Your Guide to Nessebar, Bulgaria’s UNESCO City

Old Town Nessebar is one of the true “must see” destinations on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast. The old city is totally walkable and doesn’t require more than a day trip to get the full experience!

Here we will see some of the headline attractions in Nessebar, and you will come away with a great idea of what’s in store for your visit!

What is There to do in Nessebar?

Nessebar is a really beautiful ancient city, and the #1 thing to do, is…

Have a walk around!

A bronze 3D table map of the old Town of Nessebar Bulgaria

Nessebar isn’t that big, so you are safe to get lost down the little back streets. Every corner is perfect for photos, or just gazing. If you get off the main couple of streets, you will find that it is much quieter.

A life preserver hangs aesthetically from a victorian style pole in a leafy garden in front of the sea in Nessebar Bulgaria.

Have a coffee or lunch with a million dollar view

There are many restaurants that line the cliff and have a fantastic view over the Black Sea. The best part? You are still in Bulgaria, so nothing is crazy expensive like it would be in picturesque towns in Western Europe.

A restaurant overlooks the sea with a picturesque stony path running up the side of it.

One of the best things about Nessebar, is that almost everything is free to visit! Some of the churches may ask for a very small fee to enter, but the old town itself does not have an entry fee, and most of the archaeological sites are out in the open.

Visiting the many UNESCO sites at Nessebar

I am going to be so real right now, we headed off to Nessebar for our third ever visit with the UNESCO list firmly in hand. It reads:

“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. 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.” – UNESCO.org

The plan was to arrive for a UNESCO scavenger hunt, facilitated by Google maps and signs along the way.

While we did find some of the sites specified on the list, others didn’t come up on Google maps at all. Some of the things we saw didn’t appear on the UNESCO list, but it may be that the signage used different verbiage. So truly, it was a scavenger hunt, and we weren’t all that good at it!

Here are a few of the highlights that we did see. Whether or not they are all actually on the UNESCO list remains a mystery.

Roman Baths (Early Byzantine Terms) 527 – 565 AD

The ancient Roman baths at Nessebar are some of the oldest ruins in the old town, dating back to the 6th century AD.

Another view of the ruins of the Roman thermal baths in Nessebar.

These baths remained in use for a couple hundred years, eventually closing sometime in the late 8th century.

Approximately 2/3 of the baths have been excavated and studied, but the remaining area is under the current streets and houses.

A sign for the Roman bath ruins in old town Nessebar outlines their history including being built in the 6th century during Justine the Great's rule. The baths were once 5 warm premises with impressive columns and marble floors. They were in operation until the end of the 8th century.

The baths would have once been an impressive structure of marble and beautiful big columns. There are actually a lot of Roman ruins in Bulgaria! You can see other baths in Varna, Hisarya, and Plovdiv.

The ruins of the Roman Baths in Nessebar are now little more than a few short stone walls inside a fenced yard.

Here is the best preserved part, but unfortunately it’s behind an ugly little fence:

A small domed brick building remains on the grounds that once were a Roman bath in Nessebar.

The Ancient Theater at Nessebar

There is an ancient theatre in Old Town Nessebar that curiously doesn’t come up in any of the UNESCO information, or on the website for the town itself. It does come up on Google maps, but with no information, just reviews.

The ancient theater in Nessebar in front of the sea. Children dressed in black as soldiers prepare for a performance.

In present day this area has a stage that is used for performances, but possibly the walls were once just a part of the original fortifications, and not originally a theater? It certainly looks like an ancient theater set up, but it seems very strange that there is no information anywhere about it.

Regardless, the walls are ancient, and it is a theater, so I will call it an ancient theater!

The Windmill

Just before you reach the gates of this ancient city, you will see the beautifully preserved windmill.

A girl with short brown hair stands on a cobbled street in the long shadow of an ancient wooden windmill in Nessebar Bulgaria near sunset.

I cannot for the life of me find the picture of the sign, so I’m not sure how old it is, but I’m sure it would be included in the UNESCO classification, since the timber houses are.

Today the Windmill is also a museum.

Wooden Houses

Speaking of the timber houses, Nessebar is a proud display of the culturally significant Bulgarian homes built out of wood. These homes are preserved in very good condition all around the peninsula.

Many are now home to restaurants, souvenir shops, and ice cream parlours.

An ancient wooden house painted in black with new orange tile roof stands proudly near the main square in Nessebar Bulgaria. The lower part of the building is white stone and houses a money changer.

The Nessebar Old City Walls

I have a hunch that this line by UNESCO: “…the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications ” might be referring to the ruins around the original gates and walls of the city.

The ancient walls of old Town Nessebar sit semi-ruined around the modern tourist destination of the Nessebar peninsula in Bulgaria.

When you first arrive at the old town you are confronted by a significant ruined area, and this is the only place that I can think these sites might be, since they aren’t anywhere else on the map. This is definitely where the “wall from the Thracian fortifications” is.

If there is a way to walk through these ruins, I have no idea what it is. As far as we could tell you could just look into it. Sorry, I know that’s pretty anticlimactic, but it is an impressive sight!

