Whether you’re traveling with a tour group or just starting to plan your trip, every tourist wonders what to do, where to go in the city, where to find the most interesting events and how to have fun in their free time. These are all questions we ask ourselves as tourists in foreign cities, which is why we decided to write this article about Plovdiv.
Everything you’ll read below are our personal recommendations - as people who live in Plovdiv, love to explore, participate in and attend events and seek out new experiences. We don’t claim to be comprehensive, because there are so many things to do in Plovdiv that any list would be incomplete.
We’ve divided the article into 6 categories to make it easier for you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Scroll down or choose from the list here to jump to a section.
🎻 Music and Art
Plovdiv is one of Bulgaria’s most vibrant cultural cities and 2026 is no exception. In 2026, we look forward to new editions of festivals and events beloved by both locals and visitors, as well as brand-new ones that music lovers are already eagerly anticipating.
PhillGood Festival (17-19 July 2026)
A major music event featuring international artists and a festival atmosphere. Over the course of three days, the Rowing Channel in Plovdiv will bring together world-renowned acts such as The Cure, Gorillaz, and Moby on one stage, as well as dozens of other artists whom Plovdiv audiences have never seen before.
Hills of Rock (24-26 July 2026)
One of the biggest rock and metal festivals in Bulgaria, held at the Rowing Channel in Plovdiv. For years, Hills of Rock has been bringing together music lovers from all over the country to enjoy their favorite music. This year, the lineup is expanding to include an additional concert night before the festival, called Be4 Hills.
“Boris Hristov” House of Culture
A venue dedicated to art, culture, and events. “Boris Hristov” House of Culture offers a regular program of cultural, corporate, and public events - ranging from concerts and conferences to exhibitions, performances and guest events.
This May and June, it hosts this year’s edition of the One Dance Festival - a “collection of bold performances by leading international choreographers and Bulgarian talents,” as the organizers themselves describe it.
Live Concerts at Clubs and Bars
Jazz, rock, electronic music, acoustic nights and plenty of spontaneous events. The clubs in the city center are the most active in this regard and the easiest way to keep track of their schedules is on social media. In this category, we recommend places like Bee Bop Cafe, Petnoto, Jazz Insights and Download.
International Folklore Festival
The 30th anniversary edition of this festival, beloved by Plovdiv residents and visitors alike, brings together folklore ensembles from Bulgaria and abroad on one stage. Every year at the end of July, the Ancient Theater becomes a gathering place for music and dance lovers. The stage welcomes dance groups from all over the world, as well as host Bulgarian ensembles. Performances take place every evening for an entire wee and admission for the audience is free.
Opera Open
Open-air performances hold a special place in the Plovdiv Opera’s program. In the summer, most performances take place at the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis and during the colder months - most often at “Boris Hristov” House of Culture. The Plovdiv Opera’s repertoire includes both musical classics and impressive interpretations of famous musicals and the musicians and actors are world-class. We can confidently recommend all the musicals we’ve seen, because so far, nothing has disappointed us. And if you’re a fan of the classics - check out Opera Open’s program right now, because tickets often sell out very quickly.
🏛 History, Culture and Walks
Old Town of Plovdiv
A stroll through the streets from the National Revival period, visits to museums and festivals. This is best enjoyed during warmer weather, although the Christmas lights and decorations also create a wonderful atmosphere. In our opinion, a must-do is a tour of the Revival-era houses, admiring their beautiful details, taking a break in their picturesque courtyards and ending the walk with a beautiful view of the city from Nebet Hill (Nebet Tepe). We remind you to wear comfortable shoes - no flip-flops or heels - because the cobblestones are unforgiving.**
The City’s Roman Past
Plovdiv is one of those places with numerous well-preserved ancient ruins scattered throughout the city - streets, a stadium, a theater, a forum, basilicas - so we certainly can’t complain about a lack of variety. Here, we’ll shamelessly recommend Roman Plovdiv - our city exploration game, in which, in addition to logic riddles, we’ve curated interesting facts about each of the 16 locations the game takes you through. If traditional tours aren’t your thing, but you want to explore Plovdiv’s Roman past in a new way - Roman Plovdiv is just for you.
Kapana
We could call Kapana the “artists’ quarter” because of its beautiful graffiti, small shops and bars. Kapana has definitely become a much more commercial place in recent years than it used to be, but the lights, the flags, the delicious food and the lively atmosphere draw people day and night to stop there for a cup of coffee, a get-together with friends, or even just to take a photo.
Plovdiv’s Hills
This is one of those difficult categories where we simply can’t recommend just one place. The hills of Plovdiv are among our favorite spots and we’re proud that our city is known as the “City of Seven Hills.” Each hill has its own charm and local traditions, as well as a beautiful view of the entire city of Plovdiv. Youth Hill is the highest, atop Bunardzhika stands the city’s iconic Alyosha statue, Sahat Hill is a favorite spot for sunsets right above the city center, Taksim Hill is home to the Ancient Theater and following the renovation of Nebet Hill, you can learn interesting facts about the ruins there. How do we choose a favorite?
(Still, I recommend starting at Danov Hill (Sahat Hill) - it’s an easy way to get there and from the top you can see the whole city. —Emo)
Tsar Simeon’s Garden and Dondukov Garden
Whether under the Christmas lights in winter, among the fragrant flowers in spring, in the cool shade in summer, or amidst the falling leaves in autumn - these green spaces are perfect for walks all year round. During the summer months, we recommend checking the schedule for the Singing Fountains - on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, usually shortly after sunset, the lake comes alive with colors, lights and water synchronized to music. The entire show lasts about 10-15 minutes and can be viewed from almost any spot near the fountains, but the best vantage point is near the pier on the southeast side.
