Where is the best place to relax in Bulgaria? Reviews from tourists. Personal experience about Nessebar and Sozopol Sozopol or Nessebar – who is older

From summer trips, a little bit of Nessebar and Sozopol, two surprisingly similar ancient Bulgarian towns. I'll start with Nessebar:

This is what the embankment of the old city looks like

A little history:
Nessebar (Bulgarian Nessebar, until 1934 Mesemvria, Turkish Misivri) is a Bulgarian city located on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, on a rocky peninsula 850 m long and 300 m wide, 37 km north of the city of Burgas. Nessebar is divided into two parts: New Nessebar, where most of the modern houses and hotels are located, resort complex sunny Beach- and Old Nessebar, located on a small peninsula connected to the land by a narrow isthmus about 400 meters long. Actually, it is the old city that is interesting.
Kinds:

The city of Nessebar is one of the oldest cities in Europe with a population of about 10,000 inhabitants. It is the successor to the ancient Thracian settlement called Mesembria, which existed from the beginning of the first millennium BC. e.

From antiquity to the present day, the ruins of the fortress wall, towers, gates, and reliefs have been preserved. In 1983, the area of the old town of Nessebar was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. Intensive archaeological research is taking place in the old part of the city. During excavations, the ruins of a church built in the 9th century AD were discovered. e., as well as the remains of Byzantine baths.
Actually, here are the remains of ancient buildings:

Western fortress wall

Church of Christ Pantakrator (13th century)

In the earliest archaeological layers on the territory of modern Nessebar, ceramics were discovered, which in the Eastern Mediterranean are usually associated with the Thracians. According to Strabo, the original settlement founded here by the Thracians was called Menebria. At the end of the 6th century BC. e. the Dorian Greeks turned it into a Greek colony and revitalized shopping mall. From this time on, the city was known in the Greek world as Mesambria or Mesembria. In 72 BC. e. the city was captured by the army of the Roman Empire, without actual resistance. After a short occupation, Messembria became part of the Roman Empire and received a number of privileges, such as the right to mint its own coins. At the end of the 1st century. In the city, the first Christian female martyr died - Saint Irene of Macedon, who, according to legend, was revived by an angel after her execution.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city, like the entire Balkan Peninsula, was included in Byzantium. In 811, Mesembria was taken over by the Bulgarian khan Krum the Terrible, who approved the transcription of Nessebar (Nessebar, Nessebar) for this city.

Already as part of the Bulgarian state, in the 13th-14th centuries, the peak of Nessebar’s development occurred during the reign of Tsar Ivan Alexander, when the city was one of the most important in the Bulgarian state.

In 1452, Nessebar fell under the pressure of the Turks, and the walls of the fortress were destroyed. During the Ottoman yoke (XV-XIX centuries), Nessebar was devastated and ruined, like other Bulgarian cities.

During the period of the Bulgarian national revival, houses were built in the city that give modern Nessebar an archaic romance. Typical Nessebar houses of the 18th-19th centuries have small courtyards facing the street, which is delineated by the walls of stone ground floors. A wooden staircase, often movable, leads to the rooms on the upper floor. It is light, has a bay window, is completely covered with wood and protrudes above the first floor, and the beams supporting it further narrow the visual space of the street. The interior is characterized by wooden ceilings and whitewashed walls. The windows on the upper floors are wide, while those on the ground floor are narrow and few in number. Actually here they are:

Streets of the old city

In the 1920s Mesemvria (officially renamed Nessebar in 1934) gradually began to develop as a resort, but the majority of the city's population was still engaged in fishing.

During World War II, several powerful pillboxes and artillery batteries were built in the vicinity of the city, covering Nessebar from sea and land. They did not participate in hostilities and are now in an abandoned state.
(By the way, we haven’t seen anything like this, next time we’ll try to look)
With the advent neighboring resort Sunny Beach, Nessebar began to develop mainly as a resort town.

The last time the Turkish fortress of Mesemvria had to fight during the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-29. - July 9-11, 1829. On July 9, ships of the Russian navy approached the fortress walls, defended by the troops of the two-bunchu Pasha Osman, from the sea, and Russian infantry from the land.

