Sozopol - Bulgaria

When you are going out of Burgas port and the ship is pointing to the south towards Sozopol it is another world. The great tranquility of Strandja Planina, the Hill of Bakurluk, the soft curves on the beach, the calmness of the sea - it will all help you to forget all your cares and you sink in a wonderful world which we know from the fairy tales only.

Sozopol is situated in a picturesque small rocky peninsula connected to the mainland by small man-made isthmus, which is wide about 100m only and 10m high.

Near the town are the islands St.Vlas, St. Peter and St. Kirick.
Burgas is only 33km by the road and 25km by the sea.

Sozopol is one of the oldest Hellenic colonial towns nn the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Here in 610 BC, Hellenics established their colony around the Bay of Burgas.

The first settlers used the advantages of the island for defence and the new settlement was named to God Apolon- Apolonia, later the town was renamed to "Sozopol" which means "The saving town".

In the ancient times Apolonia was a very rich and beautiful town with many significant and valuable monuments - ruins of the gravestone to Anaksimander and fortress walls. The town was attacked and seized very often. One of the most valuable monuments which were stolen by Roman Mark Lukul was 13m high bronze statue. At that time was built a Patriarchial Monastery.

During the Middle Ages the town of Sozopol was very busy and had contacts and relations with Genoa and Venice. It was a great town for fishing and growing vineyards.

Sozopol is small and quiet town. During the winter it is calm and quiet. During the summer months there are up to 40-50 thousand holiday-makers for one month, for a season about 200 thousand people.

Sozopol is growing as a  sea resort and an international tourist centre. Romantic describes well the old town, beautiful surroundings and comfortable and clean beaches are very attractive for holiday-makers.

There are many interesting cultural and archeolohical sites in the ancient town too.

Sozopol is very very attractive for Bulgarian and foreign tourists with its charm - the old narrow streets with two storey houses - the first floor is done by stones, the second one is done by wood with a lot of windows. The houses are very interesting with its fine wood carved decorations.

There are a lot of travel routes: picturesque Ropotamo river, amazing Kavatsite Bay, Cape St. Agolina, Cape St. Toma - this island is a national Reservation.