Tourist Romania is more associated with mountain vacations or traveling to the castles of Transylvania. But 245 kilometers of Romanian beaches are unfairly overlooked. Ukrainians are more fond of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, but Romanian beaches are also interesting for summer vacations. Especially for those who have moved to Romania in recent years.
There are beaches with a developed tourist infrastructure, hotels of various star ratings, restaurants and cafes, and entertainment for children and young people. At the same time, there is a choice of more secluded places to relax in peace and quiet.
You shouldn’t compare Romania to Turkey or Greece – the Black Sea is still inferior to the Mediterranean and the Adriatic. And yet, we should give the Romanians their due: they do a good job of organizing the service, and the prices for rest and treatment are often in favor of a vacation in Romania.
What documents are needed to visit Romania
No visa is required for a vacation in Romania – the country has been a member of the Schengen area since March 31, 2024. A biometric passport is enough. If you plan to fly to Romania by plane from Schengen countries, there’s no problem either: now you don’t have to go through passport control at Romanian airports (only if you’re traveling to Romania by bus or car).
How to get to the coast of Romania
There are different ways to get to the seaside.
By buses running on the Odesa-Bucharest route, which transit through Constanta. But the ideal way to travel to a Romanian resort is by car. In this case, you can take any amount of luggage and not be tied to schedules and excursions. Just 150 km from the southern border of Ukraine, you can discover new facets of vacationing on the Black Sea.
A train runs from Constanta to Mangalia along the coast. There are stops near every town with beaches:
Beach vacation season in Romania
The best time to enjoy the Black Sea beaches in Romania is between mid-June and mid-September. In recent years, the velvet season has been lasting until early October.
In early June, the sea is still cool (just like in Odesa), but more and more often the weather is getting warmer and the sea is getting warmer.
In summer, the Romanian coast is crowded and noisy. After all, people come here not only for recreation, but also to combine inexpensive vacation and treatment in sanatoriums.
But in September, the beaches are empty, prices fall, and the water in the sea remains as warm as in summer. And the UV is not so intense – the velvet season is probably the best time for a relaxing vacation in Romania.
Black Sea resorts in Romania
A 50-kilometer-long coastal strip of beaches stretches to the north and south of Constanta, Romania’s maritime capital. There is a variety of choices here – from quiet and deserted, for those who want to camp with a tent, to crowded and noisy with a large one. a variety of entertainment.
I suggest looking at the beaches from the north to the south of the Romanian coast.
- The industrial city of Navodari comes first, followed by the well-known modern resort area of Mamaia. Then there is the city of Constanta, the main Black Sea port of Romania.
- Further south are two small seaside resorts, Eforie Nord and Eforie Sud. They are very close to each other. Here you can find not only hotels, but also sanatoriums known for their advanced medical procedures and health-improving treatments.
- Driving along the coast to the border with Bulgaria, you will pass another group of small summer resorts: Costinesti, Neptune Olympus, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus.
- After Cape Aurora, there is another town, Mangalia, with its own beaches and a beautiful promenade.
- After passing through Manalia, you will reach two small villages that are very popular among Romanian beach lovers: the Beach of May 2 (2 Mai) and Vama Viche. After the Vama Viche, the border between Romania and Bulgaria passes.
Please note: All these resorts were modern some 40-50 years ago (as well as Odesa was very popular in the 1980s). Unfortunately, very few of them have developed to be as super-popular as the resorts in neighboring Bulgaria.
Details and features of Romanian resorts
The specialty of Romanian resorts is wide sandy beaches and breakwaters that reduce strong waves, making it possible to swim even in windy weather.
Mamaia
To the north of Constanta is Mamaia, one of the largest Black Sea resorts in Romania. Its favorable location between Lake Siutgel and the Black Sea made it a favorite vacation spot for Romanian nobility in the late 19th century. And in 1919, thanks to the construction of King Ferdinand’s summer residence and summer villas owned by wealthy residents of Bucharest, it turned into a popular seaside resort.
Nowadays, villas are a thing of the past – Mamaia now looks like a fashionable resort, with apartment hotels made of glass and concrete. Due to its location on a sandy spit, all Mamaia hotels are lined up on the first coastline.
Mamaia is the most developed Black Sea resort in Romania. The embankment was recently renovated and modernized. Ideal for morning and evening walks. There are several hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs scattered along this strip that follows the coastline. There is a lot of entertainment here: bars, discos, boat and yacht trips, and you can go water skiing and windsurfing on Lake Sütgel. And for extreme sports fans, the resort has built the largest water park in Romania – “ AQUA MAGIC PARK “.
Mamaya Resort is combined with other, more modern resorts – Mamaia Nord and Navodari. These two resorts are merged together, so you may not even realize where Navodari ends and northern Mamaia begins.
Pros and cons of the resort:
- Disadvantages: Due to the large number of hotels and restaurants, it can be crowded, especially in July and August during the high season.
- Advantages: there are no cliffs in this area. You can easily step off the promenade to walk right along the sand. There is also a very gentle entrance to the water, the wide beaches of the resort are covered with fine sand.