Free Plovdiv Tour
Every day, the Free Plovdiv Tour starts in front of City Hall, where certified guides lead a 2-hour tour through the center of Plovdiv, sharing the most interesting facts about the city. The tours are primarily in English. Their team also organizes fantastic themed walks at other locations in Bulgarian - one of the most interesting ones we’ve been on is the tour of the Central Cemetery.
Plovdiv’s Museums
Going into detail here would mean writing an entirely new article. Ethnographic, archaeological, historical, natural history museums, basilicas, galleries and even, more recently, Iron Museum and the Non-Museum - they’re all worth a visit, depending on your interests and how much time you have in the city.
The Fantasy Non-Museum of Plovdiv, for example, is a brand-new addition to the city’s museum culture, unlike anything that has existed before. It presents the history of Plovdiv interactively through old names, neighborhoods, the sounds of Plovdiv, local favorites, some dialect words and much more - it’s hard to describe, you have to experience it.
The exhibition “The World of the Iron” or, as the locals call it, the Iron Museum, is the newest in the city and the first of its kind in the Balkans, showcasing over 1,200 artifacts from around the world. It is located in the Old Town, so you can easily combine a visit with a stroll through the aforementioned Revival-era streets.
🎭 Theater, Cinema and Games
Theater and Opera
In this category, the venues include the Plovdiv Drama Theater, “Boris Hristov” House of Culture, the Puppet Theater, the summer theaters and the Ancient Theater, where you can enjoy polished performances by Bulgarian and international artists almost every day. It would be impossible to mention just one or two productions, so feel free to ask at the cashier for recommendations based on your preferences. For summer performances, be sure to bring insect repellent and a fan and for indoor performances - formal attire in accordance with theater etiquette.
Movies and Puppet Theater
That’s one of the categories best suited for children - after all, every child loves seeing their favorite series on the big screen or watching interesting stories brought to life in a puppet show. Of course, if you have more time, don’t hesitate to browse the programs - there are plenty of options suitable not just for children.
Escape Rooms
The selection of escape rooms in Plovdiv may not be as large as it is abroad, but they are just as good in terms of quality. Suitable for both children and adult puzzle enthusiasts, TimeScape, Gravity Wave, Escape Zone and others work hard to immerse you and your team in a whole new world. If you only have time for only one challenge, try to escape from TimeScape’s “Wild West” room.
Board games, Video Games, VR, Arcade Games, Anime and Nerd Culture
It’s no surprise to anyone that CoolDown is our favorite spot in town, combining all these things. Every week there’s something new going on - whether it’s a quiz, a tournament, or just grabbing some awesome burgers with friends - you can’t go wrong if these are the kinds of things you love. We’ll also mention NEXUS Games - an internet café and gaming hall at 2 Ivan Vazov Str.
Urban Quest Games
It would be a shame not to mention our specialty - urban quest games. You can take part in a variety of urban adventures on your own or with your team. In addition to the exciting games we offer at Inner Voice, we highly recommend those from our colleagues - TimeScape, BoomRaid and RoadGames.
🏃 Sport and an Active Lifestyle
The Rowing Channel
One of Plovdiv residents’ favorite spots for walking, jogging and cycling. Along the base, you can find signs with interesting facts about Bulgarian athletes on the Alley of Olympic Glory, see the large fish from the bridge in the middle, visit the Youth Center and its playgrounds, as well as have a mini-race with various vehicles and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Of course, walks are more pleasant in warmer weather, but in the summer, be sure to bring insect repellent so the big bugs don’t get the better of you.
Sports Events
In recent years, the locals have shown that they know more than just chilling in their free time; they embrace a different way of life. The Tepe Jamboree and other large-scale sports events are organized in our city, attracting many sports enthusiasts. Sports venues such as the Sila Sport Complex and the Colodrome host national and regional basketball and volleyball competitions, football fans enjoy matches at the stadiums, rowers have their designated spots and for niche sports and activities, there are clubs with regular training sessions. We admit that we aren’t the most active athletes, but we greatly admire the organization of such events.
🍸 Cocktail Culture and Nightlife Spots
As residents of a big city and as true Bulgarians, we simply had to talk about dining in this guide. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the city and plenty of local favorites too, so here we’ve included just a few where you can relax and have a cocktail or a glass of beer with friends after a busy day - Cat and Mouse [🍺], Fargo [🍸], Fabric [🍺], The Post [🍸]. If you’re a fan of spicy flavors, ask at Fabric for Juanita - a hot craft beer brewed in Plovdiv.
⭐ More Recommendations
In the final section of this article, we’ve included a few of our favorite events that bring together people from all parts of life to have fun, challenge themselves, broaden their horizons or learn something new.
Young Wine Festival, Wine and Gourmet Festival and Weekend in Plovdiv
It’s no secret that we’ve been successfully working with the Tourism Council on all three events for three years now and perhaps that’s one of the reasons for our fondness for them. The main reason, however, is the atmosphere of these festivals - the bustling Old Town during the festivals and the pleasant time tourists have during the August weekend - nothing in the city can replace these events.
Kapana Fest and Shake that Hill
Two of Plovdiv’s favorite events, bringing together music, fun, socializing and laid-back vibes all in one place. Drinking beer on the grass at the Youth Hill during Shake that Hill or meeting new brands and artists at Kapana Fest is a true Plovdiv experience that, over the years, we’ve introduced to tourists visiting the city.
ℹ️ Where Can I Find the Latest Information?
For more events, concerts and happenings in the city, we recommend following various websites and social media profiles, such as the Plovdiv-based media How2Plovdiv - both their website and their Instagram account, where they regularly share the latest updates.
If you’re the organizer of an interesting event or looking for a way to enhance it with an urban quest game, no matter where in the world - feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to be part of new adventures in Plovdiv and other towns.