Plovdiv Vs Sofia
I’ll be honest. Sofia impressed us more than Plovdiv did. But Plovdiv is a very, very different city than Sofia. Whereas Sofia has grand boulevards and Soviet era architecture, Plovdiv (Bulgaria’s 2nd largest city) has a small town feel. Its old town is hilly, its streets made of cobblestone. Sofia’s highlights consist of grand monuments and some very impressive churches, most relatively modern. Plovdiv’s main highlights date back to Roman times. While Sofia’s main geographical feature is nearby Mount Vitosha, the city is flat. Plovdiv, on the other hand, is all hills (it is nicknamed the “city of the Seven Hills”).
Really the two cities couldn’t be any more different and depending on your preferences you might prefer Plovdiv. We think Sofia has more to see and were more impressed by its highlights. Plovdiv however has an atmospheric old town which is full of restaurants, cafés and street art. In fact the city was recently chose co-winner of the designation of European City of Culture (in 2019, along with Matera in Italy).
When I think of Sofia and Plovdiv, I can’t help but compare them with Kyiv and Lviv in Ukraine: two cities that, although in the same country, are very different. In that case we preferred Lviv to Kyiv (although Kyiv’s highlights are more impressive). Preferences are a very subjective thing.
Whatever city you end up preferring, Plovdiv should be visited. It’s laid back, atmospheric and has a bit of everything: Orthodox churches, mosques, Ottoman-style buildings, Soviet monuments and Roman ruins. It epitomizes Bulgaria’s diverse history. This post covers what to see and do in Plovdiv.
Accommodation: A few recommendations in the city center (where you should be): Hotel Evmolpia (romantic old style in historic building), Residence City Garden (beautiful modern hotel), Villa Antica (large, modern stylish rooms). A great budget option is Guest House Old Plovdiv (tons of charm for a guest house).
What to See and Do in Plovdiv
The two most impressive highlights in the city date back to Roman times.
The Roman Stadium
In the heart of downtown is the Roman Stadium. It used to be huge, an ellipse (an elongated oval shape. Like a running track that you see in championships) that used to seat 30,000 people. It was 240 meters long, 50 meters wide and dates back to the 2nd century (!!) when Hadrian was the Roman Emperor (117 – 138 AD). Gladiator games and sporting events were held here. Today only one end of the stadium remains including a main gate from which you can enter the stadium.
The downtown is literally built around and above the stadium. The reason only the end of the stadium is seen is that the rest lies under the main street. Across the square is a mosque. And across from that is the Plovdiv tourist information center (the employees there are very friendly and helpful).
The Roman Amphitheatre
Up the hill, in the old town, is the Roman Amphitheatre. It pre-dates the stadium, having been built during the time of Emperor Trajan (98 – 117 AD). The theatre is beautiful preserved on a hillside with sweeping views of the city behind it. Even today it is in use, holding concerts and events throughout the year.
What else to do in Plovdiv?
– Walk through the Old Town to Nebet Tepe (lookout Hill). It used to be a fortress but only scattered ruins remain. The best reason to come here is for the best views over town.
– Stroll through the Kapana district. It’s the art district of town and is full of art studios, cafés and restaurants. If you like street art you’ll love Kapana. If you come here on a weekend it’s full of locals and tourists eating, drinking and strolling around the area (which is small. You can cover all the little streets in 30 minutes).
– Walk down Plovdiv’s main street (Knyaz Alexander I). It’s a pedestrian-only street with stores and lots of pretty buildings. The Roman Stadium lies at about the mid-mark on the street. Continue south and you’ll get to Stefan Stambolov Square where there’s a large fountain. Everyone walks up and down this street, it’s a very popular.
– The other thing I recommend is walking up the hill (a little further from downtown) to the Alyosha monument, a monument dedicated to the Soviet soldiers that liberated Plovdiv (and Bulgaria) from the Nazis during World War II. It is on a hill called Bunarzhik (“The Liberators Hill”), the 2nd highest hill in Plovdiv. While the views of town are better from Nebet Tepe, the views from the Alyosha monument sweep over the whole region and are quite spectacular. The hill is also a nice place to get away from the city and makes for a nice trek up to the monument.
