Plovdiv Tours, Tickets & Things to Do
Discover the best Plovdiv tours, the romantic Old Town with its colourful Revival houses, the magnificent Roman theatre, vibrant food and wine tours, and day trips to the Bachkovo Monastery, Asen’s Fortress and the Rhodope Mountains. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Plovdiv itinerary.
Explore Plovdiv by interest
Whatever brings you to Plovdiv — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Old Town
Revival houses and cobbled hills.
ExploreRoman Plovdiv
The theatre and stadium.
ExploreBachkovo & Asen’s Fortress
Monastery and cliff fortress.
ExploreFood & wine
Bulgarian flavours and Thracian wine.
ExploreRhodope & Rose Valley
Wonderful Bridges and roses.
ExploreThracian tombs
The royal valley near Kazanlak.
ExploreKapana district
The creative, trendy quarter.
ExploreDay trips
Monasteries, mountains and tombs.
ExploreTop attractions in Plovdiv
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Roman Theatre
A superbly preserved ancient theatre.
Old Town
Colourful Revival mansions.
Bachkovo Monastery
Bulgaria’s second-largest monastery.
Asen’s Fortress
A cliff-top medieval stronghold.
Roman Stadium
Beneath the main street.
Kapana district
The creative quarter.
Wonderful Bridges
Rhodope rock arches.
Rose & Thracian Valley
Roses and royal tombs.
Plovdiv in 1 day
- 1Old Town Revival houses
- 2Roman theatre
- 3Kapana district
- 4Food & wine tasting
Plovdiv in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Old Town & Roman
- 2Day 2: Bachkovo & Asen’s
- 3Monastery & fortress
- 4Wine evenings
Plovdiv in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Old Town & Roman
- 2Day 2: Bachkovo & Rhodopes
- 3Day 3: Rose & Thracian Valley
- 4Bulgarian heartland
Plovdiv with kids
- 1Roman theatre explore
- 2Old Town cobbles
- 3Wonderful Bridges
- 4Banitsa & treats
40 min awayBachkovo Monastery
Bulgaria’s second-largest monastery.
40 min awayAsen’s Fortress
A cliff-top medieval stronghold.
1.5 hrs awayWonderful Bridges
Rhodope natural rock arches.
1.5 hrs awayRose & Thracian Valley
Roses and royal tombs near Kazanlak.
1.5 hrs awayKoprivshtitsa
A historic Revival village.
2 hrs awayBuzludzha
A striking communist monument.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Plovdiv visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) bring warm, pleasant weather, ideal for the Old Town and day trips — the best times to visit.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Mild, blooming days ideal for the Old Town; late spring brings the Rose Valley into fragrant bloom.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Hot and lively, with festivals in the Roman theatre and a buzzing Kapana district; start sightseeing early.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Warm, golden days with the wine harvest and fewer crowds — a lovely time for the city and Thracian Valley.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Cold and quiet, cosy for galleries, cafés and history, with lower prices.
Rose season
Late May to June is the rose harvest in the nearby Rose Valley — a fragrant, festive time to visit Kazanlak.
One day
Enough for the Old Town, Roman theatre and a food tour.
Two days
Add a Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, Bachkovo and the Rhodopes, and the Rose Valley.
Four to five days
Add more monasteries, mountains and Thracian sites.
A week or more
Use Plovdiv as a base to explore central Bulgaria.
Travelling with kids
Mix the Roman theatre, the Old Town and the Wonderful Bridges at a gentle pace.
On foot
Plovdiv’s Old Town, Roman sites and Kapana district are compact and best explored on foot, though the Old Town’s hills are cobbled.
Buses
Local buses cover the wider city affordably, with the main pedestrian street linking the key sights.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for Bachkovo, the Rhodope Mountains and the Rose and Thracian Valley.
Trains & coaches
Plovdiv is well connected by train and coach to Sofia (about 2 hours) and other Bulgarian cities.
Taxis
Taxis are cheap and handy for hills or evenings; use metered, reputable companies.
From Sofia
Many visitors arrive from Sofia, about 2 hours away by train, coach or tour.
Book tours ahead
Popular small-group walking, food and wine tours and monastery and Rhodope day trips have limited places — book ahead in summer and at weekends.
Currency
Bulgaria uses the lev (not the euro); Plovdiv is excellent value, with cards accepted in most places and cash handy for markets.
Try banitsa & rakia
Sample banitsa pastry, Shopska salad, grilled kebapche and rakia brandy, plus the local Thracian Valley wines.
See a show
In summer, catch a concert or play in the ancient Roman theatre — an unforgettable setting under the stars.
Explore Kapana
Wander the creative Kapana district for galleries, street art, craft shops, cafés and nightlife.
Mind the cobbles
The Old Town’s steep cobbled lanes are charming but uneven — wear comfortable shoes.
Bachkovo tours
Popular Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress day trips fill up — book ahead.
Rhodope & Rose trips
Wonderful Bridges and Rose Valley tours have limited places — reserve early.
Walking tours
Small-group Old Town and Roman tours fill up at weekends — book ahead.
Food & wine tours
Food-and-wine tastings have limited places — reserve early.
Roman theatre shows
Summer performances in the Roman theatre sell out — book ahead.
Summer & rose season
Summer and the late-spring rose harvest are busy — plan ahead.
Walking tours
Around €12–35 for a guided Old Town or Roman tour.
Food & wine tours
About €30–60 for a food-and-wine tasting tour.
Bachkovo tours
Roughly €30–60 for a Bachkovo and Asen’s Fortress day trip.
Rhodope & Rose trips
Around €45–80 for a Wonderful Bridges or Rose Valley day trip.
Roman theatre
About €3–5 for entry to the Roman theatre.
How to save
Walk the compact centre, enjoy the great-value Bulgarian food and wine, and take cheap trains or coaches for longer trips.
Plovdiv through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild days and the Rose Valley in bloom.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Late May–June is rose-harvest season.
- Best for
- Festivals and a buzzing Kapana district.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot; start sightseeing early.
- Best for
- Golden days and the wine harvest.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A lovely time for the city and Thracian Valley.
- Best for
- Quiet galleries, cafés and history.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold but cosy; lower prices.