37), bul. Khristo Botev 47, across from the train station, is the main
station. Buses service southern Bulgaria and go to: Sofia (2hr., 1 per hr., 10lv) and Varna (4hr., 2 per day,
18lv). Private companies send buses to international destinations, including ~stanbul, TUR (4 per day; 35lv,
students 30lv). Sever station (Север; North; ☎ 95 37 05) is at the intersection of Dimitur Stambolov
(Димитьр Стамболов) and Pobeda (Победа). Bul. Ruski (уски) becomes Pobeda across the river. Take bus
#12 from the intersection of Gladston (Гладстон) and Ruski. (Ticket counter open 6am-8pm.) Buses go to
Koprivshtitsa (2hr., 1 per day, 6lv). Rodopi (одопи; ☎ 69 76 07), behind the train station through the
underpass, services the Rodopi Mountains.

Orientation And Practical Information. Although the center is clearly defined, Plovdiv’s streets are poorly
marked; an up-to-date map is essential. Street vendors sell good Cyrillic maps (2.50lv) in addition to less-
detailed maps with street names transliterated into the Roman alphabet (2lv). Running past the train station,
the east-west thoroughfare bulevard Khristo Botev (Христо Ботев) marks the town’s southern edge. With
your back to the train station, turn right on Khristo Botev to get to bulevard Ruski (уски); a left turn on Ruski
takes you across the river and to Sever bus station. Khristo Botev also intersects with bulevard Tsar Boris III
Obedinitel (Цар Борис Обединител), which runs to the Maritsa River (Марица), at the northern end of
Stariya Grad (Стария Град; Old Town). The pedestrian way Knyaz Aleksandr (Княз Александр) connects to
the central square. In the middle of town, bul. Tsar Boris III Obedinitel runs along the eastern side of ploshtad
Tsentralen (Централен). To get to the center from the train station, take bus #2, 20, or 26 (0.40lv) or cross
under bul. Khristo Botev and take Ivan Vazov (Иван Вазов). The municipal tourist information center is at pl.
Tsentralen 1. (☎ 65 67 94; tic@plovdiv.bg. Open 9am-7pm.) Luggage storage is in the train station. (1lv per
bag. Open 24hr.) Telephones for international calls are in the post office building on pl. Tsentralen. (☎ 65 73
20. Open daily 6am-11pm.) Internet cafe Speed, Knyaz Aleksandr 12 (Княз Александр), on the left before the
mosque, has new computers. (1lv per hr., 2lv per 3hr. Open 24hr.) The post office, on pl. Tsentralen, has Poste
Restante in the room to the left of the entrance across from the park. (Open M-Sa 7am-7pm, Su 7-11am.)
Postal Code: 4000.
Accommodations And Food. In Plovdiv, higher prices don’t always mean higher quality. Prices uniformly
triple, however, during trade fairs (the first weeks of May and the end of Sept.). Reserve ahead in July and
August, as budget hotels are often full. The clean and bright Queen Mary Elizabeth Guesthouse 1, Gustav
Vaigand 7 (Густаф Вайганд), rolls out the red carpet for weary guests. Walking down Ruski from the train
station, turn right on Gustav Vaigand. It’s on the right side, 100m down; ring the bell. (☎ 62 93 06; www.qm-
b-and-b.com. English spoken. Laundry 2lv per kg. Reception 24hr. 2- to 4-bed rooms 15lv. Cash only.) The
social Hiker’s Hostel 1, Suborna 59 (Съборна), has a great location in Plovdiv’s historic Old Town. Walking
north on Knyaz Aleksandr (Княз Александр), turn right at Dzhimaya (Джимая) onto Suborna. It’s a 5min.
walk uphill, on the left. Perks include free Internet access, pickup service, and large breakfasts. (☎ 885 194
553; www.hikers-hostel.org. Laundry 4lv. Daytrips from 15lv. Dorms 20lv. Cash only.) Hostel Plovdiv Bulgaria
Inn 1, Naiden Gerov 13 (Найден Геров), just off Knyaz Aleksandr, offers cheap, clean, and centrally located
accommodations, with the added perks of a bar, a book exchange, and satellite TV. (☎ 63 84 67;
www.pbihostel.com. Reception 24hr. Dorms 20lv. Cash only.)

