DescriptionNessebar is a town in Burgas Province, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The cobbled streets of the old town, which sits on a promontory, are lined with ruins such as Byzantine-era fortifications and baths. The ruins of the 5th-century Church of St. Sofia include stone columns and large arched windows. The 11th-century Church of St. Stephen houses hundreds of mural paintings and a huge, richly decorated altarpiece.
Stroll along the old houses of Nessebar
The 18th century was a good time for the inhabitants of Nessebar and many could afford to build new houses. The first floor was made of stone and it was used to shelter livestock and store wheat and wine. The upper floor was wooden and it was where the family lived. You can see some fine examples of the Nessebar old houses in the Old Town today. It gets quite crowded during the day during the summer but if you come before 8, you will have the place to yourself.
The old houses, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Old houses in Nessebar | © izoekriv/WikiCommons | © izoekriv / WikiCommons
Archaeological museum of Nessebar
Start your tour of the Old Town from the Archaeological Museum. Its halls will give you an idea about what you are going to see and a red-dotted self-guided cultural route starts from the museum and passes by all the major attractions in the Old Town.
Archaeological museum, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Archaeological Museum Nessebar | © Zde/WikiCommons
See the remains of the fortress
Nessebar has been fortified since Roman times. Today, you can see remains of different era fortifications scattered through the town.
Remains of the fortress in Nessebar © www.vacacionesbulgaria.com/WikiCommons
Ethnographic museum
The museum is situated in a more than 150 year old house in Nessebar’s Old Town. In the different rooms, you will learn about various aspects of life in Nessebar as it used to be – from how fishermen lived to the production of wine.
Ethnographic museum, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Ethnographic Museum in Nessebar | © izoekriv/WikiCommons
Visit the Old Windmill
Located on the bridge connecting the Old and the New Town, the Windmill is one of the symbols of Nessebar. There are many benches around the windmill to take a seat and enjoy the view.
The Windmill, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Nessebar’s Windmill | © www.vacacionesbulgaria.com/WikiCommons
Discover the ancient churches of Nessebar
The ancient churches are the main reason for the inclusion of Nessebar into the UNESCO World Heritage List. They date back to different centuries, from Church of the Holy Mother Eleusa (VI century) to Church of Christ Pantocrator (XIV century). The most well-preserved is the Saint Sophia Church.
Old town, Nessebar, Bulgaria
UNESCO heritage of Nessebar| Pixabay
Enjoy the sun at the beach
Nessebar has a small beach in the Old Town and two more spacious beaches in the new town – the Northern Beach and the Southern Beach. You can book a sunbed and an umbrella for the day or choose the free zone and bring your own. Many restaurants and cafes cater for the sunbathers.
Nessebar beach © Sergey Galyonkin/Flickr
Eat fresh fish and seafood
The old fishermen were famous for their fish soup which you can try today in most restaurants in Nessebar. Don’t miss the shark specialties or the small fried fish called tsatsa. Stay fresh with the typical Bulgarian cold soup tarator (cucumbers, yogurt, garlic and dill).
Deep fried tsatsa © Veselina Lazarova/WikiCommons
Be active at the beach
No need to lie on the beach all day long. Kitesurfing, surfing and scuba diving courses and equipment are available at almost every beach in Nessebar. You can play beach volleyball or hire a boat to get to know the coastline better.
Beach volleyball © Pixabay
Go crazy in an aquapark
If the sea is not enough, you can hit the slides of Aquapark Nessebar. There are slides to suit all levels of daring.
Aquapark Nessebar, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Aquapark | © Pixabay
Explore the party village of Ravda
Nessebar and Ravda are almost connected and if you don’t see the road sign, you wouldn’t know you are in another village. Ravda is a summer hotspot for the young and wild Bulgarians, mostly full of students, cheap food and party bars and discos.
Ravda, Bulgaria
Ravda is a party village | © Pixabay
Feel glamorous in Sveti Vlas
Just a short drive away from Sunny Beach, in the town of Sveti Vlas, you will find one of Bulgaria’s blue flag beaches and the yacht port of Marina Dinevi. It’s a high-end place with expensive resorts and fancy boats.
Marina Dinevi in St Vlas I © Boby Dimitrov/WikiCommons
Visit the Salt Museum in Pomorie
Visit the seaside salt pans near Pomorie (12 miles/ 20 km from Nessebar) and learn about regions past in the Salt Museum. See the ancient process of evaporating sea water to get salt and book a healing mud treatment.
Salt Museum, Pomorie, Bulgaria
Salt Pans in Pomorie | © Pz.IStP/WikiCommons
Watch the sunset
Before you hit the clubs, spend a minute watching the sunset in Nessebar. A beautiful spot is the Windmill at the entrance of the Old Town.
Sunset in Nessebar © Sergey Galyonkin/Flickr
Go partying in Sunny Beach
Sunny Beach is synonymous with summer beach parties in Bulgaria. It is just a few miles away from Nessebar and is known all night festivities. During the Solar Summer Festival in Sunny Beach famous electronic and house DJs play at Cacao Beach Bar.
