Discover romantic Plovdiv,
Charming, historic and yet still semisecret, Plovdiv is a treat for travellers who think they’ve seen everything in Europe. Perhaps better known by its former name of Philippopolis, Bulgaria’s second city celebrates connections to Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, and a long roll- call of invaders including Persians, Romans and crusaders. All have passed through here while crossing the Thracian plain, one of the great highways of history linking Europe to the east, the Middle East and Asia beyond.
Plovdiv is European Capital of Culture for 2019. As well as the many events marking this, visitors can explore one of eastern Europe’s loveliest old towns, with colourful houses set on cobblestone streets snaking around the hills the town was built on. Attractions include a fine Roman theatre and other archaeological sites, plus the
Regional Ethnographic Museum in a beautiful 19th- century merchant’s house. The city is particularly pleasant in summer, when street and garden cafes take advantage of warm weather. Around Plovdiv are leftover monuments from the Soviet era, and a 20 mile drive south are the fine frescoes of Bachkovo Monastery, a religious site in picturesque countryside.
Plovdiv is reached by direct low- cost flights from the UK, or easily combined with a longer exploration of Bulgaria by flying into Sofia or Burgas on the Black Sea coast. IF YOU LIKE THIS…
• Try Lviv, Ukraine for beautiful baroque churches mingling with bombastic Soviet-era structures and trams rattling along cobbled streets.
• All of Romania is underrated, but try the medieval towns of Braúov, Sighiúoara and Sibiu and Transylvania’s Saxon villages for starters.