1. In the historical reserve of the Anctient Plovdiv you can see traces of 8 millennia in one small area. Don't forget to check out the Ethnographic Museum, Hisar Kapiya, the Hindliyan House, the Sts. Constantine & Helena Church. The ancient theater is the crown jewel of Roman heritage — one of the best preserved in the world. The Roman stadium was built in the 2nd century for 30,000 spectators. You can walk along the authentic ancient street and explore 3 sectors of its construction. The Museum of Natural Science is a place where different worlds, small and large, meet. The History Museum intrigues not only with its exhibits, but also with the buildings in which they are placed.
2. The Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis is the newest pride of Plovdiv. It is said to be among the first basilicas built in the Roman Empire. One of the testimonies is the lavish mosaic with a total area of 2000 sq.m. An unearthed coin of the Emperor Licinius (308 - 324) gives rise to the hypothesis that the basilica was among the first to be built in the Roman Empire after the legalization of Christianity in 313. The size, ornamentation, and central location of the church near the forum of the ancient city testify to the large and influential Christian community in Philippopolis. The history of the place, however, is much richer and spans at least 12 centuries. Be sure to check out the in situ mosaics from the Small Basilica.
3. In downtown Plovdiv, you can go through different eras only in a few steps. The central square is located above the ancient forum built more than 2 millennia ago. Today, you have the opportunity not only to see parts of past glorious times (one of the entrances to the city, the library, the Odeon of Philippopolis, etc.), but also to walk along the original ancient streets. Walking along the main and longest pedestrian street, you can peek back into antiquity and there are 3 places where you can descend to the level of the Roman Stadium. Very nearby the first district of creative industries in Bulgaria awaits you — Kapana, the hot spot for the locals and guests of the city.
4. The Museum of Religions Architectural Complex (Stara Zagora) is a unique sacred place from the early Iron Age (10-9 centuries BC), a pagan temple (2-3 centuries AD) and the foundations of a medieval Christian church in the prayer hall of a Muslim temple. Today, the building is an architectural and construction cultural monument of national importance, and the exquisitely painted murals are an artistic cultural monument of national importance. The many beautiful ornaments and bright colors are a lasting testimony to the skill of the unknown master-painter. Almost imperceptible among the complex multitude of ornaments, landscapes, human figures, and a small church with a cross were discovered during the restoration of the frescoes.
5. A Neolithic Dwellings Museum (Stara Zagora) was built on the site of the remains of the dwellings dating back to the beginning of the 6th millennium BC, which are one of the best preserved in Europe. It houses a collection of ceramic dishes, small cult statues, jewels and tools made by the prehistoric settlers who set the beginning of one of the first European civilizations. Here you can see the best preserved remains of a residential building in Europe. The house was two stories high, built of wooden stakes and interlaced rods, plastered with clay and straws. Three families lived in it. The cult altars have also been preserved — ceramic columns, which at their upper end are branched like the horns of a bull, where the inhabitants of the house performed their rites.
6. Near Svilengrad, the Romans built roadside stations and fortresses. The most significant traces of the Thracian Odrysian tribe and the Romans can be found in the tomb next to the village of Mezek — one of the most monumental facilities used for multiple burials of Thracian aristocrats. The medieval fortress near the village of Mezek (11th - 12th centuries) served as a castle or was intended for the permanent residence of a garrison and its commanders. And near the Matochina Fortress (387), a great battle took place between the troops of Emperor Valens and the Goths, which ended in the complete defeat of the Roman army and the emperor died in the battle as well.
7. The Paleokastro Megalith, located near Topolovgrad, is a Thracian fortress built in the 1st millennium BC and a supposed Thracian solar sanctuary. The Temple of the Sun is an ancient sanctuary with over 160 carvings of suns and signs in the rocks. Nachovi Chairi — a dolmen built during the Iron Age and used continuously until the 6th century BC. It is supposed to have served as a primitive heroön (temple of ancient Greek or Roman hero), a place where the cult of the divine deceased was practiced.
8. The Thracians have left clear traces here through numerous cult temples, tombs and dolmens near Harmanli. The menhir dates back to the 2nd - 1st millennium BC and the Caravanserai and “Humpback Bridge,” which were built in the 16th century, are impressive architectural ambassadors of antiquity. Over 20,000 attractive objects are presented in the History Museum.
9. Brezovo — Below you can find information on some interesting places in the village and the area:
The museum house of the legendary colonel Vladimir Serafimov who freed part of the population in the Central Rhodopes ( Smolyan) from the Ottoman Empire, a hero of the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885) and the Balkan War (1912-1913).
Along with other 100 houses, the building is located in the architectural and historical reserve of the village of Svezhen, Municipality of Brezovo, and it is one of the oldest preserved authentic wooden houses from the Middle Ages during the Ottoman rule — a cultural monument.
The ancient church of St. George, which was once a literary center, is one of the largest Damaskin and art centers in the 17th century. In the 1930s, the Etropolis writer priest Yovko worked there. Teacher Philip and priest Nedyalko were his followers.