Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, 93 miles southeast of the capital Sofia. It had a population of 371 536 as of 2024 and 675,000 i…Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, 93 miles southeast of the capital Sofia. It had a population of 371 536 as of 2024 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is a cultural hub in Bulgaria and was the European Capital of Culture in 1999 and 2019. The city is an important economic, transport, cultural, and educational centre. Plovdiv joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016.