ROMANIAN RESORTS AT THE BLACK SEA - BEST BEACHES
Romania boasts 245 km of coastline, fine sandy beaches, excellent summer weather for sunbathing, clubs, entertainment venues and festivals. However, it seems that fewer and fewer Romanians are choosing Romanian resorts... I wonder why?
I toured the resorts and was able to get an idea, putting together certain aspects. In this article I will present each resort on the Romanian coast, with characteristics, good and bad, leaving you to decide which is the best location, depending on your personal wishes and expectations. I will try to leave subjectivity aside and present them to you objectively.
Starting from the south and going up to the north, we start with:
VAMA VECHE
Vama Veche is a village that has become known and frequented by tourists eager for authentic experiences, which can't have anywhere else. At first glance, the town seems to have stood still, somewhere in the past, being among those that have not undergone many changes over time. The streets have remained the same: very narrow, full of potholes and many of them completely unpaved. The promenade area that follows the line of the beaches does not look any different either.
Somehow, the resort is starting to transform into an exclusive location, but with the atmosphere of village life. And when I refer to village life, I don't mean it in a pejorative sense, quite the opposite. Until a few years ago, that was the charm of Vama. It was the location where time seemed to not exist, there was nothing commercial, everything had a bohemian air, and tourists enjoyed the freedom they had there. Now it has changed a little and unfortunately, not for the better, because investments from the city hall are non-existent... or if there are, I didn't notice.
Moving on from the negative side, let's move on to the beautiful side, namely: the beaches. In the southern part of the resort, the beach is wild, narrow, and there are stones in the water. There are a few fast food stalls in the area where food and drinks are sold. As we move north, the beaches get bigger, and the water gets cleaner of stones. We find beach areas equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas, and among them there are a few free areas, where you can sit directly on the sand. In the middle area of the resort, where the beach is the widest, there are also bars and places to eat. The beach in the north of the resort is for nudists.
This town was not one of the resorts targeted by Ceausescu, so it is among the few where you will not find hotels built during communism. If you choose to go there for a seaside holiday in Romania, it is good to know that most of the accommodation options are in guesthouses or in campsites. And if you expected to enjoy low prices, well, that is no longer the case. Vama has become one of the most expensive locations on the Romanian coast.
Vama Veche is known as the number one choice for tourists who like to stay in a tent, so there are quite a few places to camp (Nirvana Camping, Camping Rulote, La cort, Sandalandala)
If staying in a tent is not what you are looking for, then you can consider other options. Among the ones I found on Booking, the ones that caught my attention are: Zen Vama Veche and Casa OK by OVO.
2 MAI
2 Mai is a small village that has two large beaches and a sandy area that connects them. It is a very small and quiet town, where, as in the case of Vama Veche, the indifference of the authorities is also present. Here it seems that time has truly stood still, there are still no terraces or bars where music is blaring, as is the case in other resorts, and the atmosphere encourages relaxation.
There are no hotels in this resort, so the only accommodation options are either in campsites or in guesthouses. Among the options listed on Booking, the accommodation unit that caught my attention is Complex Sea Star.
In the resort there are also several restaurants where you can dine and a fresh fish shop.
The southern beach is wilder and I saw a lot of people camping right on the beach. I didn't see any showers or toilets in that area, so I don't necessarily recommend camping there. The narrow strip of beach that connects the two main beaches of the town is the nudist area, which used to be one of the most famous of its kind. The northern beach has both towel areas and areas for sun loungers and umbrellas.
As a subjective note, I hope that the atmosphere of this place will remain unchanged and that it will not undergo the same changes as in the case of Vama Veche.
MANGALIA
Mangalia is a city with a rich history, being located on the site of the Callatis Fortress. It is one of the few places on the Romanian coast that offers other places to visit and things to do besides the beach.
Besides its status as a municipality and an important port on the Black Sea, Mangalia is also a spa resort. Here you can enjoy a unique beach in Romania, which has sand with sapropel, a mud rich in minerals, with therapeutic properties. Also, in the north of the city there are sulfur springs, whose water is beneficial for health.
Although it is a large town, Mangalia has only two beaches, one large, equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, but also free areas for towels, and a smaller beach located in the north of the resort, near Saturn. Both have a smooth entrance into the water. As I said above, in Mangalia you can enjoy several activities and places to visit, namely:
- The ruins of the Ancient City of Callatis
- Genoese Lighthouse
- Esmahan Sultan Mosque with ritual fountain
- Callatis Archaeological Museum
- Navy Museum
- Hagieni Reservation
- Mangalia Stud
- Yacht rental on the Harbour Street
The Mangalia City Hall has under its jurisdiction the resorts from Saturn to Olimp.
