TRIPS

:: CONSTANTA – MANGALIA – SEASIDE TOUR ::

This route is an opportunity to discover the splendor of the Romanian seaside, its treatment bases, but also the leisure possibilities. The seaside tour includes a one-day trip along the Romanian Black Sea Coast, including the whole necklace of resorts, namely Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud, Olimp, Neptun, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and  Mangalia. During the trip, the tourists can either have lunch on one of terrace restaurants ,or they can sail by boat across the Siutghiol Lake in Mamaia, where they can taste a specific fish meal. This route may include Constanta city tour too, paying  visits to  Aquarium and Dolphinarium, as well as the peninsular area of the city; here the visitors' eyes are enchanted by The National Museum of History and Archeology, the antique monuments – The Roman Edifice with Mosaic, The Roman Thermae and the ruins of Tomis fortress.

:: CONSTANTA – ADAMCLISI – ST. ANDREW CAVE – DERVENT MONASTERY ::

(133 KM on National Road 3)

This route takes us along the valleys of Dobrogea, to wonderful places, full of archaeological vestiges of those people who have deeply influenced the Romanian people's  history and culture. Crossing the Carasu Valley, the road passes near “Valu Traian”, one of the three defending earth walls built during the Middle Ages .The road reaches Basarabi town, an area where the tourists can see a lot of things : they can taste the wines from Murfatlar Vineyard, famous all over the world, or they can visit  the natural Reservation Fantanita – Murfatlar, which houses very rare species of flora and fauna, as the Turtle from Dobrogea or the Balkan Oak. We must not forget the Rupestral Complex in Basarabi, discovered in 1957, which representing an important archeological monument, that certifies the presence of the Christianity in Dobrogea for centuries between the 9 – 11^th centuries A.D., a complex containing some little churches and tombs carved in chalk has been built. It has become  famous by the multitude of the inscriptions with Gothic  Germanic, Greek and Slavonic characters attesting the peaceful living together of the natives with other Christians, such as Vikings and Goths  (It is not included in the tourist circuit).

The most important historical monument on this route is “Tropaeum Traiani”  in Adamclisi. The monument is the proof of one of the most interesting chapters of the Romanian history. It has been ordered by Emperor Traian and raised between 106-109 A.D. ,to celebrate the victory of the Romans against the Dacians, further to a frightful battle.

Restored in the70-ies, the monument is very similar to Traian Column in Rome, the historians presume they both were built by the same architect – Apolodor from Damascus.

The monument consists in a 30 m high cylindrical nine-staired pedestal, revealing   aspects from Roman-Dacian battlefield ,as well as the Roman military life. The pedestal sustains a double ranged  hexagonal base, with two components : the sculpture adorned trunk and the statue  presenting a Roman soldier's  suit, with armour, coat of mail and helmet. At the base of the pedestal, three Dacian prisoners are compelled to look at the trophy,  pointing out, once again,  the Romans' victory, always thirsty for power, led  by the god of war, Mars “the Avenger”, the monument' s addressee ..

Considered as “the stone chronic” of  the Romanian people 's identity, the  Adamclisi monument stands as one of the most important proof of our national history, long-lasting across the centuries.

The words in  the funerary altar are self-evident :

“In the memory of the brave men who have struggled  for their country, in the war against the Dacians, and passed away.”

Adamclisi village houses the Museum of the Monument, where a visitor can admire a lot of archeological objects discovered in time. In this area , the visitor can admire the ruins of Tropaeum Traiani Fortress, too, built in the same period as the monument. The newly born “municipium”, knew a huge development until 170 A.D. , when, was destroyed further to  the repeated attacks of the migratory peoples  During  Constantin The Great' s reign , the town was rebuilt and became an important religious center. ,The Christian churches discovered in the area as standing as an obvious evidence. The Avars'  attacks from the 6^th and 7^th centuries have entirely destroyed the fortress..

 The archeological works have lately reveled   the fortress' s inner wall, offering  a complex image to the tourists found of history,

The route continues to Ostrov, with a road  winding up and down the hills covered by vineyards. After Baneasa village , the visitor can meet with the natural reservation Canaraua Fetii , a natural  canyon-like phenomenon. Its  calcareous walls are housing rare species , such as the Egyptian eagle and the turtle.

Near Ion Corvin village , the road goes to a lime tree forest,  wrapping  the tourists in a veil of mystery. In the heart of the mountain, hidden from the human eyes, there is St. Andrew's Cave, the place where Saint  Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter  led the life of a recluse. The historic documents say that St. Andrew came in Dobrogea around  60 A.D. and together with his apprentices carved in stone a cell and a church .Considered the first Christian place in Romania, the cave is the place wherefrom St. Andrew spread Christian belief among Romanian people. Nearby, there are the water sources where our ancestors  were baptized.

Sanctified in 1942, the cave was the proper place for religious services. The church has entered the religious circuit, immediately after 1990, becoming famous again for its holy powers and miracles.

Back to Ion Corvin Village, the route continues to Baneasa, leaving back the Danube valley stuffed with islets , the next halt is Dervent Monastery, one of the remarkable religious places in Dobrogea. It proves to be  another place where Saint Andrew, Christ's Apostle used to preach The name of Dervent comes from  "prison camp”, due to the Roman's garrison existent in this area some time ago.

