Constanța

Romania's largest Black Sea port city, where the ruins of ancient Tomis and an Art Nouveau casino line the shore, with the Mamaia beach resort just to the north.

Constanța is the largest city and port on Romania's southeastern Black Sea coast, and one of the oldest cities in the country: Greeks founded the colony of Tomis here in the 6th century BC, the Roman poet Ovid lived out his exile and died here, and after Byzantine and Ottoman rule the city became part of Romania in 1878. The city falls into three parts. The old town on the headland at the southern end packs in the Art Nouveau Casino, the Genoese Lighthouse, Ovid Square, the Museum of National History and Archaeology, the Roman Mosaic Edifice, the Carol I Mosque and the Orthodox Cathedral, and can be explored on foot in half a day to a day. The northern part of the city is home to the natural sciences museum complex (dolphinarium and planetarium). Further north lies Mamaia, a resort on an 8 km sandbar between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol, where beaches, water parks and nightlife are at their liveliest in summer. About 15 km south are the therapeutic mud lake of Techirghiol and the seaside resort of Eforie Nord; to the west, a day trip by car takes in the Murfatlar winery, the Tropaeum Traiani monument at Adamclisi and the Cave Monastery of Saint Andrew. Mangalia and Vama Veche further south, and the ancient city of Histria and the Danube Delta to the north, are covered under their own destinations. Summers are warm and dry: June–September is beach season, while July–August brings the biggest crowds and the highest room rates; spring and autumn suit sightseeing among the ruins, and in winter the sea wind is cold and damp and most resort facilities close. Getting there: trains from Bucharest take about 2–2.5 hours, and the drive on the A2 motorway about 2.5 hours; Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport has international flights in summer. City buses run out to Mamaia, and a double-decker sightseeing bus operates in summer. Plan on 2–3 days, or longer for a beach holiday. Romania is in the EU and the Schengen Area; the currency is the leu.

Top sights

• Constanța Casino – A seafront Art Nouveau casino completed in 1910. After years of neglect it was restored and reopened, and it is now a landmark of Constanța.
• Mamaia Beach – A narrow sandbar resort about 8 km long between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol. It is Romania's most famous beach.
• Roman Mosaic Edifice – The Roman-era commercial building ruins above the ancient harbor of Tomis, with about 850 square meters of colorful mosaic floors preserved.
• National History and Archaeology Museum – Housed in the old town hall, this Dobruja archaeological treasury is famous for the snake-god Glykon sculpture and its Greek and Roman arti…
• Ovid Square & Old Town – The central square of the old town, with a statue of the Roman poet Ovid, who was exiled here. It is surrounded by a mosque, churches and a…
• Grand Mosque of Constanța (Carol I Mosque) – Completed in 1913, this is Romania's main Muslim mosque. Visitors can climb the 47-meter minaret for views over the old town and the Black…
• Genoese Lighthouse – A small octagonal lighthouse built in 1860 to commemorate Genoese merchants, standing on the seaside promenade of the old town.
• Constanța Aquarium – A long-established aquarium opposite the casino, showing fish from the Black Sea and the Danube Delta in a compact display.
• Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral – A Romanian Orthodox cathedral on the headland of the old town, with a red-brick Neo-Byzantine façade and richly painted interior.
• Hunchiar Mosque – A small mosque commissioned by an Ottoman sultan in 1869, a reminder of Constanța's Ottoman past.
• Tomis Marina – A yacht harbour north of the Old Town, lined with seaside restaurants and bars, with boat trips for dolphin and sunset spotting.
• Natural Sciences Museum Complex (Dolphinarium) – A museum complex built around Romania's first dolphinarium, with dolphin shows, a planetarium, the Microdelta wetland exhibit and an aviary…
• Romanian Navy Museum – A national naval museum tracing the history of Danube and Black Sea navigation, with ship models, uniforms and a courtyard of naval guns.
• Museum of Folk Art – A folk museum housed in the former City Hall of 1893, showing embroidery, costumes and pottery from Dobruja and across Romania.
• Aqua Magic Mamaia – A large open-air water park at the southern end of Mamaia, with slides, a lazy river and a wave pool, next to the cable car station.

Where to eat

• The Boat Seafood Restaurant – A Mediterranean seafood restaurant in the Tomis marina. It is ranked first among Constanța restaurants and seafood rest…
• Reyna Faleza Nord – A seaside restaurant on the cliffs of the North Promenade, serving seafood and Italian dishes. The two-person grill pla…
• Ana și Ion Romanian Restaurant – A modern Romanian restaurant on Tomis Boulevard in the Old Town, with a nostalgic grandmother's-house décor. Tripe sour…

Itineraries

• Black Sea Coast & Dobrogea – Take a summer road trip along the Black Sea coast, driving south from ancient Greek ruins and historic old towns to the…