Plovdiv Old Town

Plovdiv's Old Town occupies three of the city's distinctive syenite hills, where National Revival-period merchant houses from the 18th and 19th centuries line cobbled streets above the Roman forum. The overhanging timber-framed upper storeys, often painted in vivid blues, greens, and ochres, create a layered streetscape that has made Plovdiv one of the most photographed historic quarters in the Balkans. The Roman theatre, seating around 7,000 and still used for concerts, is directly integrated into the hillside fabric.