Welcome to County Constanţa in the Dobrogea region of Romania! Discover historic Constanţa and surrounding villages, and understand the rich Dobrogea culture unfolding in beautiful Constanta. Rest Romania will help you find the perfect hotel or B&B in our Constanţa Accommodation section, or a guest house or pensiune in a village nestled in the mountains. Explore all of Constanţa from Constanţa to Mangalia and Medgidia, and the smaller towns in Dobrogea like Basarabi, Cernavodă, Eforie Nord, Hârşova, Năvodari, Negru Vodă, Ovidiu, and black mud bath town of Techirghiol. Communes include Adamclisi and Mihail Kogălniceanu!
Travel by rental car or tour bus and train through the Constanţa region of Dobrogea in Romania. Hotels in Constanţa are well-priced, and great travel and tourism activities from shopping, to exploring the villages, folk art, castles, mountains and forests. See all of County Constanţa, from Constanţa to Mangalia and Medgidia, and the smaller towns in Dobrogea like Basarabi, Cernavodă, Eforie Nord, Hârşova, Năvodari, Negru Vodă, Ovidiu, and black mud bath town of Techirghiol. Communes include Adamclisi and Mihail Kogălniceanu!
The new
Rest
Romania Gallery
has photos from our contributors showing the best of Romania!
Below: 1940 photo of the statue of the Roman poet Ovidius, exiled to
Constanţa
Ancient Constanţa
The entire county of Constanţa was under Ottoman
Rule since the 15th century, until the Romanians moved in in 1878 after
fighting back the Turks one last time with Russian help.
Prior to Romanian rule, about 30% of the County were ethnic Romanians,
with the majority being mostly Tatars and Bulgars, with a handful of
Turks remaining.
Modern Constanţa
County Constanţa
has
three main cities, the seaport of Constanţa, towards the Bulgarian border,
Mangalia, and inland towards the Danube, Medgidia.
There are
also the eight other major towns of Basarabi, Băneasa, nuclear Cernavodă,
sunny Eforie Nord and sister town Eforie Sud, Hârşova, Năvodari, Negru
Vodă, Ovidiu and muddy little Techirghiol, along with a half dozen seaside
resorts north and south of the city of Constanţa.
For a cultural change, visit the Roman Empire's largest city in all
of Dobrogea (Dobruja)at Adamclisi, home of the Traian
Column, Roman War Memorial and the Roman fortifications!
European royalty flocked to this fin de siecle monument to
luxury at the tip of the old quarter in Constanţa
originally built as a pavilion for Carmen Sylva, Romania's Queen
Elizabeth. Here in 1963, and below today.
The main tourist port for Constanţa offers
some great views back towards the city!
Constanţa Seafront
Even the communist years did little to spoil
the quintessentially charming seafront.
The Sunny Black Sea Coast is the preferred
destination for the summer holidays in Romania.
Resort to a Resort!
Some may think them hackneyed throwbacks to 1950s beach life, but in
Romania they work particularly well, especially in the more village-like
communities of
Gura Portiţei,
Eforie Nord, and
Vama Veche.
In these smaller and very charming resort communities (Gura is tiny,
Eforie is almost as big as
Olimp-Neptun to the south), you get a very pleasing mix of village
life melded with reasonable quality restaurants, hotels, minor
attractions, and of course, miles and miles of the great golden sands of
the Black Sea.
The Romania Riviera's
crown jewel and former choice of Romania's Royal family for their
seaside palace, is Mamaia,
the mega-resort and about as big as the hotel game gets on the Black Sea
coast of Romania.
The
City of Constanţa
is itself a treasure trove of historical digs, artefacts, museums and
parks dedicated to the centuries of history just under the surface.
As so often happens anywhere in Dobrogea, it was a public excavation
for a new bus terminal which uncovered some of the more interesting
Roman finds, now safely at home in the National History Museum at
Constanţa, which, for those in the know, has an
even better collection of local Greek and Roman piece than it's big
sister museum in the capital Bucharest.
The mausoleum at
Adamclisi and the
nearby ruins really make for a historic afternoon, especially if you
actually take the time to read about it first!
All through County Constanţa are some rather
interesting old Greek and Roman ruins, with the
Histria excavations and associated museum being probably the most
developed anywhere in the
Dobrogea Region. See too our special
Ancient Dobrogea section for an overview of digs and sites
throughout County Constanta.
