Plovdiv has a milder climate than Sofia. Summer temperatures can be quite high, so brace yourself for scorching heat if you visit between June and August. September is quite a pleasant month to go – both because it is still warm but no longer hot, and because of two major events in the city at that time: the Plovdiv International Trade Fair and the Night of the Galleries and the Museums.

By Air

There are currently no regular flights to and from the Plovdiv airport, so your best bet is to fly into Sofia and then either drive or take a bus or train for the 130 km separating Sofia from Plovdiv. The trip shouldn’t last longer than two hours. The Plovdiv airport, however, services numerous charter and cargo flights. From December until April, Western Europeans can fly there on their way to Bulgaria’s biggest skiing resorts – Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo. During the rest of the year, there are charter flights to popular tourist destinations for Bulgarians, such as Cairo.

By Rail

Plovdiv’s central station is a 15-minute walk from its central square. The city has direct and frequent rail connections to Sofia, and via it, to the rest of the Balkan countries, as well as Bulgaria’s main coastal cities, Varna and Burgas. The fast trains often take as long as the buses but may prove more comfortable, as they are more spacy and newer than them. Going by rail to towns in central and eastern Bulgaria often requires transfers.

By Road

Plovdiv is located 130 km southwest from Sofia and the two cities are connected by a decent highway. Going by car is the quickest and takes around one and a half hours, while buses take a little longer. Plovdiv is also connected via main roads or highways to Belgrade, via Sofia, Istanbul, Burgas. Plovdiv’s proximity to three of Bulgaria’s main mountain ranges – the Rila, the Pirin and the Rhodopi Mountains make for relatively short drives, through winding, to their main winter sports centres – Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo.