As soon as you don’t call this city – “Nesebar”, “Nesebir”, “Nesebir” or even “Nesebar” – one thing remains unchanged – a magical fairy tale in which everyone who steps on this land appears.
Nessebar was founded more than 3 thousand years ago, it is believed to be one of the oldest cities in Europe.
Nessebar resort is a picturesque place chosen by romantics and people of creative professions. Many people choose this area for a better beach vacation. It is not for nothing that it is considered that the beaches in Nessebar are the best in Bulgaria . Fine golden sand against the background of the ancient city – such a magical picture can be observed by all tourists. White rocks and long sand dunes are a real wonder of nature.
The mild climate of the resort provides a wonderful beach vacation. Here, tourists will be able to splash around in the water. In Nessebar , ideal conditions have been created for a summer holiday at the sea with children. A gentle entrance to the sea allows children to swim independently, under the supervision of their parents.
Summer vacation in Bulgaria at the resort of Nessebar
A summer vacation in Bulgaria at the resort of Nessebar is not only well-kept beaches, but also a tour of the city’s sights. The main sights of Nessebar are churches. Due to the mixing of Greek and Slavic traditions, churches with a unique appearance emerged. The most popular church is the Church of the Holy Mother of God , which houses a miraculous icon. Every year in August, thousands of believers come here and stay overnight, praying for their health and the health of their loved ones. In general, there are approximately 40 ancient churches in Nessebar .
Resting by the sea in the ancient town of Nessebar allows you to enjoy various active sports. Tourists can go surfing, diving, and water skiing. In addition, there is a yacht club on the coast , vacationers can book an amazing trip across the Black Sea at any time. A summer vacation in Bulgaria at the resort of Nessebar guarantees comfortable living conditions. There are hotels on the coast for tourists with different budgets, for relaxing with the family and for relaxing with a noisy group of friends. Also, there are chic hotels that offer a huge number of basic and additional services.
The city is located 34 km from the port of Burgas and 100 km from the party city of Varna . Nessebar is not a very well-known Bulgarian resort among our tourists , but in fact it is one of the most beautiful cities in Bulgaria and, unlike Varna and Golden Sands , in which only the beaches and the embankment are attractions, there are also beautiful mountain landscapes, narrow streets , full of mysteries, thousand-year-old ruins, ruins of ancient churches and original architecture.
Another significant advantage of Nessebar is relatively low prices. Why relative, because they are much lower than in Varna or Sunny Beach, but higher than, for example, in Sozopol and Pomorie.
Nessebar: description of the city, attractions, beaches, where to go, what to do
The old Town
A wide bridge connects the Old Town of Nessebar with its New part.
In general, due to the large number of architectural curiosities and ancient churches, Nessebar is called a museum city, and in 1983 the Old Town of Nessebar was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can wander along the intricate cobbled streets of the Old Town for hours and you will never see the same picture or the same landscape: ancient houses made of stone and wood, retaining walls made of stones overhanging the road and entwined with grapes and ivy, sprawling bushes of aromatic oleander, narrow moorings for yachts and boats, quaint outlines of mountains and beckoning lights of Sunny Beach far away.
The most popular attraction of Nessebar is the Old Town with its intertwining streets, ancient family churches and what remains of them, piers, beaches, cafes and restaurants, wonderful views of the sea and mountains. The Old Town is the place where you will get the best experience and take hundreds of stunning photos.
When is the best time to rest in Nessebar?
The season in Nessebar , as well as on the entire Bulgarian coast , is short – 3 summer months. However, in June, the water has not yet warmed up, so not everyone will be able to enjoy swimming.
The peak season falls on July-August, but at this time there are the largest number of tourists, the highest prices, air temperature (30-35) and water temperature (24-26). So, if you want to rest in the heat and save money, then both May and September are suitable. In September, savings are less, but you can still swim.
It is quite warm in April and October, although weather disasters are possible.
Children, of course, are brought for the whole summer, they acclimatize successfully in June and easily tolerate the summer heat.
Where to stay in Nessebar?