Not exactly a paragon of either
taste or sincerity, Ceaşescu managed to
wrangle a holiday home in most of the best spots, whether high atop the
Făgăraş chain in the Carpathian mountains, or
here in a vaguely Italianate villa on the Black Sea coast.
Don't bother travelling to Athens or Rome if you
want to marvel in some amazing European history, because the
stunning archaeological finds from Greek and Roman days in
Constanţa rivals them all!
As the largest Romanian seaport on the Black Sea,
the de facto capital of
Dobrogea, and third-largest city in
România, Constanţa is a vibrant seaport and
regional centre since Greek and Roman times!
Marseilles on the Black Sea
European royalty have flocked to the fine sands of
the Black Sea coast since the early 1900s, when a rail line was
built from the Paris of the East, Bucharest to this sunny seaside
resort port.
Constanţa has the air of a
French seaside town in the 1950s in many ways. Even at the
height of summer, when alot of the residents go to the mountains for a
cool break or flock north or south to the adjacent resort towns of
Mamaia,
Eforie Nord and
the resorts further south.
You'll enjoy strolling through the old port part of
town, complete with a wild mix of mosques, Orthodox churches, a fine
old Catholic church, museums, and some attractive ornate
architecture.
The feel of the exotic pull of the Black Sea is strong in Constanţa. In what was once an Ottoman city of mostly ethnic Tatars and Greek
citizens, barely 1 in 20 Constanţa
residents were Romanian in the mid 1800s (now well over 90% today).
But because of this culturally rich history, Constanţa offers some architectural and
culinary delights to the traveller, from old mosques and some super
Turkish, Greek and ethnic Romanian restaurants, to just having an
authentic shaorma in the park under a cool shade tree.
Although the Turkish population has always been very low in the
city -- never more than 3%, despite the bevy of Turkish restaurants
now found in the old port town -- Constanţa has benefitted greatly
from it's long history as an Ottoman protectorate.
All this will surely settle the charm of Constanţa in
your hearts!
You can confidently compare Mamaia to the beaches of Cannes or Saint Tropez.
Fringed by wild pear trees, and renowned for its fine, soft sand,
Mamaia is Romania's oldest resort.
Mamaia was thoughtfully designed from the ground up
since 1906 when the first wooden pier went
in, to cater to all whims and
desires with the long strip of sand dotted with
luxury hotels, fun parks, shops, restaurants, and a promenade
running the entire length of the resort with annual summer events
for all ages.
Mamaia concentrates it's fun because of the 300 metre width of
the amazing sand bar which separates the large inland Lake
Siutghiol
from the sea, going north from Constanţa 8km
until it meets the mainland again at Năvodari.
The Complete Range
Through major developments throughout the past couple of years,
Mamaia has transformed itself into one of the great summer
destinations of Europe, with world-class five-star hotels resting
comfortably with a dozen 3-star hotels, over 25 two-star properties,
and even some great camping on the north end. There's a
reason Romania's royal family chose Mamaia for their seaside summer
palace!
Family Friendly Surf
In addition to beautifully low salinity and no strong currents,
the Black Sea is free of dangerous species of plants or fish, with a
gently sloping shallow coastal shelf, with waters only 1 metre deep
at points up to 100 metres out. This makes Mamaia particularly
suitable and safe for families, with beach patrols and fully staffed
aqua parks too.
By far the most popular and well-known of Romania's beach
hot-spots, Mamaia is the Black Sea Coast's "Little Miami",
dotted with multi-story resorts, big-name hotels, and a very
long strip of seemingly endless white sand.
A very long boardwalk runs 2 km up and down the coast right
along the beach, with the sands on one side and the hotels on
the other. The walk is dotted with little kiosks or
restaurants, and in some sections, almost open-air malls with
shops, bakeries and more restaurants.
General beach cleanliness increases towards the northern end
of the Mamaia strip where you can find fewer hotels and a
camping area; as infrequent as they may be, the southern end in
does indeed suffer from slightly whiffy algal blooms due to less
than optimal discharges into the water. Mamaia does
benefit from having a regularised lifeguard service on duty.
