Plovdiv’s history spans seven millennia — a city comparable in significance to Troy and Mycenae and older than Rome and Athens. Its territory preserves material evidence from the Neolithic, Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and up to the present day. Plovdiv is recognized as a historical and cultural center of the Balkans and an attractive destination for cultural tourism. Plovdiv was declared European Capital of Culture in 2019, and in 2025 it was ranked first and named the Best Wine Capital of Europe.