Plovdiv is Bulgaria’s second-largest city, set on the Upper Thracian Plain southeast of Sofia. Its centre wraps around a ring of rocky hills, and Roman, Ottoman and Revival-era layers stand side by side in the old quarter. In 2019 it was a European Capital of Culture.
The Hills of Plovdiv
Plovdiv rises out of a flat plain in round, rocky hills. Locals call it the city of seven hills, although one was quarried away for paving stone. The rest still stand in the middle of town like islands in the urban fabric.
We arrived in May, after a night in Bansko under the Pirin range. That evening I climbed Sahat Tepe, the Clock Tower Hill, and photographed the panorama from Sahat Tepe just after sunset. The city lights were already on, but the sky still held its colour.
On the right of that frame, lights trace the slope of Bunardzhik, the Hill of the Liberators. The Soviet Army monument on its summit, known as Alyosha, has stood there since 1957. Around me, students and couples settled onto the rocks. I came back the next morning for sunrise over the historic centre.
Sahat Tepe Clock Tower
A few minutes after the panorama, the clock tower behind me changed character. Its crown glows white on the outside. Inside, however, the lamp cycles through colours.
So I waited. When the inner light turned red, the tower looked like a lighthouse on a rugged coastline. For a second, I was back on the Atlantic in Portugal, not on an inland plain. That moment became the tower glowing over the rooftops, with the last orange light on the horizon.
I shot it at 44mm, f/8 and ISO 100, with a five-second exposure. That was short enough to keep the red from smearing as the colour shifted. Afterwards, I cropped it to my 16.18 x 10 golden-ratio format, the one I use for most cityscapes.
The path up starts near the Dzhumaya Mosque, at the square above the Roman stadium. The climb takes about ten minutes.
Plovdiv Old Town
Plovdiv is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Its layers are easiest to read at Hisar Kapia, the old eastern gate of the hilltop fortress. Roman foundations carry a medieval arch from the Second Bulgarian Empire. On top, Revival-era houses lean over the street with wide eaves and large windows.
I walked these cobbled lanes before sunrise, while the lamps were still burning. That is how I got the gate empty in the blue hour. Two hours later, the same street fills with tour groups.
A few steps away stands the Church of St Constantine and Helena, with white walls, red tiles and a separate bell tower. Beyond it, the Revival merchant houses of the 19th century line the slope. Many of them now serve as museums and galleries.
Roman Theatre and Stadium
The Macedonian king Philip II took the town in the 4th century BC and gave it his name, Philippopolis. Under Rome it became a major provincial city. Two of its monuments still shape the centre today.
The Roman theatre sits on the saddle between two of the hills. A landslide and excavations from the late 1960s brought it back to light. Today it hosts concerts and opera again, mostly in summer.
The stadium, in contrast, lies almost entirely under the main shopping street. Only its curved northern end is open, below the square in front of the Dzhumaya Mosque. You can stand at street level and look down onto the original stone seats.
Stefan Stambolov Square and City Hall
I wasn’t planning a fourth frame that night. My tripod was clipped to my backpack, and I took a different street down the hill. Then I turned a corner onto Stefan Stambolov Square and unpacked everything again.
In front of me, the fountain curled toward the floodlit municipal building. Meanwhile, a live concert echoed down from the Roman theatre above.
The fountain is symmetrical, but I chose not to centre it. Instead, its curve starts in the bottom-right corner and sweeps back toward the facade. As a result, the eye keeps circling between the two subjects. I exposed for the brightest jets and the lit facade: 24mm, f/8, ISO 100, twenty seconds. At that length, walkers simply disappear from the frame.
Kapana
Kapana means “the trap” in Bulgarian. The name fits a tight grid of lanes between the main street and the Old Town, where it is easy to lose your bearings. For years it was a district of craftsmen’s workshops.
Ahead of the 2019 Capital of Culture year, the quarter was turned into the city’s creative district. Today its ground floors hold galleries, small studios, craft beer bars and cafes. Murals and street art cover many of the walls.
It is also where Plovdiv’s student energy is most visible in the evening. For a photographer, Kapana is best in the hour after sunset, once the bars light up and the lanes fill.
Photographing Plovdiv
Three of my four Plovdiv photos come from one evening and a walk of roughly a kilometre. The panorama, the clock tower and City Hall were all taken within about an hour. The fourth came the next morning before sunrise.
Timing made the difference. I shot the panorama just after sunset, because a few minutes later the rooftops in the foreground sink into shadow. Similarly, the Old Town only works before the streets fill.
The numbers are worth noting. Of the four, the City Hall frame is the one I almost didn’t take. Yet it is now the most viewed in Google Images, with over 18,000 impressions in the last three months. In this city, the best frame was the one I unpacked the tripod for a second time.
When to Visit Plovdiv
May and late September are the best months for photography. The light is clear, the hills are green, and evenings on the rocks are mild. In July and August, by contrast, the plain gets hot, although that is also the season for concerts in the Roman theatre.
Plovdiv is easy to reach from Sofia by bus or train, and the centre is compact enough to walk. Several Revival houses are open as museums, among them the Balabanov, Hindliyan and Nedkovich houses. One combined ticket covers up to five sites. Opening hours and prices are listed by the municipal institute that looks after the old quarter.
For the rest of the country, the wider guide to Bulgaria covers Rila, Bansko and Veliko Tarnovo. Our guide to the capital, Sofia, pairs well with two days here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plovdiv worth visiting?
Yes. Plovdiv is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. It combines a Roman theatre that still hosts concerts, a preserved Revival-era Old Town around Hisar Kapia, and viewpoint hills right in the centre. It is also less crowded than many European cities with a comparable history.
How many days do you need in Plovdiv?
Two days cover the main sights well. One day is enough for the Old Town, the Roman theatre, the stadium and Kapana. A second day leaves time for a sunset and a sunrise on the hills, plus a museum in one of the Revival houses.
What is the best time to visit Plovdiv?
Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons, with mild temperatures and clear light. May and late September are ideal for walking and photography. July and August are hot on the plain, but they bring the main concert and opera season in the Roman theatre.
How do you get from Sofia to Plovdiv?
Buses and trains connect Sofia and Plovdiv several times a day. The bus is usually the faster option, at around two hours. Trains take a little longer but are comfortable. Driving takes roughly the same time via the Trakia motorway, which links the two cities directly.
Where is the best view of Plovdiv?
Sahat Tepe, the Clock Tower Hill, gives a wide view across the city to Bunardzhik and the Alyosha monument. Nebet Tepe, above the Old Town, looks over the river and the northern districts. Both are short climbs from the centre and are best around sunset.
Is Plovdiv a walkable city?
Yes. The Old Town, the Roman theatre, the stadium, Kapana and the main pedestrian street all lie within a short walk of each other. However, the Old Town sits on a hill with steep cobbled lanes, so comfortable shoes matter more than in a flat city.