The Fun Park and South End
Wild little carnival style rides, a bowling alley, little
cafes and restaurants and stalls make the fun park at the
southern end of the Mamaia strip Romania's answer to Coney
Island or Brighton. The sky gondolas going north
take off from here, not far from the southern entrance to the
Mamaia strip, soaring over the water park (a colourful and large
waterslide and pool complex) and ending about three-quarters of
the way up the strip.
The Classic Mamaia Beach
One massively long strip of sand, here towards
the southern end of the resort complex, with the wide road running
the length, separating the beach from the hotels.
The Aqua Magic Park at Mamaia
The admission is a bit pricey for some
Romanians, but Americans and Australians will find it cheap.
With specials for half-price admission after 4pm (open until 8pm), a
family of four can have fun for under $14USD.
Quiet little back streets meld effortlessly with a
charming promenade and beautiful sea views from the hotels and
restaurants along the low cliff which protects the golden sands of
Eforie Nord.
Indeed there are quite a few reasons that relaxing
little Eforie Nord made our number one pick for your beach holiday.
The sea and beaches are cleaner than at Mamaia, it's close to the
shopping centres on the south side of Contanţa,
and close enough to rail, air and bus services.
The one possibly saving grace of the Communist era was
the lack of heavy tourist development which ravaged many a quite seaside
town in other spots throughout Europe during the 1960s and 1970s.
As we all know, some development is a good thing, too much an eyesore.
Eforie successfully maintains it's village feel.
Although Eforie Nord is number two after Mamaia in
terms of popularity, the little town offers a real Romanian seaside
village feel, with year-round residents adding to the town's
amenities like easy-to-access grocery stores, chemists and other
services not as available in Mamaia's hyper-commercial atmosphere.
The bulk of the holiday accommodation at Eforie (Eforie
Nord is often "the" Eforie, with it's southern cousin a smaller centre)
is made up of the guesthouses (pensions or "pensiune"), smaller bed and
breakfast type accommodation in people's homes, and smaller hotels with
less than 20 rooms. See our
Romanian
Accommodation section for explanations of these types of
properties).
Yes, there are a few of the lower 3 and 4 storey blocks intended for
working class holiday-makers on a budget, but equally there are some
four-star hotels and truly world-class restaurants.
The Northern End at Eforie Nord
Great golden sands and beach boy service
for a lazy afternoon with a great view
Eforie Charm
This hotel with a great position and
good food on Str Republicii is open late. Try the
pizzas or pastas for lunch, all very well done!
There are a few hotel towers here, on the fringes, and
they really haven't robbed the main cliffside walk or the beach areas of
their smaller feel. Finding things to do and things to buy is easy
in Eforie, as the main shopping streets are all connected to the beach
areas.
Eforie's beaches run for 3 kilometres along the coast,
with nine breakwalls going out into the water with the signature
Y-shaped ends which so ably protect the golden sands and encourage
routine deposits as well.
Eating out is a joy in Eforie, with options for all ages
and wallets. Any traveller will delight in a lunchtime
bottle of wine, a linen table cloth, good table service, great food, and
a stunning view out over the cliff to the golden sands below and the
vibrant deep aqua of the Black Sea to the horizon. What's better,
is that you can enjoy liveried wait staff and get out without tipping
for about $10 per head!
Despite all the good offerings from the various pensions,
it's hard for a Westerner to miss the towering ANA Hotel Europa in the
town centre, with a roomy reception area, ample pool and spa facilities
and surrounding green lawns.
Just to the north of Eforie Nord, and situated on the
main road going south from Constanţa about 10km from the
Constanţa city centre, Agigea is about 3km inland from the
seashore.
Known through it's Bone and Joint hospital functioning in
the years between the great wars, Agigea is likewise known for it's
unique reservations of marine dunes, the largest in
România. With the Danube-Black Sea canal opening at
last in 1984, Agigea is the commercial gateway to the sea with the canarrl opening to the Port of South Constanţa, making up 2,500 hectares
with over 10,000 metres of breakwalls and wing structures. Agigea offers a great place for viewing the sea traffic through the
canal and into the port area as well.
Eforie Sud
Eforie Sud is about 2km to the south of the main Eforie
Nord township, and offers a bit more quiet, although certainly fewer
facilities. A recent injection of cash from EU funding has seen
things change a bit, with building underway and a few new accommodation
blocks now finished.
