Old Nessebar, Bulgaria

A UNESCO heritage value

Where to find it?

40 km NNE from Burgas, 6 km S from the center of Sunny Beach resort. From Bucharest it takes 5 hours by car after about 350 km, and 4 hours from the entrance to Bulgaria via Ruse.

About Old Nessebar

With the ancient name of Melsambria, Nessebar enjoys a rich history book. It is harbor on the Black Sea. The Thracian population has settled here since the Bronze Age. Later the Romans, Ottomans and Bulgarians left their historical traces. In Old Nessebar you can find walls from the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, Byzantine and Bulgarian churches - the Byzantine and Bulgarian - the Nessebar's landmark, as well as fascinating houses from the 18th-19th centuries, still inhabited, some of them offering accommodation and in excellent condition.

The oldest churches are built in the 5th-6th centuries and have 3 aisles. This category includes the Church of St. Sophia or Old Metropolitan and the Church of Our Lady Eleusa.

Very old is also the Church of St. John the Baptist, built in the 11th century, with a cylindrical dome.

St. Stephen's Church is famous for its 16th-century frescoes.

Because of the ancient, well-maintained remains, in 1956 Nessebar was declared a museum town, an archaeological and architectural reserve, and in 1983 (Old) Nessebar inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.

1. Windmill and the Statue of St. Nicholas

Old Nessebar is located on a peninsula and is connected to Nessebar by a narrow tongue of land on which is a famous windmill sec. 19th century, which can be seen from a great distance even from Sunny Beach.

At the entrance to the peninsula, tourists must follow the road half left on a road that merges into a huge parking lot. Buses and coaches park on the right half immediately at the entrance to the peninsula. There are also several minicabs that run rides in the area.

The entrance to Old Nessebar is surrounded by Statue of St. Nicholas.

windmill

St. Nicholas statue

2. Roman Gate

The pedestrian entrance is through an ancient Roman gate.

entry

Roman gate

ancient gate

3. UNESCO logo

Immediately to the right is the UNESCO insignia and a map of the island.

map of the island

Nessebar - world heritage

4. Waterfront and the sea

A harbor is on either side of the entrance. A cliff gives the peninsula its center and is a popular place for strolling. There are boats and various craft in the open sea.

cliff

vaporase

Black Sea

5. Beach and sports

A small beach is also crowded in the afternoon. Children also have their playground and sports fields.

beach

playground

6. Old houses and the Ancient Theater

Restaurants are everywhere: on a ship, perched in old houses where you climb stairs or inside the city. The old town houses fascinated me. Still on the right bank as you enter Ancient Theater.

old house

Ancient Theater

old house

other home

7. Churches

Mandria Old Nessebar are churches.

Church of St. Pantocrator

Church of St. John the Baptist

St. Sofia Church

other church

Church / Archaeology Museum

8. The Tower

On the left bank is an old tower. In the middle of the town is Messambria Square, and nearby the Stone Fountain.

tower

Invitation

The tour of the peninsula of the ancient city Nessebar takes 1-2 hours and is a pleasure. You can buy souvenirs, gifts or dine at a restaurant and you will have a memorable evening in a symbolic place of Bulgaria. A "Goodbye!" with a sunset shot of the gorgeous Old Nessebar.

Visit the nearby resort Sunny Beach and Camel Park in Nessebar.

All the best! Visit Old Nessebar!

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