The article was updated in July 2021
We like spending time outdoors because surrounded by greenery and under the shade of umbrellas or century-old trees, we can eat something delicious, drink something refreshing, or simply immerse in a holiday atmosphere, even for an hour or two. You probably know some of them, some maybe not, others you simply forgot about. But they all deserve attention, especially on sunny and warm summer days.
A favorite part of the tour of all the tourists and natives, Old Plovdiv, is filled with well-adopted yards that make you feel like you are in your own garden. But with more delicious food and drink, of course!
Bezistena number 2 is one of those emblematic venues that perfectly combine a bar with a large stage to show off various talents or screenings under the sky. The bar works only during the summer, but its terraced garden is an oasis in the urban jungle.
We can’t miss a Philippopolis, which overlooks the northern part of the city and the spacious garden under the crowns of centuries-old trees makes it a favorite place to meet loved ones or to have family dinners.
We go down a bit in the more central part of the city, and it is definitely worthwhile to distinguish Fabric's cool yard, where several kiwis grow freely. If you visit the bar in early autumn, you can even taste their fruit.
A little further down Otets Paisii Street you can sit in the inner yard of the adventure restaurant under the hills - Smokini, whose specialties combine tradition and innovation incredibly well. The restaurant keeps investing a lot of creativity in every dish. They like to provoke the client. The variety of seasons gives fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs, which the imagination and knowledge of the staff combine in endless ways.
Another favorite place is the summer garden of Memory Wine & Dine, which is a magical place in which you completely forget that you are almost in the very center of the second largest city in Bulgaria. The accompaniment of the piano with the evening dish is enchanting and takes us to magical worlds that add even more to the quality experience. All the lights and noises of the city are somehow muted and distant, and you seem to have sunk in an unearthly timelessness, where only the delicious food and the pleasant company matter.
Salt and Pepper restaurant is where the huge terrace is decorated with a variety of herbs and spices, which contribute to the feeling of home coziness and unobtrusiveness. What's better than the aroma of basil that complements the taste of the pesto in your salad or dish!
Don’t miss the inner garden of Ristorante Vivaldi, which is like an oasis in the center of the big city, and when you combine tranquility with the creamy taste of ravioli with ricotta or bruschettas with mascarpone and walnuts, you surely wouldn’t want to go!
In case you feel like eating pizza outside, we suggest you sit in the cool garden of Pizza Pazza, where you are completely isolated from the noise of the city and immerse yourself in the natural scents of freshly baked dough and fragrant cheese combined with the smoky aroma of the sausages from the pizza.
We move for a moment in the area of the Rowing Channel, where the greenery can be anywhere, but there are several places where we can be secluded among the city's craziness. The summer garden of Mykonos is superb and colorful, surrounded by natural vegetation, smells of citrus and olive trees. You can’t help but want to sink into this urban oasis and escape for a moment from the hectic daily rhythm. We definitely recommend it for the warmer months. And in combination with the seafood from the menu, we can definitely feel like on a holiday.
And if you want a spacious yard, check out Grebetsa, where there is a large green area, suitable for family celebrations and entertaining outdoor parties.
A wide outdoor area with bridges and great entertainment can also be found in Estrella, where you can safely drink your cocktail while the kids have fun on the swings and climbing frames.
At one of the award-winning restaurants under the hills - Note DI Vino - the fresh garden is divided into two zones, while the delicious and appetizing food itself is a real experience for everyone's senses. Coupled, however, with a good design and a pleasant musical background, it becomes a temptation for vision, hearing, and taste. This is exactly what you can find in Note di Vino.
It is certainly not easy to cover everything that is worthwhile in one text, so we let you go wild in the comments and offer us your favorite spots during the summer months, and the team of the only digital guide under the hills promises to tour them all.
