Cover photo: Anton Atanasov
In this article, we won’t stop at the shiny and expensive places, but we will try to be useful to all who arrive in the city with a certain budget. There is not always a need to spend hundreds of dollars on a luxury room in a large hotel, you don’t necessarily have to eat in a restaurant and visit all the bars to absorb the atmosphere and feel the positive emotion that is everywhere in the beloved city. Today, our team will give you 5 practical tips on how to minimize your spending and still spend unforgettable time.
Stay in a hostel or use airbnb - accommodation prices anywhere in the world may vary within a wide range. Whether you prefer to share a room with a few more people for 20 leva per bed or you will give 60 - 70 leva per night for a private room in a guest house or apartment, it all depends only on your preferences. You can look for specific recommendations in the best offers for accommodation in Plovdiv according to your budget. Keep in mind that in most places the price includes internet and the wireless here is superb, and it some places breakfast is also included.
Eat in bakeries or take away - the cheapest food you can buy is the traditional Bulgarian banitsa and any alternatives to fast food such as pizza, doner and hot dogs (which doesn’t have anything to do with what we’d eat in New York for example). In many places there are lunch menus, where for a price of 10 leva / 5 euros you will get a salad, main dish and a dessert. The main dishes in the more expensive restaurants usually range in the order of 25-40 leva, depending on your preferences.
Go on a free tour - it's a great way to explore the main places in the city under the hills and learn interesting facts. The tipping in the end is optional and the experience is extremely fun.
Use public transport if you need to get to a farther point - although at first glance it may be difficult to navigate, using buses is the most budget option. The price of the ticket is only 1 lev, and since Plovdiv itself is not very large, even the costs for a taxi are in the range of 2-6 leva.
Instead of spending the night in a restaurant or a bar, enjoy Plovdiv outdoors. Send the sun away on Nebet Tepe or the Rowing Channel, listen to the fountains in Tsar Simeon's Garden or just mingle with the crowds that are in front of the numerous bars in the creative district of Kapana.
Bulgaria as a whole is a budget destination and the emotion you may feel here doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. Ideal for a vacation where you can indulge in the experience, not the unnecessary calculations.
