Trip to Plovdiv and the Old Town

Plovdiv is the second largest Bulgarian city located 156 km southeast of Sofia in the Thracian Lowlands, which was known in ancient times (372 BC) as Philippopolis - the residence of Alexander the Great 's father. You will also visit the Old Town, which has preserved the heritage atmosphere of Plovdiv. During this tour you will have a professional guide speaking your language at no additional cost - call for availability.

Highlights of this tour include: 

Ancient Roman Amphitheatre - the most impressive buildings of Roman times, built by Emperor Mark Avrelii during the 2nd century AD. Its magnificent arcade adorned with marble statues is simply breathtaking. Theatre and opera performances are still staged here on warm summer nights.

The Roman Stadium of Trimontium - constructed during the 2nd century (in the form of a horseshoe) and built over the Sahat Tepe in the Taxim Tepe hills. It is 180 metres long and has 30,000 seats, and hosted games from the Septimus Severus time (193-211 AD). The flashiest competitions were the Alexandrian Games, which were just like the Greek Olympic Games.

The Ethnographic Museum - one of the most interesting museums in Bulgaria. Its exhibits are on show in the beautiful house of Argir Koiumjioglu, built in 1847, and a fine example of the Bulgarian Baroque architecture of the National Revival Period.

The Archaeological Museum - one of the first Bulgarian cultural institutions officially opened in 1882. Originally set up as an archaeological and numismatic center, it earned the status of Archaeological Museum during the 1920's. It boasts one of the richest collections of artefacts (with over 10,000 exhibits) related to the history of Plovdiv and the surrounding regions. It is truly one of the biggest and most famous ancient towns in the Balkan Peninsula.

The Old Plovdiv - nowadays it is an original living museum, and an architectural phenomenon with many of the houses of those times, formerly lived in by the most prominent Bulgarians, now turned into museums and galleries hosting various art exhibitions, festivals, biennials, and even used as tourist dormitories.

After breakfast, at around 9am, you will be collected from your hotel in Sofia, with our guide meeting you at the reception desk. It is then a pleasant and comfortable 1.5 hours drive to the city of Plovdiv. On the way you will learn about the history of this ancient settlement.

After arriving at the Old Plovdiv, you will be able to enter and walk around through the narrow cobblestone streets and feel the 19th century atmosphere. Climbing up the rock stairs we will reach the top - the remains of the 2nd century Ancient Roman Amphitheatre. It is a really unforgettable experience, especially if you are lucky enough to see one of the many theatrical or musical performances that are still presented on this antique stage. The Ethnographic museum is well worth the visit too (entrance fee included in the price).

Along this tour you will also see landmarks remaining from the time of Ottoman rule such as the Imaret Mosque (1444-45), now a branch of the Archaeological Museum; as well as the Djumaya Mosque dating from the same period; and the Bell Tower, one of the oldest in Europe, and mentioned in a 1633 travelogue.

At lunchtime, we will go to a typical Bulgarian restaurant for a tasty meal of Bulgarian dishes, such as "Tikvichki s kisselo mljako" (small pumpkins in yoghurt), which is one of the many lunch options. But before that you will have the chance to taste and buy locally produced wines, honey, pottery, brass, wood-carved items, and other souvenirs sold in the small shops in the Old Town.

After lunch, we will depart at around 3pm for the 1.5 hour drive back for to Sofia.

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