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," and the town has carried it since 1878, when it rejoined Bulgaria after five centuries of Ottoman rule.
What you find
Six 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 on Irakli Bay, at the foot of the eastern end of the Balkan range. The mountains run out about a kilometre and a half north of the centre, at Cape Emine, where they drop straight into the sea. That spot is also the official geographic start of the Black Sea coast.
The beach
The central beach is around six 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
Heliopolis once stood here, a Thracian settlement from the sixth century BC known as "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.