How Many Days In Plovdiv, Bulgaria Do You Really Need?
Visiting Bulgaria soon, but a bit unsure of how many days in Plovdiv you really need? I got you covered! In this guide, I cover different trip lengths and who they suit best.
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How Many Days In Plovdiv Should You Spend?
You might be unsure of how many days in Plovdiv you should spend. I was in the same boat before I went!
Seeing as Bulgaria is outside of the Schengen Zone, you don’t need to worry about the days you spend here adding up to those pesky 90 days.
That being said, say you only have a few months in the Balkans and want to see a bit of Plovdiv, but want to maximise your time elsewhere!
In that case, getting an idea of how many days in Plovdiv is very helpful!
I spent 3 days in Plovdiv and really, really enjoyed it. I didn’t know what to expect from the city but I was pleasantly surprised!
Deciding how many days in Plovdiv you really need, depends on what you’re interested in as a traveller. In this guide, i’ll run through every one of these factors and set you up perfectly!
I’m a long-term budget traveller, so I really lean into the spontaneous side of the things and tend to go with the flow. However, having a general idea of where i’m headed and where I want to be by a certain date helps a lot!
Here are some things you should consider before deciding how many days in Plovdiv you want to spend:
How Many Days In Plovdiv: Things To Consider
How Much Do You Like History?
How much you like history, specifically ancient history plays a massive role in deciding how many days in Plovdiv you want to spend.
Plovdiv is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. Naturally, this means it has a whole lot of history you can discover.
But, if you’re not much of a history nut, you really don’t need more than a day in the city. You’ll get to explore Plovdiv’s Old Town and its Revival Houses, but not enter them.
Aside from exploring Plovdiv’s ancient sites – you might be interested in wandering around the trendy Kapana District or climbing up to Nebet Tepe for an awesome view of the city.
Taking Day Trips From Plovdiv
When deciding how many days in Plovdiv you want to spend, make sure you consider whether or not you fancy a day trip!
Plovdiv has a couple of really cool day trips to choose from, depending on what you’re interested in!
The most popular day trip from Plovdiv is visiting Asen’s Fortress, which is a really picturesque medieval fortress in the Rhodope Mountains. It was used to defend the region from invading troops.
Even if you couldn’t care less about the history, it’s perfect for those looking for a new adventure and travel photography enthusiasts.
One of the more offbeat day trips from Plovdiv you can do is checking out the Buzludzha Monument. It’s known as the creepiest communist monument in Bulgaria and is one of the most beautiful abandoned places in the world.
It was built under the communist regime and the plan was that it would be the headquarters for the Bulgarian Communist Party. However, it didn’t last very long – with it being abandoned in 1989. Now, it can only be reached with a guided tour.
Do You Like Travelling Slow?
I’m a big fan of slow travelling. It allows me to see a place from a local’s point of view, seeing as you won’t necessarily be sightseeing.
By slowing down, I find that the way of life is the attraction. Plovdiv, from my experience, is a city where family is important. I remember wandering around the Kapana District and it’s vibrant cafes, as well as the main pedestrian street – where families all came together.
That makes figuring out how many days in Plovdiv a bit more tricky. Ultimately, spend however long you want there! Bulgaria in general isn’t the most popular country for backpacking yet, and even in peak season I found that hostels were fairly empty (aside from Sofia).
This means you can be a bit more flexible – you’ll always be able to extend your stay if you want!
How Many Days In Plovdiv: The Easy Answer
Here’s the easy answer to how many days in Plovdiv.
I believe that two full days is the right amount of time to spend in Plovdiv. Just a couple of days here will allow you to see pretty much everything in the city and even give you a chance to take a day trip out to Asen’s Fortress or the Buzludzha Monument.
Planning a trip to Plovdiv?
2 Days In Plovdiv For Your First Time In Bulgaria
For your first time in Bulgaria, it can be a bit tricky figuring out how many days in Plovdiv is right for you. From 2024, passport holders from 89 countries can stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days, visa free.
