LOCATION:ROMANIA

ROMANIAN BEACH GUIDE

2011-05-08T15:26:00.001+03:00



MAMAIA
MAMAIA NORTH 5	Clean. Well run. Good beach service. The beach heading towards Navodari is also great for seaside walks and a swim without too many people around.
MAMAIA CENTRE 5	Clean. Well run. Good beach services. Plenty of entertainment and security. The "face" of the Romanian riviera the way it should be.
MAMAIA SOUTH 4	Clean. Well run. Good beach service. Some trash at the crowded part close to the Constanta city border.
NAVODARI CAMP 2	Dirty and trashy. Seems unorganised.Local atmosphere though. And campers. Seems like there s nobody in charge of the general image. Shame.
CONSTANTA
MODERN 2+	Used to be crowded with youngsters and drifters, now still crowded but much cleaner and some service and attendance. Last year 2 this year 2 +.
EFORIE NORD
BELLONA 3	Being the second largest summer resort in Romania the invasion of tourists put a tole on this beach. It has been very very dirty over the last few years, but things have improved visibly and we can remove VERY from the phrase VERY DIRTY. The beach has got dustbins (!) and some of the bars care about the area next to them. However the official system does not work regularly and still trash floats around on this great beach with a lot to offer of bars and fun.
EFORIE NORTH FALEZA 3	Heading north of Bellona there are a set of small handmade laguna beaches in Eforie Nord ending at the Acapulco restaurant area. Great for kids and usually clean water. Seems more organised probably because areas are limited. Still trash float late afternoon. Why cannot this be fixed???
EUROPA BEACH 4	The Ana Hotel Europa has a her own beach in Eforie Nord. Clean, organised, sunbeds and Delta umbrellas in a beautiful setting and not overpriced at all.
THE NUDIST BEACH LAKE TECHIRGHIOL 0	The beach that has its entrance through a raiway bridge from the Bellona part of Eforie N and to the Lake Techirghiol is beyond doubt the worst beach of the Romanian Riviera. Piles of dirt, trash and leftovers, ruins of old bathhouses that looks having experienced a bomb raid. Old pensionists stay here all summer because they believe in the cure of the salt lake. Where are the investors that seemed like they should start renovating there ?
THE NUDIST BEACH EFORIE NORD 2	The nudist beach that used to be organised and well run early 90s is as out of time as the black German bunker that marks the end of the nudist beach. Rusty and worn out and crowds rare.
TABARA 3+	The beaches heading towards Eforie Sud after the nudist part are Eforie Nords hidden secrets,only discovered by the locals. Just a bar and a restaurant and a renovated tabara, but clean beaches and clear water. And peaceful.
EFORIE SUD
SPLENDID 2	The beaches around the SPLENDID BEACH sign is a shame.Trash floats, glass, piles of leftovers, you name it. Tourists and trash dotted all around but trash more Not splendid at all!
FALEZA 2+	The scenery of these beaches is just awesome. Great location and beautiful beaches. Still this trash problem damages the image of this budget resort. Again a real sad aspect.
EFORIE SUD LAKE TECHIRGHIOL 3	Baths possible in the salt lake Techirghiol. And much cleaner than the public version in Eforie Nord
CLIFFS EFORIE SUD 4 -	Clean water, great for snorkling and diving. Heading south from the beaches at the Faleza.
COSTINESTI
MAIN RESORT BEACH 4-	Some years ago we wrote about the dirt and mess in this resort. It has really changed. Even the beach is organised differently. More clean and a lot of fun on the beach. Costinesti in general is new and renovated.
THE CLIFFS 4	The cliffs south of the resort itself is occupied by anglers and a few sunbathers. Very clean and the water is just super for divers. Beautiful area if you like rocky small beaches.
NEPTUN AREA
NEPTUN 5	Handmade lakes partly yes before u reach the beach, and still one of the most elegant parts of Romanian Riviera. This half lazy-styled beach is still what it used to be. You walk easily from the centre of the resort via the lake to the beach.
OLIMP 4+	Laid-back, not crowded, a few good hotels around and easily accessed beaches from the big hotels next to the beach. Great views from the hillsides.
JUPITER 3+	The re-vive of Jupiter is on the way, renovated hotels and more beach services, still partly trashy. A nice camping site close by though.
CAP AURORA 3	A peaceful mini - resort with some handmade beaches and good service but very hidden in many ways.
MANGALIA
MANGALIA BEACH 4 -	This is a great beach in a great town. Entering the town beach from the stairs from the City Hall is just a pleasure. Rarely too crowded and clean at parts, however trash seem to be forgotten on the beach the further you go from the centre of it.
SATURN 5 -	A bit left on its own though close to Mangalia, this is a good beach. People combine the beach life with staying in some of the great pools in the resort. The best of these pools is actually right on the beach. The trash problem is partly gone. Maschines clean the beach. Saturn is one of the nicest places to stay, also pricewise.
VENUS 3	A few great hotels like Carmen has added more standard to this resort, and trash on the beach is less that over the last few years.
DOI MAI 1	One word: Dirty. Trash is all over the place and the beach is a dump. Usch.
VAMA VECHE 3+	This very bohemian beach has plenty of charm regardless the standard of the beach. The beach hosts a lot of tents and of course trash occur. However parts are very clean, more so in the direction towards Bulgaria and less so towards the Doi Mai village. And some of the best diners around add to a great day out here.
OFF-TRACK
VADU 6	Hard to find, absolutely deserted with a few army fields next door, endless miles of sand heading north to the Delta, clean water and not a single bar in the horizon. However, hotels are said to be coming so visit the paradise beffore it is too late.

BRASOV – ROMANIAS MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY

2011-01-12T15:20:00.001+02:00

The most beautiful city in Romania is beyond doubt Brasov, or Kronstadt as the Austrians used to call the town. The German - Austrian influence is still visible and German is spoken by some old people in the area still. The most important Protestant Church in Romania, THE BLACK CHURCH is situated in Brasov. Along with a set of other historical monuments.
Being the third largest city in Romania, it is also important financially and culturally. But it is the old pedestrian city centre, the old buildings and the relaxed atmosphere that make Brasov special, along with the surroundings of course - hills, mountains and valleys that bring you to the heart of Romania in all ways. Being a year-round destination it challenges Constanta as Romania's main tourist city.

During winter Poiana Brasov ski resort is the ultimate playground of Romanian skiers and after-skiers, and during summer hikers from all over the world seek beauty of the Brasov region. 30 minutes from Brasov city centre by car is Bran, the village with the so-called Dracula Castle, a castle that without any real reason has been linked to the Vlad

Tepes myth by smart villagers who know how to attract visitors.

READ ON IN ENGLISH ABOUT BRASOV
by visiting these two brilliant links
www.brasovtravelguide.ro
www.brasov.ro
SKIING IN ROMANIA | Brilliant websites
*
http://www.skiresorts.ro/ and
*
http://www.snowboard.ro
*
GOLF IN ROMANIA website www.lacdeverde.ro

THE ROMANIAN SEASIDE

2011-01-12T15:10:00.001+02:00

The Romanian Riviera from Mamaia in the north to Mangalia in the south is about 75 km long. All resorts have plenty of hotels and pensions - and plenty to offer a person on a holiday. Some resorts are purpose-built, while others are thriving towns with a life of their own off-season.

Each summer thousands of Romanians from other areas visit the riviera along with thousands of other nationalities. But still the Romanians themselves are in majority when it comes to tourism to this part of the world. The average number of foreign visitors over the last year has been more than 54000 each summer while the natives number almost 2 million.

The Romanian Seaside is called in Romanian for “ LITORAL “

The main city is Constanta, the biggest seaside resort is just north of Constanta, MAMAIA. Further north is NAVODARI, more a common Romanian town with a few camping sites and a tabara – a summer camp for kids.

South of Constanta the resorts are lined up, EFORIE NORD, EFORIE SUD, COSTINESTI, NEPTUN, OLIMP, SATURN , VENUS, MANGALIA and VAMA VECHE.