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria
Sunny Beach | © Ser ge/Flickr
The 18th century was a good time for the inhabitants of Nessebar and many could afford to build new houses. The first floor was made of stone and it was used to shelter livestock and store wheat and wine. The upper floor was wooden and it was where the family lived. You can see some fine examples of the Nessebar old houses in the Old Town today. It gets quite crowded during the day during the summer but if you come before 8, you will have the place to yourself.
The old houses, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Old houses in Nessebar | © izoekriv/WikiCommons | © izoekriv / WikiCommons
Archaeological museum of Nessebar
Start your tour of the Old Town from the Archaeological Museum. Its halls will give you an idea about what you are going to see and a red-dotted self-guided cultural route starts from the museum and passes by all the major attractions in the Old Town.
Archaeological museum, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Archaeological Museum Nessebar | © Zde/WikiCommons
See the remains of the fortress
Nessebar has been fortified since Roman times. Today, you can see remains of different era fortifications scattered through the town.
Remains of the fortress in Nessebar © www.vacacionesbulgaria.com/WikiCommons
Ethnographic museum
The museum is situated in a more than 150 year old house in Nessebar’s Old Town. In the different rooms, you will learn about various aspects of life in Nessebar as it used to be – from how fishermen lived to the production of wine.
Ethnographic museum, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Ethnographic Museum in Nessebar | © izoekriv/WikiCommons
Visit the Old Windmill
Located on the bridge connecting the Old and the New Town, the Windmill is one of the symbols of Nessebar. There are many benches around the windmill to take a seat and enjoy the view.
The Windmill, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Nessebar’s Windmill | © www.vacacionesbulgaria.com/WikiCommons
Discover the ancient churches of Nessebar
The ancient churches are the main reason for the inclusion of Nessebar into the UNESCO World Heritage List. They date back to different centuries, from Church of the Holy Mother Eleusa (VI century) to Church of Christ Pantocrator (XIV century). The most well-preserved is the Saint Sophia Church.
Old town, Nessebar, Bulgaria
UNESCO heritage of Nessebar| Pixabay
Enjoy the sun at the beach
Nessebar has a small beach in the Old Town and two more spacious beaches in the new town – the Northern Beach and the Southern Beach. You can book a sunbed and an umbrella for the day or choose the free zone and bring your own. Many restaurants and cafes cater for the sunbathers.
Nessebar beach © Sergey Galyonkin/Flickr
Eat fresh fish and seafood
The old fishermen were famous for their fish soup which you can try today in most restaurants in Nessebar. Don’t miss the shark specialties or the small fried fish called tsatsa. Stay fresh with the typical Bulgarian cold soup tarator (cucumbers, yogurt, garlic and dill).
Deep fried tsatsa © Veselina Lazarova/WikiCommons
Be active at the beach
No need to lie on the beach all day long. Kitesurfing, surfing and scuba diving courses and equipment are available at almost every beach in Nessebar. You can play beach volleyball or hire a boat to get to know the coastline better.
Beach volleyball © Pixabay
Go crazy in an aquapark
If the sea is not enough, you can hit the slides of Aquapark Nessebar. There are slides to suit all levels of daring.
Aquapark Nessebar, Nessebar, Bulgaria
Aquapark | © Pixabay
Explore the party village of Ravda
Nessebar and Ravda are almost connected and if you don’t see the road sign, you wouldn’t know you are in another village. Ravda is a summer hotspot for the young and wild Bulgarians, mostly full of students, cheap food and party bars and discos.
Ravda, Bulgaria
Ravda is a party village | © Pixabay
Feel glamorous in Sveti Vlas
Just a short drive away from Sunny Beach, in the town of Sveti Vlas, you will find one of Bulgaria’s blue flag beaches and the yacht port of Marina Dinevi. It’s a high-end place with expensive resorts and fancy boats.
Marina Dinevi in St Vlas I © Boby Dimitrov/WikiCommons
Visit the Salt Museum in Pomorie
Visit the seaside salt pans near Pomorie (12 miles/ 20 km from Nessebar) and learn about regions past in the Salt Museum. See the ancient process of evaporating sea water to get salt and book a healing mud treatment.
Salt Museum, Pomorie, Bulgaria
Salt Pans in Pomorie | © Pz.IStP/WikiCommons
Watch the sunset
Before you hit the clubs, spend a minute watching the sunset in Nessebar. A beautiful spot is the Windmill at the entrance of the Old Town.
Sunset in Nessebar © Sergey Galyonkin/Flickr
Go partying in Sunny Beach
Sunny Beach is synonymous with summer beach parties in Bulgaria. It is just a few miles away from Nessebar and is known all night festivities. During the Solar Summer Festival in Sunny Beach famous electronic and house DJs play at Cacao Beach Bar.
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria
Sunny Beach | © Ser ge/Flickr
