Welcome to Nessebar, Bulgaria
Nessebar (or Nesebar) is a captivating coastal town rich in history and culture that has great beaches as well. Often referred to the “Pearl of the Black Sea”, Nessebar boasts a mesmerizing blend of ancient ruins, picturesque churches, and charming cobbled streets in its old town.
Its UNESCO World Heritage status showcases its rich history, making it a perfect destination for history enthusiasts and travelers seeking a unique experience. With its beautiful beaches and welcoming atmosphere, Nessebar offers a delightful mix of relaxation and adventure for all who visit. Let’s get into the best things to do in Nessebar!
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The Best Things to do in Nessebar
1. Explore Nessebar’s Old Town
Nessebar’s old town is reminiscent of the various Croatian coastal towns and the magnificent Sveti Stefan in Budva. It has a long outstretched road to a circular old town, which is charming in itself. Nessebar’s old town actually used to be much bigger, but much of the ancient city’s area has sunken over time. Some notable places to explore are the Church of St. Sophia, Church of Christ Pantokrator, Church of St. John Aliturgetos, and St. Stephens Church. There are various restaurants with calming views of the water and delicious food! Exploring the old town was our favorite thing to do in Nessebar!
2. Relax on the Beach
Sunny Beach is notorious around Europe for its partying, but there is still plenty of room to have a relaxing day. It’s truly the best of both worlds! Sunny Beach is crowded, but absolutely huge and we had no problem finding a spot to relax for the day. Nessebar Beach is extremely small but gets crowded early in the day, so make sure to get there early!
3. Explore the Black Sea Via Boat Cruise
A boat cruise on a sunny day in Nessebar is an absolute must-do! Float through the beautiful bays of the Black Sea and admire Nessebar from afar. Check out this sunset cruise that includes dinner and champagne here. If you’re into snorkeling and catamaran’s (which I’m personally obsessed with), this tour is perfect for you! If you prefer catching your meal and partying, this tour includes fishing and unlimited drinks!
4. Learn About the Area’s History at the Archaeological Museum
If you’re a history buff, this is the best thing to do in Nessebar! This small but impressive museum displays artifacts up to 3,000 years old! There are various items from the Eneolithic, Thracian, Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Bulgarian cultures, all of which occupied Nessebar at one point in time.
5. Sozopol and Ravadinovo Castle Day Trip
Sozopol’s old town is one of the oldest Greek Colonies on the Black Sea Coast, and its charming cobblestone streets and well-preserved buildings are a sight to be seen! Combine this with a trip to Ravadinovo Castle just a town over and voila! You have one of the most memorable day trips ever!
How to Get From Nessebar to Sozopol
To get from Nessebar to Sozopol, you can take a 40 minute ferry from Nessebar’s port. From here you can take a quick taxi 8 minutes away or walk around an hour to get to Ravadinovo. You can also go as part of this tour which also includes a trip to the sand sculptures in Burgas.
6. Get Your Adventure on With Water Sports
Nessebar wouldn’t be the perfect beach destination without water sports! Kitesurfing, windsurfing, flyboarding, jet skiing, and even scuba diving are a few things to do if you want a change of pace from laying on the beach! Extreme Surf has locations on Sunny Beach and Nessebar so make sure to check them out!
7. Experience the Sunny Beach Nightlife
Sunny Beach boasts some of the best nightlife in all of Europe. From backpacker hostels with cheap alcohol to fancy nightclubs, there’s something for everyone! The party happens in the heart of Sunny Beach further away from Nessebar. Here you’ll find the various bars and clubs – make sure to check if there’s a bar crawl happening during your visit!
8. Taste Delicious Bulgarian Wine
Bulgaria wine is severely underrated, but don’t just take our word for it! Check out DeVis Winery and taste some of there many award-winning wines! Book an affordable wine and food pairing here.
9. Eat your heart out at the White Rose
If you’re looking for cheap and delicious food, look no further than the White Rose. Don’t be alarmed if you see a line out the door, our wait was less than 10 minutes! If you want to avoid lines, go during off-peak hours.
10. Unleash Your Inner Child at the Amusement Parks
Whether you’re traveling with kids or not, Nessebar offers a few amusement parks that are worth visiting. There’s the more popular Sunny Beach Amusement Park, the legendary Aqua Park, and even a Pirates of the Carribean-themed water park. Pick your poison and feel like a kid again!
