Sozopol
The city of Sozopol is located on a scenic bay along the southern Bulgarian coast, about 35 km south of Burgas.
The city, which has a population of 5,000, is one of the oldest on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and one of the country’s most popular seaside resorts. The romantic atmosphere of the city’s beautiful old town attracts visitors from all over the world.
Sozopol’s Old Town was declared a museum-reserve by Ministerial Decree № 320 on September 7, 1974. The reserve includes more than 180 residences, constructed from the middle of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. Houses in the Old Town are built of stone and wood and conform to the so-called Black Sea school of architecture. The best known are The Marieta Stefanova House, The Kreanoolu House, The Todor Zagorov House, The Kurtidi House, and The Dimitri Laskaridis House, among others.
Two of Sozopol’s most attractive tourist destinations are the city’s archeological museum and art gallery. In 2010, during archeological excavations of the nearby Saint Ivan (Saint John’s) Island, researchers unearthed holy relics of Saint John the Baptist. Today these invaluable relics are in the care of authorities at The St. Cyril and St. Methodius Church and attract pilgrims from all over the world. Old Sozopol and the relics of Saint John the Baptist were voted the most important of “Bulgaria’s Wonders” in 2011.
The city is divided into the Old Town and the modern section. The Old Town is justly renowned for its romantic atmosphere, thanks to its narrow cobbled streets and venerable old houses. Sozopol’s modern section is filled with hotels, dining establishments, and other pleasant diversions. There are many kinds of accommodation available, from luxury hotels to small family hotels, from guest houses to bungalows. There are also quite a few campgrounds close at hand: The Gradina (Garden), The Zlatna Ribka (Golden Fish), Kavatsi, Veselie (Good Times), and Smokinya (Fig Tree). Sozopol’s restaurants offer typical Bulgarian Black Sea fare, along with a variety of specialties.
The Ropotamo Nature Reserve is a short distance south of Sozopol, on the river of the same name. There visitors may take riverboat trips to view the region’s rich assortment of birds and plant life.
The city, which has a population of 5,000, is one of the oldest on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and one of the country’s most popular seaside resorts. The romantic atmosphere of the city’s beautiful old town attracts visitors from all over the world.
Sozopol’s Old Town was declared a museum-reserve by Ministerial Decree № 320 on September 7, 1974. The reserve includes more than 180 residences, constructed from the middle of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. Houses in the Old Town are built of stone and wood and conform to the so-called Black Sea school of architecture. The best known are The Marieta Stefanova House, The Kreanoolu House, The Todor Zagorov House, The Kurtidi House, and The Dimitri Laskaridis House, among others.
Two of Sozopol’s most attractive tourist destinations are the city’s archeological museum and art gallery. In 2010, during archeological excavations of the nearby Saint Ivan (Saint John’s) Island, researchers unearthed holy relics of Saint John the Baptist. Today these invaluable relics are in the care of authorities at The St. Cyril and St. Methodius Church and attract pilgrims from all over the world. Old Sozopol and the relics of Saint John the Baptist were voted the most important of “Bulgaria’s Wonders” in 2011.
The city is divided into the Old Town and the modern section. The Old Town is justly renowned for its romantic atmosphere, thanks to its narrow cobbled streets and venerable old houses. Sozopol’s modern section is filled with hotels, dining establishments, and other pleasant diversions. There are many kinds of accommodation available, from luxury hotels to small family hotels, from guest houses to bungalows. There are also quite a few campgrounds close at hand: The Gradina (Garden), The Zlatna Ribka (Golden Fish), Kavatsi, Veselie (Good Times), and Smokinya (Fig Tree). Sozopol’s restaurants offer typical Bulgarian Black Sea fare, along with a variety of specialties.
The Ropotamo Nature Reserve is a short distance south of Sozopol, on the river of the same name. There visitors may take riverboat trips to view the region’s rich assortment of birds and plant life.