The isthmus connecting Mesemvria with the mainland was defended by an ancient massive tower and (from the west) a redoubt. The garrison of the fortress was 2000 people with 15 guns. By the evening of July 10, three Russian Uhlan regiments and infantry, under the command of Major General Otto Ivanovich Wachten, approached the city. The Turks refused the offer to surrender. Then Russian artillery opened fire on the redoubt on the isthmus and literally after a few shots forced its garrison to capitulate. At the same time, bombardment ships from the squadron of Admiral Alexei Samuilovich Greig began shelling Mesemvria and with the fifth hit they blew up the main gunpowder magazine of the Turks. After this, the Russian infantry general Loggin Osipovich Roth invited Osman Pasha to surrender, and he agreed on the condition that the garrison could leave the fortress. The Russians rejected this condition, and then Osman Pasha bargained for time until dawn on July 11 to convince his subordinates to surrender. At dawn on July 11, 1829, the Russians received the keys to Mesemvria. 2,000 Turks surrendered, 19 guns, 10 banners and large supplies of food were taken. Part of the garrison tried to escape to Anchialos (now Pomorie) on rowing ships, but the Russian brig Orpheus disrupted the evacuation. The capture of Mesemvria was attended by such famous Russian commanders as Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, Lazar Markovich Serebryakov and Alexander Ivanovich Yushkov, as well as the commander of the frigate Pospeshny, Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who two months ago glorified his name with the legendary battle on the brig Mercury.

This takes pride in the Motherland.
We always climb, we always free everyone, and we always get a bunch of crap from our former brothers in gratitude. This applies to Bulgarians to a lesser extent, but still...

On July 11, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Ivan Ivanovich Dibich, arrived in Mesemvria, paid a visit to Admiral A.S. Greig on the battleship Paris and celebrated the birthday of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna there. On July 12, Emperor Nicholas I received a letter from Diebitsch: “The victorious banners of Your Majesty flutter on the walls of Mesemvria, Ahiolo and Burgas, among the population who greet our brave men as liberators and brothers.” In response to this letter, Nicholas I granted Dibich the title of count, with an honorary prefix to the surname “Zabalkansky”.

In honor of the capture of Mesemvria, 2 warships of the Russian fleet were named. The first, the 24-gun corvette Mesemvria, became part of the Black Sea Fleet in April 1832 and was lost in May 1838 during a storm at the mouth of the Sochi River. The second, 60-gun frigate "Mesemvria", of the same type as the famous frigate "Pallada", was part of the Black Sea Fleet from November 1840, and on February 13, 1855 it was sunk in Sevastopol Bay.
And sunset in Nessebar

Sozopol, in its appearance and history, resembles Nessebar, only a little smaller.
If it takes us 20 minutes to get to Nessebar, then to Sozopol it’s 2-3 times longer, so we went there on a “Soviet legacy”.

The comet rockets are old. The Bulgarians bought them from the Greeks and spent a long time repairing them, but guess where and who the Greeks got them from.

In general, this thing smokes and buzzes quite noticeably.
Even I, with my love for maritime transport, I was afraid to be in the salon.

Well, we arrive in Sozopol and go to see the city.
Sozopol is located 34 km east-southeast of Burgas. The city is located on a small peninsula jutting into the Black Sea.

Sozopol is the oldest Bulgarian city in Black Sea coast. The first settlement in these places arose in the 4th-3rd millennium BC. e. In 610 BC. e. At this place, immigrants from Miletus founded the Greek colony of Apollonia, named after the god Apollo and erected a 14-meter statue of Apollo. In the 1st century AD e. The Roman commander Marcus Lucilius captured and destroyed Apollonia, and took the above-mentioned statue to Rome (where it remains to this day).

The ancient part of the city is an architectural reserve. It is dominated by wooden fishermen's houses built in the 19th century. Sometimes you can see stone residential buildings built at the beginning of the 20th century and the 1930s. Generally Old city resembles the old part of Nessebar.

Not far from Sozopol there is Archaeological Museum, in which you can see a rich collection of Greek vases. Residents of Sozopol are proud of the Church of the Holy Mother of God with a wonderful iconostasis made by local woodcarvers.

