Plovdiv launches interactive bilingual historical guidebook

Plovdiv has introduced ‘The Living City. A Journey Through Eras’, the first bilingual interactive guidebook of its kind in Bulgaria. Designed for both Bulgarian and foreign visitors, the product integrates a printed book with digital elements, including QR codes that provide access to interactive maps and audio guides in Bulgarian and English.

Rather than using standard descriptions, the guide utilizes radio-theatrical storytelling to present the 8,000-year history of the city. The routes guide travelers through various historical epochs, starting from the New Stone Age. The project is based on the book ‘The Living City. An 8,000-Year History’ by journalist and writer Lalka Zlatanova, which resulted from extensive historical and bibliographic research.

The initiative was realized with financial support from the National Culture Fund and is implemented by the ‘Zajedno’ Foundation, with support from Dan Travel travel agency. The goal is to modernize the presentation of cultural heritage by combining scientific content with digital technology, allowing tourists to engage in thematic challenges and discover hidden historical details.