Plovdiv

...such a place. In 432 Plovdiv was conquered by Philip of Macedonia and under the Roman Empire it was the capital of Thrace. The legacy of the Romans alone would make Plovdiv stick out as a place of great significance but it doesn't stop there. Old Plovdiv is essentially an open-air museum with over 150 examples of Bulgarian architecture, much of it from the National Revival period. It is especially cheering to hear that the Old Town of Plovdiv is ...
...article gave the impression of Plovdiv as a den of iniquity, a place stricken by HIV and hepatitis, a place full of bandits and child sellers; even a place where corruption runs through society at all levels. While I can safely say that nobody tried to sell me a baby, I could see that Plovdiv is not a city without problems; however, I would say that these problems remain problems for the citizens of Plovdiv themselves and shouldn't spoil a visit ... more

Imagine a place older than Athens, older than Carthage, older than Rome; a place brimming with archaeological and historical treasures but that hardly gets any visitors in comparison with the others. Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second city, is just such a place. In 432 Plovdiv was conquered by Philip of Macedonia and under the Roman Empire it was the capital of Thrace. The legacy of the Romans alone would make Plovdiv stick out as a place of great significance but it doesn't stop there. Old Plovdiv is essentially an open-air museum with over 150 examples of Bulgarian architecture, much of it from the National Revival period. It is especially cheering to hear that the Old Town of Plovdiv is actually a town in its own right with particular emphasis on restoring and preserving notable buildings.

A recent newspaper article gave the impression of Plovdiv as a den of iniquity, a place stricken by HIV and hepatitis, a place full of bandits and child sellers; even a place where corruption runs through society at all levels. While I can safely say that nobody tried to sell me a baby, I could see that Plovdiv is not a city without problems; however, I would say that these problems remain problems for the citizens of Plovdiv themselves and shouldn't spoil a visit for tourists. The reality is that there are many poor people in Plovdiv but on the surface the city looks prosperous. In spite of the undoubted poverty, tourists are unlikely to be approached by beggars or be the victim of crime.

Plovdiv's main attractions are to be found in and adjacent to the old town and an overview of the sights demonstrates how keen the people of Plovdiv are to celebrate their local notables and to make use of the wonderful legacy history has bequeathed them. Musicians, writers, educationalists and politicians are honoured with carefully researched exhibitions housed in lovingly restored town houses - often the very houses those people once lived in.

Elsewhere houses have been converted into galleries or museums; some are just residential houses. All of them, though, are fine and handsome buildings painted in bright and sunny colours and often standing in orchards full of fruit trees. The pick of the houses are on Trimontium, on of the hills on which the city is built (known to locals as a "tepe") and it's a good idea to work your way up one side and down the other because this gives the best views of the Philip of Macedonia Amphitheatre. You can pay an inflated entry charge and enter the amphitheatre and even get to stand on the stage - choral and dramatic performances occasionally take place in summer. You can also sit at one of the also overpriced cafes overlooking the amphitheatre that looked to us like one of Plovdiv's favourite places to be seen.

Most of the houses which are open to the public have set opening hours but you may have to hunt around the property for someone to let you in as the staff usually have a room in which they sit and do paperwork while waiting for visitors. When you arrive they unlock the property and switch on the lights in each room as you come to it. It can feel like they don't really want you there and you almost feel as if you have to hurry through the exhibits so the staff can lock up again. After a few visits you do get used to it but it made us feel uncomfortable at first.

Throughout the centuries Plovdiv has been an attractive prospect for invading parties and the Romans, the Crusaders and the Turks have all left their mark on the city. There is one remaining mosque and this is on the edge of the old town. It's attractive minaret can be seen across the town.

Two hills, each with their own distinctive monuments face each other across the town and make excellent walks in themselves, both affording tremendous views; one has some Roman remains and a fortuitously placed outdoor cafe at the top, the other has a wonderfully Soviet monument to the World War Two soldier. "Lonely Planet" has a detailed walking route which includes all major sights in a way that means you do not have do back track too much.

Although the new town is well paved and flat, the old town is mostly cobbled and has some steep streets making it unsuitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility problems.

THE NEW TOWN

The New Town has three big squares - one at each end and one in the middle of a pedestrainised shopping street; the first square is quite typical of the Soviet-style parade square with grey public buildings looming over an open paved area with decidedly tired looking fountains. The next square is smaller and incorporates a square with some nineteenth century town houses around some well kept flowerbeds. The final square is smaller again and has a rather interesting feature - access has been created so that you can see the excavated section of a Roman building situated under the street. Just to the right is a rather good craft and art market where you can buy a better class of souvenirs than you usually see.

Plovdiv is a city of cafes and bars, most have outside seating which is popular on summer evenings when the whole town takes to the streets for a stroll. There may not be a lot of money to spare but there's always enough for a beer or an ice cream. Even those who cannot afford a beer come out to walk to sit on one of the benches opposite the cafes.

