The Saint Thomas complex is built in the spirit of the old town. Unique in its identity, St. Thomas will take you with its architecture into the Sozopol history.
Beaches
Arkutino Beach
The most romantic beach in Bulgaria is the Arkutino beach. It is part of the Saint Thomas complex. You can reach it by a shuttle. Amidst the dunes of the Arkutino beach you will also find the Arkutino Beach Bar. At the restaurant you will pamper yourself with a variety of salads, fish and grilled.
Saint Thomas Beach
Also known as the driver’s beach Dunes South. You'll find it immediately next to the Saint Thomas complex. Enjoy one of the most pristine and untouched beaches on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
The beaches are equipped with free sunbeds and parasols for all guests of the resort!
Landmarks
Arkutino Marsh Lagoon
A botanical reserve amid a dense forest, this is the marsh lagoon. 500 meters of sand dunes separate it from the sea. In 1962 it was declared a reserve because it is a natural habitat of water lilies. The cattails and reeds are home to various migratory birds and waterfowl animals. It is also a habitat of a protected species of water lilies.
Ropotamo Reserve, Ropotamo River and its mouth
The Ropotamo Reserve stores a large populations of rare endemic species. Near the city of Primorsko there hides a pristine world of dense forests, sand dunes and marsh flowers. This is where you will find the Ropotamo Reserve which has been a reserve since 1940. It stretches on both sides of the eponymous river on 1,000 ha. It is composed of smaller reserves: the Arkutino marsh lagoon with its rich plant species, the Snake Island famous for its cacti and snakes, the Sea Wormwood named after the sea wormwood herb that grows here and used in pharmacy, and the Water Lilies which covers a peculiar water lily garden in the old riverbed.
The Ropotamo River is a romantic spot on the southern coast, still pristine with its sand dunes dotted with wild snowdrop, dense forests and covered with braided liana-like plants, such as wild vine, Smilax, hops, and more. The symbol of the river - the white lily - captivates with its beauty and grace. With its varied nature the reserve is a habitat of many birds - more than 200 of which 7 are endangered worldwide.
Ropotamo is 50 km long and is formed by the Rosenska Riva and the Tserovska River springing from the Strandzha Mountain. The water upriver is fresh and the closer it gets to the sea it becomes salty. Enveloped in lush green the shores alternate with sandy dunes and rock formations. Here in the lower reaches of the river the water is calm and deep, and in places they form a lush meadows and wetlands, overgrown with reeds, irises and lianas. Shortly before the mouth of the Ropotamo River its banks form a picturesque estuary surrounded by dense forests and numerous climbing plants. In shallow areas along the coast and near inland lakes delicate water lilies, irises and reeds grow.
A boat trip on the river to its confluence into the sea is a pleasant experience for anyone who loves the contact with preserved nature. A hike from the Arkutino beach to the pristine beach at the mouth of the Ropotamo River takes only about 30 minutes through a forest trail that offers wonderful views to the small cozy seaside coves, bizarre rocks and colorful meadows.
The Ropotoma reserve is a home of many rare animal and plant species, some of which are listed in the Red Book of Bulgaria. Currently, it is the habitat of 226 species of birds, including snipe, finches, thrushes, sandwich and river terns, plovers, wild geese, songbirds and mute swans, herons, pelicans, ducks, sea eagles, hawks, vultures and others. The Eastern European route of migratory birds Via Pontica also passes through here. Rocks and sand dunes are a refuge for various reptiles: Iberian and Hermann's tortoise, leopard, striped and Montpellier snake, Aesculapian snake and lizards, and in the boggy places there can be seen several species of frogs, turtles, dice snake and grass snake and newts.
50 species of mammals are registered: red deer and fallow deer, roe deer, otters, foxes, jackals and others. Unfortunately, the reserve status of this protected place does not stop poachers, as a result the bear, lynx and monk seal have disappeared from this area. Around 18% of the total flora of Bulgaria, i.e. 600 species of higher plants are found in the Ropotamo reserve: elm, ash, soft maple, willow, black alder, hornbeam, ordinary clematis, hazel, sumac, ivy, ash, beech, oak, hageri tulip, summer snowflake, water lily, sand lily. About 11% of plant species included in the Red Book of Bulgaria are preserved here. All these natural riches stored in the fabulous Ropotamo River coast can be seen up close on a boat trip along the river, not free of charge, of course.
This magical area is very close, not more than 5 km away from the Saint Thomas complex. For those who love hiking and for those who prefer just walking, this place is a real boon.
The Lion's Head Rock formation near the Ropotamo River
An interesting stone pyramid shaped in Laramie syenites aged back to the Late Cretaceous (about 65-70 million years).
The rock formation resembles the profile of a lion's head and is located at an altitude of 60-110 meters along the right bank of the Ropotamo river between Sozopol and Primorsko. It is located in the Kaleto Area at the Maslen Nos cape, inext to the road to Primorsko.
It has been a natural landmark since 1974 as part of the Ropotamo Natural Park.