Hotels in Mamaia and Navodara:
In the north of Mamai (and south of Navodari) are the newest hotels and rental villas. Although hotels in southern Mamai are also good, many of them are old communist-era hotels that have been renovated and sometimes modernized to meet modern standards of quality and comfort.
- Hotel Malibu≫ – is a very cool hotel on Mamaia Beach with its own sun loungers and umbrellas. The location is great. The conditions are already good, the rooms are large and clean. Great breakfast, delicious food, and a large selection.
- Hotel Agapi Mamaia≫ – The hotel is located on Mamaia Beach, most of the rooms have a sea view and therefore sunrise. The staff is friendly, the breakfast is quite large and varied, with 4 different options. There is a private parking lot.
- Yaio Studio≫ – Wonderful apartment located near Mamaia Nord beach (Novodari). Very well equipped apartment, with a sea view from the balcony. Private parking is possible, very useful in July and August, as there should be a lot of people
Constanta
Despite being the largest port and third largest city in Romania, Constanta has a special charm that is typical of all resort cities. In the quiet winters and crowded summers, Constance has a carefree spirit of a seaside town. It is created by the sound of the surf, the waterfront with an old Art Nouveau casino, coastal cafes, and the cries of restless seagulls.
The city is a constant reminder of the change of epochs and civilizations that have passed on this land. In the center of Constance, you will see the Capitoline She-Wolf nursing Romulus and Remus, a witness to the thousand-strong army of Roman legionaries who made Dacia another Roman province. In different parts of the city, there are remains of Hellenistic buildings, Byzantine basilicas, fortifications, and Turkish mosques of the 19th century.
Despite its tumultuous historical past, Constance has plenty of entertainment for modern tourists. Adults and children alike enjoy visiting Europe‘s largest Museum Complex of Natural Sciences, which combines an Aquarium, Dolphinarium, Zoo and Planetarium. The aquarium features hundreds of species of fish, the dolphinarium hosts spectacular shows, the zoo is home to animals collected from all over the world, and the planetarium is home to scientists who tell about distant galaxies and planets.
The beaches of Constanta:
Constanta is a large port city, much larger than other Black Sea resorts in Romania. But it has several beaches scattered along the coastline. A few years ago, the beaches in Constanta underwent a major reconstruction. The sand was extracted from the seabed, so all the beaches expanded to a considerable size.
On the wide and well-groomed city beaches in summer, you need to take a free seat or sun lounger early. There are paid beaches with the highest level of comfort and cleanliness, bars and evening programs, or free beaches, such as the city’s Constanta Beach, which has cafes and playgrounds along the way.
- In the north, as soon as Mamaia ends, there is Plaja Faleza Nord. This beach is hard to spot from the main boulevard, but you can ask locals for directions.
- Faleza Nord is an organized beach with lifeguards, sun loungers, umbrellas, toilets and several beach bars. There is also plenty of space for those who prefer to bring towels, chairs, and umbrellas.
- Moving south along the Black Sea coast, you will come to two other beaches: Trey Papuchi (Three Slippers) and Modern. These beaches have sun loungers, umbrellas, lifeguards and beach bars.
- Plaja Aloha is the closest to the port of Constanta and the city center.
Hotels and apartments in Constanta:
- iVAVƏV byTheSea≫ – affordable large, well-equipped apartments with WiFi TV/Netflix. Well-equipped shared kitchen with microwave. Located near Aloha Beach.
- Pensiunea Pont-Euxin≫ – is a warm-hearted guesthouse with beautiful rooms, balconies facing the city or the sea, located near the beach
- Vila Reyna≫ – is a hotel with a good location near the Plaja Reyna beach. Rooms with good conditions and amenities, offer a delicious breakfast, and have sea views from the balconies. The hotel has a private beach with sun loungers and umbrellas.
Eforie Nord
Eforiye Nord – this resort part of the coast is located 14 km from Constanta. After crossing the Aguija Bridge, you will get to Efori North – it’s less than 10 minutes.
Eforie Nord is considered the best place for recreation and treatment on the entire coast of Romania. At the end of the 19th century, the first balneological sanatorium was built in Eforsjö Nord. People come here not only for recreation, but also to improve their health and cure respiratory diseases, skin diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders. Sanatoriums prescribe treatments in pools with concentrated salt brine and sapropel mud extracted from the nearby Lake Tekirgel (analogous to Lake Kuyalnik near Odesa).
In addition to treatment, cosmetic anti-age programs based on rejuvenating drugs and extracts from therapeutic mud are popular. This resort has fairly low prices. The village is small, there is not much to do, but it is perfect for those who want to improve their health and relax with their children in peace and quiet.
A few years ago, the sandy beaches of Efors Nord were expanded, so now there is a lot of space for sunbeds and umbrellas. The length of the sandy beaches in Eforia Nord is about 4 km, and in the northern part there is a granite mall, which plays the role of a local evening promenade.
Hotels in Eforie North:
Both seaside resorts are small, but there are plenty of hotels to choose from if you prefer a more relaxing and peaceful vacation, without loud music and nightclubs.
- Hotel H≫ – Great location, right on the beach, great view from the room, very clean and cozy.
