The pictures of Plovdiv's old town houses and museums look gorgeous. Plovdiv is a European city of culture in 2019 so lots of events are organized. Trips to Plovdiv are offered from Sofia and other cities, but cheaper if you share a trip with three or more, and start early in the morning.
We hired a car and drove from Borovets, mountainside ski and walking centre, to Plovdiv city and back in a day.
Just outside Borovets is a village with an army tank on the main square, and what looks like a small plane in a front garden.
Our first stop was a detour to a winery on the outskirts of Plovdiv. We saw the oak wood barrels and stainless steel vats and were given a free taste of three wines. If we had given them warning, they would have ordered in some snacks to go with the wine.
We then drove to the centre of Plovdiv and parked buying a three hour parking coupon from the strolling warden.
The tourist office in the centre gave us a map and suggested a restaurant.Right in the centre is an excavated Roman ruin, with a balcony restaurant facing it. Our friends sent us a picture of themselves drinking strawberry milkshakes overlooking the Roman ruin.
Beside the sunken Roman is a modern mosque. Walk on uphill on the cobbled narrow streets thought the craft quarter. The old houses are painted in bright colours and some have overhanging balconies. Many walls are painted with giant murals, or graffiti.
We had lunch. The toilets had a sign saying put your toilet paper in the bin, not down the toilet. (Same as in Greece.)
At the top is a small cathedral, free to enter, like all the Orthodox Christian buildings. No photos! Inside it was highly ornate, and dark.
We had lunch at Smokini.
Travel and tour tips:
TOURS
Free Plovdiv tour at 2 pm Oct to April and 6 pm May to September. No need to book. Just show up.
www.freeplovdivtour.com
VITISTOUR
Wine tour of Bulgaria, Plovdiv tours by car, bike or scoot; Plovdiv Communist tours.
facebook.com/vitistour
VISITS
Free visits: First Thursday of the month for students and retired people.
HOTELS
Hotel Rila, 2010 Borovets, Bulgaria, reception tel:+359 750 32441
www.rilaborovets.com
Winery estate DRAGOMIR
Moving from near Plovdiv to another nearby address between June and September.
WINE TASTING
The House of Distillation, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
www.bulgariawinetours.com
Half day and full day wine tours from European 65 per person.
Facebook: street.of.crafts.plovdiv
Welcomemaps.eu plovdiv
Walking tour of Plovdiv from !2 euros, every day at 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 hours, lasting around 3 hours, includes map and a coupon for 15% offPyldin restaurant, 3 entrance tickets to Small Basilica, Amenian museum trakart. Starting point
1 Rayko Daskalov st (tourist info centre).
Maps
Large free map from
Official Tourism Portal:
visitplovdiv.com
Wine Map Bulgaria
Useful Phrases Card from
365 Culture Tour Of Sophia (Costs about 22 Leva)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plovdiv_Synagogue
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
We hired a car and drove from Borovets, mountainside ski and walking centre, to Plovdiv city and back in a day.
Just outside Borovets is a village with an army tank on the main square, and what looks like a small plane in a front garden.
Our first stop was a detour to a winery on the outskirts of Plovdiv. We saw the oak wood barrels and stainless steel vats and were given a free taste of three wines. If we had given them warning, they would have ordered in some snacks to go with the wine.
We then drove to the centre of Plovdiv and parked buying a three hour parking coupon from the strolling warden.
The tourist office in the centre gave us a map and suggested a restaurant.Right in the centre is an excavated Roman ruin, with a balcony restaurant facing it. Our friends sent us a picture of themselves drinking strawberry milkshakes overlooking the Roman ruin.
Beside the sunken Roman is a modern mosque. Walk on uphill on the cobbled narrow streets thought the craft quarter. The old houses are painted in bright colours and some have overhanging balconies. Many walls are painted with giant murals, or graffiti.
We had lunch. The toilets had a sign saying put your toilet paper in the bin, not down the toilet. (Same as in Greece.)
At the top is a small cathedral, free to enter, like all the Orthodox Christian buildings. No photos! Inside it was highly ornate, and dark.
We had lunch at Smokini.
Travel and tour tips:
TOURS
Free Plovdiv tour at 2 pm Oct to April and 6 pm May to September. No need to book. Just show up.
www.freeplovdivtour.com
VITISTOUR
Wine tour of Bulgaria, Plovdiv tours by car, bike or scoot; Plovdiv Communist tours.
facebook.com/vitistour
VISITS
Free visits: First Thursday of the month for students and retired people.
HOTELS
Hotel Rila, 2010 Borovets, Bulgaria, reception tel:+359 750 32441
www.rilaborovets.com
Winery estate DRAGOMIR
Moving from near Plovdiv to another nearby address between June and September.
WINE TASTING
The House of Distillation, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
www.bulgariawinetours.com
Half day and full day wine tours from European 65 per person.
Facebook: street.of.crafts.plovdiv
Welcomemaps.eu plovdiv
Walking tour of Plovdiv from !2 euros, every day at 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 hours, lasting around 3 hours, includes map and a coupon for 15% offPyldin restaurant, 3 entrance tickets to Small Basilica, Amenian museum trakart. Starting point
1 Rayko Daskalov st (tourist info centre).
Maps
Large free map from
Official Tourism Portal:
visitplovdiv.com
Wine Map Bulgaria
Useful Phrases Card from
365 Culture Tour Of Sophia (Costs about 22 Leva)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plovdiv_Synagogue
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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