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In the Black Sea north of Burgas, on a small peninsula connected to the mainland by a long and narrow isthmus, lies the ancient town of Nessebur, founded in the 6th century BC.
Nessebur is an architectural and historic monument of Bulgarian culture and is one of the most favoured tourist resorts along Bulgaria's southern coast.
This picturesque town is among the oldest in Europe, having emerged as a fortified Thracian settlement over 9,000 years ago, changing hands many times until claimed by the Bulgarians in the 7th century.

Originally a Thracian settlement known as Menebria founded in the 2nd millennium BC, the town became a Greek colony when settled by Dorians from Megara at the beginning of the 6th century BC, and was an important trading centre from then on and a rival of Apollonia (Sozopol). 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. Bronze and silver coins were minted in the city since the 5th century BC and gold coins since the 3rd century BC.
As we commonly find in Bulgaria's museum towns, Nessebur has both an old town section and a new town part. The old section gives the peninsula its charm and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. As a popular tourist attraction, old town Nessebur charms visitors with its narrow cobblestone streets, period wooden houses, courtyards, taverns and romantic atmosphere.
The old town is popular for its medieval churches with beautiful facades and well-preserved interiors, which are the remnants of the Slav and Greek Orthodox communities that were a part of the peninsula's history.
The mega-resort of Sunny Beach is just two miles away and offers excellent nightlife for those seeking more entertainment than is available in Nessebur.

ABVG gratefully acknowledges the gift of this series of photographs by Istvan Gaspar of Debrecen, Hungary.