Plovdiv

The Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis, a beautifully preserved Roman amphitheatre, is still used for summer concerts, with views from its marble seats towards the Rhodope Mountains. A Roman stadium lies right under the main pedestrian street; part of its curved seating can be seen in front of the Dzhumaya Mosque, while the rest remains buried beneath the shops.

The cobbled Old Town is full of colourful 19th-century Bulgarian Revival houses, with painted façades and overhanging upper floors; several are open as museums, including the Ethnographic Museum. Climb Nebet Tepe, where the ruins of the ancient fortress overlook the city and its other hills. Down below, the creative Kapana district is the place for galleries, craft shops and cafés.

Plovdiv is the second stop of our All the Balkan Countries: A 16 Day Tour, which spends a full day here after starting in Sofia. It is also an easy addition to any trip between Sofia and the rest of Bulgaria.

Plovdiv lies about two hours by road southeast of Sofia, and the historic centre is best explored on foot; wear comfortable shoes for the steep cobbled lanes. Spring and autumn are ideal for sightseeing, while summer is hot but brings open-air performances to the ancient theatre.

Gallery photos: MrPanyGoff (CC BY-SA 3.0), Faces&&Places (CC BY 2.0), Община Пловдив (CC BY-SA 4.0), BrankaVV (CC BY-SA 4.0), Gitanes232 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Laurens R. Krol (CC BY 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons