Epic trips from Constanta on the Romanian Riviera

Supposing you are on the Romanian seaside for a longer or shorter time, and you must take a break from sun, bathing etc (due to sun burns, bad weather, or simply for changing, or because you want know in depth the cultural Romania). Tell me the scheduled time for your trip, between 1 and three days I suppose!

Well, you have for sure a wide choice. You can go to Tulcea and have a wonderful relaxing ship cruise inside the Danube Delta. You are going to need a good camera, the Delta is a protected natural paradise. You can taste some exquisite wines on the ship even, and you can taste also the fish soup (no one, but absolutely no one can cook it so tasty as the locals do). You can stay one day long, or longer, as you wish, and depending on how much you are going to like (but everyone likes, I can bet on it)

Tulcea is a gift of the Danube, and you can have excellent trips on the river, inside the Delta

Another possibility is driving along all the Romanian seaside, 150 km away. Visit all the Romanian seaside resorts, from Mamaia to Mangalia and Vama Veche. In Vama Veche you can simply turn, or going further in Bulgaria. If you really love water and sea, is a right trip! Observe the different properties of all these resorts. In Costinesti, e.g., it is almost impossible to sleep at night. This resort is renowned for its entertainment and very popular among youngsters and students. Vama Veche, on the contrary, has much more style. It is quite, relaxing, unbelievable cheap, and we hope to last in this state!

Ancient Greek artefacts in Histria

Another possibility is an archaeological tour to Histria and Adamclisi. Histria has been for centuries a Greek colony and port, and you can admire its ancient ruins. About Adamclisi there are some things to comment, for sure! Adamclisi is only 60 km away from Constanta, and that means less than 1 hour by car or bus. Observe the sunflower plantations, but also the vineyards (wine tasting in Murfatlar is almost a must do!).

The monument from Adamclisi is called Tropaeum Traiani and measures 38 meters in diameter, and 39 meters in height (shall this be the golden cut? The first impression about the monument is very positive indeed). It has been build to honor the Roman emperor Traian between the years 106-109, for a winning battle against the local Dacians, which took place in 102.  The clush was sharp and bloody. The Romans were better armed and equipped, while the locals fought sometimes only with empty hands. Observe the subtle ancient propaganda: the enemmies of Romans, no matter how brave they may have been, are depicted dying or being captured. The remaining foes of the Romans should draw the necessary lessons. Observe also   the local suits on the locals, very similar with the Romanian National suits from our days!

Wild beach parties in Vama Veche until dawn

The Monument from Adamclisi, as you can see nowadays, is actually a restauration.By the beginning of the XXth the archaelogists discovered the remaining ruins ( no more than a pile of stones!). Its restauration and inauguration in 1977 was a major success for the communist propaganda (nothing new under the sun)

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The best city breaks in Romania

Thinking to a city break lasting 1-2 days I wanna propose a special selection for Romania. I have made this selection based on the things to do in every mentioned city, hotels and restaurants, museums, airports. It is possible to organize the transfer, where we can't find an airport immediate next to the mentioned city!

The selected cities are selected all over Romania, and everyone is in the happy position to offer an unforgettable city break. So, these are my winners:

1. Brasov/Kronstadt, maybe the most travel oriented city in Romania. You can even ski in Poiana Brasov. At every step you will be welcomed by hotels and restaurants, giving the city an exceptional flair. You can take a walk in the centre and downrown, you can climb in Restaurant Panoramic  to get a wonderful spectacular view of the city. For gourmet, Aro Palace is also a target, there is a wide selection of exquisite wines. Landing in Bucharest or Sibiu requires a 100 km long transfer, also very easy and affordable.

The Black Church from Brasov is the biggest Gothic Cathedral in the South East Europe

2. Bucharest. The Romanian Capital needs a longer break, if I may to say so. This city is huge, you must only avoid it in summer, even the locals are going out in the mountains or to the seaside. It is really warm, nevertheless charming after 18 hours with so many open terraces to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer. Discover the Bucharest fountains with their legends, Bucharest museums and Bucharest parks. Walk in the downtown on the Magheru Boulevard or Calea Victoriei, which are really expensive, even comparing with other famous streets worldwide.

