About Obzor

Obzor is a small seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, sitting almost exactly halfway between Varna and Burgas. About 2,500 people live here through the winter, and in July and August the population multiplies tenfold. The name "Obzor" means "view" or "panorama." The town rejoined Bulgaria in 1878, after five centuries of Ottoman rule, and took its present name in 1936.

What you find

Four kilometres of fine-sand beach, a shallow and gentle sea, a long pine-shaded promenade, and an old town tucked behind it. None of the tower blocks and mega-clubs of Sunny Beach, none of the big-city traffic of Varna. The feel is more family, more homely, slower.

Location

The town belongs to Nesebar municipality and sits at the foot of the eastern end of the Balkan range. To the south the mountains reach the sea at Cape Emine, the traditional divide between the northern and southern Black Sea coast; to the north the shore runs on toward Byala and Varna.

The beach

The central beach is around four kilometres of fine sand, one of the longest stretches on the Bulgarian coast. The water stays shallow for thirty to fifty metres out, which is exactly why Obzor suits families with small children so well. There is more on it, and on neighbouring Irakli, on the "Beach guide" page.

Ancient history

A Thracian settlement called Naulochos stood here from the sixth century BC; the Greeks later knew it as Heliopolis, "the city of the sun." Under Rome the town was famous for its temple of Jupiter, Templum Iovis, and the columns from it still stand on the central square today. The full story is on its own page, "History of Obzor."

Climate

Summer is long and dry. In July and August the air usually sits between 28 and 32°C and the sea around 24-25°C. The season opens in late May and closes by mid-September. Outside it, most hotels and restaurants are shut.