Across the water is the City Fair Grounds; the first international fair was held in 1892 and then they were held sporadically between 1936 and 1966 but are now a twice yearly event attracting visitors from all over the world. The Grounds are worth a look even when the fair is not taking place since they make up part of a pleasant walk by the river.

EATING AND DRINKING

Plovdiv is a very sociable city full of cafes and restaurants. In the old town there are a number of very modern bars some of which wouldn't look out of place in the most fashionable areas of London; they serve the lastest cocktails and have rather chic menus with dishes that sound wonderful. The reality is that most of the ingredients are often not available!

Like most of Europe the pizza is king and there are any number of Italian restaurants and cheap pizza joints. Plovdiv has the obligatory branch of the "Happy Bar and Grill" a Bulgarian phenomenon which is better than it sounds and, happily for tourists, has a huge menu with colour photographs of each dish.

Bulgarian restaurants often try to be all things to everyone so you can pretty much guarantee you'll find something on the menu to suit all members of your party; the downside is that the quality suffers as a consequence, with no one dish being qute as good as it should be. Furrthermore, while the prices are still much lower than one would pay in Britain, they are not as cheap as you might expect and certainly not much less than you'd pay in the capital. Expect to pay around £15 for an average evening meal for two including drinks.

Ice cream seems to be a particular passion of the people of Plovdiv and there are ice cream stands all over town; the brightly coloured ice creams are piles high like wedding cakes, in lurid colours with fruit scattered over the top. It is dangerously good!

Another favourite street snack is the simit - more Turkish than Bulgarian but very popular here. A simit is a ring of bread dough, glazed and scattered with toasted sesame seeds - delicious and very cheap.

Restaurants offering solely Bulgarian cuisine are harder to find but there are a few expensive ones around the old town. Fortunately the Happy Bar and Grill and others like it do have a few Bulgarian dishes on their menus. The emphasis is on meat but vegetarians can usually find good salads and many starters are meat-free.

ACCOMMODATION

As a backpacker, the only thing to do in Plovdiv is to stay in a private room. If you can arrive at the train station and get past the hordes of old ladies you deserve a medal. We managed to shake off two but the third proved more resilient and so we ended up trudging after her to her second floor flat in which we thought we were the only lodgers. We were shown a lovely light and airy room and agreed to a price. It was not until the next morning when we discovered a queue for the bathroom that we realised that we were not the only guests; in fact, it looked suspiciously as if the old lady was sleeping on the balcony and letting out all three of the rooms in the flat! I guess she wanted to make as much money as she could over the summer and then have the place to herself in the winter! Maybe she need ed to buy more floor polish; remember that Public Service Film in the 1970s "Put a rug on a polished floor? Might as well set a man-trap!" That advert was filmed in this lady's apartment! Any trip across the bedroom floor led to recreating a scene from "Swan Lake"

This only illustrates the perils of renting a private room and confirms how you should be clear as to what you are getting before you hand over any money. we usually pay for one night and see how it goes before decding whether to stay another night, even if we tell the landlady we are staying longer, that way, if it's not suitable you can move on without losing money.

Plovdiv does, of course, have conventional hotels but they are mostly quite expensive, there are more international chains than small local or national hotels and prices are usually comparable to those in western Europe. We ate at the town's only five star hotel and found the service dreadful. Indeed, the service at many places was quite poor. One finds on the whole that the smaller the establishment the better the service, especially if it is family-run.

(Those people against immigration from eastern Europe please note, it is imperative that workers from Bulgaria and Romania come to Britain - by working in our hospitality industry, they will learn valuable customer service skills to take back and improve their own tourist industry!)

GETTING AROUND

The things most people want to see in Plovdiv are quite close together and have to be reached, for the most part on foot. It is not a great place for anyone who has trouble getting around. The steps up to houses and cobbled streets can be quite tiring and a good pair of walking shoes is essential for anyone planning to see as much as possible.

RECOMMENDED?

We loved every minute we spent in Plovdiv though I have to say it can be quite hard work. Its not the sort of place where you can see everything by sitting on the top deck of an open bus! You may also need to do a bit of research on places you want to visit because the captions are often in Bulgarian only; however, the staff are likely to speak English and may answer questions if you ask.

Plovdiv is a city for people who like to be active and ideal for people who like walking. Its also a great place for those interested in history and culture; Plovdiv may have plenty of places to have a drink but there is little danger of it becoming the next Prague.

Only a couple of hours from Sofia my recommendation would be a day trip from Sofia or a two centre trip with a couple of days in each city although I would expect that most visitors would find Plovdiv more relaxed, more attractive and its sights more accessible.

Recommended!

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My photographs from this trip are not digital but I think it is essential to seesome photos of Plovdiv to appreciate how great it looks.

The following website has loads of great shots of Plovdiv

http://www.abvg.net/Plovdiv/Photos/index.html

 

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