About Bulgaria - Sozopol

Sozopol

Located 34 km south of Bourgas on a slender rocky peninsula, Sozopol is one of the earliest towns on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and dates back over 2500 years.

Today, the town, whilst preserving much of the old-world charm and character with its cobbled streets and high walls also has a more modern offering in the newer part of the town.

The blend works well as is borne out by its popularity, with its sandy beaches, and distinctive 19th century stone and wood houses, some 45 of which are national cultural monuments. While Sozopol is extremely busy during July and August, in the off-season it reverts back to a sleepy fishing village and is a favoured haunt of artists and writers.

Interesting places to visit are the Archaeological Museum and the Art Gallery and at the beginning of September each year the town hosts the big Apolonia International Art Festival, which attracts artists and art lovers from all over the country and abroad.

The recent archaeological finds date back to the Thracians, the town's first inhabitants. In 620 B.C. immigrants from the rich city of Milet - the largest Southern Greek centre on the Asia Minor coast - turned the old Thracian settlement into a rich Hellenic colony - Apollonia-Pontica.

Its strategic position gave it the opportunity to dominate the routes to the coast of Black Sea Thrace and the Stranja Mountains, which were rich in raw materials, and gave it an active intermediary role in commerce among the Athenian sea unions, the Hellenistic states in the Mediterranean area and the Thracian formations.

Outside the town to the south, there are a number of fjord-like formations and numerous secluded caves, the result of generations of ereosion by the sea. Some 20km to the south is the mouth of the Ropotamo River, which has been declared a nature reserve.

The Alepou and Arkoutino Beaches to the south are wild and beautiful places where the sea is traditionally rough. Cape Maslen is situated just beyond the mouth of the Roporamo River and still further are quiet coves covered with pebbles and seashells.

Then comes Perla Camping located in one of the most beautiful bays along the Black Sea coast and the nearby marsh of Stomoplo. Two natural reserves cover this area - Vodna Lilia (water lily) and Velyov Vir. Via Pontica - the route of migrating birds flying to the south passes through here.