The ancient part of the town is situated on a peninsula and is connected to the mainland by a narrow man-made isthmus. It bears evidence of occupation by a variety of different civilisations over the course of its existence. The wealth of ancient buildings, the unique style of architecture and the abundance of historic buildings, means that this part of the town has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The new town is the administrative centre and is located on the mainland. It is just a few kilometres away from the popular resort of Sunny Beach. This part of the town is more built up and modern. Many of the locals live here, and the abundance of hotels and apartments sit somewhat haphazardly with the communist apartment blocks inhabited by the locals. New Nessebar is still popular with tourists, however and all the amenities are here such as supermarkets, banks, doctors, dentists and police station. There is also a park located in the Southeastern part of the town on a territory of over 27 decares.

Now firstly, the mistake that most people make when visiting Bulgaria, is booking with a travel agent. Travel agents seem to think that the only resort that you can stay in within Bulgaria is Sunny Beach, they also charge too much for their package holidays, especially in high season.

You can book a self catering apartment online. Prices are very reasonable since the expansion of the Black Sea Coast has meant the development of a whole number of self catering apartments. This means lots of competition and relatively low prices for tourists. Try www.holidaylettings.co.uk or www.apolloncomplex.com. In high season, it is possible to book an apartment for 4 people from as little as £250 per week.

There are many apartments in Nessebar. However, it is important to note that many of the apartments advertised are not actually within the centre, but within the municipality of Nessebar. This means that you may be located around 2km outside of the resort centre. However, this is not a problem since bus links into the centre are good and the fares are extremely cheap. It is also worth noting that even if you do get accommodation in the resort centre, the chances are that you will be located in New Nessebar and not old Nessebar. Personally, I would prefer to be located outside of the resort centre, rather than stay in New Nessebar, which is more of a town than a tourist centre.

There are also a good range of hotels within Nessebar. There are also a few hotels in the ancient part of the town. However, it is worth noting that the Black Sea was a popular tourist destination with the Russians during the communist era. This means that tourism was growing here, well before the British arrived. Consequently, some of the hotels are rather substandard and so if you do opt for hotel accommodation, it is worth checking that it is relatively new. Balkan holidays are the worst for putting their customers into outdated hotel blocks. However, this problem is more common in the popular resort of Sunny Beach.

There are an abundance of restaurants and bars located throughout Old and New Nessebar. Nearly all of the restaurtants are of very good quality and have extensive menus serving a variety of local cuisine. There are also many fish restaurants which serve fresh fish caught that day and brought into the harbour in the old town. My favourite restaurants are dotted around the water front in the old town: here you can sit and eat your meal whilst listening to the waves gently lapping on the shoreline.

• Bottle of Beer - £0.40 • Take Away Sandwich - £1.00 • Two Course Meal - £4.00 • Tea - £0.40 • Coffee - £0.50 • Bottle of Wine in a Restaurant - £3.50 • Ice-cream - £0.50 • Soft drink - £0.40

Nightlife in Nessebar is focused predominantly on the many bars that stay open until the early hours. For a good choice of nightclubs, it is worth taking a bus or taxi over to Sunny Beach, which is just a short ride away. However, if catching a taxi, be aware that the drivers try to overcharge tourists. Never accept the first price that you are given, always barter and you will get a lower price. Avoid the metred taxis as the prices in these cars are fixed and are always high.

The old town is the best place to pick up your holiday souveniors. There are art galleries and hundreds of little shops dotted around the cobbled streets offering hand crafted souvenirs – pottery, crocheting, and jewellery. However, it is worth noting that the old town can get very busy during high season. To see the true charm of this place, it is best visited very early on in the season when the streets are quiet and the local way of life can still be enjoyed.

Nessebar boasts one of the best sandy beaches in the region. The sand strip extends from Nessebar, to the resort of Ravda in the south. The beaches are wide and backed by natural sand dunes, whose crests form a fabulous natural phenomenon. The sea is clear and calm, it is suitable for bathing in during the summer months. However, it is worth noting that the beaches to the immediate north and south of the town can become busy during high season.