Plovdiv sits on the banks of the Maritsa River and is built across several hills. The Old Town, perched on three of those hills, is like an open-air museum. Many of the buildings there are from the National Revival period — about 200 years ago — when Bulgarians built grand houses with overhanging upper floors, bright colours and ornate wooden ceilings.
Underneath and around the modern city lie layers of history. If you dig in Plovdiv, you might find ancient Roman roads, mosaic floors, or the walls of buildings thousands of years old. There is even a large Roman amphitheatre, still standing, where concerts and plays are performed today.
Plovdiv was the European Capital of Culture in 2019, which means it was chosen as one of the most interesting cities for art and creativity in all of Europe that year. Street murals, galleries and outdoor festivals fill the city. Local artists paint the walls of Old Town houses, so every corner seems to have something new to look at.
The city is famous for its friendly atmosphere and outdoor cafés. In summer, people sit outside until late in the evening, eating, talking and watching street performers. Plovdiv feels like a place that has always known how to enjoy itself.