To the seaside to Romania? This year it could be a hit

To Romania by the sea? Few tourists from the Vistula River still come up with such an idea when planning their summer holidays. There are no Romanian resorts in the offers of tour operators, who in this region prefer the proven Bulgaria, where we can count on a really cheap holiday. Now, thanks to the partial entry of both countries into the Schengen area, Poles can look at Romania with a slightly more favorable eye.

Resorts on the Romanian coast

Although few people know Romania for its beaches, this country has as much as 275 kilometers of coastline, stretching from the Danube Delta to the border with Bulgaria. Tourists coming to Romania can relax on the Black Sea in numerous resorts and the main city of the region, Constanta. The most important of the summer towns is Mamaia, a resort separating the sea from Lake Siutghiol. It offers travelers a wide selection of accommodation facilities – from inexpensive to more luxurious options. Prices for a double room on a weekend in August start from PLN 250 per person per night. The oldest holiday resort in Romania has a wide, 5-kilometer sandy beach and a gondola lift overlooking the bay. Interestingly, many Romanian seaside resorts take their names from the names of Roman and Greek Gods – we can find here Neptune, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, or Olympus, inspired by the divine hill. Most of them were built in the 1970s.

There are various stories about them on internet blogs. We read about “loud music coming from speakers of unknown origin”, “garbage in the street” and “stray dogs running around”. On the other hand, the beaches are long, sandy and there is a “ubiquitous relaxed atmosphere” that is missing in many “sophisticated” resorts in Western Europe. However, the opinions were written about different places and at different times. Taking advantage of the opportunities made easier by air and sea travel thanks to the entry into Schengen, it is worth verifying them on your own. It is also advisable to leave the tourist route of hotel resorts to find wild, picturesque beaches with water that is much clearer than that in the Baltic Sea. Vadu, one of the last wild beaches included in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, comes first in many rankings. “If you like laid-back, undeveloped and most natural beaches, Plaja Vadu is a place you must visit,” says the guide. Most hotels and resorts on the Black Sea in Romania are open from May 1 to September 10.

A historic pearl of the coast

Tourists who prefer city sightseeing during their holidays should go to Constanta. It is the largest commercial port and the largest city on the entire coast. The first settlement was established in this place in the first half of the 6th century BC. This is a place for those who, in addition to rest, count on direct contact with history during their holidays. The main attractions include a Roman mosaic from the 4th century AD, Ovid Square, the Archaeological Museum presenting collections of items from Ancient Rome, the Genoese lighthouse from 1860 and beautiful, richly decorated Art Nouveau buildings in the city center, especially Cazinoul, which years ago housed casino.

Thanks to the entry into the Schengen area from Sunday, March 31, travel to Romania by sea and air is much easier. Although drivers arriving in the country with the capital in Bucharest still have to take into account inspections, tourists using a plane or ferry only need an ID card. This is a good opportunity to get to know better the country that has been delighting tourists for years with its majestic mountains and legends of Transylvania, medieval cities and wild, raw nature. It's time to see if the Romanian coast will win the hearts of Poles.