Why choose Sozopol?
There are places that take such a hold on you that you simply do not want to let go. Sozopol is such a place. It welcomes you, it shows you love and it makes you take a plunge in its sea waters and millennial history. Breathe in its salty air. Jump off some high cliff into the deep sea. Or simply sit next to the old fishermen at the port and hear out their stories about nets full of fish and rough stormy seas. There are so many reasons to come to Sozopol …and to stay…for a week, a month or …for life.
Sozopol is an artistic place. The rugged cliffs, the steep cobbled streets, the wood-clad houses, the ancient ruins, the meadows with spring poppies, the waves in August — they all look as if drawn by the brush of a master painter.
Sozopol is a cinematographic place. The town has been the setting for many movies and a temporary home for the crews of legendary Bulgarian productions. You should watch (if you haven’t done so already) Whale and A Nameless Band.
Sozopol is immersed in history. Wherever you go you are bound to stumble across excavations of ancient and Medieval churches, fortification walls, necropolises. You don’t just hear about Sozopol’s history, you experience it.
The rocks of Sozopol are enchanting. Gajeli, Palikari, Otvesnite, Durnata, Boruna are rocky beaches that create memories. Zlatna Ribka (Goldfish), Gradina (Garden),Smokinya (Fig), Duni (Dunes), Aleppo make you dream with their warm sands and clear blue water.
The St. Ivan Island is wild and deserted. His only inhabitants are the lighthouse keeper, the flocks of seagulls and cormorants and the ever present wild rabbits. This island is a blessed place. Some years ago archeologists discovered the ruins of a Medieval monastery St. John the Baptist and unearthed a reliquary in the three-nave church basilica (4th-5th C) nearby that held the relics of the monastery’s patron saint. Scientists from Oxford University unanimously confirmed the authenticity of the relics. During the summer season the relics are exhibited in the St. Cyril and Methodius church in the old part of Sozopol and the excavations of the Medieval monastery and the basilica can be visited on the island – just a few minutes away by boat (preferably a fisherman’s) from the old part.
Sozopol is a place of the arts. Not only because of the annual Apollonia Festival of Arts that traditionally gathers together artists, bohemians and sea lovers at the end of summer but also because the place awakens artistic talents. Street musicians and painters share its sea alleys.
Food in Sozopol is delicious. You can find fresh fish at the port where the fishermen’s boats throw anchor early in the morning while the fresh fruit and vegetables are on Anaximander St. — Bai Tosho’s veggies and fruits taste like home-grown. The good eateries are by the sea and the Doctor’s House restaurant remains a first choice for many.
Sozopol never sleeps. Nightlife is abundant and can please any taste. Just follow the music and you’ll get where you want to go.
Sozopol brings you close to yourself. It makes you experience nature, its beauty and unpredictability and it reminds you that a moment by the sea could feel like eternity.