You can walk on Calea Victoriei from Bucharest, but avoid entering the boutiques if you are on a budget. They are really expansive

3.Iasi. hasn't an own airport yet, transfer from Bucharest lasts 5 hours, but you can also use the airports of Chisinau or Bacau (2 hours). I can organize wonderful breaks in Iasi, with wine tastings . Don't miss the Culture palace with its 4 museums, and visit Hotel Restaurant Traian, the city's oldest and biggest. The city is build on 7 hills, similar to Rome, and you can have a relaxing walk in this city.

The Culture Palace from Iasi is a must see for any art freak

4.Cluj Napoca/Koloszvar/Klausenburg is really international and definitely worth to your time. Take a walk in the downtown, be sure to visit the catholic church of St Michael and also the orthodoxe cathedral. Visit the New York Palace, today Continental Hotel. Other important points: History and Art museum. But first of all, observe the fantastic cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city sitting in a restaurant from downtown. You will be able to hear more languages, mainly Romanian and Hungarian, and the locals can easy commute among these two!

Cluj Napoca and the Orthodoxe Cathedral

5.Constanta, the old Tomis, is a must see for the sea lovers, but it is not limited to that! Its position on the seaside gives him some advantages, against other cities from Romania. The vineyards from Murfatlar and Niculitel are very close, and the city has a breathtaking History Museum. Coming in summer, you have at your disposition a wide selection of beaches. Coming out of the season, you will find a quiet peaceful city, which is also very affordable, you can stay on a budget for sure!  

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Constanta, the Capital of the Romanian seaside

Nowadays in Romania the most important city is by far Bucharest, but for the second place there is a permanent fight among cities like Cluj-Napoca, Iasi or Constanta.

The Casino from Constanta acts a little sad, his founder build it 100 years ago to the memory of his beloved wife.

Constanta has good chances in this undeclared war. In summer, for instance, turns Constanta clearly to be the most important city in Romania, even many people from  Bucharest come here. The city of Constanta enjoys also the title of the oldest city in Romania, being created by Greek colonists already in the VIth century b.C.  In the first century b.C Constanta became for the first time very well known through banning of the Roman poet Ovid in the city, due its irreverent behavior. Ovid left the rest of his life here, being very unhappy  because of the chilly winters and the rudeness of the locals.

The statue is Ovid's, the famous Roman poet, banned to Constanta. Further behind, the history Museum, one of Romania's best

Nowadays, after a trembled milennary history, the things changed and improved dramatically, and I am sure that Ovid, as any other people would like to be banned here, in the uncrowned touristic Capital of the today Romania! The many stylish restaurants of the city never offer (noblesse oblige) chilled wine, but only to the right serving temperature.

From the many hotels of Constanta, I would like to recommend Hotel Yaki from Mamaia, having all the necessary ammenities (Mamaia is a holiday resort, counting as an outskirt from Constanta). Constanta's most important travel agent is his Mayor, Radu Mazare, a controversial picturesque figure, holding the first page of the tabloids!

Constanta means a lot, but first of all sun,sea and beaches.

You have no time for boring in Constanta! First of all, you can take a walk in the Center, in the Ovid square. Behind the statue of Ovidiu there is the Museum of History and Archaeology, one of the Romania's best, due to the richness of the artefacts and the presentation manner. Amazingly, everything stops in 1947, very similar with other leading History Museums from Romania. Not far you can find the Mosque Carol I, the core of the Muslim community of Romania. You can enter for a small fee, and admire a breathtaking panorama of Constanta from the height of its tower. Further the magnificent Orthodox Cathedral of St Peter and Paul, build in 1880, and painted much later in 1950.

Afterwards, walk further on the pier, watching Romania's most important shipyards and ports. And once, very majestic, appears the Casino, one of Constanta landmarks. It acts a little sad, its founder build it for the memory of his beloved wife, who died suddenly.Something very funny for the educated travelers, which is my personal remember: doing this tour of Constanta a few years ago with a super bus, the WC tank gone out of order and should have been evacuated in the very center of Constanta!

Further, whether on Constanta beaches, or in Mamaia, you can take sun bathes, or to have trips for wine tasting in Murfatlar or Niculitel ,  ship tour in Danube Delta. There are so many many things to do in Constanta, really a wide selection to your disposal.

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