Is Plovdiv Worth Visiting? 9 Pros & Cons You Need To Know
Is Plovdiv worth visiting? I wondered that before visiting myself. Luckily, I loved it. Read these 9 pros and cons to visiting Plovdiv!
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Is Plovdiv Worth Visiting?
Plovdiv is the second biggest city in Bulgaria, and has a good amount on offer. But for whatever reason, budget travellers tend to stop in Sofia on their Bulgaria itinerary before heading off to another country!
They completely miss out on Plovdiv. When I talked to people about it during my time in the Balkans, nine times out of ten the person wouldn’t have heard of it! Shocking!
The city is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe and one of the oldest in the world – so it comes with a lot of history that history nuts will love!
From the unique Plovdiv Old Town known for its colourful Revival Houses, to the vibrant Kapana Art District.
From the ancient sites all over the city to the awesome day trips of Asens Fortress and the Buzludzha Monument.
If you want to make the most of your time in Bulgaria, you’ve got to get to the bottom of “is Plovdiv worth visiting?”!
The quick and easy answer is, yes! That being said, the type of traveller you are can determine whether you’ll like it or not.
Here are the pros and cons of “is Plovdiv worth visiting”:
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Is Plovdiv Worth Visiting? The Pros!
1. Old Town Plovdiv Is One Of The Most Unique In Europe
Plovdiv is known for its incredibly unique old town. The winding cobblestone streets are lined with colourful National Revival Houses that were developed in the 18th century.
Unlike some old towns in the region, Plovdiv’s is really well preserved and blew me away when I visited.
I had never seen anything like it before and it made for some amazing travel photography!
The Revival Houses were home to the wealthy few – who were often merchants. Inside, they are decorated very intricately. If you were a rich person back then, this is how you would boast your wealth!
Now, you can wander around Plovdiv’s old town exploring the houses – in which some have turned into museums. If you were to check out only one, I recommend seeing the Hindliyan House (5 BGN ticket).
So, is Plovdiv worth visiting for the old town alone? Absolutely! In fact, it’s the main attraction in the city – so don’t miss out!
2. History Of Plovdiv
Is Plovdiv worth visiting for the history? Well, Plovdiv is the oldest continuously inhabited city in all of Europe, and in the top 10 in the world!
So naturally, it comes with a sh*t load of history that you can discover. Plovdiv was once apart of the Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire, which you can see all throughout the city.
You can see the Roman Stadium, located in the heart of the city as well as the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis (the name of the city in the Roman times). You can also see more ancient ruins up on Nebet Tepe.
Evidence of the Ottoman Empire in Plovdiv is seen through the two mosques that still remain from that time – one being the Djumaya Mosque in the city centre.
For more recent history, take a day trip out to the Buzludzha Monument – it’s one of the coolest abandoned buildings in the world (I will go into this under the next heading).
I really recommend going on the Free Plovdiv Tour to learn more about the history of Plovdiv in a short amount of time!
3. Day Trips From Plovdiv
Is Plovdiv worth visiting for day trips? Yes! There are a couple of day trips from Plovdiv that are quite cool.
One being Asen’s Fortress, a medieval fortress in the Rhodope Mountains and the second being the Buzludzha Monument, a creepy abandoned communist monument that looks like a UFO.
The Buzludzha Monument was built by the communist regime and it was planned to be the headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party. It was then abandoned in 1989.
Now, it’s ranked as one of the best abandoned places in the world to visit – but it can only be reached with a guided tour.
Asen’s Fortress on the other hand was built to defend the area from enemy soldiers, and being high up in the mountains means it’s really quite stunning!
4. Plovdiv Is Off The Beaten Track
When I visited Plovdiv, I rarely saw any other tourists. Even in the hostel I stayed in, I had an entire dorm room to myself.
Bulgaria attracts just a fraction of the amount of backpackers other Balkan countries receive – aside from Sofia, and it’s a shame because there is so much on offer! Especially Plovdiv.
I really enjoyed walking around the main street of Plovdiv (which is one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe) and very clearly being the only tourist around.
If you’re looking for a place less visited, is Plovdiv worth visiting? For sure!
5. Plovdiv Is Very Affordable
The affordability of a location should be a bonus to anywhere you go – and not the main reason. If you’re wondering “is Plovdiv worth visiting?” this is no different!
