November 28, 2017
Plovdiv has many faces – the green hills on a sunny day, the cobbled streets on a rainy afternoon, the narrow snowy alleys during wintertime. You just need one minute of walking and in front of you there will be a completely new sight – different than the previous one. In one word – Plovdiv is art. And the Arts and Crafts Tour is here to show you one of the most artistic faces of our town. What is Kapana? The Arts and Crafts Tour is happening in the Kapana district. Do you know what Kapan means? Kapana means “the trap” – and yes – this is where nowadays a lot of people fall for the night life and believe that the name Trap is thanks to the persuasive clubs. The truth is different however. Kapana happens to be the only artistic neighbourhood in Bulgaria. Graffiti, galleries, art shops and so on are easily found on every corner. They all make this place more colourful and cozy. History and Crafts […]
September 21, 2016
Free Plovdiv Tour’s Winter Schedule As the leafs are falling on the ground, the trees – becoming denuded, the weather slowly but surely getting colder and severer, our daily walking tours are decreasing in number too. As the days are getting shorter the time for our winter schedule is also coming. Landscape from the Rhodope Mountains in the autumn Free Plovdiv Tour’s Schedule From 1st October a guide is going to wait for you on the usual spot in front of the Municipality building on Plovdiv’s main street at 2 p.m. Don’t worry – no rain, snow or cold weather can stop our guides. We’ll be waiting for you – the guests of our lovely hometown every single day. Our schedule is not going to be altered until the end of April. Come and join us on a tour! Each and every day, you can see one of our enthusiastic guides holding the Free Plovdiv Tour’s logo and waiting for you to join them for an interesting and informative walk through […]
July 6, 2016
Another year has passed by – a year full of valuable experience and unforgettable tours! Four years ago our organization, the 365 Association, launched a project for a free walking tour of Plovdiv – The Free Plovdiv Tour. The date was the 13th of July, Friday. We were not at all worried about the symbolism of that particular day, which has been imposed by superstitions and those who believe in them. On the contrary, it turned out to be our lucky date, so every year we put great effort into the preparation of the celebration. We are an non-profit non-government association with a focus on tourism and culture. 365 days in the year we strive to promote Bulgaria. We are an association of proactive young people where something happens literally all 365 days of the year, even on dates such as January 1, March 3, December 24. Free Plovdiv Tour is our second project for a free walking tour. Our tour in Plovdiv has become a truly successful project! We […]
June 4, 2016
So, you are curious about this small country on the Balkans? Just find a comfortable chair and set aside a couple of minutes, because we have some Quick Facts about Bulgaria for you. Quick facts about Bulgaria: 1. The territory of Bulgaria Bulgaria has a territory of 110,994 square kilometers. The form of our land can easily remind you of a lion. Just use your vivid imagination! 2. Biggest Cities Sofia is the capital city. Plovdiv is the second-largest city followed by Varna and Burgas. Find more about the lovely Bulgarian cities by joining our tours! 3. Musala Musala is 2,925m (9,596ft) in height and is in the Rila Mountain in southwestern Bulgaria. Its name literally means ‘Near God’. That is the highest peak not only in the country but also in the entire Balkan Peninsula. 4. Raysko praskalo If you adore the mountainous area that is your place because Raysko praskalo is an ideal route for those who are into hiking. ! This is the highest waterfall in Bulgaria and what is more – it […]
May 1, 2016
Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays. Easter is the day when Jesus Christ has risen from the dead – the third day after his crucifixion on Good Friday. The date of the holidays changes every year as it is connected to the first full moon after the coming of the spring. But it’s always on Sunday. It is also the holiest day in the Christian calendar (followed by Christmas). Easter is recognized as a legal holiday in most countries with a significant Christian tradition. The preparation for Easter starts the week before – Holy Week On Great Thursday all the families paint eggs in different colors, predominantly in red (as a symbol of the blood of Jesus Christ). That can be done on Saturday before sunset too. The first egg is always painted red to symbolize the blood of Christ and should be put aside – either to be buried in the fields to ensure fertility or kept in the home to bring good luck. Together with […]
April 24, 2016
Palm Sunday is a moveable feast celebrated a week before Easter by all Christians Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. On the previous day – Saturday – Jesus Christ raised Lazar from the dead. The holiday is named after the resurrected Lazar (St. Lazar’s Day). Traditionally, on St. Lazar’s Day young girls (lazarki) walk around the town/village singing and carrying flowers and blooming branches with them. They perform a variety of customs connected to the holiday, dressed in special traditional clothes. They sing to all the family members of each household they visit. In return, the host gifts them eggs for Easter or money. It is believed that a house visited by the young ladies will have good luck throughout the whole year. On Palm Sunday willow twigs are sanctified and given away Everyone takes one and brings it home as it is a widely spread belief that these twigs not only bring health and happiness but can also heal a diseased person. The willow twigs symbolize the palm […]
February 14, 2016
Along with St. Valentine’s Day in Bulgaria we do celebrate Trifon Zarezan – St. Trifon’s Day As we all know St. Valentine’s Day is the day of Love. What about Trifon Zarezan? It is the national festival of vine-growing and wine-producing. According to the old calendar, Trifonovden used to be on the 14th of February. After 1968 when Bulgaria adopted the Gregorian calendar St. Trifon’s Day moved to the 1st of February. Nowadays, everyone chooses on which date to celebrate it, but some Bulgarians have decided to honor the name of St. Trifon both on the 1st and the 14th of February! Isn’t that a good decision? Who is St. Trifon? Saint Trifon lived in the 3rd-century in the Roman Empire and was famous as a skillful healer. He was also a Christian. During those times Christians were prosecuted, and because St. Trifon didn’t want to betray his beliefs he was tortured and killed. The festival of the wine dates back to ancient times. The Thracians were the first to […]