When you go to Bulgaria, the mediaeval city of
Nesebar (also known as Nessebar oder Nessebur) is a jewel and a must. It was founded as Messambria in
the 6th century B.C. by Greek colonists and has been on the World
Heritage List of the UNESCO since 1983. Located on a small peninsula
in the Black Sea the delightful tourist spot yearly attracts a million
visitors. A small street, which connects the peninsula with
the mainland, leads through the narrow gateway in the ancient fortress
wall right to the quaint, tiny historic down town area with numerous
well preserved buildings (mainly mediaeval churches) and narrow
cobbled lanes, winding amongst wooden houses of the
18th and 19th century. Nessebar's typical houses have stone foundations
and broad, overhanging wooden superstructures.
Today the spirit of the ancient market
lives on with a multitude of sidewalk vendors, hawking all sorts
of art work and tourist souvenirs, such as fine crochet works, knitwear,
pottery, wood-carvings, paintings... Idyllic restaurants on the
steep coast or in the middle of the old town invite you to rest.
The most appealing are located on the peninsula's scenic southern
tip. The romantic place has cast a spell on us since we visited
it for the first time in 1991 and we shall certainly return whenever
we have a chance.
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