A future 2019 European Capital of Culture and the oldest inhabited city in Europe, Plovdiv should be on your travel list for this year. That’s right Plovdiv is older than Athens and Constantinople and has not stopped living and breathing a multitude of cultures throughout the centuries.

Apart from being ancient Plovdiv is also very modern and full of cool bars and shops to keep you entertained.  Kapana is a buzzing creative district in the centre, which is filled with artists ateliers, art galleries, bars and restaurants. With its cobbled streets, old architecture, colourful flags hanging over the streets and street art on every corner it is really a must-see.

In Bulgarian Kapana translates to “The Trap” and I spent two days pleasantly trapped in its bars on new year. Kapana has a vibrant atmosphere and it combines urban culture with small city charm so well. You can enjoy some shopping in its many trendy craft shops. It is also the perfect setting for a laid back bar crawl.  At the time of my visit the streets of Kapana were decorated with live Christmas trees and string lights, which made me even more inspired to take pictures of it.