Nesebar Archaeological Museum

The old town of Nessebar, set on a small rocky peninsula joined to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its rare concentration of history — from Thracians and Greeks to Byzantium and medieval Bulgaria. The Archaeological Museum of Nessebar is the key to making sense of this palimpsest: it gathers and explains the finds unearthed from the town's overlapping layers.

What to see The collection spans the millennia of settlement at the town known in antiquity as Mesembria. You will find ancient pottery, Greek inscriptions, coins, anchors and artefacts tied to its harbour life, Roman and Byzantine sculpture and pieces, and icons and objects from the medieval Christian period, when the town was crowded with churches. The displays help visitors then "read" the famous Byzantine church ruins for themselves as they walk the cobbled streets.

Practical The museum sits right at the entrance to the old town, easy to fold into a walk around the peninsula; it is best visited first, as an introduction, before exploring the churches and the timber Bulgarian Revival houses. Nessebar lies next to the Sunny Beach resort, a short distance from Burgas; it gets very busy in summer, so early mornings are the calmest. Check current opening hours on site. Nearby: the medieval churches, the seafront and the beaches of the bay.