Nessebar , one of the oldest cities in Bulgaria, with a large number of sights, and as a result, with a large number of tourists who come here for excursions. It is interesting to walk, sit in cafes, look at historical artifacts and architecture, but not to live in it, despite the fact that there are many hotels and apartments for rent in the old city. It is better to choose hotels or apartments in Novy Nessebar for accommodation, which is located not far from its historical part. The number of hotels is large, and before making a decision, you should understand what type of vacation you need. If it is a vacation with children, then you should take a closer look at the hotels belonging to the Spanish hotel chain Sol. She is famous for her caring and attentive attitude towards children. Almost all hotels have children’s playrooms, specially trained animators work with children. As an example, these are the hotels: Sol Mare 4 stars, Sol Bay 4 stars and the luxurious Sol Palace 5 stars (with its own water park). They are located not in the city itself, but on the coast between Nessebar and Ravda, but it is relatively close to the city. Yes, the latter is an excellent place for a romantic vacation for young couples.
However, it is worth understanding that the demand for these hotels is also very high, so it makes sense to reserve places in the spring. By the way, with early booking, the prices are lower.
If we talk about the private sector, we would not advise you to choose Nessebar, both old and new. At least, after sifting through a bunch of online offers before vacation, I didn’t really find anything, but in nearby Ravda, there are very good options, and the prices are cheaper.
What to see in Nessebar?
The main place to visit in Nessebar is the Old Town. It is easy to get there by regular bus, route or regular taxi. The most picturesque is the path on foot, along a narrow path past the old mill against the background of the Sunny Beach bay. On the right, in the small bay of Nessebar , next to the monument to the fallen sailors, if you are lucky, you can meet royal swans.
Numerous medieval Christian churches of Old Nessebar , complemented by ruins of fortress walls, wooden houses in the Turkish style and cobblestones underfoot, create a unique atmosphere of antiquity. Magnificent sea views can be seen from the highest points of the city. Still, churches are the main attractions of Stariy Nessebar . Is it possible to miss the oldest – Metropolitan Church (5th century), or the most beautiful – the Church of Christ Pantokrator ? A total of forty churches have been preserved here.
You should definitely visit the archaeological museum at the very beginning of the Old Town, next to the barrier. A rich exposition, especially in the area of antique gold jewelry.
But the most charming thing in Nessebar is its winding narrow cobbled streets and unique Bulgarian houses built during the Renaissance . The first floors of these buildings are stone with narrow windows. Apparently, the first floor was previously used as warehouses or wine cellars. The second residential floors, usually wooden, with large windows and panoramic projecting bay windows and balconies, decorated with intricate carvings. Walking through the streets of Nessebar is a pleasure and you can take pictures of literally everything here: windows of small shops and boutiques, bright flowers in hanging planters, old doors of houses with forged massive fittings. The atmosphere here is so pleasant that you want this walk to last forever.
In the evening, Nessebar becomes attractive and magical, and its ancient buildings, churches and temples in semi-darkness create the feeling that you are lost in time and transported to the distant Middle Ages. The streets are very lively in the evening: live music plays in restaurants, you can meet mimes, and crowds of tourists wander in search of evening entertainment. Nessebar is full of wonders that history generously bequeathed to us. Be sure to visit this unique Bulgarian city, see the sights of Nessebar , and the impressions and memories of it will remain with you forever.
When you are tired of wandering the streets, go to the beach of the Old Town , located near the pier, where small ships and yachts often dock. During the day, this beach is quite sparsely populated and you can find a place near the water itself, and at night, this is the best place to watch the lights twinkling in the distance and listen to the sound of the sea.
Church of Saint Sophia
This temple is the oldest in the city and one of the most impressive. Unfortunately, the days of former beauty have long passed and only ruins remain of the luxurious architectural ensemble, but it is worth coming to them, admiring the patterns on the walls and touching the history.
The church is located in the very center of the Old City, and a few tens of meters from it is an ancient Turkish fountain , from which guests and residents of the city, passing by, have been drinking for several centuries.