Otherwise, the best way to get an appreciation of Plovdiv is to just walk. Walk around the old town, walk through Kapana, walk through the Gardens of Tsar Simeon to the Singing Fountains (where I’m told lights in the fountains move in tune to classical music. We went to Plovdiv in March when the fountains were dry and missed the show). While Plovdiv doesn’t have many spectacular highlights, it has many attractive buildings and parks. It’s a place to walk and explore. That’s the best way to appreciate Plovdiv.
So how long should you spend in Plovdiv? 2 or 3 days is ideal. It’s the perfect weekend destination.
Another reason to visit Plovdiv? We were travelling from Sofia to Istanbul. We had two stops in between: in Plovdiv, then across the Bulgaria/Turkey border to Edirne (which is really worth visiting). Both are very worthwhile stops if making your way along that route.
Practical Information on Plovdiv
Air. Plovdiv Airport (code PDV) is located 6 km from the city and gets flights from around Europe.
Train. We took the train from Sofia…very easy. The train takes 2 ½ hrs. My only tip is to buy 1st class tickets (very cheap and worth it)
Tours. If on limited time there are some tour options. This full-day tour from Sofia will show you around Plovdiv as well as the beautiful town of Koprivshtitsa. From Plovdiv, this tour will take you to Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress (both highlights in the mountains around Plovdiv).
Have you been to Plovdiv? What did you think of it?
Related: Tbilisi or Yerevan: which to visit?
Related: What to See in Edirne (Turkey). And why it makes for a great stop between Bulgaria and Istanbul
Related: Visiting Sofia (Bulgaria). One of our favorite Balkan capitals…
PS. Looking to book flights, hotels, tours, or rent a car? Have a look at our Travel Resources page.
My wife and myself flew back to Sa Francisco from Sofia after two-month trip around the Balkans. We loved it and extended our stay for 3 more days. It might have been my level of expectation was so low but I was blown away by the city. So much to see, Roman Ruins, Ottoman Mosques, a Jewish Synagogue and a museum devoted to Soviet art. The public transit was amazing. Loved the whole vibe of the town. We found a great wine tasting bar (Coupage Wine and Cheese Shop) , great restaurants and really welcoming people. Found an amazing friendly bar Kubcheto where we were made ever so welcome. Sitting in the roof top bar of the Sense hotel overlooking the Alexander Nevesky is not to be missed. The free walking tour was one of the best I have been on. We enjoyed the City so much we are planning to return and travel around Bulgaria on our way to Istanbul. Hope to take in some of the Rose festivals near Plovdiv. Hope I am not disappointed in Plovdiv.
Great comment, really appreciate. Most people don’t have a high opinion of Sofia which I don’t get. I thought maybe we were lucky…so it’s good to hear from someone else who enjoyed the city 🙂
I spent 3 days in Sofia and couldn’t wait to leave. I’ve been in Plovdiv for a week and I’m staying 3 more, I absolutely adore it. I’m dreading having to go back to Sofia for four days before my flight, can you tell me what sold you on Sofia? I’m hoping i can find something to make me like it more. I thought the churches in the center were nice but the city itself seems so run down and rough compared to Plovdiv.
As I say, it’s pretty subjective depending on your taste. We just found Sofia more interesting. I wrote more on Sofia here.
Thank you, I checked out your other article. I guess it is just subjective, I have completely fallen in love with Plovdiv, I could stay here for a year haha. I’m going to be very sad when I leave. Hopefully, I can find more to like about Sofia when I’m back. I really wanted to like it’s but I just didn’t! Appreciate your insight though.