Bulgaria is one of the most affordable countries in the Europe, and Plovdiv is no different!
A dorm bed in a hostel will set you back anywhere from 20-30 AUD (13-16 USD) depending on the level of comfort you want and the time of year you visit.
Plovdiv Old Town costs nothing to wander around, but if you want to enter any of the houses and museums in the area (aside from the Bishop’s Basilica) they will cost you 5 BGN (4 AUD, 3 USD).
If you want to visit up to 5 tourist sites, you can get a combined ticket for 15 BGN (12 AUD, 8 USD).
I can’t comment on restaurant prices seeing as I didn’t eat out in Plovdiv, but getting food from supermarkets is quite affordable.
So, if you’re wondering “is Plovdiv worth visiting?” – the fact that it’s affordable is definitely a plus!
6. Plovdiv Art & Culture Is Vibrant
Plovdiv is so goddamn vibrant, and there’s no better place to see that than the Kapana Art District.
Located close to the city centre, it’s packed with cafes, restaurants and bars. There is colourful street art everywhere, so you can honestly spend a while just admiring the talent of local artists.
Because of this, it is no surprise that it was chosen as one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2019 alongside Matera (Italy).
Aside from this district, the city comes alive in the late afternoon as families come out and wander around, playing in the parks and eating in the restaurants. I have a nice memory of people-watching one afternoon, loving how family-oriented the city is.
If you appreciate a vibrant city and are wondering “is Plovdiv worth visiting?”, it certainly is!
7. Green Space In Plovdiv
For me, a city having green space is so important.
When budget travelling, I like to take it easy – see one or two things in the morning and then find a park to hang out in rather than hiding in the hostel during the day.
In Plovdiv, there was plenty of green space for me to do this.
In some other places like Gjirokaster and Georgetown, there is no green space. That makes it kind of annoying, i’d like to find a place to chill out and read a book that isn’t the hostel!
Is Plovdiv worth visiting for having green space? Well, it’s definitely not the main reason you should visit – but it is a benefit.
Check out my guide on how to get around Bulgaria by train
Is Plovdiv Worth Visiting? The Cons
1. There Aren’t Heaps Of Things To Do In Plovdiv
I’ll be completely honest. Unless you’re super into ancient history, you’ll probably feel like you’ve run out of things to do in Plovdiv pretty quickly.
Once you’ve wandered around Plovdiv Old Town, up to Nebet Tepe, checked out the Kapana Art District and seen the ancient sites in the heart of the city – you’ve seen the main sights of Plovdiv.
That’s why I recommend spending at least a full day in the city and then take a day trip from Plovdiv.
Check out my guide on how many days in Plovdiv do you need?
2. The Hostels In Plovdiv
Like I mentioned earlier, Plovdiv is only just starting to get more backpackers so the hostel scene isn’t the best just yet. So, there’s only one good hostel in Plovdiv.
I’ll make it very clear that i’m not getting sponsored to say this, but Hostel Old Plovdiv is the best hostel in Plovdiv and it’s not even close.
Located in the middle of the old town, the house was owned by one of the wealthiest tobacco merchants. It’s an awesome place to stay and feels very authentic to the Bulgarian Renaissance!
They also offer free breakfast, tea and coffee. What more could you want?
If you were to miss out on this hostel, you don’t really have the best options available. I stayed at Hakuna Matata Plovdiv for most of my time in Plovdiv and whilst it wasn’t BAD, the vibe was a little weird.
Oh! And I remember that when I was having a shower, the divider between the stalls fell down and I was stood there facing ANOTHER GUY buck naked. Bit awkward.
Travel Insurance For Plovdiv
If you can’t afford travel insurance, you really shouldn’t be travelling. I’m a big believer in using travel insurance when travelling as it will save my arse if anything goes tits up! I use Worldnomads, easily the best company out there for long-term travellers. Get insured with these guys when backpacking Plovdiv.
Is Plovdiv Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts
I was really excited to be visiting Plovdiv based on the photos of the old town. But, that’s all I knew about it! So I wondered “is Plovdiv worth visiting?”.
Thankfully, I really loved it. It’s got both modern and ancient history, the most unique old town i’ve ever visited and a vibrant culture.
It is perfect for budget travellers. Enjoy!
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.