This doesn’t mean you have to stay the full 90 days, obviously, but it does give you a bit of leeway with how you plan your Bulgaria itinerary.
For your first time in Bulgaria, you simply must visit Plovdiv. It was one of three cities I visited during my time in the country and it blew me away with how unique it is.
Spending 2 days in Plovdiv will work perfectly for your first time in Bulgaria. It’ll give you a good amount of time to see the most of what the city has to offer as well as a day trip.
In summer, Plovdiv can get really hot so if you choose to spend both days in the city – you’ll get the chance to slow down a little rather than burning yourself out!
What to do in Plovdiv in 2 days:
- Plovdiv Old Town & the National Revival Houses
- Nebet Tepe (currently closed)
- Roman Ampitheater
- Kapana Art District
- Day trip to Asens Fortress
1 Day In Plovdiv: The Highlights
Maybe your focus is heading to the Bulgarian coast, and after Sofia you just want to use Plovdiv as a quick stop on the way.
Perhaps you don’t have long in the country and want to see the highlights! Either way, Plovdiv is worth it.
For those people, 1 day in Plovdiv is a good amount of time to see the main highlights such as the Old Town, Nebet Tepe and the Kapana Art District.
Credit: Anton Atanasov (Unsplash)
In only one day in Plovdiv, you can do a lot – but you might be pretty knackered by the end of the day!
No matter how many days in Plovdiv you want to spend, you must do the Free Plovdiv Tour at 11am to learn as much as possible about the city by some great guides.
If you were to just explore by yourself, i’m not sure you’d really be able to take in what Plovdiv is about (unless you’ve done a crazy amount of research).
The tour will take you from the main shopping street and end up in the Old Town. Make sure you leave your guide a tip at the end, as that allows them to continue doing the tours!
After you’re done with the tour, you can continue walking around the Old Town discovering the unique National Revival Houses. If you want, you can even enter some of them – the Hindliyan House is probably the most popular and has a museum inside.
This entrance to the Hindliyan House is 5 BGN ($2.80 USD or $4.30 AUD)
Finish the day off in the Kapana Art District, it really lights up at night!
How Many Days In Plovdiv For History Nuts: 3 Days
If you’re a history nut, you’re going to love Plovdiv. But, working out how many days in Plovdiv depends on what type of history you like.
That’s why I generally recommend spending 3 days in Plovdiv. Unlike other types of travellers, you might want to visit all of the Revival Houses – and that can take up a day in itself!
Other than the beautiful houses, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment around the ancient sites dotted around the city. For example, the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis and The Roman Stadium – which is in the heart of the city.
You should still do the Free Plovdiv Tour, as they have a seemingly endless list of fun facts about the city that even I (who’s not super interested in ancient history) enjoyed.
For more recent history, take a day trip out to the Buzludzha Monument – one of the world’s most amazing abandoned buildings. Unfortunately, you can only come here with a guided tour – and it gets cheaper with more people.
I didn’t get the chance to go during my time in Plovdiv, so I recommend talking to staff at your hostel for their tips!
Check out my guide on Bulgaria By Train Guide
How Many Days In Plovdiv: Final Thoughts
So that’s it! To summarise, I think the perfect amount of time for any traveller visiting Plovdiv 2 full days. This trip length will give you plenty of time to see everything in the city without feeling too rushed.
Like I mentioned earlier, Plovdiv doesn’t attract a whole lot of backpackers (yet) – so if you do want to extend your trip, it will be very easy to do so!
Enjoy Plovdiv!
Check out all of my posts about Bulgaria
Book Your Trip With My Favourite Resources:
Cheap Flights: I always use Skyscanner to browse for cheap flights. It offers so many options to help you find a good deal! It even allows you to search for “anywhere” if you haven’t decided where to go yet!
Accommodation: I start my hostel search with Hostelworld. Most hostels are now on this platform making it the place to find the best hostel for you.
Travel Insurance: If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. It is so important to have when travelling as it will save you from illness, injury, theft and cancellations! I always use Worldnomads when travelling on a budget as they have the best deals for me.