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Nessebar, previously known as Mesembria and before that as Menebria, is an ancient city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.Originally a Thracian settlement known as Menebria, the town became a Greek colony at the beginning of the 6th century BC, and was an important trading centre. Remains from the Hellenistic period include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, and an agora. A wall, which formed part of the Greek fortifications can still be seen on the north side of the peninsula. It is a town with a rich history. The ancient part of the town is situated on a peninsula connected to the mainland by a man-made isthmus, and it bears evidence of occupation by a variety of different civilisations over the course of its existence.
In modern times, Nessebar is a major tourist attraction in what has become a popular area with several large resorts—the largest, Sunny Beach, is situated immediately to the north of Nessebar. The area of Nessebar is about 25 ha. It is linked with the new part of the town by a narrow 300 meters long strip. The beach, based in the new part, is 4 km long. Nessebar features marvelous climate all-year without any polluters and wonderful combination of sea and mountain atmosphere. The town is a real museum showing the building traditions in our lands with over 20 places of interest. There have been preserved valuable monuments from all ages of its thousand-year old existence - old fortress walls from the Roman Middle age, Byzantine and old Bulgarian churches, ancient houses from the 18th and 19th century.
Today the old part of the town has regained its original romantic atmosphere: narrow cobblestone lanes, tiny squares, two-storeyed period houses with stone-built ground levels and wooden upper floors jutting above the streets and external staircases, gift shops, quiet restaurants and fashionable cafes and discos, pubs, tavern and lovely flower gardens. There are private taxis typical for the seaside towns due to the large number of tourists. The prices are moderate. The village of Ravda is situated to the south of Nessebar and a sand strip connects both of them. There are vines and gardens near the village, where one can buy fresh agricultural products at low prices. There are holiday houses and private lodgings. There is a water transport to Bourgas; one can often hire local boatmen to reach different places in the bay.
Nowadays Nessebar is old and young, the pearl of the South Black Sea coastal regions, a unique and picturesque place generously endowed by the nature and by the history.
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