The 8 best beaches in Romania

For many visitors to Romania, the country’s 245-km (152-mile) stretch of Black Sea coastline almost feels like an afterthought. Most people visit the country for the mountains and mystery of Transylvania (and these don’t disappoint). If you want beaches, the conventional wisdom goes, why not head south to Bulgaria, where coastal resorts draw tens of thousands of sunbathers from all around Europe every summer?

But that’s unfair. The truth is Romania boasts long stretches of scenic, dramatic coastline and broad, sandy beaches suited to everything from peaceful contemplation to all-night dance parties. You only need to know where to look. The northern stretch of seafront, in and around the protected Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, tends to be quieter and more remote, while the southern end, near the big city of Constanţa, is popular with families and partygoers.

Here are the best eight beaches to visit in Romania. 

1. Sfântu Gheorghe

Best for a remote stretch of sand

Tiny Sfântu Gheorghe, situated at the eastern edge of the Danube Delta, feels like the end of the world. The village is closed to car traffic and only reachable by passenger ferries that run in season (June–September) from the Danube port at Tulcea. The reward for finding your way here is miles of wide, empty beach, blissfully free of tacky surf bars or really any kind of beach scene at all. Take your pick between lazing on the sand or exploring the delta waterways on private boat trips negotiated with local fishermen. The sleepy village has a handful of family-run pensions–or opt to stay at the fancier Green Village Resort, where guests sleep in traditional reed-thatched bungalows.

Planning tip: Coordinate your travel and hotel dates with the ferry schedule, as boats from Tulcea don’t run every day. Book ferry tickets in advance.

2. Gura Portiței

Best for unlimited sand

Gura Portiței, just south of the immediate Danube Delta area (though still within the protected biosphere), offers miles of pristine sand and far fewer visitors than beaches further south. The resort sits on a perilously thin, long sandbar that separates two coastal lakes (Goloviţa and Razim) from the far larger Black Sea. On the spit, you’ll find a few scattered restaurants for a bite, as well as a campsite and the Gura Portiței bungalow resort. A better bet might be to stay in the coastal village of Jurilovca, which has some great guesthouses, including one of our favorites, Briza Mării. From here, hop a ferry for a 30-minute ride out to the beaches.

3. Vadu and Corbu

Best for wild camping 

The isolated stretch of Black Sea surf running north from the city of Năvodari to the tiny hamlets of Corbu and Vadu attracts seekers of solitude and those looking for a piece of seaside paradise without any of the trappings of civilization. The fact that these villages are not easy to find–and even harder to reach (via partly sandy, one-lane roads)–only adds to the mystique.

Planning tip: Hotels and restaurants here are few and far between. Instead, bring your own tent or van, lots of food and drink and an extra bottle of mosquito repellent.

4. Constanţa

Best for a city beach 

Constanţa’s big Plaja Modern (Modern Beach) is badly underrated. Sure, it lacks the unbridled energy of nearby Mamaia, but it’s much less crowded and just a short walk from big-city amenities, like great museums, bars and restaurants. Few people come strictly for the beach but instead pair a day by the water with a stroll along Constanţa’s pretty seaside promenade to admire some glorious old sights, like the town’s former casino from the early 20th century (now a museum).

Detour: While in town, check out the National History and Archaeological Museum, which is strong on relics from the ancient Greeks and Romans who settled here.

5. Sulina

Best for fascinating history

Like Sfântu Gheorghe, Sulina is another tiny coastal town within the protected Danube Delta Biosphere and only accessible by boat, with clean, sandy beaches and a low-key resort vibe that peaks in July and August and goes dormant for much of the rest of the year. The major difference is that Sulina has more of a pulse owing to the town’s rich history that harkens back to the 19th century, when it served as unlikely home to one of the world’s earliest multinational organizations: the European Commission of the Danube. Stroll the scruffy portside promenade and take in the surviving remnants of those former glory days, such as the old lighthouse and remarkable town cemetery, with its somber rows of fallen British sailors from back in the day and even the grave of an unknown pirate.

6. Mamaia

Best for families

Mamaia was made for families. Romania’s most popular seaside resort straddles an 8-km (5-mile) strip of sand north of Constanţa. Most visitors book weeklong packages in advance at one of the big hotels along the beachfront. In season (July and August), the surf is lined end-to-end with reasonably priced restaurants, snack bars and souvenir shops. Kids will love the slides and pools of the Aqua Magic Water Park, as well as the high-running cable car that links Mamaia’s southern end to its midpoint. The southern beaches tend to be more frenetic; find quieter, cleaner sand further north toward Năvodari.

Planning tip: Mamaia is close enough to Constanţa to travel back and forth by frequent (and cheap) public bus.

7. Vama Veche

Best for parties and raucous fun

Vama Veche (or simply “Vama”), the southernmost point on the Romanian Black Sea coast, has a well-earned reputation around Romania as party central. Young people (and hedonists of all ages) come to relax on the beach by day and dance at clubs like Expirat (and many others) under the moonlight. Don’t expect luxury resorts or great restaurants. Indeed, these “bougie” amenities feel almost antithetical to the counterculture vibe. Instead, snag a guesthouse room somewhere (or bring a tent), grab a beer at one of many beach bars and start working on your tan.

Planning tip: Vama gets popular in high season. Book accommodation, including campsites, well in advance of your trip.

8. Eforie Nord

Best for beauty treatments

The crowded beach resort of Eforie Nord is famous for its dark sapropel mud sourced from nearby Lake Techirghiol. This black sediment is dense with organic matter that, when slathered over your body, is said to be restorative for skin and bones. The public mud baths are clean and well tended. Single-sex changing rooms lead to separate beaches, where convalescence-seekers stand around nude, apply the glop and bask in the sun until the mud cracks. Take a swim to wash it all off.