This run incorporates two of the more ‘runnable’ of Plovdiv’s seven hills — Bunardzhika Hill, Youth Hill — with Rozarium Park as a decent add-on. These can be run separately or combined for a longer run. There’s a bit of a ‘do it yourself’ element to the hills. Note: hilly!

Rozarium Park. Google Street View

Bunardzhika Hill. This hilltop park features great views of the city. There are monuments of the Red Army and Tsar Alexander II, and numerous outdoor sculptures. Overall, there are ~3 km of paths in the park. It’s ~1 km to the summit, climbing 50m. The paths are a mix: paved, dirt, and some cobblestone & stairs. There’s a wide, tree-lined paved path paralleling Bul. Ruski at the eastern end of the park.

Youth Hill.  This rocky hill is 0.5 km from Bunardzhika Hill, across Vail Aprilov Blvd. There are 3-4 km of trails in the park, a mix of paved, brick, and stone surface. There are also some steeper, rugged dirt paths. It’s a ~1.5 km climb to the summit on a switchback-y trail, climbing ~100m. There are great city views from the hilltop, and sculptures to view along the way. 

Rozarium Park. This narrow par features an allée-type path that runs for 1.5 km from Vasil Aprilove Blvd. west to the Brothers’ Mound monument. The eastern half is lovely and tree-lined, while the western half is wide and concrete, with brutalist monuments evoking a Soviet-era feel. The eastern end is just across the way from Bunardzhika Hill, so these can be combined. Youth Hill can also be added. At the west end, can add with a couple of km of more paths. There are also path connections, 0.5 km to the Rowing Canal route.

Combination Runs:  Bunardzhika Hill, Youth Hill, and Rozarium Park can be easily combined into a longer run. The Rowing Canal, Maritsa River, and ‘Runseeing’ routes can also be mixed in!