Visit Bulgaria’s Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

As the oldest, continuously inhabited city in Europe, there is a lot of history lingering on the streets of Plovdiv. Located on the Balkan Peninsula between Europe and Asia meant that many travellers passed through over the ages. A visit to Bulgaria’s Plovdiv allows you to explore the array of buildings and monuments left behind from these earlier civilizations.

The first known occupants of this area were the Thracians in the 6th century BCE. Since then it has been home to Romans, Byzantines, Bulgars, Ottomans and Soviets, among others. Old Town Plovdiv is located on three small hills; Nebet Tepe, Taksim Tepe, and Dzhambaz Tepe. These three hills have been points of interest for the ruling empires for centuries and give the Old Town a unique feel.

Begin your exploration on the city’s long pedestrian street called Knyaz Alexander Battenberg I. Commonly called Glavnata (Main Street), this lively area has a good sampling of 19th and 20th century buildings. With a combination of Soviet, Ottoman and Bulgarian Revival buildings, it’s a great introduction to the varied history of this country. Most of those buildings have been converted to stores and restaurants making it a popular place for locals. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).