Plovdiv Travel Guide

Other Things to See and Do in Plovdiv

1. Take a free walking tour

Whenever I visit a new city, the first thing I do is take a free walking tour. It’s the best way to see the main sights and learn about the culture on a budget. Plus, you’ll get to connect with a local expert guide who can answer all your questions. Free Plovdiv Tour organizes a free daily tour that lasts two hours and covers all the main highlights. Just be sure to tip!

2. Tour Hindlian House

A wealthy Armenian merchant named Stepan Hindlian once owned this house in the Old Town, which was built between 1835-40. It contains an extensive collection of historic furniture from that period and the walls are covered in detailed landscape paintings. There’s also an entirely marble bathroom and a high-domed ceiling. It’s a neat look at the lavish lifestyles of the city’s former wealthy residents. It costs 5 BGN.

3. Visit the Philippopolis Art Gallery

Bulgaria’s first private art gallery is housed inside a stunning building designed in the National Revival Style of the early 1800s. You’ll see works from 19th and 20th-century Bulgarian masters, including Vladimir Dimitrov, Anton Mitov, and Dimitar Gyudzhenov. There are also often exhibits from modern contemporary artists on display. Admission is free.

4. Attend the International Folklore Festival

Starting on the first weekend of August, Plovdiv turns into one giant open-air folklore music and dance festival. For five days, the streets are filled with parades, concerts, and dancing. Everyone dresses in traditional colorful regalia as they sing and dance. It’s extraordinary to see!

5. Go wine tasting

Bulgaria has some surprisingly tasty wines, and there are dozens of wine cellars scattered around Plovdiv that you can visit. You can take a tour of these cellars or venture out into the Thracian wine region to visit some of the area’s best vineyards. The Thracian wine region covers the Thracian Valley, the Rhodope Mountains, and parts of the Balkan Mountains range and the Black Sea Coast. Most tours cost 127 BGN for a full day, and you’ll get to visit several wineries, with lunch included.

6. Check out the Cultural Center Thrakart

This building, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, showcases an extensive collection of Roman floor mosaics, as well as various Roman artifacts, pottery, and sculptures dating to the 3rd century CE. There’s also a section highlighting historic glassmaking techniques that’s super interesting. Admission is 5 BGN.

7. See Sveta Marina Church

This little church from the 16th century does not get the attention it deserves. In addition to its 56-foot wooden pagoda-shaped bell tower and its 170-year-old iconostasis (a wall of religious icons and religious paintings), the church’s outer walls display Old Testament murals. It won’t take you long to see it all, and it’s free.

8. Wander the Tsar Simeon Central Garden

This immaculate green space is the perfect escape from the hectic shopping area of Plovdiv’s main street. There’s a restored fountain of the Goddess Demeter and a Viennese pavilion at the center of the park. The Singing Fountains on the lake also put on a light show with water effects every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 9:30pm. It’s the perfect place to wander, relax, and people-watch.

9. Make a trip to Bachkovo Monastery

Just outside of Plovdiv, this monastery dates to 1083 (although most of it was built in the 17th century). The main attraction in the monastery is the Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa, with its interior covered completely in colorful frescoes painted by Zahari Zograf in 1850. The refectory is also full of murals displaying the building’s history. Pilgrims often come to the church to pray in front of the Madonna, which is encased in gold and silver. It’s free to visit the monastery, but the on-site museum costs 2 BGN to visit.

10. Visit the Ethnographic Museum

This museum is housed in a 150-year-old building built in the Renaissance style. It’s enveloped by a tranquil garden and takes you through Bulgarian life from the 19th century to the early 20th century using cultural artifacts like furniture, clothing, and tapestries. There are over 40,000 items in its collection so there’s a lot to see! Admission is 6 BGN.

11. Hike Nebet Hill

Nebet Hill makes up one of the seven hills around Plovdiv, and it’s the site of a giant former Roman fortress. There’s not much left from the fort — all you’ll find are some ruined walls and towers — but most people come up here for the views over Plovdiv, especially at sunset.

12. Explore “The Trap”

The Trap is the nickname given to the neighborhood of Kapana, which used to be the center for merchant trade and craftspeople. Nowadays, it’s an artsy neighborhood filled with trendy restaurants, cafes, street art, bars, and galleries. Most of the area is now a pedestrian-only zone too!