MAMAIA

CONSTANTA

CONSTANTA VIRTUAL	City Map Constanta
	County Map Constanta
Photo link: 360 VIRTUAL VIEW MAMAIA

CLUJ NAPOCA – BEAUTIFUL WITH GREAT SURROUNDINGS

2010-08-22T09:39:00.001+03:00

by Robert Viorel Ionascu

Bearing a resounding name, Cluj-Napoca is a town like a poem. Just as Napoleon told his soldiers at the conquest of Egypt, that century-old history is watching them from atop the Pyramids, so the Citadel offers a bird’s eye view of two millennia of history and beauty, balance and warmth, tradition and youth.

In 1965, Miguel Angel Asturias, the celebrated Spanish poet, referring to Cluj-Napoca, put it very lyrically: "Cluj is a harmonious town, a new Folorence, an ancient coin fashioned like a jewel. Its multi-store many-windowed houses are a source of merriment. A town popping its face at every window is basically feminine, curious, yet welcoming." Let me launch an invitation: feel free to verify this perceptive and affectionate description, step by step. And let me assure you that you will not be disappointed. Rather the contrary.

Why? Because, with a history of two millennia, the town breathes civilization and intellectuality through its very pore. The city is conspicuously bivalent. On the one hand, there is an elegant balancing of the Baroque, the Brancoveanu and the Gothic styles of buildings and churches, and on the other, there is the youthful ambience lend by the presence of 100,000 students in the 10 universities and of still more high-school pupils.

Ptolemy, the historian, coined the name – "Northern Florence" – for the city. As for its origins, they can be traced back to the Paleolithic. The city was first mentioned in an official record, in the year 107. NAPOCA – the ancient name of the settlement – is of Thracian and Scythian origin, meaning a damp and forested place.

Emperor Hadrian upgrades it to a municipium. In 1173, the county is founded. In 1213, it is recorded as a "castrum Clus" in some documents, perpetuating the idea of an "enclosed area". In 1316, King Carol Robert of Anjou names it civitas clausensis and ranks it a free town. In 1405, by which year the city had spread to over 45 acres, Sigismund of Luxembourg grants it the right to build defence works. Turnul Croitorilor ( The Tailor’s Tower ) dates back then. In 1580, the academic activity was initiated in the Franciscan monastery ( today’s Reformed Church ), which ran an academic college with three faculties.

Mihai Viteazul referred to Cluj as to "our town" and meant to organize the very first Assembly ( Dieta ) here-an intention that didn’t materialize. In 1776, the Piarist College was founded with four faculties. The college boasts the enrollment of the first Romanian teacher, M.D. Ioan Molnar Piuariu, ans students such as Avram Iancu , Princekin of the Mountains. In 1848, the Assembly( Dieta ) of Cluj, defying the will of the ( Romanians ) majority, voted the union of Transylvania to Hungary. In 1894, in the Reduta buiding ( the Ethnographic Museum now ) was held the trial for addressing Franz-Joseph a memorandum demanding rights for the Romanian population of Transylvania.

After this incursion into history, a stroll about the city will provide all the arguments for an enthusiastic description.

The CONTINENTAL HOTEL – a building listed in the patrimony – was erected in a beautifully eclectic style, in 1896.
SAINT MICHAEL’S CHURCH was build between 1350-1480, with Gothic style in full swing ( German flamboyant ). MATEI CORVIN – King of Hungary of Romanian extraction – is dedicated a MONUMENT whose artistic values qualifies it as a milestone in sculpture. It’s also worthwhile mentioning that its clay model came out the winter of the Great Prize of the Universal Exhibition of Paris, in 1896, from among 1000 competing works.
The ART MUSEUM is located in the "Banffy" Palace, one of the largest and most impressive Baroque monuments in Romania. The first drugstore of Cluj has been made into a one-of-a-kind museum – the CHEMIST’S MUSEUM. It’s a place where one can join alchemists in their flights of the imagination.
"BABES-BOLYAI" UNIVERSITY is the proud recipient and preserver of five centuries of academic tradition. The assignment is carried out by the remarkable people who have been its students, some of whom stayed on as teachers, and who have made Romanian intelligentsia and talent known across the borders.
The PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA of the Cluj is an institution boasting worldwide-acknowledged musicians. An American study has concluded that the Romanians are the most musically gifted of all people.

On the intellectual and romantic Kogalniceanu Street, we turn back in time to the 14^th Century – a trip in time occasioned by the STATUE OF SAINT GEORGE ( a replica of the statue in Prague ), the ruins of first Cluj university, and the REFORMED CHURCH in all its sobriety. We arrive at TURNUL CROITORILOR for a glimpse at the 15^th Century way of life. The STATUE OF BABA NOVAC, Mihai Viteazul’s famous general, is yet another glimpse, only at the 16^th Century this time.

Next, the exquisite Baroque building of the NATIONAL THEATRE profiles on the horizon. Opposite the Theatre, the ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL stands there tall and slender, reaching out to God. We are proud to declare that we have a national architectonic style, with elegant, ingénue and spiritualized forms, joint into a spiral of life – which I call "the spiral Romanian optimism".

We can visit a little square where the FRANCISCAN CHURCH – the first church in Cluj – testifies to the passage of time.

Across Somes River, quarded by four monumental buildings , the terrace of HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA affords sightseers a completion of the city-view. Cluj, just as any other full-fledged town, runs, besides the ones already mentioned, a splendid ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM with an open-air section illustrating and certifying the evolution and simplicity of folk art. Moreover, we have the largest BOTANICAL GARDEN in South-East Europe, a delight to the eye and a pledge to scientific rigor, both of which are equally valid for the History Museum, too.

The UNIVERSITY LIBRARY and the hospitals in Cluj are also representative for the intelligentsia featuring such names as Professor Hatieganu in medicine.

Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s fifth largest town lies in the North-West of Romania. The town developed on the main trade route, later a via romana , connecting the Roman Empire to Dacia Felix Province and its urban backbone: Apullum, Potaissa, Napoca, Porolissum.

The development of the town benefited from the access to the raw materials of the neighbouring geographical units: the Apuseni Mountains with ore deposits, wood, and livestock; the Somesan Plateau in the North – typically agricultural; the Transylvanian Plain with important salt deposits exploited as early as Dacian and Roman times, as well as deposits of methane gas discovered and drilled at the turn of the century.

Cluj-Napoca developed on the shores of the Somesul Mic River at their narrowest, between the Hills of Feleacu and Cetatuia, with some room left for defense or further expansion ( hence its Latin name Clusium-Clus, or its feudal name of Saxon-German origin-Klausenburg ). The initial nucleus, covering the Roman stronghold and the feudal fortress stages, emerged and developed on the lower terrace of the Somesul Mic River. In time, the fortress extended longitudinally, as well as appropriated some of the higher slopes to the South. With little room left for expansion, modern Cluj ( today’s Cluj-Napoca ) spread further out on the tributary valleys, particularly un the Nadas Vally, and downstream of the confluence, past the point where the river widens and flat land is available for the city’s fairly recent industry.

The town is situated at around 330-430 m altitude, yet is dominated by Feleacu Peak towering at 700 m to the South and the Lomb and Chintau Hills to the North. The Cetatuia Hill-the East end of the Somesul Mic and the Nadas confluence-slopes abruptly Southwards and separates the residential from the industrial area. The whole structure, the urban area included, lends an unmistakable identity of The Citadel ( Cetatuia ) and its components.

The varied landscape of the town is explicable by the complex underlying geological structure: clays, marls and limestone of the Eocene ( under-layer of the Hoia-Cetatuia area ), sands, concretions and grit. The recent sedimentary formations ( the pasture and terraces of the Somesul Mic River ) have followed the river and sub-air shape alteration. This particular background favored the asymmetry of the landscape – which thus facilitated differentiated urban development – ranging from slopes at angles of 30-40 % , exposed to regular land-sliding on the left of the Somesul Mic River, to terraces which extend across the Northern incline of the Feleacu Hill with slopes 5-10 %. The city has a typically highland climate with slight microclimate variations generated by its position behind Apuseni Range and the broader Westerly air-currents concentrating humid and cold air masses from the mountains.