As for accommodation units, among those listed on Booking, the ones that caught my attention are: Hotel MaRailiS and Mera Brise.
SATURN
It is one of the resorts that were targeted by Ceausescu and where hotels were built during his time in power. The line of hotels is quite close to the beach, with green areas surrounding it. The promenade by the beach has been recently renovated. If you choose to stay at any of these hotels on the beach line you have every chance of having wonderful views of the sea.
It is the place that I liked the most, and the quality-price ratio is fair for accommodation, food and beach clubs. The beaches are wide, protected by artificially created bays of tetrapods, and the entrance to the water is smooth. In the north of the resort there is a long beach that connects to Venus.
If you want to enjoy the therapeutic properties of the waters from the thermal springs, look for showers that capture water from these springs. Usually this water is brought to the surface through wells of the hotels. The most famous hotels that have a treatment base are the Balada Hotel and the Hora Hotel.
In this resort you will find terraces, restaurants, shops and even a sports center located near Mangalia. The prices charged for both restaurant food and accommodation are among the lowest considering the quality offered.
VENUS
It is a resort with hotels located right next to the sea and unlike Saturn, there is not promenade alley near the beach, the areas in question being completely taken over by hotels.
There are also very few areas where you can eat, the number of restaurants and terraces being very limited. There is a very small area with a few shops.
Personally, it's the resort I liked the least, having very few green areas, many crowded hotels, without the possibility of taking a walk on the beach from one end of the resort to the other, without going around the hotels built right next to the water.
As for accommodation options, among the hotels listed on Booking, the one that caught my attention is Ibis Styles Venus, which has a fairly good quality-price ratio.
CAP AURORA
As in the case of Venus resort, Cap Aurora is a hotel resort. Some of them have private beaches, without access to tourists who are not accommodated at the respective hotels. There is also a free beach area, for towels. The entrance to the water is smooth, and the beaches are wide, but the access to the water is narrow.
I didn't see any restaurant areas or terraces, so you have few dining options if you don't have it included in your hotel package.
JUPITER
Unlike Venus and Cap Aurora, Jupiter has much larger, wider and more beaches, most of them with no sunbeds, where you can lie freely on a towel. The hotel line is quite close to the beach, but the area is a bit more airy, compared to Saturn, even more so compared to Venus, and the accommodation offer is not as rich.
The beaches are absolutely gorgeous, with smooth entry into the water. I didn't see any terraces with music blaring, and the atmosphere is perfect for relaxation.
NEPTUN
Neptun is the largest, liveliest, most crowded and most expensive resort among the resorts with planet names, subordinated to the Mangalia City Hall.
The seafront has been completely rebuilt and renovated, and the beaches are mostly equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, with very few areas to sit on a towel. For sitting on a towel, I recommend the Jupiter and Saturn resorts.
There are many terraces and restaurants in the beach area, and the hotels, unlike the other resorts managed by Mangalia, are located far from the beach; it would not have been possible to build them near the beach because of the lakes located near the sea.
If you arrive at this resort, I recommend not to miss the water lily lake. The best time to admire it is in June, when the water lilies bloom.
As for accommodation options, among the hotels listed on Booking, the ones that caught my attention are: Hotel Agora and Hotel Insula.
OLIMP
Olimp, was also one of the resorts that entered the tourist circuit in the 70s. Here you will find some of the most interesting hotels and accommodation units, so if you want to enjoy the comfort of a luxurious hotel, in this resort you have plenty to choose from. Among the most famous accommodation locations are Cocor Spa Hotel and Novum by the Sea.
The beach on the southern side is narrower, gradually becoming much wider as we approach the north of the resort. Here the beaches are protected by tetrapod dams, and the entrance to the water is smooth.
Near Olimp you can enjoy a walk in the Comorova Forest or a visit to the Clos des Colombes vineyards.
COSTINESTI
Costinesti is one of the resorts that has remained unchanged over time. I used to come to the sea in this resort 11-12 years ago and returning in 2023 I was surprised to see that it is the same as I knew it. Everything has remained intact, it seems, and the authorities have not tried too hard to change anything.
The beautiful, fine sandy beaches are unfortunately littered with rubbish, packaging waste and seed shells. There are both sunbed and towel areas. The entrance to the water is not very smooth, and in some areas there are stones and shells that sting.
Most accommodation options are in people's houses and villas or in improvised campsites. In the resort there are many restaurants, terraces and shops with both food and souvenirs, clothes and accessories. Also, if you like to go out to the club, there are a few options.
