Climb the hills for views of the city, wander the Old Town and Kapana Districts, and marvel at one of the best preserved ancient theaters in the world. Plovdiv only may be the second largest city in Bulgaria, but it certainly has a lot of things to see. With one day in Plovdiv, you can cover the highlights and get a good feel for this city without feeling too rushed.
Here’s how I would spend one day in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
One Day in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
This is not the only way to spend one day in Plovdiv, but it’s what I would recommend. I had two and a half days in Plovdiv, so I took the best of that time and arranged it all into one itinerary. It covers what I feel are the highlights of the city, but still allows you to go at your own pace and have some freedom.
Morning – Hill to the Red Soldier
Plovdiv has a lot of hills and all offer some views of the surrounding area. Over the course of this one day itinerary, you’ll climb several of these hills. Some have better views than others, but since none of these feel extremely strenuous, I think it’s worth visiting all of them and deciding for yourself. That said, if you’re here on a very hot day, you might find yourself dripping in sweat and may want to rearrange parts of this itinerary.
Start your day with walking up to the Red Soldier which sits on top of Bunardzhika Hill. This is the highest hill of the day and has some of the best views to the surrounding areas. You won’t be able to see the Old Town, but you can see much of the newer parts of Plovdiv and some of the mountains in the distance.
On top of the hill, you’ll find a Red Soldier. This was a monument to communism and while it’s no doubt controversial now that Bulgaria is no longer a communist state, it’s still worth visiting. Not for the monument, but for the view you get from the top of the hill.
Mid Morning – Tsar Simeon Garden Park
After descending from the Red Soldier, we’re going to very slowly make our way to the Old Town, but we’ll make plenty of stops along the way. The first of which is Tsar Simeon Garden Park. I’ve been very open about how much I’ve been enjoying parks lately, and this park is no exception. There’s several walking paths, plenty of benches, and it has something that you won’t find at the Red Soldier Monument: shade.
Plus, at the park you’ll find the “Singing Fountains”. Maybe I wasn’t here at the right time, but I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about. They seemed like ordinary fountains to me.
Regardless of if you want to sit and relax in the park, I’d recommend just a short stroll through the park as you make your way across the city.
Late Morning – Danov Hill
As you make your way closer to the Old Town, detour slightly and climb another hill. This time it’s Danov Hill. In my opinion, it’s an easier climb than that of Bunardzhika Hill with the Red Soldier.
From the top, you’ll get some views of the city. This was probably my least favorite hill of the three hills I climbed, but that was because the trees just seemed to be in the perfect spot to block my photos. Don’t get me wrong, you can get nice views from the top of Danov Hill, but I do think the views at other hills are better. So, if you’re going to skip one of the hills, skip this one.
Noon – Ancient Theater of Philippopolis
Bulgaria has been inhabited for thousands of years and throughout so many cities, including Plovdiv, you’ll find ruins from ancient times. In Plovdiv, you’ll find one of the most well preserved ancient theaters anywhere in the world. This site was built during ancient times to host events and what’s amazing is that this theater still holds events today. When I was in Plovdiv, the theater looked a lot more modern than normal as they were setting up for some kind of performance.
You have a few options for visiting the theater. As mentioned, the theater is still being used for events today, so if there’s a performance during your stay, buy a ticket and experience the theater as a theater.
The next option is to buy a ticket to enter the theater. For those wanting an up close view, this is a great option. Tickets cost about 8 euros (less for kids).
Lastly, we have what I did. To be clear, I fully expected to buy a ticket to visit the theater, but then I arrived there. First, there was a lot of set up in progress for some event, which took away a bit of the feel of an ancient theater. Next, I noticed that there was a fence that went most of the way around the theater. You could look through the fence to get some really good views of the theater. Is it the same as walking along the seats? Nope. But I’m still satisfied with my visit.
Lunch
Take a break from sightseeing and enjoy some lunch. I’m not a foodie traveler and don’t feel right making restaurant recommendations, but I can say there’s plenty of restaurants in the Kapana District, which is where we’re heading next. Find something that looks good and stop to eat before continuing your sightseeing.
Afternoon – Kapana District and Plovdiv Old Town
Your lunch was likely in the Kapana District so take some time to wander this area. The streets are lined with shops and restaurants and it feels very lively. This was my favorite area of Plovdiv.
Along with the shops and restaurants, you’ll also find the Ancient Stadium of Philipopolis, another well preserved ruin that you can walk partially through (for free!). There’s also the Djumaya Mosque, which is the only mosque left standing in Plovdiv. For churches, Sveta Bogoroditsa Church is photogenic and worth a stop (though I didn’t see the interior because of a service that was going on).
Make your way to the Old Town, which is adjacent to the Kapana District. Here you’ll find more of the old city with its original buildings and walk ways. Highlights here include Hindiyan’s House, which is a great example of some of the detailed paintings that decorated the exterior of homes (though there are other examples). You can also find Hisar Kapia Gate, which was one of the old gates to the city.
In general, I just enjoyed walking around the Old Town. Yes there’s a few museums you can pop into, but I just liked walking and seeing what I could find. The area feels very different from the rest of Plovdiv and while I was walking through here, I passed very few tourists. I don’t know if I was here at the wrong time of day, but it seemed that most people stuck to the Kapana District. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Kapana District, but the Old Town feels so different and it’s definitely worthy of some of your time.
Evening – Pǔldin Fortress and Nebet Hill
End your day on the final hill. From the Old Town, you can reach Nebet Hill which is home to the ruins of the Pǔldin Fortress. There’s not a lot to see from the fortress, but there’s enough to make it more than just another hill with some views. But of course, there are great views of the city from Nebet Hill. Look out toward the Kapana District and beyond as you finish your one day in Plovdiv.
Is One Day in Plovdiv, Bulgaria Enough?
I think if you have one full day, it’s enough in Plovdiv. Can you find more to do? Absolutely. There’s several smaller museums that I have not included in this itinerary.
However, if you’re short on time, I would recommend limiting yourself to one full day in Plovdiv. There are so many other great places in Bulgaria and it seems such a shame to spend more time in Plovdiv when you could be seeing something completely different in one of the other great cities of Bulgaria.
How to Get Around Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Like all big cities, there are buses to help you get around. However, if you stay in near the Old Town and Kapana District (which is what I recommend), you won’t need public transportation. The city is incredibly walkable and while there are some hills, the only instance where I though a bus may be handy is the 25 minute walk that I had from the train station to my hostel.
How to Get to Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria so it’s no surprise that it’s well connected to other cities around Bulgaria.
Plovdiv has an airport (airport code PDV), but it’s small and you’re likely going to find better flight options at nearby Sofia airport (airport code SOF).
There are numerous trains and buses that will help get you to wherever you need to go. For connections to Sofia, you’ll have loads of options. For connections to the coast (such as Burgas and Varna), you will find buses and trains, though the trains may come with connections. Since the train journeys can be long, consider breaking up the journey with a stop in the town of Veliko Tarnovo. This town is a bit out of the way, but it’s fantastic place to spend one day.
Find train connections on the Bulgarian Train Website and even purchase your tickets online.
Final Thoughts
Like so many cities in Bulgaria, I enjoyed Plovdiv more than I thought I did. While I originally had planned to just visit as a day trip (and I even debated skipping it altogether), I’m so glad it found a place on my Bulgaria itinerary. The streets were a delight to wander and even the historic ancient sites were interesting. So if you’re planning a trip to Bulgaria, don’t overlook Plovdiv.
