Even though it seems like the summer travel season is flying by, those still looking to book a European getaway have some cheap options for a last-minute trip, according to a new report.
21.07.2023 - 08:34 / roughguides.com
Descending the steps into the ancient amphitheatre of Philippopolis I paused to look out over the dusty panorama, under which a city with thousands of years of history laid. As one of two European Capitals of Culture for 2019, I came to Plovdiv with little to no knowledge of the city but high expectations. What I was about to learn did not disappoint.
When I met my tour guide, Kiril, I was intrigued to find out why he thought the city deserved this award. «For starters we have a long history,» he answered «Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, it was first settled just after the ice age.»
Dating back over eight millennia, the history of Plovdiv is varied. Neolithic settlements were expanded by the Thracians, until the Romans conquered. Ottoman rule followed with many others attempting to reign, including the Persians, Greeks and Huns. «Throughout all this, Plovdiv remained Bulgarian. We never lost our core values and traditions,» he continued.
Philippopolis Roman amphitheatre in Plovdiv getting ready for summer shows © RossHelen/Shutterstock
The semicircular amphitheatre before me had the crumbling remains of what was once a grand stage; the three-tiered stone wall background was punctuated with openings and pillared terraces where intricate statures would have once been displayed.
Built between two of Plovdiv’s hills, Dzhambaz and Taksim, the amphitheatre was the first major building constructed by the Romans here, in the 1st century AD. The foundations incorporate the large stone remains of a Thracian structure which stood on this spot before the Romans took over the city.
Throughout the summer the theatre still stages shows, plays and musical concerts for up to 5,000 visitors at a time. Performances here are enhanced by the natural acoustics of the surrounding hills.
Leaving the theatre we headed towards the old town, where the narrow cobbled streets seemed almost deserted. Ochre, mossy orange and gunmetal grey paint decorated the traditional houses with their wooden beams and overhanging upper storeys. Builders were hard at work restoring some of the more dilapidated structures, but other than us the streets were empty.
Plovdiv Old Town with its traditional ottoman houses with overhanging upper storeys © Denis Kabanov/Shutterstock
We headed next to St Constantine and Helena Church. Set on what seemed like an insignificant corner, Kiril explained that the church was built on the spot where several Christian martyrs were executed before Roman Emperor Constantine decreed Christianity an accepted religion in the 4th century AD. A grey stone wall with a tiled top – a traditional Bulgarian feature – hid the dark grey exterior of the church, the upper level overhanging the lower tier, which was
Even though it seems like the summer travel season is flying by, those still looking to book a European getaway have some cheap options for a last-minute trip, according to a new report.
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