The open-air market, in pl. Ponedelnik Pazar (Понеделник Пазар) just northeast of pl. Tsentralen
(Централен), sells all sorts of fruits and vegetables. (Open daily dawn-dusk.) Popular cafes line the pedestrian
street Knyaz Aleksandr (Княз Александр). Though a bit far from the center, TVeselo Selo (Весело Село) 3,
Dunav 53 (Дунав), is well worth the trip. Extremely popular with the locals, this traditional restaurant serves
enormous portions, specializing in appetizer sampler plates (10-20lv) that literally can take up the whole
table. Almost every night at 9:30 or 10pm, a group performs hour-long song-and-dance routines to Bulgarian
folk music. Take Bus #1 from Pl. Tsentralen to the first stop on Dunav, then backtrack down the street past
Obedinitel. (☎ 95 51 18. Open 10am-2am. Cash only.) Diana (Даяна) 2, Dondukov 3 (Дондуков), at the base
of Plovdiv’s central hill, specializes in Bulgarian grill. Go all-out with the giant “Sword of the Tsar” (14lv),
served straight off the sword. (☎ 62 30 27. English menu. Vegetarian options. Entrees 2.50-16lv. Open daily
24hr. Cash only.)

Sights. Most of Plovdiv’s treasures are on Stariya Grad’s Trimontium (three hills). Begin or end a long day of
sightseeing with a stroll up the THill of the Liberators for a wonderful view of the city. The hill itself is topped
with a massive monument depicting a young Soviet soldier standing at attention, and a smaller monument to
Russian Tsar Alexander II, who fought the Russo-Turkish War in the 1870s in order to achieve Bulgarian
Independence. A second-century  Roman Amphitheater (Антиен Театър; Antichen Teatur), one of the best
preserved in the world, looms over the city; over 20 rows of seats and two floors of the stage backdrop remain.
To reach the amphitheater, turn right off Knyaz Aleksandr (Княз Александр) on Suborna (Съборна) and
then right up the steps along Mitropolit Paisiy. Continue uphill to another small set of steps next to the music
academy. At the top, walk past the cafes to the theater. (Open daily 9am-7pm. 3lv.) An ancient stadium
(Антиен Стадион; Antichen Stadion), which once seated 30,000 spectators, now consists of just the poorly
preserved bottom 10-15 rows. The public may view, but not enter, the ruins. An unfortunate bit of city
planning has allowed a garish glass-and-metal cafe (now closed) to be built literally on top of the stadium.
Follow Knyaz Alexander to its end; the stadium is underneath pl. Dzhumaya (Джумая). Built in the fourth
century, the Church of St. Constantine and Elena, on Suborna (Съборна), is embellished with murals and
icons dating from an artful 1832 renovation. The church now resembles National Revival period houses and
has elaborate woodwork inside to match. (☎ 62 45 78. Open daily 9am-6pm. Free.)

Entertainment And Nightlife. The amphitheater serves as a popular performing arts venue, hosting the
Festival of the Arts and the Opera Festival in June. Summer night operas in the lit amphitheatre are not to be
missed. Most festival tickets are available at the opera box office on the ground floor of the Inter-American
building, pl. Tsentralen 1 (Централен). Tickets are also sometimes sold at tables in the square and on the
main pedestrian street. (☎ 62 55 53; www.ofd-plovdiv.org. Box office open 10am-6pm. Tickets 8-20lv. Cash
only.) If a wild party full of scantily clad revelers is more up your alley, head to Exit, Maritsa 122 (Марица),
where hardcore European clubbing and Bulgarian tradition unite—somewhat. The club plays Chalga
(Bulgarian folk-pop) and sports trendy flashing lights and leather couches. (☎ 26 70 70. Frequent visiting DJs
and live performances on weekends. Cover 5lv. Open daily 7:30pm-late. Cash only.)

 Cheap Seats. Although tickets to operas in Plovdiv’s amphitheater are relatively inexpensive (8-20lv),
it’s possible to see the performance for free. Above the amphitheatre, several viewing platforms were built
so tourists could view the ruins; luckily, the stage is also completely visible from them. Conveniently, the
platforms are located immediately to the left of the ampitheater’s entrance. Be aware, however, that this is
a popular trick among locals; arrive early to grab a spot to sit—or be willing to stand for 2 hours.