Beglik Tash Thracian Sanctuary
The Beglik Tash Thracian Sanctuary is located in the highest part of the Beglik Tash cape (128 m above sea level) near Primorsko. It covers an area of 1.48 acres.
The territory in which it is located is a forest. It was part of the hunting residence of the former communist head of state Todor Zhivkov (in office between 1954 and 1989). That is why one of the greatest discoveries of the Thracian history on the Bulgarian Southern Black Sea coast and the Strandzha Mountain remained unknown to science until 2003.
The entrance to the sanctuary is from the southwest. A rocky path leads to a stone "marriage bed." Two sacrificial stones surround the bed. They have baths carved deep and connected with chutes for the transfusion of the ritual fluids, wine, milk, olive oil, rainwater. Next, a stone throne from which deeply carved grooves and crossing lines begin to join into a large rectangular Sharapana ritual stone. The eastern part of the circle is occupied by three "menhirs" (large boulders). On top of the highest of which a 0.6 meter long and 0.34 meter wide "divine step" is carved. The same "divine step" is found in the opposite southern point at the foot of the ledge. Divine steps mark the innermost sacred space designated only for the initiated to take part in the mysteries.
So far, the central site of the sanctuary has been studied the most. It is slightly elevated above the surrounding terrain and there in a circle of 56 m in diameter one can find rock elements that once served for rituals. They have preserved their natural character, but have been moved and sculptured by a human hand with typical sacred symbols and signs.
Behind them you can see an astronomical clock made of 16 flat round stones and a huge dolmen representing the "holy cave" where the Mother Goddess gave birth to her son the Sun God and the "Labyrinth" - the path of ordeal.
Excavations have found pottery, stone tools and weapons, flints, coins, etc., which showed that it was created in the middle of the second millennium BC and was destroyed in the early fourth century AD. The lack of later construction on it has retained the unique sacred elements in their original form.
Veleka River
The Veleka River is one of the cleanest in Bulgaria. In its lower reaches where its valley expands around the villages of Kosti and Brodilovo and there is arable land, the river is used for irrigation. The last 8 km of its course are navigable for small vessels.
The Veleka River is rich in plant and animal life. Some of the plants of particular importance for the Veleka region are the protected water lilies and the summer snowflake. On the banks of the river you can see alder, bamboo, hornbeam, elm, ash, vines and more. In its lower reaches: dense, sometimes impenetrable, forests. More than 30 species of freshwater fish have been identified in the river. Most often you can see chub. Five animal species that are in the Red Book of Bulgaria have been found here, among which the wild eel and carp.
The following reserves are located in the valley of the Veleka River: the Veleka Reserve (in its middle course) and the Mouth of Veleka Reserve and in its catchment basin: Vitanovo, Sredoka, Paroria and Silkosia.
Bulgari Village
The village is located in Southeast Bulgaria, Tsarevo Municipality, Burgas Region, 30 km west of Tsarveo, and in the eastern part of the Strandzha Mountain. Dense beech and oak forests with an undergrowth of holly, these are just some of the natural beauties that you can see and the Strandzha ridges are a wonderful view from the village, which you must see!
Rezovo and Rezovska River: border area with the Republic of Turkey
The village of Rezovo is the southernmost populated place on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. 95 km away from Burgas, 17 km away from the town of Ahtopol, and 11 km away from Sinemorets. The estuary of the Rezovska River, our Turkish border, is also situated here.
The old names of the village are Rezbu, Rezvi, Rezvi Dere, Rezve. The name is associated with the Thracian king Rhesus, who participated in the Trojan War. The village is situated on a high cliff above the Black Sea.
The Rezovo River is the real border with Turkey. For many years it was almost forbidden to visit, therefore it was difficult to study it.
The Rezovo River is faster and colder than the Veleka River. Trout and catfish can be found in it.
It begins from the Mahiyada Peak (1,031 m) in the Turkish part of the mountain. Its waters join the Paspalovska River, the Deliiska River and the Chernogorska River, and through rocky cliffs and ancient forests it reaches the Black Sea and flows into it in Rezovo.
Events
Apollonia
Every year in late summer the sea resort of Sozopol hosts the Apolonia Festival of Arts. The main organizer of the festival is the big Bulgarian Art Foundation "Apolonia", created in 1991.
The first festival of arts was held in 1984. Its duration is 10 days, during which more than 70 events can be seen: theater performances, outdoor concerts, chamber and jazz concerts, film screenings. The Art Gallery in the Old Town organizes exhibitions and literary evenings as part of the event.
Master classes are held in various arts: singing, piano, jazz improvisation, theater. In all categories children’s creativity is always present.
The festival hosts Bulgarian and foreign artists and world-class bands. The theater program provides an opportunity for theater lovers to see a selection of the latest and best performances.
Since its creation, the festival has had in Sozopol exhibitions of more than 150 renowned Bulgarian artists and photographers, it has organized a literary evenings of dozens of writers – poets and writers of different generations.
Every year the program of the Festival of Arts includes a panorama of Bulgarian documentaries and feature films. A greater part of the films are premieres.
Give yourself a few unforgettable days of culture, music and art!