We have prepared a short guide with several places near Plovdiv for those who aren’t currently enjoying the beach and will not be able to dive into the sea waves for the rest of the summer.
These village celebrations and fairs are the perfect excuse to escape the city and learn about local traditions and customs. We chose five events from the calendar of a nearby Plovdiv municipality and dare you to try something new on one of the upcoming weekends.
Lilkovo – August 17
The village of Lilkovo is one of the highest in the Northern Rhodope Mountains, located around 1500 meters above sea level. Only the village of Manastir, near the town of Laki, is higher than Lilkovo.
It bears the name of the local ruler Lilo from the time of the Ottoman yoke. Before that, the village was known by the Turkish name “Iron Village.”
Some of the most interesting landmarks in the area are the Sitovo inscription and the remnants of the Tamrash village.
You can combine your trip to Lilkovo with a few interesting events in mid-August that enrich village life in the summer:
- Summer Festival “Lilkovo poSreshta” Homeland: a festival of blitzes, potatoes, workshops, and concerts.
- “Made in Lilkovo” Contest.
- “Cinema under the stars” – outdoor movie screenings.
Markovo – August 24, Plovdiv Jazz Fest
The summer edition of the Plovdiv Jazz Fest – Plovdiv Jazz Summer, will conclude with its last event on August 24 in Markovo. At 9 PM, we will hear the amazing voice of one of the most popular and talented Bulgarian singers, Orlin Pavlov.
His concert will be held in the center of Markovo village and will have free entry for the festival audience, continuing the tradition of this fest. Alongside Orlin Pavlov, the Jazz Trio “JP3” (Dimitar Semov – drums, Dimitar Karamfilov – double bass), and Maestro Jivko Petrov will also charm the public with their music. This creative meeting will present Orlin Pavlov in a new light, different from the usual pop singer image. It will reveal his talent for jazz interpretation and improvisation. When so many impressive artists meet on one stage, a true celebration of good taste and music is always expected.
We will hear Orlin Pavlov’s signature songs, arranged in a new jazz aesthetic, adapted in the brilliant style of Jivko Petrov and his trio. About his collaboration with the jazz musicians, Orlin Pavlov says that the most important thing is the freedom with which the four of them play, making well-known songs feel fresh and new while charming the audience with the spontaneity of their performance.
Some jazz pieces composed in the 20th century are also included in the repertoire. They are rearranged in a new, modern, and communicative style without losing the authentic spirit of classical vocal jazz. This combination of classics and modernity will be the highlight of Orlin Pavlov’s concert on August 24, where his elegance and style as a performer will be perfectly complemented by the first-class jazz trio “JP3.
Here are our picks for September:
Brestovitsa and Sitovo: September 17-18
European Heritage Days 2024:
- Open-door visits to Vlahov House, wine, and farm product tastings.
The Vlahov House is located in the village of Brestovitsa. It was built in 1820 for a wealthy wine merchant. The local inhabitants are proud of the little-known fact that Vasil Levski used to hide there.
Now, only the basement of the house from the Bulgarian Revival period is preserved, which the Apostle of Freedom used as a hiding spot. But this is about to change. The house is planned to be turned into a wine museum through a project financed by the Rural Development Programme.
- The tours “Mystery of Sitovo” featuring the Sitovo inscription and the Thracian fortress “Studa Grada.”
Sitovo village is less than 30 km away from Plovdiv, and the road leading to it is breathtaking.
It dates back to 2000 years ago. During the reign of the Odrysian Kingdom, Thracian people from the Bessi tribe (one of the most warlike Thracian tribes) settled there and used the hardly accessible stone formations in the Studa area as a fortress. During the Medieval ages (after the formation of The First Bulgarian Empire in the 7th–14th centuries), the village was often located amid Bulgarian territory and the Byzantine Empire. In 1834, one of the first schools in the nahiyah (area) of Rupchos was built there. Unfortunately, it is currently inhabited by a low number of people, but during the warmer months, when the whole area is perfect for tourism, the number of people increases.
The tour will take you through the most famous locations in the area. It is really worth joining to learn more about these mystical places.
Belashtitsa - Slaveykov Evenings
The village is in close proximity to the regional city and contains a total of five chapels. There is also a functioning convent, "St. George the Victorious", which has been declared a cultural monument.
In the center of the village stands a monument to the writer Pencho Slaveykov. Here, he wrote the poem "Inseparable", and since 2012, in September, the "Slaveykov Evenings" have been held – dedicated to his life and work.
In the "Chinarite" area grows the thickest tree in Bulgaria – a plane tree more than 1100 years old with a trunk circumference of 13.7 meters, as well as several other old and thick plane trees. In September, many exhibitions and cultural events are organized in the Plane Tree Forest.
Sitovo - Potato Festival "Sitovski Kartole" September 21
The idea of this unusual celebration is to provide an opportunity for producers, traders, and tourists to have useful meetings and contacts, exchange knowledge and experience in the field of culinary arts and potato production, and spend a different and emotional day!
The program will allow visitors to observe a culinary exhibition of potato dishes, participate in various competitive games, and enjoy delicious potato soup prepared by local cooks, as well as traditional bread with potato filling, Rhodope patatnik, and more.
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