I wonder if it is good to live in the ancient city of Plovdiv? I will try to tell you as much as possible about this city, its advantages and disadvantages and you will understand whether this city is suitable for living. Is Plovdiv right for you.
Plovdiv is the cultural capital of Bulgaria, and three years ago it was chosen as the cultural capital of Europe together with the Italian city of Matera. Plovdiv is also the most populous city in Bulgaria. Plovdiv is an ancient city, it is almost impossible to determine its exact age, but the first traces of settlements date back to six thousand years BC.
Plovdiv is a city where modernity and unique architectural monuments of antiquity and the Middle Ages are harmoniously combined. Walking around the city you can see ruins.
Here, in beautiful historical buildings, there are cozy cafes and restaurants, many souvenir and antique shops. Plovdiv is the second most populous city in Bulgaria with a population of 368 thousand people.
Location
Situated in the centre of the country, Plovdiv is known worldwide by its nickname, the city of hills. There used to be more, but now there are only six left. The rest have been used for construction purposes.
Climate
The climate in Plovdiv is characterized as transitional continental. The warmest month in Plovdiv is July, with an average air temperature of 23.9 degrees. Summer is hot, moderately dry and sunny. Plovdiv sometimes has very hot days. Winters are cold, with snow cover.
Transport
You can get to Plovdiv by any means of transport. By plane. Plovdiv has its own international airport, but there are very few flights arriving and departing. There are days when there are no flights. Usually, residents of Plovdiv and visitors to the city use Sofia Airport. It is an hour and a half away. By train. There is a railway station. By bus. There are three bus stations in Plovdiv.
In Plovdiv, the only public transport is buses. Trolleybuses have stopped running since 2012. The price of a regular ticket for any transport in the city is 1 Lev per trip. In parking zones there are taximeters with which you can pay for parking.
The first hour of parking costs 1 lev, then 2 lev for each subsequent hour.
Plovdiv has a convenient location, so the Black Sea, which is 250 km away, can be reached in 2.5 hours by car along the Trakia highway. But the Aegean Sea in Greece can be reached from Plovdiv in 3 hours.
Housing
What about housing in Plovdiv? What are the prices? New housing is being built.
Rental prices for a one-room apartment start from 100 euros per month.
And for 102 euros we found this option.
Prices for a two-room apartment per month start from 120 euros.
For 128 euros we found this option in the very heart of Plovdiv, in the old town.
I would like to point out that these are prices for long-term rent. This means that you need to sign a lease agreement for 1 year or more. If you rent for a shorter period, many people consider the daily rent price multiplied by the number of days of rent. And accordingly, the price becomes much higher. This is a typical apartment building in Plovdiv on the secondary market. And this is what new buildings look like. Prices for apartments in Plovdiv start at 29 thousand euros. As we can see from the low price of apartments in buildings under construction, apartments on the secondary market are more expensive.
A one-room apartment like this can be purchased for 32,900 euros.
And here is a two-room apartment that costs 42,839 euros, but it is not in the center, but in the eastern Izgrev quarter.
Economy
Salaries and standard of living. According to the most recent data, the average monthly salary before taxes and fees is 1490 leva. For comparison, in Sofia it is [music] 2373 leva, in Varna it is 1535 leva. The unemployment rate in Plovdiv is 3.2%, in Sofia 2.7%, and in Varna 1.7%.
Crime
The number of crimes against persons and property in 2021 per 1000 people in Plovdiv was 7.5, compared to 10.4 in Sofia and 11.8 in Varna.
Medicine
The number of people per doctor in medical institutions according to the latest data in Plovdiv is 191 people, in Sofia 184, in Varna 197 people.
Infrastructure
Municipal expenses per person living in Plovdiv are 1133 leva, in Sofia such expenses are 1220 leva and in Varna 1148 leva. The price of water is 2.93 leva per cubic meter, in Sofia 2.93 leva, and in Varna 4.54 leva.
Education
Plovdiv has 9 universities, 77 schools and 59 kindergartens, it is one of the leading educational centers in Bulgaria. Many students come to study in Plovdiv from many countries of the world. Therefore, English can be heard in shops and on the streets of the city. There is a legend that under all the hills there is a hidden tunnel with riches.
Culture and attractions
Plovdiv offers a wide range of cultural attractions, historical buildings, theatres and many museums. Many of them are included in the hundred national tourist sites of Bulgaria.
Some note that Plovdiv has more attractions than Sofia. Plovdiv is one of the most beautiful cities in the Balkans, and is called the city of artists for the picturesqueness of its historical center. The first place in Plovdiv’s attractions is occupied by the Architectural Reserve “Old Plovdiv”, which attracts visitors from all over the world. It covers the area of three hills, the site of the city’s foundation.
“Glavna” is the main pedestrian area in the center of Plovdiv with many attractions and the longest pedestrian area in Europe 1750 meters!
Three hills in the middle of a flat city – three hills that are worth climbing to enjoy the panorama of Plovdiv.
There is also an aqua park in Plovdiv. Of course, these are not all the sights of Plovdiv, this is a topic for a separate video.
For shopping lovers in Plovdiv there are many shopping centers, these are: Mall Plovdiv, Mall Plovdiv, Shopping Center Hali, Mall Markovo Tere, Plovdiv Plaza Mall, Grand.
Parking in almost all shopping centers is paid. The price increases depending on the time of parking. There are usually no free spaces. And the cars are parked almost touching each other with their mirrors. And in one Mall there is free parking, but there were no free spaces in the parking lot either. For example, in Varna, all shopping centers have free parking and there are enough free spaces.
Pros
- Convenient location of the city, for example, close to the capital, the Black Sea or the Greek sea coast.
- There are a lot of young people, because young people go to Plovdiv to get an education.
- There is a pedestrian street for those who like to stroll around the city.
- The city has an Old Town, an art district, theatres, museums – everything for lovers of cultural recreation.
- A huge number of cultural events are held here: theatre, music, and folklore festivals that have become famous throughout Europe.
- There is a wide choice of housing and new housing is being actively built.
- There are many attractions and entertainment in the city.
- Almost all chain stores are present. Therefore, the prices for products are low.
- There is 5G coverage in the city.
Cons
- The geographical position of Plovdiv is such that it is relatively hot here in summer.
- Problem with parking in the city center.
- There is no sea.
Conclusions
The city is very densely built up and the most densely populated in Bulgaria. The cultural capital of Bulgaria. A student center, many young people on the streets. And another feature of Plovdiv: old houses that have not been renovated are decorated with graffiti.
The city certainly has its own atmosphere and its own face. And “Old Plovdiv” is an open-air architectural museum or you can call it an Architectural Reserve. It is this that attracts many tourists. I hope this article was useful for you, write comments.
