"Culture – the way we express ourselves and understand each other – can bind us together as one world.” Yo-Yo Ma, Cellist
Plovdiv, Bulgaria is one of the Cultural Capitals for 2019. It remains relatively unknown to most travellers, which makes it something of a hidden gem.
Situated between two vast mountain ranges along what in centuries past was a crucial inland route from Western Europe to Constantinople (Istanbul) and Asia Minor, Plovdiv has been held over the centuries by Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans.
Pieces of these kingdoms and empires can still be found in close proximity to one another. And the city's various leaders have left their mark not only on its architecture but also on its vibrant artistic and cultural life.