As a result, humidity is very high and fog is frequent, particularly during the transit seasons. On the other hand, the predominantly Westerly air-circulation and the location of industrial area in the East and North portions of the city, rank Cluj-Napoca ( the residential area ) among one of the least polluted towns in the country.

As regards hydrography, the main river of Cluj-Napoca is the Somesul Mic River – a paramount agent in shaping the city’s identity and scenery – with some lesser tributaries joining the collecting river either inside or East of the city. The lake area, anthropous in origin, lies East of Gheorgheni District with a large scenery, leisure, and fishing potential. One should add the salty hydro-mineral and sulphurous sources of the Someseni Baths, which, if fitted adequately, could qualify as mineral baths.

The development of medieval Cluj, with limited room for expansion, was confronted with the difficulty of providing green areas for its residents. Yet, this is compensated by the neighbouring forested hills: Faget-Feleac and Hoia-the city’s pair of lungs, which also function as protection, microclimate, and sightseeing agency for the city, the oak trees being the most common besides the horn-beam, elm, and linden.

MOUNTAIN WATERS

Middle Somesul Cald – 38 km length, from Fantanele dam to Lake Tarnita’s end. Tributaries: Great Rasca. Fish: aboriginal trout and chub.
Lower Somesul Rece – 44 km length, from the confluence with Racatau to lake Gilau’s end. Tributaries: Rasca, Caprita, Racatau. Fish: aboriginal trout, chub and gudgeon.

ALPINE AND ACCUMULATION LAKES

Lake Tarnita – 240 acres smooth water surface, from the dam to the lake’s end. Fish: aboriginal trout, rainbow, broad snout, chub, gudgeon, minnow.
Lake Somesul Cald – 85 acres smooth water surface, from the dam to the lake’s end. Supplied by Lake Tarnita and the Agarbici brook. Fish: aboriginal trout, rainbow, chub, broad snout, perch, gudgeon, minnow.
Lake Gilau: 69 acres smooth water surface, from the dam to the lake’s end. Fish: aboriginal trout, rainbow, chub, crucian, barbell, broad snout.
Somesul Mic – from the Gilau concrete bridge to Cluj-Napoca.
Lake Sacalaia ( the pike’s lake ) – natural reservation of natural interest – 26 acres smooth water surface.
Lake Chinteni – 15 acres smooth water surface.
Lake Tureni - 7,5 acres smooth water surface
Lake Floresti – 27 acres smooth water surface
Lakes in Marasti District – Cluj-Napoca – 14 acres smooth water surface.
Fish: aboriginal trout, chub, carp, Chinese carp, perch, pike, wells, bream, roach, barbell.

PLOIESTI | THE OIL CITY OF ROMANIA

2010-08-02T02:56:00.001+03:00

by Stefan Ditu

Ploiesti ( "ployescht") has 254000 inhabitants and is situated 1 hour north from Bucharest , you can reach here by train or by car easily from the capital. It is a kind of crossroads, you can either go easily to the Prahova valley from here and return to the north,to Brasov , either east as a way to Moldavia .

This is an oil town, unfortunately it doesn't hold much of attraction in itself as it lost great part of its beautiful old arhitecture center. So, one might find here some oil business oportunities, but still there are few things in this town that are worth visiting and also in the region around.

There are some things I think are nice to be discovered even within the town boundaries:

"Bulevardul cu castani" ["The Chestnut Boulevard"]:
- it is a straight road from the South Railway Station to the center of the town, it is a nice placefor walks, it holds a lot of green during spring and summer, nice colors autumn; you can see a variety of plants, trees there, not only chestnut trees which provide very nice cooling during summer;

The Watches Museum [on "The Chestnut Boulevard"]:
- something quite unique in this area, it holds
several very interesting pieces of watch craftmenship from all over
time; and the building is also beautiful, with an elegant arhitecture,
like a miniatural palace;

The Palace of Culture [downtown]: - great building in a classic style, built around
1900, holds the town's library "Nicolae Iorga" and some
interesting museal sections, besides popular art school sections and
other cultural activities - it has a very nice Columns hall, with big
columns and a glass ceiling; renovating right now;

Central Market Halls [situated
next to the Cultural Palace] -it is a
"1900" building, with brick face, nice and could easily
be considered a monument; it is worth visiting, it holds a clock tower
at a corner, some four main gates named after some other important
towns towards which those gates are orientated; a big main hall with a
nice big dome; next to it is the smaller one, for the fish market,
where you can find lots of fresh fish mainly, from romania; this
complex building has also shops on the outside laterals and smaller
halls for milk products, meat shops at the balcony in the rounded main
hall etc.

MONUMENTS

The Heroes Monument in the South Railway Station Place,&amp;nbsp;a nice to see
obelisc with statues and a vulture on top, in bronze and classic style
- this is a rather old monument;

-The Statue of MihaiViteazul, in the Mihai Viteazul Place, it is a new monument in a
classic style, situated in the park on the Republicii boulevard, from
downtown to the north exit to Brasov;

-The Old Merchants House, oldest monument here, you have the chance to admire a good example of the last centuries burg houses here, in the south region;

-The Art Museum, a representative burgeois villa for the 19th century life here, right at
the crossroads of downtown with The Chestnut Boulevard; it has a very
beautiful architecture, mural paintings and decorations and it is
shelter for some good painting examples, Grigoresco and so on;

GOOD RESTAURANTS

London House:- It is a nice, stylish place on The Chestnut Boulevard, the looks and
menus are quite English-old;

2. Vienna Cafe:- a
nice cafe and restaurant in a renovated bourgeois house nearby The
Chestnut Boulevard; nice ambience and interiors, well-made menus;

3. The Old House:
- right near the Old merchants house, it offers a ncie ambience, quite&amp;nbsp;romanian
in an oldish genuine style;

4. The Boulevard Restaurant:
- it is a very nice and fancy location, an old style
building renewed and ready to receive you in a symbol-buildingfor the
old good times of this town, when the architecture was genuine and
fine;

5. Jinx Pizzeria:
- not in an old location, but good pizzas made in a
traditional way and all natural and well made ingredients [beginning
with the real tomato sauce...]; situated in a block near the Nichita
Stanescu central park;

6. Pizzeria Uno Due Tre:
- situated in a renewed bulding right face to face to Vienna
Cafe, a fancy atmosphere...

Hotels Ploiesti:

www.tourneo.ro

1. Hotel Central[***]:
- this is the most serious, as it is all renewed and ready to welcome in very nice conditions its customers; also it is a beautiful building reminding of the old style acrchitecture and it is right in the center as its name says; now it raised to 3 stars category, with the renewal; it has a nice view to the Central Park, Palace of Culture and other central buildings...;

2. Hotel Turist[**]:
- this is a small nice hotel, with comfort conditions to offer, right around the corner of Hotel Central; it has an usual building to fit in; the chambers have big windows ;), but the view is not so spectacular, as it faces a narrow street with a nice old building on the corner and a block continuing to front;

3. Hotel Prahova[*]:
- I wouldn't recommend it, because it is kind of old communist building, on the outside is very dirty and looks unsafe; but probably cheaper than other hotels; also situated in the center, on the place of a lost neighbourhood of very nice small buildings as you could see in Paris, today available only in old photos...

4. Hotel Nord: ***
- new building, but situated on the peripheric, on a quite poluted avenue, "The West Road"; cheaper;

5.HOTEL FORUM ***- cheap and nice close to the weekend bazaar.

