Sozopol Approves Route to the Relics of St. John the Baptist: New Cultural and Tourist Project

The Municipal Council in Sozopol adopted a decision to coordinate schemes for the placement of information elements along the cultural and tourist route "Path to the Relics of St. John the Baptist" on the territory of the municipality. The decision was made at today's regular meeting of the council.

The proposal was submitted by the Mayor of Sozopol Municipality, Tihomir Yanakiev, in connection with a request received from the Association "Path to the Relics of St. John the Baptist" for the implementation of the cultural and tourist route of the same name.

The project is planned for phased implementation in the period 2026–2028, with the first stage envisaging the construction of a pilot route on the route Malko Tarnovo – Sozopol with an approximate length of 80 kilometers. The initiative is aimed at the development of sustainable cultural and pilgrimage tourism and is intended for pedestrians and cyclists.

The endpoint of the route is St. Ivan Island near Sozopol, where the archaeological remains of the medieval monastery "St. John the Baptist" (V–XV century) are located. In 2010, during archaeological excavations on the island, relics were discovered, identified through scientific research as belonging to St. John the Baptist.

With the adopted decision, the placement of a total of 30 elements on the territory of the municipality is coordinated, including three stone pyramids, one wooden information board with a roof, six wooden milestones with directional signs, and twenty directional signs. The elements will be made of natural materials and in line with the urban and natural environment, not constituting construction works within the meaning of the Territorial Planning Act and do not change the intended use of the terrains.

According to the motives for the proposal, the route is a logical continuation of the already established site of national and international importance and creates preconditions for extending the tourist season, promoting cultural and pilgrimage tourism, and stimulating the local economy without significantly burdening the infrastructure.

In the period February 28 – March 3, 2026, a volunteer event is planned, with which the actual construction of the route and the placement of some of the planned information elements will begin.

The Municipal Council also voted on the proposal to give a mandate to the representative of the Municipal Enterprise "Fishing Ports Sozopol Municipality" to participate and vote in the upcoming General Assembly of the non-profit association "Local Initiative Fishing Group (LIFG) Sozopol — Malko Tarnovo". With the decision, the councilors authorized Georgi Ivanov Peev to represent the municipal enterprise at the General Assembly, scheduled for February 27 this year.

The municipal councilors agreed that the Municipality should apply with a project proposal to the "Social Protection" Fund to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. The procedure provides for financing up to 36,800 euros with VAT for construction and installation works on the material base of social services, with mandatory co-financing from the applicant in the amount of at least 10 percent of the total budget. The application deadline is March 31 this year. The project of Sozopol Municipality is aimed at improving the material base of the Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration and the Day Center for Children with Disabilities in Chernomorets. It is planned to carry out construction and installation activities in the adjacent yard space, in order to provide a safer, more secure and protected environment for users and staff.

At the meeting, the councilors voted reports for issuing a permit for the development of a Detailed Urban Plan – Plan for regulation and construction for land plots according to the Cadastral map of Chernomorets, in the localities "Mokro Skala", "Akra" and "Mitkov Bridge". The proposals are in connection with applications from interested parties for a change of the intended use of the properties.