A trip to Sozopol’s island of St. John

The Old Town of Sozopol

Regardless whether one visits Sozopol during the high summer season or not, he/she cannot help noticing the nearby island of St. John.  St. John is the biggest island in Bulgaria’s territorial waters of the Black Sea. It lies about 1km away from the old town’s port of Sozopol and is relatively flat. At night, St. John is easily seen and heard for its sonar lighthouse that shows the way to the Bourgas gulf. The more one gazes at the island throughout the day and night, the more he/she gets drawn to it. Eventually, those not willing to resist the temptation rent a boat and get there. It takes about 15-20 min. to reach the island’s improvised port by boat. There, one cannot get disappointed, as the island offers both historical remains and a touch of wild nature. The remains of an ancient monastery and its two churches are best preserved. In mid-2010, new excavations ended up with unveiling relics of St. John the Baptiser himself. The relics are currently exhibited at one of the churches in the old town of Sozopol – St. George the Victorious.

Apart from hosting remains of old times, the island is also home to over 70 birds. There, one can see the nests of the biggest colony of silver seagulls and the only population of a type of hare, Oryctolagus cuniculus, within the territory of Bulgaria. In 1993, the island was declared a protected area.