CONSTANTA

It is the oldest attested city in Romania, founded around 600 B.C. The city is located in Dobruja, on the Black Sea coast, in the Southeastern region of the country, 185 miles from the Bosphorus Strait, third largest city in Romania and fourth largest port in Europe, after Rotterdam, Antwerp and Marseille.

Constanta was initially a Greek colony, called Tomis and legend has it that Jason landed here with the Argonauts, after finding the Golden Fleece.

Founded by Greek colonists from Miletos in the 6th century BC, Tomis was conquered by the Romans in 71 BC and renamedConstantiana by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, in honor of his sister. The name was shortened to Constantaduring the Ottoman era. During the 13th century, Italy, especially Genoese merchants, dominated the Black Sea and Constanta flourished, only to decline two centuries later, under Turkish rule.

Constanta is nowadays an important cultural and economic centre, worth exploring for its archaeological treasures and the atmosphere of the old town centre. Its historical monuments, ancient ruins, grand Casino, museums and shops, and the proximity to beach resorts make it the focal point of Black Sea coast tourism. Open-air restaurants, nightclubs and cabarets offer a wide variety of entertainment.

Constanta is not only the major resort-city on Black Sea coast, but  also a historic site, with an interesting past, attested by its many Roman vestiges, historic buildings, facades and mosques that color the Old City Centre:

Ovidiu's Square 
Designed by Ettore Ferrari in 1887, the statue dedicated to the Roman poet, Ovidius Publius Naso, gives name to this square. Emperor Augustus exiled Ovid to Tomis in 8 AD.

The Roman Mosaics (next to the National History & Archeology Museum)
A vast complex on three levels built toward the end of the 4th century AD and developed over the centuries, it was the city's commercial centre until the 7th century. Today, only about a third of the original edifice remains, including colorful mosaics and remains of the Roman public baths.

The Genoese Lighthouse 
Built in 1860 by the Danubius and Black Sea Company to honor Genoese merchants who established a flourishing sea trade community here in the 13th century.

The Casino 
An art nouveau masterpiece, built between the two World Wars by architects Daniel Renard and Petre Antonescu, the Casino features sumptuous architecture and a wonderful view of the sea.

The House with Lions 

Blending pre-Romantic and Genovese architectural styles, this late 19th century building features four columns adorned with imposing sculptured lions. During the 1930s, its elegant salons hosted the Constanta Masonic Lodge.

The Archaeology Park 
The park houses columns and fragments of 3rd and 4th century buildings and a 6th century tower.

St. Peter & Paul Orthodox Cathedral

Constructed in Greco-Roman style between 1883 and 1885, the church was severely damaged during WWII and was restored in 1951. The interior murals display a neo-Byzantine style combined with Romanian elements best observed in the iconostasis and pews, chandeliers and candlesticks (bronze and brass alloy), all designed by Ion Mincu and completed in Paris.

The Great Mahmudiye Mosque 
Built in 1910 by King Carol I, the mosque is the seat of the Mufti, the spiritual leader of the Muslims (Turks and Tatars by origin), who live along the coast of the Dobrogea region. The building combines Byzantine and Romanian architectural elements, making it one of the most distinctive mosques in the area. The centerpiece of the interior is a large Persian carpet, a gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid - one of the largest carpets in Europe, weighing 1,080 pounds. The main attraction of the mosque is the 164-ft minaret (tower) which offers a stunning view of the old downtown and harbor.

St. Mina Orthodox Church
Built by master carpenters from the Maramures region in authentic Romanian style, this is the biggest wooden church in Romania, 85 ft long and 40 ft wide topped by a 140-ft tower.

Folk Art Museum
Some 16,000 exhibits from all ethnographic regions of Romania are on display here. Folk costumes, jewelry, interiors of traditional peasant homes and household items illustrate the traditional way of life in various parts of the country. On the ground floor, a valuable collection of icons painted on glass dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. Folk arts and crafts are available at the museum gift shop.

National History & Archeology Museum
An impressive collection of artifacts from Greek, Roman, and Daco-Roman civilizations is on display illustrating the history of  Dobrogea from the Stone Age to modern days. Two statues, one of the "Glykon - The Fantastic Snake," dating from the 3rd century BC, and the other of "Goddess Fortuna and Pontos," god of the Black Sea, are considered protectors of the city and port and are the highlights of the collection.

Romanian Navy Museum
The museum features charts, moldings, ancient and modern boat models, navigation instruments, documents and photographs. You can find a dug-out canoe made from a single tree trunk, a navigation case from the 16th century, a mid-17th century celestial globe made in Venice and models of Greek triremes.

Aquarium 
Opened in 1958, the Constanta Aquarium houses representatives of 60 species of fish from the Black Sea and the Danube Delta, as well as from the seaside lake. The most significant is the collection of sturgeons, one of the largest in the world.

Dolphinarium

Two sea lions, John and Lorry, and the veteran star dolphin, Mark, will put on their best "moves" for you.

The Romanian Black Sea coast is home to a wide range of summer resorts tailored to suit most tastes and ages, from small children to those seeking health-spa treatments. A strip of gold-sand beaches stretches from Constanta to the Bulgarian border, and visitors will encounter resorts named after mythological gods and goddesses, such as Eforie, Jupiter, Neptun, Olimp, Saturn, Venus and Mangalia.

MAMAIA
A favorite weekend get-away for locals, actually represent the outskirts of Constanta. A stretch of the finest sand beach between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol ("Milk Lake" in Turkish), Mamaia boasts numerous hotels, a casino, sporting facilities (water sports, biking, tennis, beach games), and hip nightclubs and restaurants located within 100 feet of the sea,  the Aqua Magic Park, the Holiday Village amusement park, featuring rides, a bowling alley, an open-air bazaar and several restaurants.

ACCOMMODATION IN CONSTANTA

2013 RATES* IN EURO/DOUBLE ROOM/NIGHT, STARTING FROM:

*Note: ADDITIONAL TAX MAY BE CHARGED DIRECTLY AT THE HOTEL!