Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and one of the oldest cities in Europe. Its believed that humans have been living in the area of Plovdiv for as many as 6,000 years.
Like most of the cities in this area it has been occupied by several different people groups and changed names several different times. Plovdiv, as well as most of Bulgaria, lies on what was historically one of the main trading and traveling routes between Europe and Asia. This was usually very good for commerce but unfortunately made it an easy target for conquering forces.
At one point this area was occupied by the Romans and they named it Trimontium (three hills). Their mark still survives in the form of ancient ruins of massive gateways and arches, a city forum, an amphitheater, and fortresses. The top of one of the many hills in Plovdiv has the ruins from an ancient fortress. Its now a city park and great place to sit and watch the sun set and then watch the night lights of the city turn on.
One of the best things to do while in Plovdiv is wander around the Old Town. The area is small and most of the streets do not allow cars. The streets are laid with cobblestones and set the bar for cobbleiness. They were the mostly cobbley streets I’d even walked on, high-heels are simply not an option and even with tennis shoes walking wasn’t always easy. Four-legged animals weren’t off the hook either and I saw a few dogs trip or stumble down the stone roads.
A lot of the buildings in Old Town have been restored to their 19th century splendor and many of the houses which were once owned by the wealthiest citizen in Plovdiv have been turned into museums. In those museums I saw exhibits on traditional Bulgarian music, dress, costumes, crafts, historical artifacts, religious icons, and learned about the local guilds that made Plovdiv such an important city for commerce. Some of the houses are now art galleries and exhibit local traditional and modern art. Plovdiv is a center for art and many artists still live and work here.
The main downtown area is a long street that is off-limits to cars and usually jam packed with people, especially on weekends. Fancy restaurants and clothing shops line the street as well as cafes, gardens, and fountains.
Unfortunately, while I was in Plovdiv I didn’t have my camera with me. So none of these pictures on this post are mine. However, they are all very similar to the exact same sights I enjoyed while visiting the city.