Architectural and historical monuments

Near Sozopol is the largest Bulgarian island in the Black Sea, St. Ivan:

Sozopol streets and buildings:

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1828 -1829, the Turkish fortress of Sozopol (Sizeboli) was taken on February 15-16, 1829 by a detachment of Russian battleships "Empress Maria", "Panteleimon" and "Pimen", frigates "Raphael" and "Eustathius" and three gunboats led by Rear Admiral Mikhail Nikolaevich Cumani (335 guns and 1,162 paratroopers). The plan to capture the fortress was personally approved by Emperor Nicholas I. During February 15, all enemy coastal batteries were suppressed by the fire of Russian naval guns, and on the morning of February 16, under the cover of fog, 500 Russian paratroopers landed on the shore. Seeing them, the Turkish garrison (1600 people) left Sozopol. The head of the Turkish garrison, Hamil Pasha, was captured.

And this could not have happened without our help.

On March 28, 1829, Turkish troops (4,000 infantry, 1,800 cavalry) made a desperate attempt to recapture Sozopol. The assault on the fortress lasted all day, but was successfully repulsed by the joint forces of the Russian army, navy and fortress artillery. During the battle, 27 sailors and soldiers died in the fortress and 5 sailors on the ships.

Zabrosik

For the capture of Sozopol, Rear Admiral M.N. Kumani was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree, and 2 guns taken in Sozopol were donated to the cities of Sevastopol and Nikolaev. In 1841, the 60-gun frigate of the Russian fleet “Sizopol” was named in honor of the capture of the city. Currently, part of the fortress wall has been preserved in Sozopol - a witness to the battles of 1829, and a memorial plaque has been opened in memory of the Russian officers, sailors and soldiers who took the fortress by storm and then defended it.

On April 19, 1829, an operational base of the Black Sea Fleet was established in Sozopol. The legendary Russian brig "Mercury", under the command of Lieutenant-Commander A.I. Kazarsky, entered the battle with two Turkish battleships that made him famous on May 14, 1829, from Sozopol and returned to Sozopol.

Most of the Greek population fled the city as a result of the 1906 pogroms. Nevertheless, in 1920, Sozopol, with a population of 2,000, remained a Greek city.

Ancient church

More types:

Well, as a conclusion, an interesting note:

In 2012, during excavations in Sozopol, two medieval burials were discovered: the skeletons' chests were pierced with iron wedges. Such “precautionary measures” were taken in the old days against suspected vampires so that they would not rise from the grave.
So that...

Sent using

Walking with my husband along the Sozopol embankment, we saw a boat like this.

I asked passers-by where this ship was sailing. It turned out that this is a pleasure boat that sails between Sozopol and Nessebar. Oh sorry! Ships don't float, they walk :). She suggested that her husband go to cruise and he agreed. Now I’ll tell you a little about this cruise. At the same time, I will describe other possible travel options from Sozopol to Nessebar.

On the boat

Boats depart from Sozopol to Nessebar three times a day (10:30, 15:00 and 19:00). Here is the schedule back to Nessebar.

Please note that these daily flights only operate from 16 June to 10 September. During the periods from May 15 to June 15 and from September 11 to October 11, flights are only available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. My husband and I bought tickets at this kiosk on the pier.

They are personal.

Boarding on the Comet ends one minute before departure. There were few people in the cabin.

Do you see the air conditioners in the background of the photo? They practically do not work, just like the promised free Internet. I suspect that such problems occurred not only on our flight. There are also problems with security. The passengers were not told anything about the location of the life jackets:(. The only thing was that before sailing, the captain forbade everyone to go on deck without his permission. Finally, the command was sounded that the way to the deck was open.

"Comet" sails to Nessebar for forty minutes. Along the way we passed Pomorie, Chernomorets and some other resort towns.

Pomorie

And here is the pier of Nessebar.

Ticket prices

The ticket costs 25 levs (12.7 euros).

Where to buy tickets

Boat tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the pier or on the Fast Ferry website.

By bus

There is only one direct flight daily from Sozopol to Nessebar. Well, at least I only found one) Here is the bus schedule on the route Sozopol-Sunny Beach-Sozopol, passing through Nessebar.

You can view it on the Minibus Express website or at the bus station.

Flight schedule Sozopol-Nessebar

And this is the bus route.

Flight departure time is not convenient. At 16:00 the bus leaves from Sozopol and back on a direct flight; on the same day it is impossible to return by bus. Flights to Nessebar depart from a small bus station, which is located in the Old Town.

You can also travel by bus to Nessebar with a transfer in Burgas. Here is the Sozopol-Burgas flight schedule.

Buses arrive at the bus station (autogara) “South” (you can read more about this station). And this is the summer schedule of Minibus Express flights from Burgas to Sunny Beach, traveling through.

