Plovdiv Old Town

Plovdiv Old Town lies about 150 km southeast of Sofia in central Bulgaria, and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. The usual transport is a coach from Sofia Central Bus Station to Plovdiv Sever, which takes about 1h45 and costs roughly EUR 6-10, or a BDZ train from Sofia Central Station, which is cheaper at about EUR 5-8 but slower at 2.5 to 3 hours. A car on the A1 Trakia motorway takes about 1.5 hours. The Old Town occupies three hills above the centre and is known for steep cobbled lanes lined with Bulgarian National Revival houses in bright colours with overhanging upper floors. Visitors can see the Roman Theatre of Philippopolis, still used for concerts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Hindliyan and Balabanov houses, the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena, and the Nebet Tepe hilltop fortress with city views. The pedestrian Knyaz Alexander I street and the Roman Stadium remains below in the centre are easy to add. The creative Kapana district, a short walk away, has craft shops, galleries and cafes. A suggested day starts with an early bus so the Old Town is reached by about 10:00, followed by the Roman Theatre and the main museums through late morning. Lunch fits well in Kapana or a tavern on the Old Town slopes, where shopska salad, grilled meats and local Thracian wines are typical. The afternoon suits Nebet Tepe, the streets around Dzhumaya Mosque and a stroll along the central pedestrian zone before an evening return. April to October gives the best weather, with spring and early autumn avoiding the midsummer heat, while May and September are especially pleasant. Museums generally operate shorter hours on Mondays and in winter, so opening times should be checked beforehand. Sturdy footwear helps, since the cobbles are polished and slippery when wet. Cafes with terraces throughout the Old Town make rest stops easy.