The town of Tsarevo has above 6,000 inhabitants, and lies 72km south of Bourgas. Similarly to other nearby towns and villages, Tsarevo is situated at the border between Strandzha Mountain and the sea. It lies over two small peninsulas, bordering a beautiful inlet. The peak of Papiya, which is 502m high and shows traces of an old fortress, stands out to the south of the town and is an additional attraction of Tsarevo. The town is an administrative centre. The municipality covers an area of 5,132 ha and has 9,813 residents. The settlement network of the municipality comprises 13 settlements, including two towns - Tsarevo and Ahtopol, and 11 villages - Sinemoretz, Rezovo, Varvara, Brodilovo, Bulgari, Kosti, Kondolovo, Izgrev, Lozenetz, Velika and Fazanovo.
     

History

     Underwater archaeological surveys have discovered amphoras from the Late Antiquity (4th-6th century) and import red-polished pottery made in Constantinople, Syria and North Africa, which indicates prospering trade in the area at the time. The city's southern peninsula has remains of a medieval fortress.
     The town was first mentioned as Vasiliko by the 12th-century Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi. Whether it existed during the First Bulgarian Empire is unknown. In the 15th and 16th century, Vasilikoz was an Ottoman port. According to 17th-century traveller Evliya Celebi, in 1662 the town Vasilikoz Burgas comprised a square fortress on a ridge overlooking the Black Sea surrounded by plenty of vineyards. Although its cove was suitable even for the largest of ships, it was usually avoided by the seamen because it offered little protection from the powerful eastern winds.
     Vasilikoz was featured in the Ottoman tax registers in the late 17th and the 18th century, as part of the kaza of Anchialos (Pomorie). According to the Austrian ambassador in Constantinople, in 1787 it was a town of 200 houses and a lively port. In 1829, another western traveller mentioned Vasiliko as a town of 220 houses, the main occupation of its residents being ship building and fishing. Another source lists its population in 1831 as 1,800 (with 434 houses).
     The old town was located in the southern part of the cove, where the modern quarter of Tsarevo called Vasiliko is. In the first half of the 19th century, Vasiliko had a marine of 42 ships. There were 10 windmills and a watermill in the vicinity, and the nearby vineyards produced up to 6,000 pails of wine a year. There was a Greek school which was also visited by many Bulgarians, contributing to their partial Hellenization.
     In 1882, a fire destroyed almost the entire town, forcing the locals to re-establish the city on a new site, on the peninsula of the northern cove called Limnos. In 1903, the new Vasiliko had 150 houses, but other statistics list 460 houses in 1898 (160 Bulgarian and 300 Greek) and 240 Greek-only houses in 1900.
     After the village was ceded to Bulgaria in 1913, following the Balkan Wars, its Greek population moved to Greece and was replaced by Bulgarians from Eastern Thrace. In 1926, Vasiliko had 409 households. After a new wharf was constructed 1927-1937 with the financial aid of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria, the town was renamed to Tsarevo (a literal Bulgarian translation of Vasiliko, "royal place") in his honour.
     Between 1950 and 1991, it was known as Michurin, in honour of the Soviet botanist Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin. In 1967 it was proclaimed for Sea resort with national importance. Tsarevo offers three beaches and two camping places: "Balgarka" and "Nestinara". It is an international port for medium-sized passenger and cargo ships.
     

Geographic Features

     Location -Tsarevo Municipality is located in the south-eastern part of the Republic of Bulgaria. It is situated at 65 km to the south of Bourgas, on the E-87 highway. The municipality borders Black Sea to the east, Malko Tarnovo Municipality to the west, the Republic of Turkey to the south and Primorsko Municipality to the north.
     Relief - A specific landscape feature of Tsarevo Municipality that is being utilized for the implementation of its tourism functions is the shore. There are 16 beaches along the coastline of the municipality, with a total length of 9,184 m, and the municipal center - the town of Tsarevo - is situated at three bays.
     Waters - The largest river in Strandja - Veleka river - crosses the municipality. The lower stream of the river (the last 10 km) is suitable for sailing.

     Economy

     Industry

     The municipality economic profile is formed by Pasat company, whose diverse line of glass-plastic products (yachts, boats, water slides, sledges, bathroom equipment, etc.) is marketed throughout Europe.
     The first and the largest port to the south of Bourgas is located in Tsarevo. Its main advantage is its proximity to Bosfore outlet, and its waters are the cleanest of all areas along the entire coastline. Since 1995, the port was declared international. The winters in the region are mild and vessels may be kept there throughout the year. These factors make Tsarevo port the first choice of the yachtsmen.
     

Agriculture and Forestry

     Three commercial and industrial enterprises operate within the territory of the municipality - one each in the towns of Tsarevo and Ahtopol, and one in Brodilovo village. There are also two forestries - in Tsarevo and in Kosti village, two consumer enterprises - in Tsarevo and Ahtopol, an automobile park in Tsarevo, and others.
     

Tourism

     The numerous and diverse attractions (natural, historic, architectural, etc.) make Tsarevo Municipality one of the most appealing municipalities in the Bourgas region. The unique combination of seaside, mountains, rivers, exotic vegetation and diversity of animal and plant species, along with the traditions and the authentic culture and customs of Strandja, provide endless opportunities for development of tourism - educational, ecological, yacht-tourism, photo and hobby tourism, hunting tourism, etc.

     Attractions

     The oldest reserve in our country, Silkosia, declared in 1933, is located within the municipality of Tsarevo. One of the seven wetlands in Bulgaria that are of continental significance - Ropotamo-Veleka complex - is also situated here. Via Pontica - the spring route of birds from Northern Europe to the south - crosses Strandja mountain and coastline. A network of protected areas has been established to preserve the unique nature of Strandja, including the largest Nature Park in our country - Strandja, eight reserves and a number of natural landmarks and protected localities, such as Popovi Skali, Silistar, Veleka River mouth, Dyado Vulcho, etc.
     The village of Bulgari at the foot of Strandja is the only region preserving unique pagan customs merged over time with orthodox traditions - the nestinar fire-dancing in celebration of St. Konstantin and St. Elena in the beginning of June.

     Archeological Monuments

     The church "St. Trinity" in Vasilkovo residential area was built in 1810. It was completed in 1831, from 1895 until today the church has not changed 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 XVIII th century. The icons were made from Ioan Zograf (from 1797 to 1805), Dimitar Zograf ( from 1835), Todor Zograf ( from 1850). Nowadays the name of church is "The Assumption".

     Surrounding areas

     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 "Òhe Ascension of God" church- town of Ahtopol
• Ahtopolska stena (Ahtopol wall) - town of Ahtopol
• Ancient Greek school - a monument of local importance