AROUND PLOIESTI

1. Zamfira Monastery - Lipanesti year 1743 (Manastirea Zamfira)

- not far from Ploesti [~15km], it is well known because of its unique "a fresco" tehnique paintings by one of the greatest romanian artists: Nicolae Grigorescu; this is his youth masterpiece and unique also because "a fresco" is used here only, other similar works of him are in oil colors; very nice to see byzanthine style combined with classic draw, together with the youthful light and idealism of figures; also paintings by Cheladec; paintings executed 1856-1857;&nbsp;

2. Slanic - The Salt Mine "Unirea" -  "Baia Baciului" Salt Mountain

- one of the most beautiful salt mines in southeastern Europe; it has a high hall where you can anjoy ball sports, a salt sculptures museum and even a sanatorium; let's hope in the future there will be much more investment, but is still worth visiting yet;

- The Salt Mountain can be visited on the other side of the valley, it is a salt hill in fact; back in the past it was a beautiful mountain with a big hole in the middle and you could have there the most astonishing view, with this salt rocks covering a lake which had above this no-ceiling cave... but nowadays youc an only see the part which still stands up, the part on laying on the soil hills sourrounding it and the salty lake nearby this natural monument... it is said that collapsed because of a sweet water spring at the bottom of its inner cave salt lake erroding the roots of those magnificent walls... I would say it is worth visiting though, you can make yourself an idea upon the lost glory and, anyway, still a natural great salt wall standing up above those two lakes - that's something not anywhere possible to see.
3. Valenii de Munte - "Nicolae Iorga" Memorial House Museum

- The Summer University established by one of the greatest minds [in the world] of the 20th century

4. Seciu - restaurant Wine Cellars

- just above the town of Ploesti, on the near hills, beautiful views of the town itself and its surroundings;
-restaurant, wine cellars, rooms;

5. The Wine Road

- this is a turistic road that leads you all around the most important places for wine production here, wellknown worldwide; - most known are Valea Calugareasca, Domeniile Tohani [eng. Tohani Domains]-Dealu Mare;
- this road is throughout the country, si this is just a part in Prahova county

IASI - A HIDDEN URBAN SECRET

2010-05-26T17:25:00.000+03:00

IASI, the vibrating city is often named "the lovely borough of Iasi" due to its laid back atmosphere, unique in the whole country.

Iasi is located in the north-eastern part of Romania, a 7 hour journey by train from Bucharest. It’s situated in a region with hills and plateaus, an
area where the new is interwoven with the old.

Iasi is a student city full of life, displaying a generous offer of clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, parks, but, at the same time, a city with a
thrilling cultural life and a rich history.

Do you fancy traditional Romanian cuisine?
Tasting delicious Romanian wines?
Listening to some traditional Romanian music?
International cuisine?
Iasi is your place!

Iasi is known as Romania's spiritual capital.Iasi ranks second after Bucharest in point of number of students but it is the oldest university centre of the country.

The status of important cultural centre is rendered by numerous cultural establishments: three theatres among which the "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theatre dating back to 1894-1896, 16 Museums and memorial houses, including the oldest in the country: Ion Creanga's Hovel, 267 libraries etc.

Iasi is also considered to be first "museum-town" of Romania boasting 120 places of tourist interest among which the oldest religious monument: the Princely St. Nicholas Church founded by Stephen the Great (1491-1492) and the famous "Trei Ierarhi/ Three Hierarchs Church", entirely carved in stone, founded by Vasile Lupu between 1638 and 1639. The Dosoftei House is the oldest lay monument. The first printing house in Moldavia functioned there in 1679.

BRIEF HISTORY OF IASI CITY

Forced to suffer the wild attacks of migratory people for a long time, the Romanians constituted themselves into independent states in the 14th century by uniting the existent pre-state territories. Although historic circumstances prevented the forming of a unique Romanian state for a long time there have always existed common origins, traditions and customs, a unitary geographic frame and community of language.

In 1859, as a result of an immense internal effort and a favorable external context, the Union of Moldova and Wallachia was achieved by the election of Alexandru loan Cuza as Prince of both states. "The Small Union" was consolidated by a reforming work which brought the newly formed state closer to Europe and enabled it to make itself known in external affairs. Iasi was the city that made the first steps towards the unification.
The decisive step towards the constituting of the Romanian Unitary National State was taken during the year 1918. By uniting all the Romanian territories some of which had been under foreign rule: Basarabia, Bucovina, Banat and Transilvania, the Great Union was accomplished in Alba lulia on December 1st, 1918. Iasi was the Center for resistance during the World War I. Here was initiated the Great Union.

Thoroughly European, Romania has given the world cultural patrimony great personalities: the scholar Dimitrie Cantemir, the sculptor Constantin Brancusi, the musician George Enescu, the inventor Henri Coandã, the diplomat Nicolae Titulescu, the historian Nicolae lorga, the dramatist Eugen lonescu, the historian Mircea Eliade, the mathematician Grigore Moisil. Many of them have their lives strongly related to Iasi City.

Iasi City which was the capital of the historic Country of Moldova (Romanian province of Moldova and the actual Moldova Republic) and was Romania's first capital (from 1859-1862).
The county's history records periods of vicissitudes and times of glory recalled by many monuments and vestiges. Iasi - "the town of the seven hills", is attested in the 15th century act issued by Prince Alexandru cel Bun (1400 - 1432) granting it commercial privileges, but the history of Iasi area goes back to the beginnings of this millennium. Archaelogical investigations carried on in Cucuteni village have revealed one of the most brilliant Neolithic cultures in Europe, the famous Cucuteni Culture (millennium 3 - 2 BC), Baiceni - Mlada (3 rd - 2 nd c. B.C.), Dumbrava (1st - 2nd c. A.D.), and Iasi - Nicolina (dating from the Iron Age and the 4th - 12 th c. A.D.). Having a leading position in Romania' s economy , the development of Iasi town is connected with its very good geographical location at the crossing of old commercial ways.

First was the Neo-Gothic Palace of Culture, one of Iasi's most recognizable and charming buildings. It sits on a promontory above the river terrace and serves as a visual reference point for central Iasi. It was completed in the 1920s as a government administration building, but it is now home to four museums.
Grand but not grandiose, the Palace of Culture is indeed a prime element of Iasi's skyline, and its image as a city of culture.

Along Stefan cel Mare is the Church of the Three Hierarchs, the most distinctive church in Iasi. It was completed in the 1630s, and its exterior of patterned stone carving was once layered in gold. It now provides the resting place for the crypts of Alexandru Ioan Cuza (the prince who unified Wallachia and Romania in 1859) and Dimitrie Cantemir, the last native Moldavian Prince before the period of Phanariot Greek rule under the Ottomans (1711-1824).
Further up the street is the much larger but less distinctive Metropolitan Cathedral, built in the 1830s as the seat of the Orthodox clergy in Moldavia. As such, the Cathedral hosts the relics of St. Paraschiva, the patron saint of Moldavia.

The "Alexandru Ion Cuza" University of Iasi was founded in 1860 and was Romania's first modern university. It is named after the prince who united Wallachia and Moldavia into the state of Romania in 1859. In fact, Iasi was Romania's first capital (from 1859-1862), and Bucharest outpaced Iasi as the center of Romanian political life only after Cuza was deposed by the boyars in 1866. Iasi therefore has a certain prestige as a center both of Romanian nationalism and Romanian culture, as reflected in education and literature.
The university is situated on Copou, one of the most prominent of Iasi's several hills. The old town center, the business district, and the industrial area are all down below, on the terrace of the Bahlui river. Copou is not as steep, but the nicest residential area is there. Also, there are parks, a botanical garden, and the city stadium.

Tall trees line Copou Boulevard, creating a passage of green up and down the street (at least before the leaves fall). In the downtown area, the visual passage is mostly stone, brick, and concrete--most buildings along the major streets are four or five stories high.

GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND

The relief of the Iasi county is hilly. In the central and north-eastern part, an about a half of the surface of the county, there are hills and low inter-river plateaus drained by the rivers Jijia and Bahlui, with slopes subjected to sliding and meadows. The western side is dominated by hilly tops and plateaus with heights of over 400 meters. The southern part has a high and massive relief with altitudes of 350-450 meters, drained by the rivulets of the Prut and Birlad rivers.

The climate is highly temperate and continental with temperatures varying between -30 Celsius degree and +40 Celsius degrees and an average rainfall of 500 and 600 mm per year and regular eastern winds.

The hydrographic system is formed by rivers of various sizes (Bahlui, Jijia, the low course of the Moldova, Miletin, Vaslui.) which flow into the middle sectors of the rivers Prut and Siret. There is a large number of lakes and ponds, with a total surface of 4300 hectares, and an accumulation capacity of over 100 million cubic meters at a normal storage level.
With a great scientific and tourist interest is the geological and florist natural reservation on Repedea Hill.

