Plovdiv (Apr 27, 2025):
History of Plovdiv in a few lines:
Origins:
Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in the world, with over 8,000 years of history. Its earliest settlements date back to the Neolithic period.
Antique:
It was known as Philippopolis after being conquered by Philip II of Macedon in the 4th century BC. Later, under the Roman Empire, it became an important commercial and cultural center, with theaters and forums that are still preserved.
Middle Ages:
It passed through Byzantine, Bulgarian, and Ottoman hands, leaving a rich architectural and cultural mix.
Ottoman era:
For almost five centuries (from the 14th to the 19th), it was an economic and cultural center in the Balkans.
Independence:
After liberation from Ottoman rule in 1878, Plovdiv established itself as a key city in Bulgaria.
Present:
Today it is famous for its Old Town, the Roman Theatre and its artistic atmosphere, having been the European Capital of Culture in 2019.
Plovdiv: lots of Roman history, but we already have all that in Alcalá de Henares, so let's just say we didn't like it enough to make such a long trip.
Don't pay to see the theater, you can see it perfectly well from the outside.
The Nebet Tepe archaeological complex is cool.
It's veeeery slow going with the group, we decided to go on our own since we go at a different pace and we had many more things to see in the city.
Plovdiv goes very well with Koprivshlitsa for a route that mixes a historic city with a traditional Bulgarian Renaissance village, and with Sofia because of its good connection and because it is a logical transition between the capital and the second largest city in the country.
Flight+hotel package with lastminute.com: €593.40 total round trip with Wizzair.
Excursion: 1 day trip to Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa: €50/person round trip. Civitatis.
Information obtained from the web https://www.exteriores.gob.es
Passport/ID: Both are valid.
Visa: It is not required.
European Health Insurance Card: It's necessary, it's very easy to order online and they'll even send it to your home, it's free. Request.
Vaccines: There are no mandatory vaccinations for entry.
International driving permit: There's no need.
Badge: Bulgarian Levy (BGN).
Payment card/currency exchange: we always go with Revolut definitely.
Roaming: Yeah.
Where to eat: If you want to eat at a restaurant, there's also the app. TheFork which has many discounts. If you book with the code 7C1B79A3 When you are finishing the booking, you will get 1000 Yums = €10 discount at your next meal. In addition to other special offers they often have, or simply to accumulate points and use them for discounts on your next payments.
Other destinations in Bulgaria: 
