Nessebar is a historic city on the UNESCO list and a popular resort on the Black Sea coast. Its walled Old Town is situated on a promontory, with many sandy and pebble beaches in the vicinity.
The city has its roots in antiquity. It is one of the oldest in Europe, and its origins date back to around the 12th century BC. The ancient city of Nessebar, situated on a peninsula, developed over the centuries, creating a unique mix of buildings from different eras. The majority of them are buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries.
In the period of its greatest splendor, over 40 churches operated here, some of which, such as the Church of Christ Pantocrator, the Church of Stephen, Orthodox Church of St. Savior or the Church of St. Paraskeva is in a very good condition with colorful polychromes decorating the interior. Others, headed by the Church of St. Sophia Cathedral and the Basilica of Our Lady of Eleusa are now only picturesque ruins.
Nessebar's Old Town is a charming maze of cobblestone streets and tiled stone houses. There is also the Ethnographic Museum in Nessebar with a rich collection related to the everyday life of the local people. In turn, in the Archaeological Museum you can see items from ancient excavations and a large collection of medieval icons. The most important ancient monument of the city is the Ancient Theater, still used today during outdoor events.
The Old Town is connected to the mainland by a dyke along a road. There is an 18th century windmill standing next to it, which is the symbol of the city. There are several nice beaches around the peninsula as well as on the mainland. The best known are the perfectly developed North Beach and South Beach. Other famous seaside destinations include Olympic Beach, Beach of the Rich, Bunata Beach and Spectrum Beach. Nessebar also has the Aqua Paradise water park and the Aquarium of St. Nicholas. The peninsula on which the Old Town is located is surrounded by a promenade.
