The best sunset view

To feel the spirit of the city, I recommend you climb the Bunarzhika Hill. The name Bunardzhika comes from the Ottoman bunar, which means well—a nod to the natural springs once found here. If you choose to do that, you’ll reach Plovdiv’s most visible landmark: the unknown Soviet soldier known as Alyosha. The figure stands about 11 m tall on a 6 m granite pedestal and was installed in 1954–1957 as a memorial to Red Army casualties. Its fate was debated after 1989, yet the statue remains the city’s starkest reminder of the socialist era. Just below on the slope is an older memorial, the Monument to the Russian Liberators, built in 1881, which marked the first large-scale planting of this hill after Bulgaria’s liberation—part of the reason the slopes feel like a purpose-made park rather than wild scrub.

Best sunset? Join locals on the west-facing granite terraces just below the Alyosha statue. From there, the sun drops over the Rhodopes, and the Maritsa plain, and the whole city lights up. It’s one of Plovdiv’s classic golden-hour meetups, along with the other hilltops. Aim for 20–30 minutes before sunset to grab the front rail.