City: Plovdiv Province
Top Things to do in Plovdiv Province
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What to do and see in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria: The Best Places and Tips
Plovdiv Province in Bulgaria, from Europe region, is best know for Points of Interest & Landmarks. Discover best things to do in Plovdiv Province with beautiful photos and great reviews from traveller around the world here!
Restaurants in Plovdiv Province
1. Plovdiv Old Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Bulgaria's "second city", Plovdiv has 19th century houses and Roman ruins, including a Roman Amphitheater in use today.
Reviewed By Miha P - Maribor, Slovenia
Ordinary visitor needs at least a day and archeologists a week. All kinds of ruins are in the central part, mainly from antique times, some are even older. Main part is preserved, some neglected. Different churches and mosques are all around. A line of small museums and reconstructed houses (from different periods) are at the top of the old town. They are good for visit even in cold or rainy time. Top attraction is old, partly reconstructed Greek theater, interesting is pedestrian zone with a stadium under the street. You can visit an old basilica with mosaics.
2. Park Tsar Simeon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
Reviewed By Andrew G - Thessaloniki, Greece
This must be the best park in Plovdiv. It features a big area full of nature to talk a morning jog or an evening walk. In the big "lake", situated in it there is a colorful Fountain which is best seen at night. Worth a visit
3. Plovdiv Roman Theatre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 922 reviews
Reviewed By Miha P - Maribor, Slovenia
Stone antique theater is real attraction. It was built between two hills and disappeared during the history. After excavations in was partly reconstructed and serves for the same purpose as centuries ago. It is still a theater for different Performances. Stone seats, really steep staircases and scene with pillars and sculptures are worth visiting.
4. Alyosha Soviet Army Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 155 reviews
Reviewed By TravelinYokel
There's a maze of paths going up there, some more easy to take than others but even on the hottest of days the view is the best one you'll get of Plovdiv.
5. Assenova krepost (Asen's Fortress)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 148 reviews
Reviewed By 427BeatleBob - Watsonville, California
Personally, I was not too impressed with this site. I found the fortress or what was left of it was not photogenic but the church was from the outside. Not much to see inside.
You do have nice views overlooking the valley. They charge four Levs for entrance fee.
6. Bachkovo Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 327 reviews
The Bachkovo monastery is one of most important monasteries of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. It is a real place of cult and religion that is very respected by the believers. The monastery is also a National monument of culture, reach of history, art and traditions. It conserves a huge number of icons, paintings, church buildings and very precious examples of church utensils from XI to XIX centuries. It is very possible to stay at the monastery, to have pleasure assist at an Orthodox mass, fill the spirit of Orthodoxy, see the wonderful paintings and picturesque surroundings, try the monastery's cuisine, wine and rakia.
Reviewed By saronic - Zurich, Switzerland
There are three famous and large monasteries in Bulgaria and all of them stauropegic, meaning that they were subordinated directly to the patriarch in Constantinople - at least in the beginning. The biggest and most beautiful to look at is the monastery of Rila, followed by Bachkovo and the most intimate of all: Troyan.
Maybe because there was restoration work going on and because parts of it were closed and inaccessible to visitors, of all the three I was the least impressed here in Bachkovo, especially from the point of view of atmosphere. But it is definitely a very worthwhile halfday tour to come here from Plovdiv and to combine it with a visit of the nearby Asen's Fortress.
From the parking lot to the entrance gate of Bachkovo one has to walk past several stalls, selling mainly local villager's products like jam and honey, of which I took some home on the way out. The monastery itself has two courtyards and three churches besides the monk cells and a refectory.
The only building, which has apparently survived from the times of its foundation in the 11th century is the ossuarium, outside the monastery itself and closed to visitors. The main church, dedicated to Sveta Bogoroditsa (Mother of God) - from the early 17th century - is all covered with wall paintings from a later period.
Inside the church one will usually see a queue of people, holding a candle and trying to get close to the miraculous icon of the Holy Virgin. To finally reach the silver encased icon they have to walk up three steps, something I don't remember having seen in any other orthodox church.
7. Ethnographic Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 261 reviews
Reviewed By saronic - Zurich, Switzerland
There are three reasons to visit this place. First the beautiful architecture of the building itself, second the typical interior decoration of a wealthy 19th century Plovdiv merchant house and third the ethnographic museum proper.
After passing a gate one comes into a green yard and can see the fascinating painted front, curved in its central part. There are curves on the roof too and also plenty more curves inside, especially with the elliptic ceilings. This is obviously the reason why this Bulgarian Renaissance mansion has gotten the sobriquet 'Baroque'.
The almost regal house consists of two floors. On the upper part one gets an idea of the 'alafranga' (Frankish, thus western) life-style of the Plovdiv 'upper class'. The mansion in fact had been be built - in 1847, as it says at the entrance - by a wealthy Greek merchant in homespun textiles. He had to leave the town, together with all other Greeks, during the ethnic cleansing in the area that followed the Bulgarian independence in 1878.
In the ground floor there are exhibits, which inform about the different economic activities in the area during mainly the 19th and early 20th century: Viticulture, Rice growing, Vegetable farming, Stock breeding, Cultivation of Tobacco and Damask Roses and also Goldsmithing and Jewellry-making.
8. Ancient Stadium of Philippopolis
Overall Ratings
4 based on 292 reviews
Reviewed By Nik R - Varna, Bulgaria
The ancient Stadium of Philippopolis is another well-preserved building from the Roman times in Plovdiv and the biggest Roman structure on the Balkan Peninsula. It runs beneath, along the shopping pedestrian street downtown,it is partially restored and can be accessed close to Dzhumaya Mosque.
There are some info boards, a small souvenir shop and you can also watch a short 3D movie for a very cheap price.
It is commendable that such an old structure is so well taken care of.
9. Chiesa SS. Constantin e Elena
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 99 reviews
Reviewed By Raymond W - Chengdu, China
This church is situated in the heart of Plovdiv's old town on a cobblestone lane filled with numerous fine old houses. Like the timber houses on this street, the Constantine and Elena Church is largely a product of the nineteenth century Bulgarian Revival. It features icons and wall murals from nineteenth century artists who were inspired by the religious art of Bulgaria's pre-0ttoman past.
This is a classic Bulgarian Orthodox Church with colourful frescoes depicting Biblical scenes and numerous images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. It also has a masterful iconostasis and an ornate wooden pulpit and priests' throne. There is a woman in attendance who sells candles and guidebooks to visitors. However, a brief visit will suffice for most tourists.
10. Roman Ruins and Tomb
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By Nikolai M - Sofia, Bulgaria
Hissarya is a small, sunny town 50 minutes drive from Plovdiv. Besides many mineral Springs, you will see a preserved ancient Roman fortress. So much history gathered in one place. It's worth seeing. An extra impression - the streets are dirty and the park is neglected, uncovered build structures and building rubbles. Probably the town is poor, but that can not be an excuse for the negligence and laziness of the local municipal administration.
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