St Sophia Church (Old Metropolitan Church) 5th to 6th Century AD

The Church of Saint Sophia is the real showstopper of Nessebar. The stories-tall ruins of this 5th to 6th century basilica are right in the center of the peninsula, so they are as difficult to miss, as they are un-missable!

A front view of the peaked back wall of the ruined church of St Sophia in the center of old town Nessebar Bulgaria. The front is open to a sea of tourists, but the side walls made of tall arches are still mostly standing.

People are unfortunately very disrespectful to the ruins, and climb all over the walls and even into the front alcoves for photos. I recommend not doing that, as it will eventually lead to much more restricted access to the site (perhaps an ugly fence), and at this time we are very much free to roam.

The impressive multi-storied remaining stone arches of St Sophia Basilica aka Old Metropolitan Church in the center of old town Nessebar Bulgaria.

The ruins of St Sophia church standing tall in the center of Nessebar.

Holy Mother Eleusa Basilica 6th Century AD

From a similar time period to St. Sophia, is the 6th century basilica of Holy Mother Eleusa.

A hand holds a phone with the Google map listing open for Holy Mother Eeusa Church in Nessebar. The ruins are slightly visible in the faded background.

This church was presumed to have been destroyed in an earthquake. It was once a large monastery, and part of it ended up in the sea.

The crumbled remains of what was once a mighty Basilica: Holy Mother Eleusa Church, beside the sea in Nessebar Bulgaria.

Excavations brought the church to what we see today. I saw it referred to as “well-preserved,” but that seems… like a stretch, especially considering how great the St. Sophia looks.

I’m not sure if they actually fished any of these bits out of the sea, but I do imagine it looks better than it did before the dig began.

There were records of this church all the way up until the 14th century. It’s pretty crazy to think that it wasn’t ruined for nearly 800 years!

Church of St. John the Baptist 10th Century AD

Very close to the Roman Baths, is the Church of St. John the Baptist. This church was constructed sometime around the 10th century AD, and as such it is one of the oldest in Nessebar that isn’t ruined.

Church of St John the Baptist is one of the oldest looking in Nessebar. Rough sandstone colored bricks make up the three rounded alcoves of the outside of the church. A small girl in pink with a short brown bob stands in front of the Church.

According to Visit World Heritage (which is associated with UNESCO) “..it was discovered during archaeological excavations that the church lies on the foundations of a pagan temple from the 4th century BC. There is also evidence of an Early Byzantine basilica from the 6th century on the site.”

What an incredible history this little town has! There are still fragments of frescoes in this church from when the walls were in plaster and painted.

St. Stephen Church 10th Century AD

From around the same time as St. John the Baptist Church, we find the large church of St. Stephen.

A dramatic wide angle shot of the Church of St Stephen in Nessebar. The 10th century church still stands mostly intact, with three beautiful rounded naves in the front.

The stone on these oldest of churches is not quite as defined in color as the “newer” churches, which I find quite charming.

There are also murals in this church, that have survived from the 16th century. Something about the facade of this church looks quite “Wild West.”

The ancient church of St Stephen in Nessebar features a tall arched facade on either end and rough ancient stone. A stone wall with typical orange roof tiles sits in the foreground.

Unfortunately this church was closed when we visited this most recent time, so we didn’t see the frescoes. Whomp whomp. I believe there was a sign posted about a small fee of approx 5 lev to visit. (~2.5 Euros)

St. Michael and Gabriel, The Archangels Church 13th Century AD

Now for one of my favorite churches: The Archangels St. Michael and Gabriel Church:

Red and white brick and green glass adorn the arches the decorate the exterior of Archangels Michael and Gabriel Church in Nessebar Bulgaria.

I love this one for the extra ceramic/glass decorations in a beautiful blue-green. It’s a small thing, but the little bit more color is gorgeous!

A collage of the signs from in front of the archangels Michael and gabriel church shows a sketch of how the church originally looked, a map of the interior, and a description, which reads: "One Nave church with a narthex, three parted altar area, a dome and a bell tower. Common length 14m width 5.2m. The Narthex has two entrances - northern and southern. The facades are segmented with vaulted niches of stone and brick. Built in the 13th century.

Some parts of the church are better preserved than others, and much of the turquoise decoration is missing from the sides:

Side view of St Michael and Gabriel the Archangels church which is made in the same typical red and white stone style of many of the churches in Nessebar.

Here is an artist’s rendition of what the church would have looked like at its completion:

A sketch of what the church of St Michael and Gabriel would have originally looked like.

It’s hard to believe there were so many of these huge churches in old Nessebar, all operating around the same time!

Church of St. Paraskeva 13th Century AD

Another church with the beautifully colored ceramic decorations, is the Church of St. Paraskeva (also from the 13th century).

A close up look at the layers of stone, brick, concrete, and decorative glass that pattern the side of the ancient church of Saint Paraskeva in old town Nessebar Bulgaria.