At the end of the holiday season, fewer flights depart from Burgas.

Ticket prices

A ticket for a Minibus Express flight from Sozopol costs 12 levs (6.14 euros). A trip with transfers will cost the same amount.

Where to buy tickets

Tickets can be purchased from flight drivers before boarding.

By taxi

A taxi transfer from Sozopol to Nessebar will cost from 40 to 60 euros.

Taxi in Sozopol

For detailed information about taxis in Bulgaria, click :).

By car

In Sozopol I saw only one car rental office. Here it is on the map. And this is the cost of renting a car for one day (during the holiday season, the rental price may be higher).

other methods

It is impossible to get from Sozopol to Nessebar by plane or train. Both resorts do not have airports or train stations.

Finally

Nessebar is a small town and in two hours you can walk around it length and breadth, so public transport You won’t need one for walking around the resort.

Nessebar

And here's a story about Nessebar. Everything is here interesting information about the attractions, restaurants and beaches of the resort.

It was and remains one of the most beloved countries. Endless stripes of beaches, clear sea, delicious cuisine, aromatic wine - its advantages can be listed almost endlessly. Guests from the East (and from the West too) have to choose - either, or.

The last two resorts are not too far from each other and have a lot in common. Even the territories they occupy are similar - the historical part of the cities is located on the peninsulas, new neighborhoods are growing on the mainland along the coast.

Sozopol or Nessebar – who is older?

Sozopol appeared in the 6th century BC, founded by Greek colonists. The first settlements appeared on the rocky peninsula and were very convenient for safe living. The city in those distant times was called Apollonia in honor of the famous ancient Greek god, whose bronze statue adorned central square.

At the end of the 1st century BC. Marcus Lucullus ravaged the city and took the monument to, where it is safely kept in the Capitol today. A new settlement arose only five hundred years later and was called Sozopolis - the city of salvation. Today, it can be said to “save” guests, giving them the opportunity to rest their soul and body.

In the matter of seniority, Nessebar definitely wins - it dates back more than three thousand years and belongs to ancient cities. The historical part of the city, like Sozopol, occupies a peninsula and is also under UNESCO protection. There is a legend that most of the settlement went under water; only a piece of land remained, on which all 40 surviving religious buildings were located.

Beaches and hotels

Sozopol currently has only three beaches: Central Beach - in the historical part of the resort; Harmani Beach - in new neighborhoods; "Golden Fish" - in the outskirts of the city. Moreover, all the beaches of Sozopol are quite wide and long, so there is enough space for guests. The beaches are equipped, there is a rental of sun loungers and sports equipment, and there are famous beach activities.

There are only two 5* hotels; there are several 4* complexes; the hotel range is mainly represented by 2–3* hotels, providing a minimum of amenities at affordable prices. In the city a large number of apartments located both in the old part of Sozopol and in new areas.

The beach in Nessebar is considered one of the most beautiful in Bulgaria - it is a wide strip of coastline covered with golden fine sand. There are all the necessary attributes (sunbeds, sun loungers) for a comfortable stay, and there is also the opportunity for sports games, windsurfing and diving.
Accommodation in Nessebar for tourists depends on the thickness of their wallet and desire. Hotels of 2–3* category offer rooms at very reasonable prices. For those tourists who are used to relaxing in comfort, there is hotel complexes 4* and 5*, most of them are located in the modern part, in the direction of the village of Revda. Sometimes tourists rent apartments in old houses equipped with modern furniture and equipment.

Entertainment and attractions

The main historical and cultural attractions and monuments of Sozopol are, naturally, located on the peninsula. A unique architectural reserve has been created here, which is under the protection of specialists from UNESCO. You can endlessly walk along the narrow streets, admiring the ancient houses, the remains of the fortress wall and the only surviving old mill. There are several in the city interesting museums, an art gallery housed in the home of Dimitar Laskaridisou, a famous former fishmonger.

The main entertainment for guests of Nessebar is walking around the Old Town, which is located on a peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Medieval churches, ancient fortress walls, ancient residential buildings and public buildings create a unique atmosphere. Require special attention places of worship, firstly, quite a lot of them have been preserved, and secondly, they are beautiful and unique.

A comparison of just a few items shows that both Bulgarian resorts are good for summer holiday: they are ready to provide the best conditions for living, staying at sea and entertainment. And yet, holidays at these resorts are different, so Sozopol will be chosen by foreign guests who: