Tsarevo municipality is situated in the south-east part of Bulgaria and it is located at the distance of 60 km south of Bourgas. With its various landmarks, the municipality is one of the most attractive in the region of Bourgas. The combination of sea, mountain and rivers with exotic plants offers great opportunities for tourism – eco, yacht, photo and hobby tourism, hunt tourism. In the town of Tsarevo there is the first south harbour in Bulgaria. Since 1995 the port is international.
Tsarevo is situated on a small peninsula. It is an ancient Greek colony and a fishing settlement. In 1880 a big fire burned down the village, which sprang to life anew in a place close by, populated primarily by refugees from Eastern Thrace in 1913. On the territory of Tsarevo municipality is located one of the seven moisture zones in the country, with continental importance – Ropotamo – Veleka. Here is the oldest Nature Reserve in Bulgaria – Silkosia. The unique nature of Strandzha is preserved with several protected territories – eight reserves and a lot of natural landmarks. Through this municipality flows the biggest river in Strandzha – Veleka.
History
In the 7th century the town was mentioned for the first time with the name of Idrisi. The Turkish documents regulate the status of the port Vasilikos in 15th-16th century. In the middle of 19th century there opened a Greek school.
There is an interesting legend about the foundation of the town. According to it, the first shelters came from the demolished Bulgarian village Bosilkovo, in the east part of Stara Planina (Balkan Range). Its inhabitants settled on the Black Sea Coast and they found a new settlement. Later they became under Greek rule. In 1903 Novo Vasilkovo already had 150 built houses. There were settled representatives of the Turkish administration.
The first Bulgarian school in Vasilkovo was found in 1912. In 1913 was found the State forest economy and in 1914 – the Community centre Georgi Kondolov. When a new harbour was built, the whole region became trade and transport centre. In 1967 it was proclaimed for Sea resort with national importance. Tsarevo offers three beaches and two camping places: Balgarka and Nestinara.
Archaeological Monuments
The church St. Trinity in Vasilkovo residential area was built in 1810. It was completed in 1831, from 1895 till nowadays the church has not change its architectural style. There are some icons, which testify for the existing of an older church. These icons were preserved in the last decades of 18th century. The icons were made from Ioan Zograf (from 1797 to 1805), Dimitar Zograf (from 1835), and Todor Zograf (from 1850).
Surroundings
There are a lot of cultural monuments in the region, some of them are with regional and national importance:
· St. St. Cyril and Methodius Church - the village of Kosti
· St. Pantaleimon Church - the village of Brodilovo
· Frescoes in the“Ascension of God Church - Ahtopol
· Ahtopolska Stena (Ahtopol wall) - Ahtopol
· Ancient Greek School - a monument of local importance