Eforie Sud is a great place to avoid the crowds and yet
still be close-in enough to Mamaia and Constanţa
if the need for shopping, malls, or some fun rides happens to strike
you. You'll find the same leafy streets, the great little
quiet squares, and some seriously cheap eats throughout Eforie Sud.
Enjoy the wonderful views from the steep hills and cliff tops down to
the beaches too, it's really quite lovely.
If you're beach-walking, you can still make your way
around the headlands and cliffs to the Eforie Sud beaches from the south
end of the Eforie Nord strip, and you'll find a quieter, more
working-class sort of feel at Eforie Sud, well away from the throbbing
pulse of the summer time crowd at Eforie Nord.
Ten years ago you'd be hard-pressed to hear anything but
Romanian and a bit of English spoken at Eforie Sud, but now German,
Russian, and French is heard more often. Economy discount charter
flights from Dortmund and Hamburg during the summer months to the
airport near Constanţa have meant a bit of
overflow from the other resorts, and word-of-mouth has Eforie Sud on the
rise.
But, despite the slight increase in foreigners, Eforie
Sud is still a great little getaway place, especially if you have
transportation like a hire car or don't mind the Personal trains.
Few know today that between the great wars of last century, Eforie Sud
(or Carmen Sylva as it was known then) was
the top luxury resort on the whole Black Sea coast!
Despite having a bit of an industrial heritage, Năvodari
nonetheless makes a worthy home base if you're making day trips up to
Histria, down to Mamaia and Constanţa, and even
up to the southern Danube Delta communities, all within easy reach of
Năvodari.
Whilst it might be a bit silly to try to make
Năvodari into some sort of tourist Mecca, it does have a few
advantages of beng of the beaten tourist track, and yet still
tantalizingly close to great archaeological digs (see more in
our Ancient Dobrogea
guide), as well as the modern day holiday wonderland at Mamaia.
Mangalia has all of the features you want to find in a seaside
city -- and a few more too! A naval yard and some great
beaches make this the mini San Diego of Romania!
South of
Constanţa, Mangalia is on
the same latitude as the French resort of Nice. Mangalia also is the
southernmost city on the Romanian Riviera, and from it's beginnings
as the early Greek port city of Callatis, Mangalia is also the
oldest continuously inhabited city in Romania!
Mangalia's sister city is
Greenport, also
a
coastal village on Long Island in New York
The Pearls of the Romanian Riviera
Gracefully marching south from the trendy and
first-class resort of Neptun in the north, down to value-based
Saturn on the northern suburbs of Mangalia, the long scenic strip of
resorts here make up the "Mangalia Nord" section of the Romanian
Riviera.
Mangalia and Resorts
North
from Mangalia and Saturn to Olimp, Jupiter and Neptun just below the
horizon
Foreign tourists flock to the spas and resorts just north of
Mangalia year-round, and the resort areas feature large, fine-sand
beaches. The microclimates which form at the ends of
these beaches are full of adherents who breath in the sea breezes,
laden with aerosolised sea water charged by the sun, said to be
beneficial for a range of conditions.
Good for What Ails You!
Mangalia is a natural choice for those looking for the curative
powers of good hot mineral springs, good hot mud and a great ocean
too!
As the third- largest and second-deepest European sea, the Black
Sea offers the near perfect combiation of low salinity, a gentle
slope of 17-18 degrees along the coastline, and a summer water
temperature of 20-25C. There are no dangerous currents, plants or
fish in the Black Sea!
The main reason for so much repeat business from European
tourists are the great quality of the mineral waters which bubble up
from deep below the Black Sea shelf.
The sulphurous sparkling water, rich in calcium and chlorides
are plentiful from northern Mangalia through the beaches of Saturn
and Venus. This treatment is available at the Mangalia
Spa, Hotel Mangalia, the hotels Hora and Balada in Saturn, and the
Hotel Doina in Neptun.
Below: 1940 photo of the statue of the
You'll enjoy strolling through the old port part of
town, complete with a wild mix of mosques, Orthodox churches, a fine
old Catholic church, museums, and some attractive ornate
architecture.
The
Sun and Fun of Mamaia
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo: 
Mighty
Mangalia!