The oldest city in Europe, Plovdiv, was founded more than 6 thousand years ago. This Bulgarian city grew up on three green hills in a very picturesque place. Over the millennia, the city grew and flourished. So the small corner of the land where it all began turned into the Ancient Plovdiv Architectural and Historical Reserve, or just an old quarter named the "Old Town of Plovdiv".
The ruins of the defensive walls of the first Thracian settlers, the Roman ruins, and the remains of Ottoman mosques peacefully coexist with other antique wooden buildings and stone structures of the Middle Ages. More than 150 monuments of ancient architecture rise on the cobbled streets and squares of this quarter. The fantastic atmosphere of the ancient Bulgarian Empire reigns everywhere and the air seems to be filled with the spirit of the distant past. But unlike other so-called ethnographic villages, the Old Town of Plovdiv is not cut off from an extensive infrastructure. There are modern hotels, popular national restaurants, traditional souvenir shops, and residential buildings that are rather expensive, by the way.
The best place to start your walk in the Old Town is the Nebet Tepe hill, the top of which offers a beautiful view. Besides, the hill houses the most ancient fortress walls built by the Thracians and Romans in different historical eras. Tourists especially like the secret passage. According to local legend, it was used by the Holy Apostle Paul to hid from his pursuers. But the most notable attractions here are the ancient theater and the Hisar Kapia gate that impresses with its size.
In addition to ancient monuments, the Old Town comprises many residential buildings and temples that were built in the Renaissance, when this part of the city was famous among rich townspeople. Today, this is evidenced by luxurious mansions, like the House of the merchant Balabanov, which hosts concerts, performances, and exhibitions. Other historical and cultural monuments that undoubtedly deserve a visit are the former House of the merchant Argir Kuyumdzhioglu, which features the collections of the Plovdiv Regional Ethnographic Museum, the Plovdiv Regional Historical Museum in the Georgiadi House, the Klianti House, which is the museum of urban life, and the building of the first Bulgarian gymnasium "Yellow School". Therefore, tourists are unlikely to visit all the sights in a couple of hours. It is better to set aside a whole day for a walk in the Old Town.