For more information on other cities in Bulgaria, check out these guides:

Plovdiv Travel Costs

Hostel prices – Most hostel dorms in Plovdiv cost around 20 BGN for a 5-8 bed dorm. Private hostel rooms cost 53-65 BGN per night. Free Wi-Fi is standard and most hostels also include free breakfast.

Budget hotel prices – Budget two-star hotels cost 42-72 BGN per night. Expect basic amenities like free Wi-Fi, TV, and occasionally free breakfast.

Airbnb is an affordable option in Plovdiv, with private rooms costing 35-70 BGN per night. You can find an entire home/apartment for 60-100 BGN per night.

Food – Bulgarian cuisine is hearty and similar to that of its Balkan neighbors. Meaty stews with lamb, goat, or chicken are common, as are sausages and all kinds of yogurts (dairy products are big here). Popular dishes include kebapche (grilled mincemeat), shopska salad (a salad with tomato, cucumber, and cheese; similar to Greek salad), and moussaka.

You can find food like banica (cheese pastry) are as little as 1.50 BGN, or you can pick up a hearty shopska salad or kebab for around 5 BGN.

A fast-food meal (think McDonald’s) costs around 10 BGN. A traditional Bulgarian meal at a casual restaurant with a drink shouldn’t cost much more than 10 BGN.

If you want to splash out, a three-course meal at an upscale restaurant costs around 25 BGN.

Beer is around 3-4 BGN while a latte/cappuccino is around 2.75 BGN. Bottled water is 1 BGN.

If you plan on cooking your own meals, expect to pay between 40-55 BGN per week. This gets you basic staples like pasta, rice, seasonal produce, and some meat.

Backpacking Plovdiv Suggested Budgets

If you’re backpacking Plovdiv, expect to spend 55 BGN per day. This assumes you’re staying in a hostel, cooking most of your meals, limiting your drinking, taking public transportation to get around, and sticking to mostly free activities like walking tours and hiking. If you plan on drinking, add 5-10 BGN to your daily budget.

On a mid-range budget of 110 BGN per day, you can stay in a private Airbnb, eat out for most meals at cheap cafes and fast food joints, enjoy a few drinks, take the occasional taxi, and do more paid activities like visiting museums and the Roman amphitheater.

On a “luxury” budget of 185 BGN or more per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out anywhere you want, drink more, rent a car to get around or take more taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in BGN.

Plovdiv Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Prices in Plovdiv are pretty consistent compared with other destinations in Bulgaria, making it a very affordable place to visit. There are lots of cheap and free things to do here so it will be hard to break the bank unless you are looking to splash out. Here are some ways to save money in Plovdiv:

• Stay with a local – If you plan ahead, you can usually find really nice Couchsurfing host in Plovdiv. This way, you not only have a free place to stay, but you’ll have a local host that can share their insider tips and advice.
• Get a Plovdiv City Card – The Plovdiv City Card has tons of good deals, including free admission to 12 museums and a free wine tour. It’s 24 BGN for a one-day pass and 36 BGN for a three-day pass.
• Take a free walking tour – Walking tours are a great way to get familiar with a city and the culture. Free Plovdiv Tour is an excellent company to try. (Be sure to tip your guide at the end!)
• Look for free events – Many of Plovdiv’s events and festivals are free to attend, so ask your hostel or host what’s going on during your visit.
• Limit your drinking – Alcohol here is cheap so it can be all too easy to spend more than you want by going out to the bar. Buy your drinks from the store instead of the bar or cut back on your drinking all together. Those cheap beers add up!
• Skip the taxis – Taxis are cheap here, but they also add up. Stick to public transportation if you’re on a budget.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Plovdiv

Plovdiv has some excellent and affordable hostels. Here are my favorite places to stay in the city:

• Hikers Hostel Plovdiv
• Funky Monkey Hostel
• Hostel Mostel
• Hostel Old Plovdiv

How to Get Around Plovdiv

Public transportation – Most of Plovdiv’s main attractions are within walking distance to one another, so you’ll rarely have to use public transportation. If you do need to take it, the bus is really the only mode of getting around. A one-way ticket costs 1 BGN so it’s super affordable.

Taxi – The normal start rate for a taxi in Plovdiv is 1 BGN, and then it’s an additional 0.90 BGN per kilometer. The base rate at night is slightly cheaper, at 0.85 BGN. Make sure your taxi is metered; some drivers have been known to try and overcharge tourists.

Bicycle – Renting a bicycle in Plovdiv is an excellent way to get around the city center. You can rent a bicycle for eight hours from Plovdiv Bike Rent for 18 BGN. A 24-hour rental is just 20 BGN.

