By Angel Matsanov on Tuesday, 03 January 2023
Category: Tours from Burgas

NESSEBAR - THE BLACK SEA PEARL OF UNESCO - FULL-DAY TOUR BY CAR AND A DRIVER

A romantic getaway in the beautiful fairy tale of the ancient seaside town


Details

Ancient City of Nessebar

Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, the more than 3,000-year-old site of Nessebar was originally a Thracian settlement (Mesembria). At the beginning of the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony. The city’s remains, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications.

Nessebar is one of the oldest cities in Europe. In 1956 it was declared as a museum city, and in 1983 the city was inducted into the list of World Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

Among other monuments, the Stara Mitropolia Basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the west coast of the Black Sea.

Wooden houses built in the 19th century are typical of the Black Sea architecture of the period.

The city of 44 churches

Nessebar or The city of 44 churches, as it is called, is concentrated with lots of churches, most of which were built during the medieval period. Despite the fact that Nessebar was under oppression from the Turks from the 15th to 19th centuries, all the churches there remained Orthodox. Of all remained churches only 11 of them were preserved. Some of the famous churches include the Church of St. Sophia or the Old Bishopric, the Basilica of the Holy Mother of God Eleuisa, the Church of John the Baptist, and the Church of St. Theodore, among many others.

It is difficult to imagine how an area of just 40 hectares could fit so many surviving temples.

A strong earthquake, which took place a few hundred years ago, caused part of the city to submerge.

Thus the area of the peninsula was reduced almost twice, but the churches remained on the land.

The romantic streets and the old wooden houses

Among the main attractions of Nessebar are the narrow, winding streets paved with cobblestones, and also unique, picturesque Bulgarian houses of the Renaissance period. They have unique architecture – the stone ground floors were used primarily for wine cellars, basements, and warehouses. To preserve freshness and to prevent the spoilage of the goods and wine under the action of sunlight on the first floor the windows have been built very narrowly.

The second floor was intended for living and constructed mostly of wood – it created a comfortable microclimate for the person in the room. On the residential floors, the windows were made wide to pass a lot of air and sun.

Bay windows of the upper floors are protruding a little beyond the first floor so that they are not watered during rain. All this is decorated with intricate carvings, small balconies, and reliefs.

Walking through the streets of Nessebar is the most pleasant in the evenings – everything is romantically illuminated. And if you get off the bustling tourist streets, you can feel lost in the old medieval town.

Many restaurants have live music, and on the streets, you can see painters, musicians, and mimes.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

  Free cancellation
  Reserve now & Pay later
  Pickup included
  Distance: approx. 165 km in one direction
  Trip duration: 6-8 hours

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

  Insurance
  Drinkable water
  Air-conditioned vehicle
  Fuel and parking fees
  Tips

Related Posts