jmb travel

Travel in Bulgaria

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the most beautiful and interesting city in Bulgaria. A must-see!

For a weekend break or a city tour it is more interesting than Sofia. It has more culture, more history and is much more pleasant than Bulgaria’s capital. We always include it in our cultural and historical tours of Bulgaria.

It has a great food and is in the centre of the Thracian valley for wine. The street life is relaxed and has a Mediterranean feel. Find out why I pLOVEdiv!

History of Plovdiv

Plovdiv has 6000 years of history. It was originally built on 7 hills like Rome, Jerusalem and Mecca. Throughout its long history the city was reincarnated under different names including Trimontium and Philippopoplis that you can discover in the Archaeological Tour of Bulgaria.

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Plovdiv Bulgaria

Plovdiv has maintained its position in history due to its geographic location. It is situated in the strategic corridor that runs between the Rhodoppe mountains to the South and the Central Balkan to the North linking Asia, the Middle East and Constantinople to the East with Europe to the West. Plovdiv is both a strategic location and a natural commercial hub.

Historically till the beginning of the XXth century Plovdiv was always the wealthiest and most important town in the lands that now make up Bulgaria. But with the rise of nationalism and then communism borders with Turkey and Greece were closed and the  populations that made up this cosmopolitan city dispersed.

Today Plovdiv is experiencing a resurgence.  Once again it is acting like a hub linking Istanbul to the East, Thessaloniki in the South and Sofia in the West.

Plovdiv has also become a university town hosting students from many countries who study medicine and dentistry.

You can discover the city’s fascinating history in a bespoke Plovdiv city tour with a private tour guide.

What to do in Plovdiv

There are lots of things to do in Plovdiv. It is an ideal destination for a weekend city break. You can easily discover the city on foot blending in the modern town and its pedestrian street with the hills of the Old Town.

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Plovdiv Bulgaria

There is a vibrant cafe culture and great family-run restaurants. And the city is famous for its nightlife. The kapan or trap is a series of small winding streets full of crowded bars, restaurants and clubs where you can easily get lost at night.

In the Old Town you can visit the Roman theatre, Ethnographic museum, some of the brightly coloured houses of the National Revival Period. We can help you discover the best of Plovdiv with a historical tour guide. The tour will be adapted to your personal preferences and interests.

Travel services

JMB Travel as a tour operator and specialist for travel in Bulgaria can help you organise your visit of Plovdiv. We can recommend where to stay and eat as well as what to do in Plovdiv and the region as well as travel in the Balkans.

Where to stay in Plovdiv

We will be glad to recommend boutique hotels for couples and family hotels with swimming pool for the children to enjoy. We can also recommend  good apartments in the centre of Plovdiv if you want to enjoy a more local experience.

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Plovdiv Old Town

Travel to Plovdiv

We can help you organise your trip to Plovdiv: flights, airport transfers, car hire, private bus for groups.

Flights to Plovdiv: There are direct flights to Plovdiv airport from the UK and Russia. We can help you find the best low-cost flights to Plovdiv as well as to Sofia airport and then organise the transfer to Plovdiv.

Airport transfers: We organise airport transfers from Plovdiv airport and Sofia airport. We can also provide a chauffeur driven car to visit the region around Plovdiv.

Car hire in Plovdiv: You can hire a car in Plovdiv to discover the region and enjoy a road-trip. You also have the option of crossing into Greece and Turkey with the car to enjoy a regional holiday in the Balkans.

What to do around Plovdiv

Plovdiv is surrounded by mountains and mineral spa towns. It is also famous for its wine since Thracian times. When you visit Plovdiv you can also discover the region.

Ski holiday: In winter you can go skiing to Bansko, Borovets, Chepelare and Pamporovo.

Beach holiday: We will be glad to rcommend some great hotels on the Black Sea Coast as well as in Halkidiki, Sithonia on the Aegean Sea in Northern Greece.

Family holiday: Plovdiv is a great place to visit as part of a family holiday in Bulgaria and the Balkans. It is a fun and interesting place to visit for children and parents alike. We can recommend a hotel with swimming pool and tailored activities and visits.

Spa break: There are many spa towns around Plovdiv with very good therapeutic waters that treat many different conditions of the skin, kidneys and liver.

Wine tasting: The Plovdiv region is famous for its wine since antiquity. We can recommend excellent wineries where you can try local wines such as Mavrud and Melnik, Churchill’s favourite!

Cultural visits: From Plovdiv you can easily visit the Bachkovo monastery, the Thracian tomb of Kazanluk a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the rose distilleries where they make the world’s best rose essential oil.

Active holiday: There are many art and nature activities that you can easily enjoy around Plovdiv; MTB, mountain biking in the Rhodoppe, horse riding, walking in the Central Balkan, pottery, paragliding and rally driving are just a few of them. It is an ideal destination for an active holiday for a couple, family or as a team building experience.

Incentive Travel

Plovdiv and the surrounding region is an ideal destination for conferences and team building. Plovdiv offers a good blend of conference facilities and options for group events. You have large modern hotels with well-equipped conference rooms. There are opportunities for outdoor activities and fun entertainment. JMB Travel operates as a tour operator, DMC and local ground-handler. We have experience organising team building events and corporate tourism in Plovdiv and Bulgaria.

Travel in the Balkans

As Plovdiv is at the crossroads of the Balkans you can easily combine your visit to Plovdiv with excursions to Sofia in Bulgaria, Edirne and Istanbul in Turkey, Kavala and Thessaloniki in Greece. We will be glad to advise you on transport, accommodation and the best places to visit.

Medical tourism

Plovdiv has fast become Bulgaria’s new centre for medical tourism. New and well-equipped private clinics have emerged to offer cosmetic surgery procedures and dental treatment. The most commonly sought procedures are liposuction and dental implants. Prices are much lower than in Europe and the standards are the same whilst you benefit from the latest technology and international brands for consummatives and materials. Save money, come to Plovdiv to #LookGood 2 #FeelGood!