Ahtopol, Bulgaria. The town where I spend my summer vacation again and again. What do I find there? A relatively quiet place, a wonderful huge beach, picturesque sea views, a well-organized town. It is also important to note the proximity to many interesting places in Strandzha Mountains.
In this article I will tell you about the most interesting sights in Ahtopol and will take you to beaches in the town and the surrounding area that will fascinate you – picturesque bays and golden sandy beaches. If you haven’t been there, you will understand why it is worth visiting and what to expect. So, who knows, you may decide to spend a few days there. The town is very suitable for a quiet family vacation. If you are looking for noisy discos and night bars, you better look elsewhere!
Short information about Ahtopol, Bulgaria
Ahtopol is the southernmost town on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is located on a rocky peninsula at the foot of the Strandzha Mountain. The climate is mild, almost Mediterranean with hot summers and long warm autumns.
The town has a rich history. Finds from prehistoric times have been discovered on the site. Towards the end of the 5th century BC, an Athenian colony called Agatopolis (from the Greek “agatos”, good, and “polis”, city) existed here. The town was conquered by the Ottoman invaders in 1396. After the Balkan Wars (1912 – 1913), Ahtopol was annexed to Bulgaria. In 1918, the settlement was almost completely destroyed by fire. The modern town was built after the fire. One of the buildings that survived the fire is the “Ascension of the Lord” church from 1796.
The Legend of Ahtopol
The legend says that Ahtopol was named after Agatha, the beloved daughter of the ancient Greek god Zeus. The city was founded as the home of Agatha and Delphinus, who was the son of Poseidon. Their love was great, but Zeus became angry and sent executioners to disfigure Agatha. An owl managed to wake the lovers and thus saved them. Delphinus killed his enemies, and then founded a city on the Black Sea coast called Agapi-polis (city of love). There Delphinus and Agatha lived happily ever after.
This was the short version of the legend. You can read the long one here.
Where is it located and how to get to Ahtopol, Bulgaria?
Ahtopol is located 14 kilometers southeast of the municipal center Tsarevo, 76 kilometers from Burgas and 460 kilometers from Sofia. You can go there either:
- by car, or,
- by bus – there are regular bus lines from Sofia to Ahtopol (see here) and from Burgas to Ahtopol (here). You can also take a train from Sofia to Burgas and then you need to take a bus to Ahtopol.
Ahtopol sightseeing
The city has a picturesque promenade, passing by its most interesting landmarks. Every time we vacation there, we walk along the promenade several times and it is always interesting.
The Greek School in Ahtopol
The solitary building of the Greek School was built in the early 20th century by Bulgarian craftsmen based on a design by Greek architects and with funds from Greek emigrants in the USA. Today, the building is a cultural monument and is used as a creative base for students from the National Academy of Arts.
Church of the Holy Ascension
A stone Renaissance church with several preserved frescoes and a Greek inscription in the apse, which mentions the year 1796. According to some scholars, the church was built several centuries earlier.
Agathopol Fortress
The fortress existed in the 6th-15th centuries. Not much remains of it today. The remains of its walls can be seen in the eastern part of the city.
The Ahtopol Lighthouse
The Ahtopol lighthouse is among the most interesting landmarks in Ahtopol. It is considered one of the most picturesque on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, because it is built on a rock in the sea. It has been operating since July 1932, and just because of its location, its maintenance in the past was difficult and risky. Today, the lighthouse is fully automated.
The lighthouse stands in the northern part of the Ahtopol Bay in front of the entrance to the port. The lighthouse and the bay are a magnetic place for photographers and guests of the city.
The most beautiful beaches in Ahtopol and around
I visited most of the beaches along the Bulgarian coast and based on my personal impressions I dare to state that some of the most beautiful beaches on the Southern Black Sea Coast are located near Ahtopol.
Ahtopol Beach
Ahtopol Beach is located in the bay north of the town. It is spacious and picturesque, not “squeezed” by concrete complexes. It is about a kilometer and a half long. To the west of it you can see the last hills of Strandzha. Behind them the sun sets, and the sunsets on the beach are very beautiful. In the eastern part of the bay, not far from the shore, there are cliffs on which you can often see birds perched, mostly seagulls and cormorants.
Ahtopol Beach is a short walking distance from all points of the town, which is a huge plus. You can also go by car. There is enough space to park near the beach.
Dolphin Beach
Dolphin Beach is located north of Ahtopol Beach and is adjacent to the Dolphin Camping. The beach is about 220 meters long and is surrounded by high shores. You can get to the beach by a wooden staircase. The free sunbathing area is scarce, because a large part of the beach is occupied by a restaurant and sun loungers under tents and umbrellas.
Varvara Beach
The beach in the village of Varvara, which is adjacent to Ahtopol, is also an option, especially if you like to diversify. It is located 6 kilometers from Ahtopol and about a kilometer northeast of Varvara. It is reached by a dirt road. You can go both on foot and by car. How to get there? From the main street, you need to turn towards the sea along Dardaneli Street. If you are coming from Ahtopol, this is the last straight on the right before the Varvara exit.
Varvara Beach is relatively small, but very picturesque. It is located in the southern part of the Selimoti Bay.
These were the beaches close to Ahtopol north of the city. Below I will list a few to the south. They are near the neighboring from the south Sinemorets village.
Veleka Beach
The beach is in the northern part of Sinemorets and only 6 kilometers south of Ahtopol. It is located at the mouth of the Veleka River. The beach is huge, and the landscape is very beautiful, completely natural and without concrete. However, the bay is deep. You enter the sea, take two steps and you no longer step on the bottom.
At the beach you can rent a kayak or a surfboard and ride along the river. The feeling of kayaking on Veleka is magnificent – the views from this angle are different and extremely beautiful, in addition, the movement invigorates and energizes.
Butamyata Beach
It is located south of Sinemorets at the confluence of the small Butamyata River into the Black Sea. The distance from it to Ahtopol is 7.5 kilometers. The beach is large, but also quite busy.
Silistar Beach
Silistar Beach is one of my favorite beaches on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Undeveloped and picturesque, it is not only a beach, but also a quite appealing place. The bay has blue and clear waters, very pleasant for swimming (but be careful, don’t go too deep – sometimes there are dangerous underwater currents there). I was truly charmed when I first visited it more than 15 years ago – it somehow reminded me of the sea from my childhood. Then, and in the following few years, there were not many people sunbathing on the beach, it was not busy with umbrellas, there were not even lifeguards.
Nowadays, the situation is different – the beach is well-known and visited by thousands of people, a large part of it is occupied by paid umbrellas and a few beach bars. However, it is still attractive. There is also a free area somewhere at its southern end.
Silistar Beach is located about 12 kilometers south of Ahtopol.
Final thoughts
In recent years, Ahtopol has become my favorite place on our Southern Black Sea Coast. The town is an ideal place for anyone looking for a combination of sea, tranquility and beautiful nature. In this article I took you to the most interesting sights in Ahtopol and the beaches nearby. Regardless of whether you have already visited the town or not, I hope to amaze you with information about some unknown beach or place.
