Plovdiv- Bulgaria’s second-largest city, is situated along the banks of the Maritsa River. Like Rome, the city is built on seven hills, but it’s much older. Actually, Plovdiv is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe and the sixth oldest in the world! Amazing! The city is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage Old Town with its beautifully restored 18th-century houses in Bulgarian National Revival architectural style. 

I just adored this place full of creative charm, ancient ruins…

… amazing artisan antique shops (photos sooo don’t do it justice)…

… a romantic old town, packed with colourful and creaky colorful 19th-century mansions that are now house-museums…

… craft workshops…

… galleries and guesthouses…

… all brimming with delightful details like  decorative windows, vibrant facades, elegantly curved wooden beams, ornate wooden decorations and intricate touches like birds and floral designs…

… creating a one-of-a-kind architectural mix.  Everything seemed to be a one-of-a-kind mix as Plovdiv seamlessly mingles vibrant nightlife and restaurant culture among millennia-old ruins. 

One of the well-preserved ancient sites is right in the Main Street of Plovdiv- The Stadium… originally built in the 2nd century AD and could seat around 30,000 people. It has been restored and simply blends into the city centre although, at the moment, only part of the stadium is uncovered, meaning that ancient ruins are below many buildings in the city.

We wandered through the charming, quiet streets of the Old Town and it all felt kind of impressively surreal and the narrow, winding cobblestone streets gave this place a unique charm. The streets make for some difficult walking and I thought that somehow for me (just like in Sighisoara), “the worse the cobblestones, the better the town.”  So much character. 

Inside the Old Town we came across Hispar Kapia Gate, once the main entrance for the city fortress- hard to imagine what it was like back then! The gate is made from stone, brick and mortar and once again, history just hangs over this archway and these narrow and winding cobbled lanes. 

The magnificent Ancient Roman Amphitheatre was once able to seat around 6000 people and it was the place where people gathered to watch gladiatorial games and theatrical performances and it is one of the best-preserved ancient theatres in the world. It is now one of Bulgaria’s most magical venues… hosting concerts and opera- and I can only imagine what a breath taking spectacle that would be sitting on ancient marble seats overlooking the whole city centre, with the Rhodope mountains in the distance. 

We even came across a traditional dance troupe about to perform, which I would love to have seen, but sadly, it was a private event.

Loved the new building with the church of the “Holy Archangels”- the mosaics were amazing even though they weren’t ancient… and the view was fantastic. 

We strolled through the newer part of town and felt the liveliness of the city, pulsing with ideas, creativity and spirit. Kapana, also known as the creative district is an artisanal hub turned modern, artsy quarter alive with beautiful street art…

… galleries, interesting shops, colorful cafes and restaurants…

… with incredibly good food and pretty streets with hanging little flags and lights.

The atmosphere in Kapana is awesome, especially in the evenings – people love meeting up and having a few drinks in the streets, and there is nothing but good, artsy and chill vibes everywhere around. Loved this area where we had a bottle of wine and delicious food similar to what I might get in a trendy cafe at home.

I must be tired because I didn’t even think about getting up for the sunrise. And now I’m kicking myself, imagining how beautiful it would have been over those Roman ruins with the city and mountains in the distance. One of my few regrets on this trip. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Loved this place maybe the most of all our stops on this tour… one night was not enough. But we move on again tomorrow… almost like a long haul flight but on a bus… back to Istanbul where this whole adventure began.