Bulgaria: Nesebar
Nesebar is an ancient city on the Black Sea Coast, one of the oldest and historically important settlements in the world. It was originally a Thracian settlement known as Mesembria, before becoming a Greek colony in the 6th century BC (it was the only Greek colony in the Black Sea at the time). In the 5-8th centuries AD, Nesebar was one of the biggest strategic cities of the Byzantine Empire and later the Bulgarian kingdom. Many of the ancient Byzantine churches are found all over the town, and almost all are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Nesebar – St Sophia, St Stephen, Holy Virgin, and a dozen others. It’s a beautiful atmospheric all-pedestrian city of cobblestone streets, antique buildings and churches, and a bit of touristy with souvenir shops and restaurants. Finally, an interesting fact – supposedly coin money were invented by traders here in Nexebar in the 5th century BC as a medium of trading goods, instead of bartering.