Best Time to Visit Nessebar
The best time to visit Nessebar and enjoy the beautiful Black Sea beaches is during the summer, from June to September. This is the best time for warm weather and water activities! If you’re not as interested in spending your holiday in the water, the spring and fall would also be lovely times to visit.
Where to Stay in Nessebar
We recommend staying in or near Nessebar’s old town when you’re visiting. This will allow you to be close to restaurants and shops and be able to explore the town’s beautiful cobblestone streets and stunning architecture right outside your door!
Nessebar Accommodations
How to Get to Nessebar
For long-distance travel, flying is the quickest and most convenient way to reach Bulgaria. While Nessebar doesn’t have its own airport, nearby options offer easy access:
- Burgas Airport (BOJ): The closest major airport to Nessebar, located approximately 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) away. Numerous airlines connect Burgas to major European cities, making it a popular choice. Check out where you can fly to Burgas from.
- Varna Airport (VAR): Located roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Nessebar. Varna also offers connections to various European destinations and might be a good option depending on your route and potentially lower fares. Check out where you can fly to Varna from.
How to Get to Nessebar from Burgas
Once you’ve reached Burgas, it’s a quick trip up the coast to Nessebar. You have three options: bus, taxi, or car.
If you have the budget, having a rental car is a great way to explore Bulgaria. The roads here are wonderful and having a rental car will allow you to get off the beaten path and explore more of this beautiful country!
For those who want to save some money and use Bulgaria’s public transportation, the bus system is very easy to navigate. From the airport, you’ll want to grab bus number 15 and take it to the Burgas Center Bus Station. From there, you’ll grab bus number 10; you can check out the bus 10 schedule here. Note that this site only shows the schedule in Bulgarian; I’ve translated the bus 10 schedule below (but always good to check if anything has changed!). The bus 10 schedule link also shows other bus routes between a lot of the towns near Burgas.
How to Get to Nessebar from Varna
To get to Nessebar from Varna, you can also use either the bus, a taxi, or a rental car.
If you’re traveling by bus, you’ll likely have to take three: the first from the airport to Varna’s Central Bus Station, the second to Sunny Beach, and the third to Nessebar. From the airport, you can hop on bus number 409, which comes very frequently, and ride it to the Central Bus Station. On this website, you can first search for buses from the Central Bus Station to Nessebar, and if there’s not one that works for you, change the search to Sunny Beach (there are a lot more buses that stop in Sunny Beach than Nessebar). From Sunny Beach, there are many buses you can catch to Nessebar (check out the schedule in the photo above).
Keep Exploring Bulgaria….
- Bansko: The Balkans’ Ultimate All-Season Resort Town
- 7 Rila Lakes Hike: The Best Outdoor Adventure in Bulgaria
- Rila Monastery: Everything You Need To Know Before You Go
- 10 Best Things to Do in Beautiful Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
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Things to do in Nessebar FAQs
Is Nessebar Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! This is a great beach town with a charming old town, tons of history, adventure activities, and a few day trips. You can party, enjoy time with family, nerd out on the history, indulge in extreme sports or go for a relaxing cruise on the Black Sea.
Does Nessebar Have a Beach?
Nessebar has a few beaches, most notably Sunny beach, which is fairly big but does get crowded! If you want a smaller, (but still crowded) beach, Nessebar beach is a great option. Although Sunny Beach is not technically in Nessebar, it is literally right next door.
What is Nessebar Known For?
The cute coastal town of Nessebar is known for its extremely rich history, beautiful beaches, and the infamous Sunny Beach.
Does Nessebar Have Nightlife?
Nessebar’s old town has a few bars and restaurants, but the real action happens around Sunny Beach. The family-friendly carnivals in the summer with the contrasting bustling nightlife on Sunny Beach make Nessebar the perfect destination for travelers of all ages!
How Long to Spend in Nessebar?
You can see most of Nessebar in a day, but if you want to indulge in various water sports, party, and do a few day trips, you can spend 4-5 days here with a packed schedule. If we find ourselves in Nessebar again, we’ll likely spend 3 nights and 4 days here!