The roof on this church was replaced with something modern:

The Church of Saint Paraskeva stands mostly in tact, but with a modern metal roof. Trees filter the sun on the front of the Church.

I’m sure there are some who hate this, but I actually kind of like it. It allows you to see the original parts of the structure, while still protecting it.

Side wide angle shot of the Church of Saint paraskeva in Nessebar Bulgaria which features long walls of white and red arches with stacked stone on top. The original roof is gone and has been replaced with a bronze colored metal one.

The bronzey color isn’t bad either, in my opinion.

St. John Alitourgetos Church 13th Century AD

The Church of St. John Alitourgetos has possibly the most idyllic location of all the churches in old Nessebar.

The white and red layered ancient brick of St John Alitourgetos Church at the edge of Nessebar, overlooking the sea.

This church backs onto the ancient theater, with the seaside visible from all four sides, and an aesthetic pink building across the street.

The white and red layered ancient brick of St John Alitourgetos Church in the foreground with a tall pink building in the background and green trees in between.

The church hasn’t fared quite as well as it’s other 13th century counterparts. The roof has long since left, and you can’t enter. There are iron bars that you can peer through to get a sense of the building.

Wide angle shot of the white and red layered ancient brick of St John Alitourgetos Church at the edge of Nessebar, overlooking the sea.

St Todor Church 13th Century AD

Also from the 13th century, is the Church of St. Todor.

Stripes of red brick run through sections of white stone in the front of the ancient St. Todor Church in Nessebar Bulgaria.

This church is probably the simplest and most unassuming to look at. Even the description is very simple:

"A small one nave church with a Narthex and an apse. 8.7m long and 4.15m wide. Blind arches decoratively shaped with stone and brick segment the facades. Built in the 13th century."

The tiny doors give it a little extra character:

A small girl with short dark hair stands outside a very small door into the side of a typical Nessebar church in white and red stone: St Todor Church.

Christ Pantocrator Church 14th Century AD

Only a little later than all of these 13th century churches, came Christ Pantocrator Church. This is another ornately decorated one, and the only one with glass windows.

Another traditional Byzantine style church: Christ the Pantocrator, built in layers of red and white brick and stone with peaks of glass inside some of the arches. An iron gate is prominent in the front of the Church. A map of the original church is included in the photo.

Despite being one of the “newest” churches, this one is a little crumbly.

Trees shroud the distant Christ the Pantocrator Church in Nessebar Bulgaria. A stone sidewalk and stairs lead up to it.

Not sure what else to say: Another old beautiful church in Nessebar. Tick!

The multi-naved exterior of Christ the Pantocrator Church in Nessebar Bulgaria features stripes of red brick layered amongst white stone.

The Church Dormition of Theotokus – 1873

From the outside I would have thought that the Church Dormition of Theotokus was one of the biggest in Nessebar, but the church part is actually very small inside.

The tall three storey stone church of Dormtion of Theotokus in Nessebar appears over top of a stone wall covered in vines with a large black gate.

It is the newest church in Nessebar, having been built in 1873, and is the only church in current use on the peninsula. (I actually don’t think this one would specifically qualify for UNESCO, but the whole old town does, so I’m leaving it in this section.)

Side view of the tall and tidy looking church of dormition of Theotokus in Nessebar Bulgaria

The story goes that this church was built after Mary appeared in a dream to a girl and said that a church was to be built at the location of the oldest tree in Nessebar. This happened after an icon of the weeping virgin mysteriously appeared three days in a row in the tree, even though every day it was taken to a nearby church.

Gated entry into the church walls of Dormition of Theotokus in Nessebar with a picturesque stone path.

The church was built around the tree and although it eventually had to be cut down, the trunk is still there, and is said to have healing properties for pilgrims who come to lean upon it.

Believe it or not, that was only 9 of the 11 historically significant churches in Nessebar! Not sure about the other two, maybe we will catch them next time!

Best Time to Visit Nessebar

The best time to visit Nessebar is outside of the peak busy season (August) and not in the dead of winter. The seaside everywhere is incredibly busy in August, and in winter most restaurants will be closed.

A stone street close to the waterfront on the south side of Nessebar peninsula is lined with restaurants beside the sea. The sky is cloudless and blue, with gulls flying overhead.

For the best experience, try to go between March and early July, or September/October. It is already quite hot in this area by June, so you may want to come earlier to escape the heat.

The best time of day to visit Nessebar in summer is around sunset. The daytime crowd is leaving, the evening crowd has not yet arrived, and the weather is starting to cool down.

A gazebo with vines running up the poles and the sea in the background in beautiful Nessebar Bulgaria

Is Nessebar Worth Visiting?

I hope I’ve already answered, but YES! Nessebar is totally worth the visit. It’s quite easy to get there from the popular resort-y destinations on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast. If you don’t care about seeing every single church on the list, a leisurely stroll about the town will still walk you past some amazing treasures!

We love a destination that isn’t a lot of pressure. Want to see more Bulgarian treasures? You will love these other posts:

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This article has been archived by Slow Travel News for your research. The original version from Slow Travel Blog can be found here.

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