Plovdiv
Visit Plovdiv, the second-largest city in Bulgaria, located in the historical region of Thrace. Plovdiv is the cultural capital of Bulgaria and is an important economic, transport, cultural, and educational center. The evidence of habitation in ancient Plovdiv dates back to the 6th millennium BC. Therefore, Plovdiv is considered the oldest inhabited city in Europe.
Plovdiv is situated on the two banks of the Maritsa river, and it is surrounded by a fertile region of south-central Bulgaria. When Bulgarians speak about Plovdiv, quite often they call it by the name "The City of the Seven Hills". The reason is that the city developed on seven syenite hills throughout the centuries. Furthermore, if you decide to visit Plovdiv, you will find that there is plenty to do. The ancient city is a host to numerous cultural events, such as Opera Open, the TV festival "The Golden Chest", Kapana Fest, the international theatrical festival "A Stage on a Crossroad" and the International Fair Plovdiv.
According to some findings, the earliest signs of habitation in the area of ancient Plovdiv date back to the 6th millennium BC. Archaeologists have discovered traces of inhabitation and necropolises from the Neolithic era (around 6000–5000 BC) and objects of everyday life from the end of the 4th millennium BC. Other interesting findings in the territory of Plovdiv include Thracian necropolises from the 2nd–3rd millennium BC. Moreover, archaeologists have estimated that the Thracian town was established between the 2nd and the 1st millennium BC.
The history of Plovdiv spans more than eight millennia. Therefore, when you visit Plovdiv and walk around the city, you will discover many preserved ruins, such as: the ancient Plovdiv Roman Theatre – built at the beginning of the 2nd century; a Roman Odeon – the ruins of the building in its latest layout dated to the mid-3rd century; a Roman aqueduct; the Plovdiv Roman Stadium-with seats for about 30 000 people; the archaeological complex of Eirene from the 3rd–4th century, and others.
According to historians, at the beginning of the 18th century, the steady economic development of Plovdiv as a major economic center began. During the 19th century, Plovdiv experienced a real National Revival process in the spiritual and economic areas. During that period, the astonishing architectural type of the Plovdiv National Revival House was born. Some of the most notable houses from that period are the Fournadzhiev house, the Klianti house, the Balabanov house, the Kouyoumdjiev house, and others.
Nowadays, Plovdiv is a vibrant and romantic city with many hidden gems where ancient and modern meet. Personally, one of my favorite places to visit in Plovdiv is the Kapana district. This is a place where, after a long walk around the ancient Plovdiv, you can sit and have a taste of the fruitful and magnificent wines made in the local area, accompanied by delicious food.