TOURISM AND CULTURE

There are towns or cities which have a real vocation for history. Iasi, the former capital of Moldavia, is one of them.
Archaelogical investigations attest the presence of human communities on the present territory of the city and around it as far back as the prehistoric age. But the beginnings of urban life in lasi are to be found in the second half of the 14th century, the name of the city being mentioned for the first time in a document about commercial privilege granted by the Moldavian ruler Alexandru cel Bun to the Polish merchants of Lvov in 1408.

Major events in the political and cultural history of Moldova are connected with the name of the city of Iasi. Thus it is here that we can trace the roots of the Romanian national historiography. The great scholars of the 17th century - "the golden age" of Romanian culture - namely Grigore Ureche, Miron Costin and later Ion Neculce, wrote most of their works in the city or not far from it and the great European fame scholar Dimitrie Cantemir also linked his name to the capital of Moldova.

With a patrimony comprising many archaeological sites, memorial houses remaining of Romanian great writers such as Eminescu, Creanga, Alecsandri, Sadoveanu, about 6900 historical; and architectural monuments, precious vestiges of Romanian culture and civilization, the county of Iasi is considered a "museum" county in Romania.
The rich cultural and artistic patrimony of the Iasi county, the large and diversified folklore and ethnographic treasure, natural reservation and resources (Repedea, Valea Lunga, mineral springs in Nicolina, Strunga etc.), the famous vineyards in Cotnari ( the 14th century) as well as its position of a railway junction have favored sustained tourist activity with many possibilities of optimization and diversification.

For the time being there are over 40 hotels and motels spread all over the county.
Among the numerous cultural and modern art monuments in the Iasi City, the tourists are attracted first of all by the National Museum Complex hosted by the Palace of Culture, a impressive building constructed on the ruins of the Princely Court, in a new Gothic style at the beginning of our century. The National Museum Complex comprises the Art Museum, History Museum, Moldova Ethnographic Museum and The Polytechnic Museum, which are unique in Romania. This Complex, together with its numerous branches, houses and places connected with the name of great Romanian people, contains extremely valuable treasures of Romanian culture and civilization.

Other museums are worth mentioning: The Union Museum -situated in the building of the last King residence, The Natural History Museum, The Theater Museum, The Romanian Literature Museum, Dosoftei`s House, The National Theater " Vasile Alecsandri", very old churches such as Trei Ierarhi (Three Hierarchies), Golia, Galata etc.

Of a great artistic value are the historical monuments such as: The Palace of " Al. I. Cuza" in Ruginoasa, The Memorial House of Vasile Alecsandri in Mircesti, The Archeological Site of Neolithic Civilization in Cucuteni (4-3rd cent. B.C.), the ruins of The Princely Court and Dacian Fortress in Cotnari and many others.

EDUCATION

Starting with the 17th century, Iasi has been recognized as being the most important cultural Center of Romania due to existence here of the old Vasilian Academy, and the High School of Slavonic and Greek languages, the first printing press and many other vestiges.

The residential city of the Iasi county is Iasi City, one of the oldest cities of Romania was the City of the first Romanian University (1860) and the first Engineering High School (1814). Thus, it holds the reputation of a "spiritual and cultural capital of Romania".
The education in the county of Iasi refers to over 150,000 pupils in about 500 primary schools, 36 lyceums of general and special schools with over 10,000 teachers.
The constant development of higher education system are making Iasi as the most important Higher Education Centre, after Bucharest.

In the city of Iasi there are 7 universities with over 40,000 students and 4,000 didactic stuff (The University "Al. I .Cuza", Technical University "Gh. Asachi", The University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Agronomic University "Ion Ionescu de la Brad", The Academy of Fine Arts "George Enescu", Orthodox Theological Institute, Catholic Theological Institute).

MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN IASI

The Palace of Culture – a Neogothical building, dating from the beginning of the 20th century, including in its 367 chambers four large museums and a library;
The vestiges of the Old Royal Court – the oldest construction of this kind in Moldavia;
The Mitropoltan Cathedral – built between years 1840-1880, in a baroque and neoclassical architectural style, the largest Orthodox church in Romania
“Trei Ierarhi” Church – once covered with gold;
The National Theater – one of the most beautiful bulidings in Romania, displaying a Baroque style;
Copou Area – comprising the University (the oldest Romanian university), parks and the largest Botanical Garden in Romania;
Cotnary vineyards –from 15th century, wine tasting of the most fampus types of wine Grasa de Cotnari, Feteasca, Tamâioasa Româneasca, Francoa ;
Galata, Golia, Cetatuia Monasteries;

An exciting night life – lots of clubs anf good restaurants.The most friendly and open people in Romania!

RESTAURANTS
Trei Sarmale | Traditonal Romania Cusisine, wine cellar |Tel: 23.72.55;
Bolta rece | Wine cellar, restaurant; Moldavian cuisine| Phone: 21.22.55
Casa Billius | French menu | Phone: 21.80.85; 0788.48.12.74
Sinbad | Lebanese menu | Phone: 26.11.19
Majestic | Restaurant & Pub | Phone: 27.73.77
Casa Lavric | Phone: 22.99.60; 0740.22.99.60 b
Casa Pogor | Phone: 24.30.06
lubul Bursei | Romanian and International cuisine | Phone: 27.09.04
Casa Universitarilor | Phone: 26.40.53
Aad's Palace | Dutch menu | Phone: 27.43.74
Bamboo Chinese | Chinese Restaurant |Phone: 22.77.55; 22.70.00
Ginger Pub | Irish Restaurant | Phone: 27.60.17
Barbarosa | Fish specialities | Phone: 23.26.18
Caraffa | Mexican, Italian and Romanian plates | Phone: 26.26.26
Club RS | Romanian, Greek, Mexican cuisine | Phone: 21.30.60
Dragon | Chinise Cuisine | Phone: 26.20.37
He Nan | Chinise Cuisine | Phone: 24.91.27;\
Ianny's | Greek Restaurant | Phone: 0740.33.12.59
La Cao | Chinese Restaurant | Phone: 0232 240145
Mariachi | Mexican Cuisine |
Souflaki | Greek Cuisine | Phone: 26.25.28;
Sultan | Arab Cuisine | Phone: 27.72.77

A nice way of spending lazy moldavian
afternoons and starting the evening - a boost of energy - is do drop by one of the many bars and coffee shops

BARS | CAFES
Time Out | Phone: 23.22.73
The Tavern with Phantoms | Phone: 0740.75.14.89
Corso | Phone: 27.61.43
No. 8 Caffe | Phone: 23.15.12
Palace Cafe | Phone: 0740.60.59.20
Quinta Cafe | Phone: 26.84.47
Boema Cafe | Phone: 21.07.15
Arte Cafe | Phone: 0746.45.00.85
Belfast Pub | Phone: 0742.51.91.96
Best Club | Rock & blues, billiards | Phone: 21.36.43
Bistro Rimini | Phone: 22.07.88
Bourbon House | Phone: 21.56.65
Cafe del Paradisio | Phone: 0744.40.92.41
Club Catacomba | Bbar, billiards) | Phone: 0742.28.07.05
Club Motor | Bar, billiards | Phone: 27.97.00
Club OK | Tel: 27.88.10
Coffee Break
Coffein | Phone: 21.07.55
Deja Vue | Phone: 0788.38.00.70
Ethos | Phone: 0741.08.02.72
Finley | Phone: 0332.80.09.50
Ginger Pub | Irish Pub | Phone: 27.60.17
Golfo di Napoli | Phone: 41.51.14
La Boieri | Phone: 26.80.01
Lady in Red | Phone: 0741.49.64.76
London Pub | Phone: 21.17.67
Old Time Café | Bar, billiards | Phone: 21.28.80
Pasadena | FAST FOOD & COCKTAIL BAR | Phone: 27.47.32
Pasticceria Montecatini | Phone: 20.85.50;
Piano Club | Phone: 21.92.90
Pub 25 | Phone: 21.04.42
Pub Cheyenne | Phone: 0724.38.13.99
Puerto Rico Cafe
Stud Bar | Phone: 0743.57.43.46
Wanted | Phone: 0743.09.49.94
White Nights | Phone: 27.89.49

Do you feel like dancing? Listening to good music - international and Romanian?
What about meeting some friendly locals? There are thousands of students in this city that never sleeps!