Turkish fountain in Nessebar
Oddly enough, the Turkish fountain, which has been preserved in the city since the time of the Turkish rule, which was more than 400 years (1452-1878), is considered a rather important attraction of Nessebar . The fountain is located in Old Nessebar near the central street of Messembria (Messembria), the corner of Ivan Assen Street 2 and next to the Church of Saint Sophia. Turkish baths are also located here , which, like the fountain, are not particularly remarkable from the outside, but attract tourists here like a magnet. It may be because there are almost no other architectural traces of the long Turkish rule in the city.
Ruins of Byzantine baths in Nessebar
In the city you will see the ruins of the Byzantine baths. These are public ancient baths, which were built in the 6th century and water was supplied there from the aqueduct, which, even at that time, stretched through the entire city. Once upon a time, the thermal baths had a large hall with marble columns, several pools, and a luxurious white marble floor. And thanks to the clever water supply system, contrasting temperatures of water and air were maintained in different halls, which made bathing very pleasant. Now almost nothing remains of the baths, only excavations. Part of the complex was demolished and new residential buildings were built, not a hint of the former luxury of this creation of antiquity remained.
Archaeological and Ethnographic museums with a complex of ancient temples
The whole of Nessebar looks like a branch of the world’s most beautiful historical museum and, thanks to a lucky chance, it is here that a museum complex worth visiting is located, which consists of the Ethnographic Museum and the Archaeological Museum, as well as five ancient churches: the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church St. Stephen (11th century), Church of St. Paraskeva and Church of Christ Pancrator (13th century), Church of St. Savior (17th century).
You can buy a combined ticket, which will cost less than visiting each temple separately. Being near the Ethnographic Museum, go see the ruins of the ancient Amphitheater , where you can not only take beautiful photos, but also admire the city and the sea from a height. By the way, it is better to come here in the evening to see the splendor of the sea, splashing in the rays of the setting sun.
Beaches of Nessebar
In Nessebar , there are five well-kept sandy beaches, the most popular among vacationers are the North and South beaches , several pebble beaches, where locals often go, trying to avoid the crowds, and a dozen wild beaches, walking along which you can reach Sunny Beach itself, a resort that is in the neighborhood.
There are fewer vacationers in Nessebar , which means that the beaches are much cleaner, and there are much more places on them.
All Nessebar beaches are free.
The average price of a double room in a three-star hotel by the sea in Nessebar in June is 30-40 euros, the same room in August will cost more – 60-70 euros. If you want to find a hotel in the first line, then when booking on Booking.com, you can check “First line” in the menu on the left and the system will select the hotels that you need.
Food prices in Nessebar: cafes and shops
In Bulgarian cities, the principle “the closer to the sea, the more expensive” works. This rule also applies in general, let’s say a vacation in Plovdiv will cost you less than the same vacation in Nessebar , because in Nessebar, unlike Plovdiv, there is a sea. The same rule applies to, say, shops or cafes – in all seaside towns, the most expensive shops are located near the sea. An ice cream sold to you on the beach will cost twice as much as the same ice cream around the corner.
If we talk specifically about Nessebar , it is worth noting that the prices here are higher than in small resort villages such as Ravda, Obzor, Pomorie, but lower than in Sunny Beach, Varna or Golden Sands.
A delicious breakfast (for example, an omelet and coffee) in a seaside cafe will cost about 4-5 euros, a hearty lunch will cost a little more – 5-8 euros per person. Dinner in a restaurant (without alcohol) will cost approximately 8-12 euros per person.
In Nessebar, there are many small eateries where you can eat inexpensively, so those who want to save money will succeed.
Rent a car in Nessebar
Sunny Beach, Pomorie, Burgas, Sozopol are just a small part of the beautiful Bulgarian resorts that are worth visiting once you are in this blooming country. You can plan a trip by bus, but be prepared for the fact that it will be very hot (due to the lack of air conditioning in public transport) and possible difficulties with the bus schedule (the schedule must be checked at bus stations).
You can also plan a trip by car, even if you arrived in Bulgaria by plane. Renting a comfortable Ford Fiesta will cost you like a dinner for two in a cafe – about 20 euros per day, and the more days you rent a car, the cheaper each subsequent day will be.