Lost in Plovdiv

Cover photo: lana_sdnk

Asya and Slaviana are the charming owners of one of our favorite bars under the hills - Gingertale. Through the music and the cocktails, they tell us their story and invite us to visit their place in the neighborhood of the creative industries and in the very heart of the beloved city of Plovdiv.

Describe Plovdiv in a few words

Asya: Hot, laughing, playing and dancing...

Slaviana: Fortunately, Plovdiv has always had a great historical romantic charm; and good economic development at the moment; if speaking personally it is my family, my friends, my job - it is my home

Your secret place

Asya: An arcade next to the "small" Main street (aka Rayko Daskalov Str)

Slaviana: I'm really sentimental about and I like the places where I grew up with my grandparents, and where we had countless secret places as we were children - the fig, under the garages and the ceiling. This is the area around the school “Dusho Hadjidekov”, Leonardo da Vinci Str and Bogomil Str.

Favorite bar/restaurant

Asya: Gingertale and Pavaj!

Slaviana: Ours, of course, because of all the energy we put with Asya and our great team, and fortunately we get back from the customers :) Out of this, I like places with respect and undying enthusiasm despite the difficulties - such is Pavaj for example, I hope there will be more and more :)

The most underestimated place

Asya: Bunardzhika

Slaviana: I'm not sure the "most underestimated" is the exact definition, but there are places in the city that are neglected for various reasons and I want them to be live again because they have a tremendous potential - such is not only Adata Island in Maritza, but the entire area around the river, as well as the place around the tobacco warehouses.

Where would you take someone who is not from here

Asya: We will walk through the Old Town, then Kapana, Djumayata and the Main Street and till our last stop – Tsar Simeon’s Garden and the Singing Fountains.

Slaviana: A real pleasure for all who are not from the city and who are visiting us in a day would be the walk through the Old Town, the Ancient Theater, the Roman Stadium, and Nebet tepe. If there is more time - the architectural monuments of different historical periods of Plovdiv - the concrete examples of the so-called "brutal" communist architecture - the Cinema Cosmos, the Central Post Office;  or the beautiful buildings of the Ottoman period-Chifte banya, the Dzhumaya mosque, the valuable Bauhaus heritage, the former shops and warehouses in Kapana and others - our history is ancient and interesting and there is plenty to show and tell :)

Pepi was born in Plovdiv.  For several years, she is a copywriter and marketing specialist for different business fields. She is writing articles for the websites People of Plovdiv and PuraVidaLifestyle.org. Most people associate her with music as she used to sing in different formations as a child. She prefers acoustic performances, where there is no distance between her and the audience. She likes to tell stories – both writing and singing.

Describe Plovdiv in a few words

Fabulous, spiritual, filled with culture.

Your secret place                                         

When I want to stay alone, I get into the car and drive to one of the nearby villages. The view from Belashtitza to Plovdiv, for example, is fabulous!

Favorite bar/restaurant

Cat and Mouse - for morning or afternoon coffee, restaurant "Smokini" for dinner, / I recommend their duck meat with peaches, because it is a mmmm ... /, BeeBop Café, Kontrabas and Vintage House - live.

The most underestimated place

Lucky Cinema - a wonderful cinema where you can watch exceptional screenings from the world stage. I wonder why its halls are not crowded. In addition, tickets are much more affordable.

Where would you take someone who is not from here

 I would start with a traditional walk through our Ancient City, the Amphitheatre, the hills, and the Rowing Channel. In the evening I would take him or her to jazz, and the next day - for a walk in the mountains, as long as time allows. We are blessed with many paths and places, just minutes away from the city.