First journey today. Time to do some interrailing.
The nearest metro station, Serdica, under the Roman ruins, was the way to get to the main station. Smart and modern.
Metro tickets easy, but I nearly have a senior-traveller, meltdown moment buying them: 320lvs for a single? I don’t have that much cash in my wallet. Doh! The ticket lady meant 3.20 – about £1.40.
Breakfast at a cafe near the station, then off to find our train, destination Plovdiv.
The train reminded me of a European model train locomotive I was rather fond of as a child in the 1970’s. Mine was turquoise green.
The carriages were more up-to-date with modern seating though numbering made no sense: we had consecutive seats which were rows apart. The guard couldn’t make sense of it either. He let us stay where we were.
The journey trundled past: mountains, valleys and sunflower fields before opening into the low, hot plains of southern Bulgaria.
Our hotel in Plovdiv, was a thirty minute walk from the main station – borderline get a taxi. No we’re tough. We yomp it with our bags on our backs – borderline madness in the heat of the day.
This is our hotel, the rather lovely Villa Flavia Heritage Boutique Hotel. Too early to check in, but we can drop our bags. We could have changed shoes if I hadn’t stupidly packed them at the bottom of the luggage.
Time to explore Plovdiv. First stop, the stadium. Now lost under central Plovdiv, once a 30,000 seater. Hard to imagine but a wonderful juxtaposition of modern and ancient.
The mosque, next to the stadium, defying further excavation, gives the square another dimension: a reminder of another time, another empire.
Off to see the main attraction, Plovdiv’s famous Roman theatre. Only a 10,000 seater but left intact over the centuries and still used today (though a bit of carefully hidden buttressing behind those ancient pillars makes sure they’re in no danger of falling down today).
The Old Town continues to enchant with cobbled streets, little churches…
…and museum houses – once houses of merchants, each now repurposed to a different kind of exhibit.
We ought to have bought a combination ticket allowing us to visit the theatre and several houses but we were tired and a charming bar tempted us instead.
We plan on one drink, stay for late lunch instead.
Back at the hotel, finally checked-in, we take a complimentary beer up to the roof terrace where our view gazes up to the theatre. An amusing sign uses an English pun to rename the city.
Later on we explore the restaurant area…
Have pizza somewhere, wander about a bit, have an ice cream, enjoy the Sunday-night vibe of the city.