NIGHTCLUBS
Night Clubs Blackout | Phone: 0744.90.06.04
Imperium | Phone: 0743.80.37.00
Versus | Phone: 21.81.58; 0723.27.47.36
Sundays | Phone: 0743.57.43.46
Viper Club| Bowling, pool, bar | Phone: 20.86.59 XS Phone: 0740.05.94.16
Byblos | Phone: 27.75.75;
Cafe del Paradisio | Phone: 0744.40.92.41
Club Catacomba | bar, pool | Phone: 0742.28.07.05
Club Planet
Club Rosu si Negru | Phone: 47.79.03
Crazy Horse | Phone:
Estudiantina | Phone: 27.75.75
Faraon | Phone: 0788.38.00.70
New Office | Cocktail Bar | Phone: 24.45.46
Karaoke (Club 13)
HOTELS
Hotel Europa****Str. Anastasie Panu nr.26 Phone: 0232-24.20.00
Hotel Traian****Piata Unirii nr.1 Phone: 0232-26.66.66
Hotel Moldova***Str. Anastasie Panu nr.29 Phone: 0232-26.02.40
Hotel Astoria***Str. Lapusneanu, nr.1. Phone: 0232-23.38.88
Hotel Unirea***Piata Unirii nr.5 Phone:0232-20.50.00
Hotel Amadeo***Sos. Ungheni nr.2 Phone:0232-27.06.31
Hotel Orizont**Str. Grigore Ureche nr.27 Phone: 0232-21.50.37
Hotel Continental*Str. Cuza-Voda nr.4 Phone: 0232-21.18.46
Hotel links:
http://www.hoteluri.iasi.tourneo.ro
http://www.camerehotel.ro/rezervari/Iasi.html

THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

As far as Chisinau and the Republic of Moldova is regarded, there are some Moldavian travel agencies that organize trips in Moldavia. It takes 3 - 4 hours to get from Iasi to Chisinau, by bus or by train. Please note that the oficial relationship between Romania and the Republic has been seriously strained since the riots spring 2009 in Moldova. Please check any border crossing regulations that may occur and disappear.

http://www.solei.md/en/tours_md/turulvinului | The Wine Route
http://www.corina-travel.com/onas-eng.shtml
http://www.voiaj.md/incoming/en.html

SWIMMING

Hotel Moldova

PAINTBALL IN IASI

http://www.paintstrike.ro

paintstrike@gmail.com

CINEMAS IN IASI:

Cinema Victoria
Cinema Republica
Glendale Multiplex Moldova Mall

LINKS

www.iasicity.ro/
home.dntis.ro/~cicia/iasi.html
rotraveler.com/hotel/iasi.php
romaniatourism.com/iasi.html

RAILWAY STATION AND AIRPORT
The Railway Station (Strada Garii 1)tel.: 215 600
CFR Agency (Piata Unirii 10) tel.: 242 570
Airport (Str. Moara de Vant 34 ) tel.: 271570
TAROM ( Str. Arcu 3-5) tel. :267768 | www.tarom.ro

by Raluca

THE DANUBE DELTA : UNIQUE IN EUROPE

2010-05-26T16:56:00.000+03:00

The Danube River ends her long way through Europe in the Black Sea and creates Europe's biggest wetland area on the border between Romania and Ukraine. The Delta is huge, unique and a paradise for bird watchers. During communism the Delta was a dumping site for toxic waste from all over Europe, but times and conditions are changing. UN and EU have poured billions of cash into preservation projects, and though some funds have been tracked down to have reached the hands of greedy and corrupt bureaucrats in the region, most of the funds have made caused improvements.

The delta land itself is literally moving and the square metres of Romanian territory are being altered every day. Fishing and hunting are restricted and so is tourism. However, tourism in controlled shapes is also an opportunity for Romania and the locals in the Delta.

The natives of the Delta, the Lipoveni People, still have thriving villages in the region, partly living their lives in floating house boats or in makeshift sheds on small islands - like they have done for centuries since they escaped religious harassments in Old Russia. They still proudly use their own language and have their own small churches. The Lipovenis lead a hard and simple life far away from the cellphone world.

Visiting the Delta is a must when in Romania, but it demands time and some good planning. We has had several email letters from disappointed tourists who have been on one-day charter tours from Tulcea, having seen nothing but bushes ,water and a couple of pelicans. The highlight of these tours seem to be a seafood dinner served in some of the hotels in the Delta's more inhabited parts.

The area is so huge that to get into the real Delta you have to spend more than one day on a floating cafeteria. Three or more days will give you the chance, check the local offers and try to get there on your own, get far away from Tulcea and into the small channels and waterways.And bring your best camera.

www.deltadunarii.ro

AQUA MAGIC WATER PARK | MAMAIA -- ROMANIA

2010-05-08T06:35:00.002+03:00

Aqua Magic is situated close to the Perla Shopping Area and Hotel Perla, also close to the starting point of Telegondola Mamaia. Opened 1st July 2003

Entrance fee - 50 RON - reductions possible.

TURBO SLIDE- BLACK HOLE - KAMIKAZE TWISTER - MEGA PIPE - RIVER SLIDE - MULTI SLIDE - WATERPLAY GROUND - LAZY RIVER - FOUNTAIN PLATFORM - SUNBEDS - POOL BARS - RESTAURANTS - SHOWS ON STAGE - MASSAGE SERVICE - and lots more...

Viewpoints | Aqua Magic |

Aqua Magic Water Park in Mamaia may not be the biggest water park compared to similar parks elsewhere Europe, but Aqua Magic is well designed, well run with several speedy slides and is a great place to be for kids on a warm summer day on the Romanian Riviera.

LOCATION
The park is situated close to Hotel Perla at the entrance of the resort Mamaia itself, right after the toll road boots. The Telegondola Mamaia starts from this area as well.

TICKETS
50 RON during the main season. When inside all rides are covered with this ticket. You can't leave and return to the park without paying a new ticket. The ticket price is far over the top for an average Romanian, but for a Western tourist the price is acceptable considered the attractions inside.

SAFETY
There are plenty of security guards and life guards in the park. They are everywhere and any violation of rules are taken care of at once. There is also a first aid station with a doctor in the area itself. Not all guards speak English strangely enough, but most of them speak some basic phrases. Sometimes that is.

SUN FACTOR
All sunbeds are free of charge. Some of the chairs seem to be of poor quality and may collapse under the pressure of fat tourists, but if you are more slimmed, it may work fine. The park has circled terraces and thus sunbathing is the obvious option. When the kids are doing the slides, mam and dad may get their their right summer tan. If you want to freshen up when leaving the park, there are showers on the right hand side when leaving the park.

LOUDSPEAKERS
There are loudspeakers scattered all over the park. Apart from some obvious public messages now and then, Romanian pop hits and manele are played non stop in order to not forget where you are. A few loudspeakers have PA quality, the rest sounds like metal boxes used by the late Kim Il Sung in North Korea. If you happen to sunbathe next to one of these metal boxes, you soon will have an headache. A few metres away it will be okay though.

LAZY RIVER AND URSUS
THE LAZY RIVER is a river pool that surrounds most of the park and you may drift away on balloon rings and see the entire park from the waterway. The water park has more peaceful attractions for the smaller kids in the south part and more daring attractions in the north end. And your URSUS beer can be enjoyed in the water or on dry land in the combined wet-and-dry pool bar not far from the entrance. What more do you need?

LOO
New and clean bathrooms

ENLARGEMENTS
The park has been and will be enlarged northwards in the years to come.

All in all: "A great water park in a good location, confirming Mamaia as the top Romanian resort during summer "

Also nicknamed " Aqua Fresh" by the local taxi drivers

AQUA MAGIC WATER PARK MAMAIA - OFFICIAL WEBSITE

TELEGONDOLA MAMAIA | CONSTANTA - ROMANIA

2010-05-08T06:28:00.001+03:00

Close to Constanta is the resort of Mamaia and the Telegondola.Telecabins are quite common in Romania, but then in the mountain regions bringing skiers or hikers to great peaks in no time the year round. Having a telegondola running above a popular beach however is a brand new thing. If you know a bit about the "new and modern" Romania, you know it had to be Constanta and Mamaia that were able to put this project into reality.

