Nessebar

North of Bourgas lies the ancient town and popular Bulgarian holiday destination of Nessebar, located on the tip of a long and narrow peninsula in the Black Sea. The picturesque town is one of the oldest in Europe, emerging as a fortified Thracian settlement over 9,000 years ago and changing hands many times before being captured by the Bulgarians in the 7th century. Like many European cities, Nessebar has an old town and a new town, but it is the old quarter that gives the peninsula its character, and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A popular tourist attraction, Nessebar charms holidaymakers with its narrow cobblestone streets, period wooden houses, courtyards, taverns and romantic atmosphere. The old town is famous for its medieval churches, with beautiful facades and well-preserved interiors that are remnants of the historic Slav and Greek Orthodox communities. Nessebar is an architectural and historic monument of Bulgarian culture and is one of the most popular tourist resorts along the southern coast. It offers a good selection of private accommodation, and the new town has modern facilities as well as larger hotels.