A marble reliquary in the Sozopol Archaeological Museum leads far back in time: it contained relics of John the Baptist and was discovered in 2010 during excavations at the medieval monastery on the island of St. Ivan. History is also present in the Old Town. The Church of St. Cyril and Methodius houses relics of John the Baptist, discovered in 2010 on the nearby island of St. Ivan.
From early finds to the Old Town
The Archaeological Museum is listed as number 8 among Bulgaria’s 100 national tourist sites. In several halls, it displays more than 1,000 exhibits on the history of the town and region, from the late 6th millennium BC to the 18th century. This broad time span makes a visit an introduction to very different eras, rather than a single historical episode.
More than 180 houses from the Bulgarian National Revival period stand in Sozopol’s Old Town. They were built between the mid-18th and early 19th centuries. There are also restored remains of the southern fortress wall, including a rectangular tower. The houses and wall remains show two different aspects of the historic townscape: residential architecture and fortifications.
Cultural venues and local livelihoods
The Art Gallery is housed in the “Old School,” a cultural monument in the northern part of the Sozopol peninsula. The gallery hosts a sculpture plein air and annual international plein airs for marine painters; program details may vary. At the Ethnographic Museum, the focus shifts from architecture to everyday life: the museum is located in the Kurdilis House, a local architectural cultural monument, and showcases agriculture, fishing, winemaking and weaving as traditional livelihoods and crafts.
In Chernomorets, the St. Nicholas Museum explores early settlement and fortress histories. On display are ceramic vessels and stone and bone tools from the prehistoric settlement in the Akladi area, dated from the 6th to the 4th millennium BC. Other finds illustrate the early Byzantine fortress at Cape Akra, which dates from the 4th to the 6th century AD, and the fortress at Cape Hrisosotira, whose stated periods range from the 6th century BC to the 14th century AD. Agricultural implements, tools used in traditional crafts and a display case of fishing equipment round out the exhibition.
Peninsula, coastlines and protected landscapes
Sozopol lies on a rocky peninsula surrounded by sea and land. In the Kolokita protected area, rocky coastline and fjords meet marine waters and cultivated land. A different kind of coastline can be seen at the Alepu Wetland by Alepu Bay: the lagoon is separated from the sea by a strip of beach with dunes. These two protected landscapes differ both in form and in their relationship with the sea.
The Agalina Cape Natural Monument in Chernomorets is also characterized by rocky coastlines and fjords, and is notable for its high biodiversity. South of Sozopol, around Kavatsi, the Sand Lily protected area preserves one of the largest populations of the sand lily. The Kavatsi Sand Dunes protected area is about 3 km south of Sozopol, covers 24 hectares and protects characteristic psammophytic vegetation. Its dunes reach a height of 5 to 6 m; access to the dunes may be restricted.
Near Ravadinovo, the Bakarlaka protected area preserves the natural habitat of Hager’s tulip (Tulipa hageri Heldr., T. thracica) as well as communities of other protected and rare plant species. If you plan to visit sensitive habitats, check the conditions in the official register beforehand. The information about these protected areas highlights their different features: coastal formations, dune vegetation and rare plants.
Festivals and a route on the water
The annual Apollonia Arts Festival features dozens of theatre performances, exhibitions, open-air concerts, literary evenings, film screenings, and chamber and jazz concerts with internationally renowned artists and ensembles. Program details may vary from year to year. At the Fig Festival, local women show visitors how to make preserves from green figs. Sweet and savoury fig specialties, fig brandy, fig wine and tea are available to taste; the program and offerings may vary from year to year.
A sea-kayaking route in a tandem kayak runs from Sozopol’s Shell Beach to the islands of St. Ivan and St. Peter. Seasonal availability may vary; check in advance whether the tour is offered on your travel dates. For road travel, Sozopol is about 35 km from Burgas.
Discover more destinations: Chernomorets, Sosopol, Ravadinovo, Djuni, Varshilo, Burgas, Primorsko and Sungurlare.
For the overview of the wider region: Burgas Province.