- BluMarine≫ – The hotel is located a few steps from the beach and in the middle of entertainment venues. Wonderful family apartments. A fairly new building, clean and well insulated with a good air conditioning system.
- Hotel MareMar≫ – Very good location, quiet neighborhood and close enough to the beach.
Costineti beach
Plaja Costineti is one of the most popular places for students and other categories of young people. The lively, fun, and boisterous nightclub Costinesti is a place where young people from different countries come to. Today, Costinesti serves a wide range of vacationers, from teenagers to couples and middle-aged families.
Resorts: Neptune-Olympus, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus
The resorts are smoothly transitioning to each other and hikers will have no trouble walking from Venus to Olympus. Young people will enjoy the recreation – the villages offer bowling, tennis, golf, volleyball, and horseback riding, as well as canoeing and horseback riding lessons.
- Saturn is adjacent to Mangalia from the north and its cozy bays give the resort a special charm.
- It is followed by Venus, where all hotels are named exclusively after women. Venus is a good beach, but only if you choose a hotel in a renovated area.
- It is followed by Jupiter, which overlooks two shores at once – the sea and Lake Neptune. Jupiter is adjacent to the Komorova forest and will be convenient for family vacations.
- NeptuneandOlympus Beach Resorts are two of the oldest beach resorts in Romania. The location of the beaches is similar to that of the lakes in Serhiivka. Nowadays, both Neptune and Olympus are quiet and less chic beaches than they once were. The long beach of the Neptune Resort is located on a picturesque sandy spit. The line of resorts is completed by the small village of Olympus, which, along with Neptune, is considered the best link in the chain.
Hotels:
Some of the hotels here are new or well renovated. Unfortunately, there are many other closed and neglected, real abandonments that scare many people. You can spend a good vacation on the beach here if you choose a hotel carefully.
- Vela Olimp≫ – Beautiful new cozy villa, clean lines, next to the sea on Olympus Beach, beautiful sea views. With its own parking spaces.
- Hotel Terra≫ – is a hotel with a private pool, good breakfasts and large rooms, located near Neptune Beach.
- Hotel Cometa≫ – a hotel near Jupiter Beach, has great views from its balconies. Very close to restaurants and entertainment Venus. It has comfortable and spacious rooms. A good traditional Romanian breakfast is offered.
- Hotel Turquoise All Inclusive≫ – is a hotel near Venus Beach with beautiful rooms and a private pool.
- Bungalouri La Mare*** Saturn≫ – Located near Saturn Beach, the hotel is the perfect place to relax. Unfortunately, tourists are only offered accommodation without breakfast. But there is a summer kitchen and a terrace where we cooked and ate breakfast. We will probably come back.
Mangalia
Mangalia is a real city with permanent residents. There is a nice beach and a beautiful promenade. This is the southernmost resort on the Romanian coast, located on the border with Bulgaria. Due to its subtropical climate, Mangalia has the longest holiday season, lasting from May to October.
More than two millennia ago, the ancient Greek fortress city of Kallatis was founded on the site of today’s Mangalia. A little later, the ancient Romans appreciated their conquest and the local mineral springs and healing properties of the water. Since the 12th century, the city was called Pangalia, which means the most beautiful in Byzantine, and later the name was transformed into Mangalia.
Mangalia is surrounded by acacia groves from the mainland, and its coastline has wonderful sandy beaches that are 250 meters wide. Hotels and resorts, a promenade, a yacht club, and a large stud farm lined the coastline, where you can talk to horses and take riding lessons.
In addition, Mangalia has its own diving center, where you can go scuba diving according to the NAUI system for a relatively small fee. Mangalia became a balneological resort only after the First World War – European nobility came here to treat tuberculosis, which was widespread in those years. Today, it is treated with sapropel and peat mud, as well as thermal waters from mineral springs.
The beaches of Mangalia:
- Beach 2 May (2 Mai) is a small seaside village with a fairly beautiful beach. If you prefer rustic accommodation, you can find some great options in 2 Mai.
- Vama Veche was once a beach favored by hippies. Since the younger generations discovered the place, Vama Veche has become a bustling and crowded sandy strip with beach bars and nightclubs. If you don’t mind crowds and very loud parties until late at night, you’ll love Vama Veche.
Hotels in Mangalia:
- Mera Brise≫ – Great location and view from the terrace or room (if the room has a sea view). Very friendly staff, good breakfast and a la carte restaurant, nice and clean room.
- Hotel Laguna≫ – The location is great, right on the beach. The view is also great, especially from the terrace. It’s not far from the lightning house, the mosque (which you can visit), and it’s nice to walk around – there are a lot of swans and cats along the banks.
- Apartament lângă Port Turistic Mangalia 2 camere decomandate, renovat 2023≫ – Very clean, new apartment located close to the beach, spacious apartment equipped with everything you need for your vacation.
Useful articles and links:
- Transfagaras is the most beautiful road in Romania
- Boka Kotor Bay – vacation on the Montenegrin fjord
- Beaches of Tropea – cheap vacation in Italy
- TOP-10 sea beaches in Poland for summer vacation
Travel Medical Insurance – online on the EKTA
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