The monastery attracts thousands of people by the miracles supposed to happen here. The legend says that three apprentices of Saint Andrew were beheaded here; on the place of the execution happened, three performing-miracle crosses have grown up. Here is the place  where people come to search their relief and peace of mind. Another two attractions of the monastery are the working wonder Virgin's Mary's icon and “the healing spring", whose water is miraculous.

The route ends with Pacuiul lui Soare archeological complex, unfortunately, reached with difficulty by the tourists. It still represents an important area, with archeological discoveries from Geto-Dacian time, Middle Ages and The Ottoman Domination.

:: CONSTANTA – Carasu Valley – Murfatlar Vineyard ::

(24 km on the National Road 3)

Crossing the Carasu Valley, the route leads us to a unique landscape, the road being bordered on both sides with vineyards and orchards. At 24 km from Constanta – Murfatlar Vineyard stands as one of the most important sightseeing spots, well-known in Romania for the remarkable quality of the wine sorts produced, such as : Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Traminer, Italian Riesling.

Placed in the middle of the vineyards, in a charming natural setting, the tourist center of Murfatlar Vineyard offers the tourists unforgettable moments. Tasting the wines and delicious traditional cuisine gently blend with Romanian folklore music and dances.

:: CONSTANTA – DOBROGEA  GORGES ::

(E60, DN 2A, to Targusor village)  

It is a short, but extremely  picturesque route,  crossing the Casimcea Valley, and impressing by the beauty of the landscapes –karsts  hills, with a lot of caves and a rich  steppe fauna and flora.

From Mihail Kogalniceanu village, the place of the international airport, along the road up to Casimcea village, the magnificent Dobrogea Gorges open up, impressing by their natural reservations with reach flora and fauna. Targusor village shelters Gura Dobrogei reservation, an important geological, biological and spelaeolog point. The landscapes are of a rare beauty – natural valleys and fast rivers cross the land, caves carved in limestone, such as “La Adam” Cave and “The Bats' Cave” with rare flora species but also with archeological vestiges, that attests the presence of life on these lands since the remote times - Middle Paleolithic  (100 000 – 35 000 B.C.) . The Cheia Peak unfolds its gorges along 1,5 km from the village with the same name up to Casimcea. The reservation is formed by  calcareous stones since Jurassic Age.

The area is spread with historical testimonies, especially those discovered in the caves – rests of tools, games and even rests of human bones from prehistoric times.

The route ends with Pantelimon village. From Targusor, on  DJ 225, the road goes to the ruins of Ulmetum Fortress, where the historian Vasile Parvan discovered a lot of archeological traces since the 2^nd century A.D.

 :: CONSTANTA – HISTRIA FORTRESS ::

(DN 2A up to Ovidiu , DN 22 up to Tariverde and then DJ 226A till Histria Fortress)

This route crosses Casimcea Tableland, passing by river-sea lagoons, and enchanting the tourists' eyes. A special place is Tasaul Lake, 35 km far from Constanta, stretching over 1000 ha, close to the sea. Passing by Tariverde village, a place that worth mentioning is Nuntasi Spa. The wide beaches and the curative mud from Nuntasi Lake made possible fitting a balneal establishment in this area, with a lot of attractions – fishing, hunting, sailing by fishing boats.

The route goes farther to Istria, where, on the lake shore, in a quiet gulf, there are the ruins of Histria Fortress, the oldest town in our country. 

Discovered in 1914 by the historian Vasile Parvan, Histria Fortress was founded in the 8^th century B.C. by the Greek colonists from Millet. The dynamic commercial exchanges, the developed agriculture, as well as the high political activity made of Histria one of the most prosperous  ancient towns at the time. The fortress suffered a lot of changes, such as: the Roman conquest, then the rule of the Dacian king, Burebista, and again the Roman conquest, when the town enjoyed a quiet period. The numerous barbarians' attacks, associated with the negative effects of the gulf sending-up process, will finally lead to the fortress's decay and its abandon in the 7^th century A.D.

Having discovered the ruins in 1914, a lot of archeological research campaigns revealed  Histria' s vestiges, permitting a large part of the fortress be cleared up and fit for visiting.

The large stone-stabled pavements  of the fortress leads our steps to Histria's former district ruins ; still visible nowadays are parts of walls, columns, inscriptionated pedestals,  traces of the well – known mosaic paved thermae, the limestone ruins of a temple dedicated to Zeus or Afrodite, all  remembering of the  flourishing and prosperous ancient town.

Not far away from the fortress there is a museum, joining the most important testimonies of the fortress history – Greek amphoras, Latin inscriptions, jewelry, tools and guns since Hellenistic period, then Roman and Roman- Byzantine Age. 

Near Histria Fortress there is one of the most beautiful lagoon complex in the country – Razelm – Sinoe Complex. The landscapes are of a rare beauty, the lakes communicating with the Black Sea through Gura Portitei, a wonderful place for tourists.

:: CONSTANTA  - DANUBE DELTA ::

(E 87, DN 22)

It is one of the most beautiful routes, offering the opportunity  to visit the wonderful Danube Delta, the paradise of birds, fish and plants. The route includes Tulcea City, one of the oldest city in Romania (known as Aegissus in the ancient times) and then continues with the exploration of the Danube Delta. From Tulcea port, the tourists can sail by boat  to Mila 35, the first stop, where a fishing complex can be visited. Another place is Maliuc, with the experimental station and the village museum.

The accommodation facilities in the Danube Delta are varied : in hotels, on pontoons , floating hotels at Maliuc, Crisan, Sulina or Sfantu Gheorghe , in  private houses, specific to rural tourism at Murighiol.