Car rental – Car rentals can be found for around 25 BGN per day for a multi-day rental. You won’t need a car to get around the city, however, if you want to explore the region it might be helpful.

When to Go to Plovdiv

Spring and summer in Plovdiv are lovely, with the average daily temperature hovering around 31°C (88°F) between May and August.

However, the busiest months (July and August) bring in lots of tourists and higher accommodation prices so be sure to book early if you’re visiting in the summer.

Fall (September to November) in Plovdiv is also pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 7-18°C (46-66°F). There aren’t as many tourists as in summer so things are a bit cheaper and a bit quieter. It can get chilly and windy, though, so pack warm clothing.

Winter temperatures drop below 3°C (27°F) and the city sees very few tourists during this time. It’s not the best time to visit, but you can still visit a lot of the museums if you come in winter.

How to Stay Safe in Plovdiv

Plovdiv is a very safe city. Violent crime is rare, as are scams and petty crime. Of course, you’ll always want to keep your valuables secure when you’re out and about just to be safe (especially on crowded public transportation and in busy tourist areas).

Some taxi drivers have been known to overcharge their customers, so make sure your driver has a metered cab before you get in it.

If you’re worried about getting scammed, you can read about common travel scams to avoid right here.

When out at the bar, always keep an eye on your drink. Also, never walk home alone if you’ve been drinking.

If you experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. If a taxi driver seems shady, stop the cab and get out. If your hotel is seedier than you thought, move somewhere else.

If you don’t do it at home, don’t do it in Plovdiv! Follow that rule, and you’ll avoid being the victim of petty crime.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past.

Plovdiv Gear and Packing Guide

If you’re heading on the road and need some gear suggestions, here are my tips for the best travel backpack and for what to pack!

The Best Backpack for Travelers

What’s the best backpack for traveling long-term? I recommend the REI Flash 45 Pack. It’s light and comfy, top loading, and fits perfectly in an airplane’s overhead bin.
Size: 45-47L
Straps: Thick and cushy with compression technology that pulls the pack’s load up and inwards so it doesn’t feel as heavy.
Features: Removable top lid, pocket at the front, hydration compatible, contoured hip belt

If you want something different, refer to my article on how to choose the best travel backpack for tips on picking a pack and other backpack suggestions.

What to Pack for Your Trip

Clothes

• 1 pair of jeans (heavy and not easily dried, but I like them; a good alternative is khaki pants)
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 bathing suit
• 5 T-shirts (Unbound Merino is my preferred company. If you’re a member of NM+, you can get 15% off your purchase)
• 1 long-sleeved T-shirt
• 1 pair of flip-flops
• 1 pair of sneakers
• 6 pairs of socks (I always end up losing half)
• 5 pairs of boxer shorts (I’m not a briefs guy!)
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 tube of toothpaste
• 1 razor
• 1 package of dental floss
• 1 small bottle of shampoo
• 1 small bottle of shower gel
• 1 towel
• Deodorant

Small Medical Kit (safety is important!!!)

• Band-Aids
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Antibacterial cream
• Earplugs
• Tylenol
• Hand sanitizer (germs = sick = bad holiday)

Miscellaneous

• A key or combination lock (safety first)
• Zip-lock bags (keeps things from leaking or exploding)
• Plastic bags (great for laundry)
• Universal charger/adaptor (this applies to everyone)
• LifeStraw (A water bottle with a purifier)

Female Travel Packing List
I’m not a woman, so I don’t know what a woman wears, but Kristin Addis, our solo female travel guru, wrote this list as an addition to the basics above:

Clothing

• 1 swimsuit
• 1 sarong
• 1 pair of stretchy jeans (they wash and dry easily)
• 1 pair of leggings (if it’s cold, they can go under your jeans, otherwise with a dress or shirt)
• 2-3 long-sleeve tops
• 2-3 T-shirts
• 3-4 spaghetti tops
• 1 light cardigan

Toiletries

• 1 dry shampoo spray & talc powder (keeps long hair grease-free in between washes)
• 1 hairbrush
• Makeup you use
• Hair bands & hair clips
• Feminine hygiene products (you can opt to buy there too, but I prefer not to count on it, and most people have their preferred products)

For more on packing, check out these posts:

• What I Pack For My Travels
• The Ultimate List For Female Travelers
• How to Choose and Buy the Right Backpack