Nesebar, Bulgaria

Nesebar, Bulgaria. Photo: Mark Ahsmann/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Often referred to as the "Pearl of the Black Sea", Nesebar is a rich city-museum defined by more than three millennia of ever-changing history. The small city exists in two parts separated by a narrow man-made isthmus with the ancient part of the settlement on the peninsula (previously an island), and the more modern section on the mainland side. The older part bears evidence of occupation by a variety of different civilisations over the course of its existence.

It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations and seaports on the Black Sea, in what has become a popular area with several large resorts—the largest, Sunny Beach, is situated immediately to the north of Nesebar.

Get in

There are regular local buses from surrounding resorts into Nesebar. If you are on a package holiday in one of the nearby resorts, the rep may try to sell you an excursion to Nesebar on the basis that local buses are unreliable, confusing and expensive; ignore them. You can get buses to Nesebar that are clearly marked in English from numerous bus stops along the main road, and they only cost a few stotinkis.

You can also get a tourist boat from Sunny Beach to Nesebar; this is more expensive and less frequent that the buses.

Get around

Roads in and around the old town of Nesebar are quite narrow and cobbled. It is probably wise to park just outside of the town and go by foot. The cobblestones does make wheelchair access quite difficult but some streets have smoother surfaces.

What to See in Nesebar

A huge part of the ancient city of Messembria (the old city of Nesebar, located on the ex-island) has sunk under water. When counting the numerous sunken ones, Nesebar becomes the city with most churches per capita in Bulgaria.

Today, a total of forty churches survive, wholly or partly, in the vicinity of the town. Some of the most famous include:

• Church of St Sophia or the Old Bishopric (Stara Mitropoliya) (5th–6th century)

• Basilica of the Holy Mother of God Eleusa (6th century)

• Church of John the Baptist (11th century)

• Church of St Stephen or the New Bishopric (Nova Mitropoliya) (11th century; reconstructed in the 16th–18th century)

• Church of St Theodore (13th century)

• Church of St Paraskevi (13th–14th century)

Church of Paraskevi in Nesebar. Photo: Cherubino/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel (13th–14th century)

• Church of Christ Pantocrator (13th–14th century)

Church of Christ Pantocrator, Nesebar, Bulgaria. Photo: Chrumps/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Church of St John Aliturgetos (14th century)

The ruins of St John Aliturgetos church. Photo: MrPanyGoff/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

• Church of St Spas (17th century)

• Church of St Clement (17th century)

• Church Assumption of the Holy Virgin (19th century)

Whether built during the Byzantine, Bulgarian or Ottoman rule of the city, the churches of Nesebar represent the rich architectural heritage of the Eastern Orthodox world and illustrate the gradual development from Early Christian basilicas to medieval cross-domed churches.

What to Do in Nesebar

The main things to do in Nesebar are to wander around the cobbled streets and visit the churches. In winter museums closed Saturday and Sunday.

Buy

There are numerous shops and stalls selling souvenirs in Nesebar. Most of their stuff is cheap tourist tat, but you can pick up locally produced lace too.

Eat

There are loads of restaurants in Nesebar, with a high proportion employing touts to encourage tourists into their premises. These are likely to be more expensive that most restaurants in Bulgaria, and not very good quality. The Tequila Bar is often recommended though.

• Vegetarian Healthy Menu (Krishna Food), Liuben Karavelov Str., Nessebar New Town (at the school's entrance), +359-887-389-031. 11:30-20:00. Marvelous, pure, delicious, cheap vegetarian food to have at the spot and to take away! (Sep 2011) 3-4 lv for a good lunch.

Drink

Zagorka is the national lager and is excellent value and tasty. Kamenitza is also a good beer known nationally in Bulgaria. Burgasko is the local beer but have heard rumors that the quality has declined.

Sleep

Much of the accommodation around Nesebar is in Sunny Beach, a massive tourist resort to the north of the town.

Stay safe

Nesebar is extremely safe but you may find that the sellers and shopkeepers are very persistent. A lot of the time a shop keeper will insist on following you around the shop and trying to make you try on jewellery clothes etc. A polite but firm "no" usually suffices.

Go next

There are regular buses to:

• Sunny Beach
• Bourgas - the second biggest city on Bulgaria's coast
• Varna (Wikivoyage, Wikipedia)

See also Nesebar in Pictures.

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