VISIT TO THE OLD TOWN OF CONSTANTA, ROMANIA
LOCATION
Constanta is a beautiful city, located on the Romanian Black Sea coast. It is the 5th city in Romania in terms of size and population. It's my favourite Romanian destination. This post will cover only a small piece of its beauty, the Old Town.
THE OLD PORT
Constanta was founded around 600 BC and it was previously known under the name of Tomis. The Old Port area of the city is called Tomis Port.
It's an area favoured by tourists because of its beauty, its proximity to the sea and the large numbers of restaurants offering a great variety of dishes.
THE CASINO
The majestic building in the photo above used to be a Casino. Despite the fact it is part of the national patrimony, unfortunately it was left to decay by the local authorities. King Carol I ordered its construction which lasted between 1904 and 1910. The Casino used to be one of the country's jewels. I guessed no one cared about its fascinating history.
THE BLACK SEA
The Black Sea changed the colour of its water. It's no longer dark as it used to be. Nowadays it varies between blue and green. Recent studies done by scientists showed that the new turquoise shade is due to a high population of phytoplankton which are covered in white calcium carbonate plates.
THE BOARDWALK
The Boardwalk of Constanta is a great place to have a walk and enjoy the sea breeze no matter the season. The smell of the sea will stay embedded in your mind at least for a while.
Note that during summer, towards the evening until late in the night, this area tends to get crowded. If you are lucky, you may even see some brides having a photo session here.
MUSIC FESTIVALS
Constanta hosts two big music festivals during summer: Forza Zu and Never Sea, which bring thousands of tourists to the city. During the month of July is practically impossible to find accommodation in the city or in the nearby resort called Mamaia.
THE BEACH
Both of the festivals are held on the beach, due to the large number of spectators that attend these musical events.
OVID SQUARE
Ovid Square (Piata Ovidiu) has been renovated recently and restored to its former glory. During summer it hosts the Nomad film festival, the celebrations for the Romanian blouse day, traditional dances performed by the minorities in the region and a parade.
Ovid Square was named after the famous Roman poet Ovid (Ovidiu) who was exiled here. Sadly he did not make it into my photos. Maybe during my next visit I will take some shots of Ovid.
THE MUSEUM OF ARCHEOLOGY
The Museum of Archeology is the richest in the country. Here you can admire some collections of pre-historical, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval archaeology.
THE MOSQUE -MINARET
The mosque of Constanta, the Minaret looms in the shadows of two other bigger buildings. Though its tower can be seen while you are strolling in the old town. Minaret is the biggest mosque in the country.
When there are no prayers, the mosque opens its doors to visitors. Climbing up its tower offers a great view of the old town and the commercial harbour.
The Old Port and Ovid Square are only few of the main attractions of this city.
Here are other travel related posts:
MORE THAN 10 FACTS ABOUT BOQUETE, PANAMA
ENISALA GENOESE FORTRESS, DOBROGEA COUNTY, ROMANIA
MORAINE LAKE, A SURREAL BEAUTY IN ALEBERTA, CANADA
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE A LIVING WHILE TRAVELLING THE WORLD
FEELING UNINSPIRED? VISIT A WELSH RETREAT: GLADSTONE’S RESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
TURDA’S 400 FEET UNDERGROUND AMUSEMENT PARK, A HIDDEN GEM OF TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA
CARIBBEAN PARADISE: BOCAS DEL TORO
BOQUETE’S FLOWERS AND COFFEE FESTIVAL, PANAMA
VISIT TO SAINT-JOSEPH’S ORATORY IN MONTREAL, CANADA
Unless stated otherwise, all photos used in this posts are taken and owned by myself. If you wish to use any of my images, please contact me!
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave your feedback in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!
a very interesting trip, i like that city
This looks incredibly beautiful, and you're the second person to recommend it. I'm gonna have to add it to my list!
Wonderful article:)
Great travel post! It looks like a beautiful city. That first pic of the port is beautiful.
The city looks beautiful :) I didn't know that Ovid was exiled to Romania, I guess you learn something new every day :D
From what I recall he was banished in 8 AD from Rome to Tomis by decree of the emperor Augustus. Thanks for stopping by!
Did you go any closer to the old casino, is it still deserted? Seems a real shame that its been left to decay as it looks like a great piece of architecture.
Unfortunately I was not able to go in because it was closed due to its advanced degradation. It was indeed a great piece of architecture. Have a look here to see how gorgeous was the inside: http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-abandoned-casino-constanta-2016-7
Really enjoying your posts that document areas I've never been to or aren't as popular. Keep up the good work! :)
Thanks! I hope they'll inspire you to go visit them. ;0)
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I've never been to Romania. But now it's a bucket list candidate.
Namaste, JaiChai
Glad to hear that my posts got you convinced it is worth going there ;0)