A lot of foreign tourists think that Plovdiv has a ”small town vibe” just because they stick only to the historical centre of the city. You guys should deffinitely visit again and explore more. If you go out of the city centre you will see that Plovdiv has a lot of modern buildings, traffic, and the vibe will be completely different from the one in the historical centre. Surprisingly you are one of the first people I’ve heard saying that they prefer Sofia over Plovdiv. Most of the people I’ve been talking to always say the opposite. Oh, and the nightlife…way better than Sofia’s
Yes, you’re exactly right. We actually stayed outside the historic center and it is sizeable (as I say, 2nd largest city in Bulgaria). But let’s face it, nobody is interested in the sprawling suburbs of any city…they want to see the historic center.
And you’re also right that most people prefer Plovdiv to Sofia. Maybe it depends on how you travel and what you want to see. Plovdiv makes for a good weekend destination. But we just found Sofia more interesting for people spending a week+ in one place. Both nice cities though and we wouldn’t hesitate to re-visit either.
Bulgaria is a very beatiful country indeed – but maybe I am biased, being a Bulgarian 🙂 It does offer some truly spectacular places to visit and, honestly, I do not think that Sofia even makes the Top 3. Plovdiv is a great place with a lot of history. Here are some suggestions:
1. Rila Monastery – the highlight in Bulgaria, if not on the Balkans. It is the largest monastery on the peninsula and is more than a 1000 years old. Here is a link to a short intro to it from UNESCO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opFs1KQn5gE. It is very convenient to visit if travelling by car from Thessaloniki to Sofia. It is a must-visit place if in Bulgaria. Believe me – I spent two summers there as a tour guide 🙂
2. Nessebar – a small town on a Black Sea peninsula. It is full of picturesque houses and cobbled streets. If you like jazz, you can attend the festival in the autumn. More info here https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/217
3. Bansko – a small ski resort town in the mountain, it is now very crowded but still retains the spirit of the 19th century. It also offers some great places to eat. From there you can trek in the Pirin mountain, the views are truly spectacular.
Of course, there are many more nice places to go (e.g. Ruse on the Danube, the Danube delta, etc.) but these three are as good place to start as any. And, of course, do not forget to try the local cuisine!
P.S. @Frank: the shopska salad, which you described in the article on Skopie, is actually Bulgarian and can be eaten anywhere in the country. “Shopska” means from the area surrounding Sofia.
Hi Emil,
Thank you so much for all this. Had never heard of Nessebar and Bansko but know of the Rila Monastery – we passed it by bus on the way to Sofia (from Thessaliniki as you say).
Very much appreciate the feedback, we’ll be back one day 🙂
Looks like Plovdiv tidied up in honor of being the European Capital of Culture. We were there a few years back when the city just announced that it was chosen and was full of renovations/restorations to be ready by 2019. Lovely. I really liked Plovdiv. It was less grand than Sofia, more homely. As somebody already mentioned in the comments above – Plovdiv is the place to live. Spot on. I felt the same way. We have very fond memories of Bulgaria to the point that one day I wouldn’t mind spending another 2-3 months there. In this case, we would make Plovdiv our base. Cheers!
Actually, there was a lot of renovation going on during this recent visit as well. I think they’re really gearing up for this summer.
We don’t quite feel the same way about Plovdiv, Sofia suited us more. But I can also understand your point of view, just a question of preference.
Hi Frank –
I’m finally getting around to visiting Romania and Bulgaria for the very first time this May. Looking forward to it immensely, especially Brasov and Varna. Thanks for your insights into Plovdiv and Sofia, Frank – super-useful and practical as always! Did you happen to visit any of the hot springs in this part of the world when you passed through?
Cheers,
Kevin Casey
a.k.a. the Jet-setting Copywriter
Thanks for taking the time to comment Kevin. You’ll enjoy Brasov, very pretty place.
No, we didn’t visit any hot springs (although we did a lot of that in Budapest). I know there are a lot of spa resorts in Bulgaria…probably the cheapest place to have that experience.
i would say maybe plovdiv is a pleasant place to live, but Sofia has so much more for the visitor. Some of the old houses are beautiful.
Agreed Andy 🙂