Sozopol is one of the most characterful towns on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, sitting on a rocky headland about 35 kilometres south of Burgas. It's one of the oldest settlements in the region — the ancient Greek colony of Apollonia Pontica was founded here around 610 BC, named after Apollo as patron of seafarers — and the old town on the peninsula still has the feel of a fishing village, with wooden 19th-century houses crowding narrow lanes and cats sleeping on stone walls.
Two sandy beaches bracket the headland, one in a sheltered bay on the north side and a larger beach extending south beyond the town. The combination of decent swimming, genuine old town atmosphere, and an arts community that has been drawn here for decades makes Sozopol more appealing to independent travellers than the mass-market resorts further up the coast. It gets crowded in July and August; May, June, and September are better.
The Apollonia Arts Festival in early September brings theatre, music, and film to the old town's outdoor venues — one of the best cultural events on the Bulgarian coast. Burgas with its international airport is about 35 kilometres north.