While several projects in this country seems to vanish into a foggy bla-bla ( like the Dracula Park for instance) ideas introduced in the seaside port of Constanta have the rare ability to come true. The main streets have been repaved, new buses have been bought and a renovation of the main hospital has started. All visible projects for the common eye - and tax payers.

The fact that towns and regions around Constanta now start to copy the way of doing things, may even have a more comprehensive impact. A small thing like having a good website telling the inhabitans what is up next, is also one aspect that adds the impression of having things done. | www.primaria-constanta.ro |

The natives praise their mayor for this, and though he of course is not alone, he seems to be the most creative and effective - and controversial - Romanian primar around. 1st July 2004 he opened the water park Aqua Magic in Mamaia turning it into an instant success, and 17th July 2004 he opened Telegondola Mamaia and the success seems to be even more instant. While spending a day in Aqua Magic is rather expensive for an average Romanian family and only affordable for those with a few extra bucks, the Telegondola is reasonably priced with 10 RON a ride and reductions when buying more fares.

So is the Telegondola Mamaia worth the ride? Absolutely yes, at least once.The ride gives you a real panoramic view of Romania's most popular resort, and beyond. The Telegondola does not close until after midnight so having a ride while Mamaia puts on her flashy neon lights may be even more impressing. The ride is short, 7 minutes and some say it runs too quickly to enjoy all the view, and that it is a bit of a rush to get on and off since it really never haults, but anyway. And it is in fact a mean of transportation from one busy end of Mamaia to another busy end. The ride covers about the half of the Mamaia beach. After the Delta Casino at the north end Mamaia the atmosphere is more peaceful and not so crowded, and it feels right that the Telegondola does not cover this part.

CONSTANTA - SUN | SEA | BUSINESS

2010-05-08T06:25:00.001+03:00

Constanta is a city at the Romanian Black Sea that is more than 2500 years old. The Greek called the city Tomis in ancient times ,and thus the name Tomis pops up all over this prosperous city, on a front of a shopping centre, on a few townships ,some boulevards and on a set of enterprises. Constanta has about half a million inhabitants and is the second largest city in Romania, and a booming one.

Constanta is reached by trains ( 2h30min), buses almost every hour ( 3h30 min), use of private car on the “Sunshine Highway” or even to a certain extent by air : a few lowcost airlines and regular carriers land at the Constanta Airport

During summer it is the fun and entertainment capital for all Romanians and foreign visitors to Romania, and the population is tripled in July / August. The main asset during summer is the tourist resort Mamaia - an 8 km long beach which starts north of Constanta where the city ends. Constanta is the capital of the Romanian Riviera. In July 2003 a well made water park opened called Aqua Magic and a teleferic lift brings the tourists several meters above the sea level in order to view Mamaia from the air..

Constanta City itself is by a first glimpse a bit messy and seemingly not very well organized city , with flavours of Turkish, Greek, Romanian and Western culture added into the leftovers from the communist period - when it comes to buildings and housings.

But this is probably the most organised city in Romania, and I am not only talking about the big boulevards, the parks and the renovation of Mamaia over the last two years. The Mayor - Mr Mazare - though controversial - has put his clear impact on the city by renovating transport and street systems and enforcing a common change in the public field. After years of talking, at least things are being done in Constanta - things that the Constanta dwellers can see with their own eyes. This does not mean that Constanta is without huge social and financial problems, but at least there is no status quo.

Constanta is an international city. The locals are used to mingling with foreigners and investors have flocked to the seaside port and regional business enterprises. The harbor is second only to Rotterdam in Europe when it comes to port of calls. The city has a visible upper class that flush their wallets on luxury cars and houses - but Constanta also has abandoned kids who live in the pipes next to the local railway station, and plenty of people in all age groups who sleep rough.

Some people also claim that Constanta is the pop capital of Romania, only challenged by Bucharest. There are plenty of Contanta groups and artists that reach the number one spot on the Romanian pop charts, and the pop video producers love the beach settings of the Romanian Rivera when making promo videos for the stars.

Constanta is the Romanian city with the most booming financial development, and they seem to build everywhere,also in the port area. Shipping yards, cargo centrals and oil supply services have been mushrooming with foreign money, and the rich are building flashy houses for themselves on the outskirts. New enterprises rise like palaces while the old and rusty buildings are left alone. The poor and the wealthy clash in a visual shock which is quite common in this country.

Constanta is somewhat bumpy, dull and dirty when entering from the capital highway, while the city centre has broad avenues, nice parks and dusty but respectable buildings from the past. The Moslem Mosque in the centre is one of the main sights, along with the Archaeological Museum, The Casino, The Aquarium and a small but well made Marine Museum. Tomis - the old Greek name - is also the name of the biggest shopping centre downtown and a boulevard next door. Even some parts of the city are named Tomis - and in order not to confuse anyone, a creative number ( 1 or 2 or 3 ) is added to each Tomis township.

When shopping in Constanta one should avoid Tomis Shopping Centre due to a fixed overpricing - and pushy mafiosos on the pedestrian area nearby - and head for CITY PARK MALL on the road to Mamaia, CARREFOUR on the hills overlooking Mamaia across the lake or DORALLY on the way to Eforie or any other shopping mall dotted around the city. MARITIMO which opened autumn 2011 is siad to be one of the biggest malls in Romania, and it is for sure the biggest on the Romanian Riviera.

If you can get hold of a member card and are in desperate need of quality items, you should head for METRO, a big modern hall placed on some farming fields right outside the city border. Actually there are two METROS since winter 2004, the second one on the way to Eforie. So is also SELGROS, also demanding memberhip cards to shop.

Fleamarkets also exist on certain weekdays, both in the city and outside, markets where people sell and buy any kind of items from fake and genuine leather jackets, to handy tools and old Dacia cars for those who want to practise as a mechanic.

Constanta is an international city , colourful, ugly at times but vibrant and busy. Constanta also has a visible upper class who love to show off in fancy imported cars or flash their pda or smartphone in a porch restaurant. Outside a dirty old man may have his supper from a trash can. Constanta is the city of contrasts.

The city is not at all as beautiful and organised as for instance Brasov, but far more lively and exciting, above all during the summer season. Then Constanta is the holiday and entertainment capital of Romania , even arrogant Bucharestians have to admit that.

During winter Constanta is at times a windy and freezing city with grumpy inhabitants, but when spring arrives it all changes and people get more optimistic and friendly, while the herds of visitors re-occupy the streets and beaches.. Until the heat arrives early July and make the block of flats into heaters of hell, with temperatures reaching 35 - 40 plus centigrades at the most. Those with money flee to the mountains while the rest try to produce a few bucks for a new fan in the flat. Or if there is no job or work to do - or you're young , you head for the breeze of the Mamaia beach or other resorts along the coastline.

The city has plenty of good restaurants (and a few real bad ones), discos , outdoor cafés, pubs, bars, sleazy and not-so-sleazy nightclubs, and a reasonable set of cinemas , now mostly cinema complexes.. The walking area around the Casino building is wonderful, especially in the sunset when Romanian families stroll to and from without any special destination. The Black Sea is right in front and the atmosphere is relaxed and peaceful. The Casino is the landmark of the city and was made 100 years ago and has a twin building in Monte Carlo – a foreign company wanted to offer ~100 millions $ for the building, but the Municipality cannot sell it – the place is a UNESCO and national patrimonium building. The Casino today a restaurant in addition to being an arena for smaller exhibitions. During the communist time the Casino was one of the best restaurants in Romania, today its reputation is somewhat dodgy. Or more correct; there are far better diners around, above all in Mamaia.

Concerts of all kinds are hosted either in Constanta or Mamaia during summer. A SUMMER THEATRE with 1000 seats - is situated at the south end of Mamaia. There are also several beach arena that host pop and rock concerts during the summer season, along with theatre halls and other stage arenas and hotels in the area.

