St Ivan Island Boat Trip from Sozopol
Overview
St Ivan is the largest Bulgarian island in the Black Sea, a low, rocky plateau about a kilometre off Sozopol's Old Town. It has been a sacred place for more than 2,500 years: the Thracians built a sanctuary here, and in the Middle Ages the Monastery of St John the Forerunner grew into one of the most important on the coast, with imperial status from 1308 until the Ottomans razed it in 1629.
In 2010 archaeologists digging the altar of an early Christian basilica on the island found a small marble reliquary. Inside were fragments of bone that the excavation team identified as relics of St John the Baptist; radiocarbon dating at Oxford placed them in the 1st century AD. Today they are kept in Sozopol, and the island is where the Camino Bulgaria story begins.
Your boat leaves Sozopol harbour and crosses to the island, past the 1884 lighthouse and the cliffs where gulls nest. St Ivan is a protected nature and archaeological reserve with around 70 bird species, so it is also a good trip for birdwatchers. Trips run in the summer season and depend on the weather.
Highlights
- Island where relics of St John the Baptist were found in 2010
- Ruins of a medieval imperial monastery
- Lighthouse built in 1884
- Gull colonies and some 70 bird species
- Views back to Sozopol's Old Town
What's included
- Boat from Sozopol harbour to St Ivan Island and back
- Food and drinks
- Tips
Location
Request this tour
Send us your dates and a SkyRay advisor will confirm availability and price.
Itinerary
Frequently asked questions
In the summer season, weather permitting. Tell us your dates and we'll check boat availability before you travel.
St Ivan is a protected reserve and there are no regular organised visits. Whether you land or see it from the boat depends on the season and the sea; we confirm this when we book the boat.
It is an optional extra on day 7, the free day in Sozopol, and a fitting last step of the pilgrimage. It is paid separately.
