Author: Neda Zagorchinova
Our top picks for an amazing first date in the city under the hills.
Congratulations! If you are reading this article, then you have already solved the rather difficult task of finding someone to go out with in this pandemic anti-dating atmosphere. Meeting a new person has been an extremely difficult endeavor in the last year or two. We rarely gather at parties, cultural events, or for other occasions where we could socialise in person with interesting strangers. Many of us resort to alternative dating methods such as dating apps or matchmaking by close friends, hoping that this is how we can find our other half. The history, by the way, remembers enough good examples when these attempts are in fact really successful!
But when it comes the time for the first date, it always becomes complicated - where will we be able to hear each other, but it will not be complete scilence if there are quiet moments? For the shy ones among us who find it harder to relax, I can offer the eternal classic - cinema and drink. My favorite Lucky Cinema on Gladstone Street is a great option. There is always a great variety of both the newes titles and more underground films that would impress any avid movie enthusiast. The convenience here is that right after the movie you can break the ice by moving to Fargo Club, which is also located in the cinema building, and discuss the movie over some of their super cool cocktails.
What if you want to have dinner somewhere? It is important for the first date that the place offers delicious food and has a cozy atmosphere. I immediately think of a few wonderful places in Plovdiv that fit this description.
Pavaj Restaurant is always a good idea for a first date. The atmosphere is casual, the food is divine (try the ribs and the livers, you can thank me later), and the small fireplaces that are put outside this winter are super romantic.
Equally good location for a first date is the family owned restaurant Casa Petraglia. Chef Petraglia is a master of Italian cuisine and going to an Italian restaurant with your future partner is just a classic. Wine, pasta and unique desserts - you can't help but have a good time in such a place.
You don't want to be indoors, and you prefer going for an activity? Then a walk at the rowing base is the right place for your first date. The unique rowing facility in Plovdiv is worth seeing and is always a nice place for a walk. Climb the Bridge of Lovers and see the hundreds of padlocks with the names of in love couples who left them there as a sign of their eternal love and affection. It sounds a little cheesy, but it will definitely put you in the right mood on a first date.
The other option is to climb one of the hills and look at the city from above. And why not even climb all of them in a row? I had made such a challenge with a boy I liked in high school, and it was definitely pretty cool. We had a hell of a lot of time just to talk and get to know each other. In the evening, the view from Bunardjika or Rahat Tepe is incredibly beautiful and worth the little physical effort you will have to put in to get to the top.
If you are super adventurous and you want your first date to be a bit unusual, you can embark on something new and unexpected and go to an escape room together. What is this? A room where you will be locked together and have 60 minutes to solve all the mysteries that lie in it. Believe me, the feeling of coming out in the last seconds is very cool, the adrenaline will have you breathless and then you will have a great topic of conversation all night. And it's a good way to find out if you're a good team at the very beginning. And no, you don't need to be good at math to solve the puzzles, so stay calm!
And what's the craziest first date you've ever been to? I will be happy for you to share other cool ideas and places for your first date in the city under the hills!