Between Mamaia and Constanta is LUNA PARC or “SATUL DE VACANTA”. This area is organised as a kind of amusement park with some rusty rides, some not that rusty, a renovated bowling hall, a secured shopping mall and a row of restaurants where each one is supposed to be special and serve dishes typical of all regions in Romania.The place is extremely overcrowded in weekends and a paradise for pickpockets, but is beyond doubt a local come-together location with a genuine charm. Local politicians have launched the slogan " The Riviera for Everyone" - and this must be it. You may easily stroll from Sat de Vacanta to the modern CITY PARK MALL through the parks alongside the lake.

A dolphirama is situated nearby, a pool with a dolphin show at fixed hours during the peak season. Two shows are running, one outside with two dolphins and one show inside with one dolphin and two sea lions. The sea lions come and swim, last summer they did not appear. It used to be a great show back in the early 90's with many dolphins, now I guess money and support otherwise have reduced it to something not very impressive by international standards. But small kids will love the show regardless.

Right next to Hotel Perla is AQUA MAGIC water park which provides the kids in all ages with a lot of fun during the summer season. By entering this zone you are actually in Mamaia, the beach resort. AQUA PARK, though overprized ticketwise and crowded on weekends is a great must especially for families with kids or teenagers.

Constanta also has an international airport that used to be busy, then it was partly renovated - and as a punishment traffic was failing, especially the number of charter flights in the summer months. Now it's on its way up again, more flights are coming in with a comprehensive renovation of the entire Mamaia strip and German tour operators back again in the beach hotels. There are also a few domestic flights from the airport, mostly to and from Bucharest. Constanta airport is 30 minutes by car north of the city, it is small and efficient - and the tax-free shop has three times higher prices that the main street shops in the city. And the runway is new from the season 2004, so no in-flight bumps any more either for the charter tourists. Still it is far away from the busy and thriving airport it used to be back at the turn of the century

Constanta used to have brilliant ferry links to Istanbul and ship connection to Odessa, but now these are gone. Eah summer the tourist authorities announce a comeback of these ferry links, but we have seen none so far. Coaches provide the transport of tourists between Constanta and Istanbul via Bulgaria , and Ukraine seems to be no destination of interest to anyone. If you ask locals how to go from Constanta to Odessa they really do not have a clue.

Train connections are great though and there are several departures to Bucharest and all over Romania every day from the Constanta Gara, the railways station. During summer the timetable is impressive. Though fares have steeped the last year it is still acceptable for those with salaries in hard currencies. TIMES AND FARES: www.infofer.ro

Cheap are also the coaches or AUTOCAR as the natives call them - that leaves for Bucharest every hour between 07 and 19 daily right in front of the railway station. The ticket fare is currently almost the same when we talk about train or bus, the bus has WIFI and VIDEO though and makes a coffee break half way. TIMES: www.autogari.ro

The buses are the most common mean of transport in Constanta, along with minibuses that run fixed routes all over the city and the riviera all day long. Taxis are expensive and drivers rude, so we advice you to use the minibuses or the city buses. From Constanta to Mamaia is 8 km, to Eforie Nord southwards about 10 km.

DOUBLE DECKER BUSES run during summer sightseeing tours from GARA to MAMAIA and back and some also along the entire Romanian Riviera. Can even be used as a regular mean of transport.

It is also possible to go swimming in the Constanta City centre itself, on the beach north of the Casino area, named Modern Beach, closer to Tomis Harbour, the old Greek harbour, hosting a few good restaurants and sailing boats. However, it is really a bit unorganised and the atmosphere not very inviting to put it diplomatically, even natives admit that. Having a pint or a cup coffee on the hillside bars leading up to the Tomis centre is nice though. Or in the harbour at night when the lights are on.

The biggest shopping centres in Constanta is MARITIMO, CARREFOUR | TOM on the outskirts of the city centre and THE CITY PARK MALL in the Tomis 3 area. The traditional shopping centre is TOMIS MALL in the very heart of downtown Constanta. REAL HYPERMARKET is good value situated on the main road southwards of the city with a department aso in the city not far from Maritimo.

BUCHAREST - "PARIS OF THE BALKANS"

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Bucuresti (or Bucharest in Anglo-American) is the capital of Romania - and is - when celebrated - called " the Paris of the Balkans". Historically this saying is correct as the city tried to copy Parisian street systems and buildings in the 1920's, even constructing their own Arch of Triumph. However, the happy 20's were followed by more turbulent and fatal times, and the Paris look has faded to be honest. The French impact is still visible though-.

Today, in more everyday terms - Bucharest is at its best charming, and at its worst shocking and disturbing. The gap between the few and very rich and the many and very poor is more visible here than anywhere else in Romania, and old and new buildings are dotted around in a confusing mixture. In the suburbs there are awful Stalinist blocks all over and in the city centre there are well maintained parks and broad avenues. As a visitor in the city centre you will easily find that Bucharest can be beautiful and a nice place to be.

Bucharest has it all, shopping malls, flashy discos, vibrant nightclubs, modern cinemas and a wide range of brilliant restaurants and pubs. International exhibitions, concerts and shows are hold regularly, and there are plenty of museums worth visiting. The most well-known and controversial building is of course the huge Parliament, or the "House of the People "as the Dictator incorrectly named it before he was executed. The Parliament is partly open to the public and a visit to this second or third largest public building in the world is a must.

Bucharest is boiling hot during summer and freezing cold during winter, and the best place to do the city is somewhere in between those periods. Pollution is also a problem on extremely hot and cold days, especially for people with breathing or heart problems. In some places there are herds of stray dogs, but not in any respect as many as you have seen on Western TV. And if not suffering from any disease, they usually leave humans alone busy defending their territory against other hound dogs.

The traffic at daytime in Bucharest is infernal and you may be stuck for hours if you use a private car in the city centre. The best way to get around is by a well working metro. The underground system in Bucharest will take you to the main sights in minutes.

There are plenty to see and do in the Romanian capital. The concert and pop | rock scene is huge and vibrant and a pleasant surprise to foreigners who may think Romania is a bore. Most of the action are listed on the site www.port.ro but if you want to do it the Romanian way you do not plan very much, just walk about until you find a bar or a place of your taste. If there is a good concert coming up, posters on any street corner will notify you.

ARRIVING BY AIR

Your first encounter with Romania is likely to be the Otopeni Henri Coanda Airport just a short ride outside the city centre. Their web site is www.otp-airport.ro This quite small airport is well run, modern and most of the staff is very polite and service-minded. The grumpy and commie-style welcome you used to get there just a few years ago, is gone with the new winds that sometimes hit Romania. In the arrival hall you may still be attacked by corrupt taxi-drivers, but stay clear of them by moving on to the buses and taxis outside the building.

Since spring 2009 there is also an airport express train to and from Otopeni Airport and Gara de Nord. It is a combination of train and bus service in one - and the best way to travel to the airport so far.

ARRIVING BY TRAIN

The main railway station in Bucharest is Gara de Nord and the place has changed into a more pleasant travel point over the last few years.Guards and a small entrance fee to the area did not help much to avoid the feeling that any foreigner was exposed to all kinds of cheaters. Surveilance cameras installed however did. Gara de Nord is today a relatively safe place. A set of new restaurants and bars have also been a successful change. It is also possible to have a private shower in the public bathroom. And you can leave your luggage in a guarded store room.

The information staff is not very helpful apart from the basic selling of tickets. All the info you need, however, is available on the brilliant website

www.cfr.ro | Link | www.infofer.ro

so you may check times and fares well in advance. Buses to and from all over Romania leave from a main bus staion a block away from Gara de Nord: www.autogari.ro

A budget hotel close to the Gara de Nord is cernahotel.ro

READ ON

Above: The Press Building

While other main destinations in Romania have one main touristic website we can recommend, Bucharest strangely enough lacks such a main site. There are plenty of sites around, but they cover only their own field. You may read on here using these good links:

THE BUCHAREST CITY HALL INFO WEB - the official web site from the city all, easy to find info and has it all basically
www.bucurestiwww .ro - on what - where and when
www.bucuresti.ro - a forum site more or less in Romanian

The Village Museum | Bucharest