TUZLA
Tuzla is the resort with one of the wildest beaches on the Romanian coast. It is a bit further from the town and I do not recommend this location if you do not have a car. A few villas have been built close to the beach, but even so the area is deserted, there are no restaurants, shops or anything else nearby. If you want to enjoy the peace and quiet and hear the waves of the sea, it is the perfect location.
There is absolutely nothing arranged by the council in the beach area, neither the car access road nor the pedestrian one. In the past there were areas arranged with sun loungers and umbrellas, but they have disappeared in the meantime.
The sand is fine, with crushed shells, the entrance to the water is gentle, and in some places there are stones. The beach is very narrow, but long.
EFORIE SUD
Eforie Sud is, in my opinion, the resort with the greatest touristic potential on the coast, but which requires considerable investment. Although it is not as popular as Eforie Nord, it has every chance of becoming so. The authorities have started to take measures regarding the erosion of the cliff and the beach.
The interesting part is the high cliff, which offers a lovely view of the sea. Access to the beach is by descending the steps that connect to the cliff. The beach is 2 km long, with fine sand and a relatively gentle entrance to the water.
As for accommodation units, there are hotels, both old ones, unchanged from the communist period, and newly built hotels, as well as guesthouses and villas.
EFORIE NORD
Eforie Nord is one of the Black Sea resorts that has undergone a positive change in recent years. Although it is known especially for its beach, Eforie Nord is also a spa resort, with treatment facilities that are open to tourists all year round, not just in summer. It is a very complex resort, that suits any type of tourist, from elderly people to families with children.
The beaches are wide and have also entered the expansion program, along with those in Mamaia. The sand is fine, and the water deepens quite close to the shore. As in any resort, there are both sunbed areas and free towel areas. The beach in the southern part of the resort, towards Eforie Sud, is a nudist beach.
As accommodation options, there are both hotels (for example Hotel Grand), as well as accommodation in guesthouses or villas of the locals. Also, there are a multitude of restaurants and terraces where you can dine. The slightly more problematic part is with the parking spaces, so make sure that the location where you are staying offers this facility.
MAMAIA
Mamaia is one of the most popular destinations on the Black Sea. Here you will find a wide range of accommodation options, from hotels to apartments and villas. There are also a multitude of terraces and restaurants, as well as the most exclusive clubs and entertainment venues.
The beaches of this resort have been widened, so now you have even more alternatives, with every chance of finding the perfect place to enjoy the sun. The entrance to the water is very smooth, ideal if you have small children.
Here you can enjoy a ride by the hop on, hop off bus, or admire the resort from above, on the gondola. The atmosphere becomes very lively in the evening, both in the cliff area and in the holiday village.
If you want to visit Constanta, together with Mamaia, you can opt for an organized tour departing from Bucharest, details here.
NAVODARI
Navodari is one of the resorts that has changed the most in recent years and where massive construction has taken place, especially apartment blocks. This rapid expansion was due both to its proximity to what was once the most sought-after Black Sea resort in Romania, namely Mamaia, and to land prices that were somewhat lower than the rest. And when I say it has changed, I mean the way I knew this resort, from 17 years ago, when I was in a school camp. Nothing is like it was back then. It is normal for some things to change and I really hope that both real estate developers and investors, as well as local authorities, learn to manage these changes in a way that is favorable to tourists.
Navodari Beach is a continuation of Mamaia Beach, without a precise physical delimitation between them, so in its area you will have both restaurants, bars and other boutiques, as well as sun loungers with umbrellas. Geographically, Navodari Beach is almost 2 km long and can become quite crowded during the summer. As with the beaches in Mamaia, this one has also been widened.
Another beach of this resort is at Cap Midia, one of the most beautiful beaches in Romania. It is a wide beach, surrounded by vegetation specific to the area and with extremely fine, light-colored sand. There are both free areas, for towels, and areas equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas.
In Navodari, being a resort town, you will find supermarkets, a hospital, pharmacies and shops of all types.
In the northern part, after passing Cap Midia, the coastline approaches the Danube Delta, and the beaches become increasingly wild. The most famous of them are Vadu Beach and Corbu Beach, which I hope will remain just as wild in the future.
Other locations to visit in Dobrogea: Constanta city, Histria Fortress Ruins, Dobrogea Gorges, St. John Casian Cave, Enisala Fortress.
Read about a resort on the Bulgarian coast, with beaches like in Greece: Rusalka. Read also about other locations in Romania: Targoviste, Manasia Domain or the Danube Gorge.
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