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Odessa is a great city, Constanta not that much; if you happen upon Romania's coastline, forget about Constanta, there is nothing to see there, visit the resorts: Mamai (luxury hotels, expensive services), Costinesti (some great clubs), 2 Mai (it's village sized and very quiet), Vama Veche (more laid back and free spirited) etc...
Bulgaria's tourism has had a huge german investment the last few years; their prices are very low, almost everything is all inclusive and they are learning to respect their tourists more and more every day - it is not an easy job, since they lack the education (as in tradition) for this, but they are getting there
Odessa is a great city, Constanta not that much; if you happen upon Romania's coastline, forget about Constanta, there is nothing to see there, visit the resorts: Mamai (luxury hotels, expensive services), Costinesti (some great clubs), 2 Mai (it's village sized and very quiet), Vama Veche (more laid back and free spirited) etc...
Bulgaria's tourism has had a huge german investment the last few years; their prices are very low, almost everything is all inclusive and they are learning to respect their tourists more and more every day - it is not an easy job, since they lack the education (as in tradition) for this, but they are getting there
Great response. Sounds like 2 Mai, Vama Veche, and Cistinesti would be most interesting to me. Anything like that in Bulgaria?
Great response. Sounds like 2 Mai, Vama Veche, and Cistinesti would be most interesting to me. Anything like that in Bulgaria?
Where would Varna and Burgas fit on the spectrum?
I am sorry, I don't have an answer for you, because I have only once been to Bulgaria and stayed for a few hours. But I did visit almost all the romanian resorts and if you have a western budget, you will be just fine, money wise.
Maybe someone native can give you more insight.
What I can tell you is that in Bulgaria you might find a nice, 3 stars, all inclusive hotel for a very low price. Romania is more expensive, but not because they have better services, as far as I can tell.
Online you can find plenty of offers and the prices are so low you will think it is a scam; it is not, it's just the East
Constanța is Romania's worst city (dirty, ruined old buildings), you'll be very dissapointed, except for the beauty of the sea and archaeological vestiges (was the most important city at Black Sea in antiquity).
On the other hand, Bucharest, cities in Transylania, or Iași, are very modern, clean, looking better than many parts of Western Europe. And countryside too is very beautiful.
Varna and Burgas, like Constanța too, are rather industrial cities but coastline is far more beautiful in Bulgaria, because is high, not flat. But the roads are bad in Bulgaria and is poorer than Romania.
Constanța is Romania's worst city (dirty, ruined old buildings), you'll be very dissapointed, except for the beauty of the sea and archaeological vestiges (was the most important city at Black Sea in antiquity).
On the other hand, Bucharest, cities in Transylania, or Iași, are very modern, clean, looking better than many parts of Western Europe. And countryside too is very beautiful.
Varna and Burgas, like Constanța too, are rather industrial cities but coastline is far more beautiful in Bulgaria, because is high, not flat. But the roads are bad in Bulgaria and is poorer than Romania.
Great information! That's the kind of stuff that's interesting to hear. Welcome to the forum as well, and great photos of Bucharest.
I didn't realize that the Bulgaria coastline was more rugged and less flat. Also interesting to know that most of those bigger cities are basically just industrial. Sounds better to bypass the cities, and try to focus on the smaller towns than.
Constanța is Romania's worst city (dirty, ruined old buildings), you'll be very dissapointed, except for the beauty of the sea and archaeological vestiges (was the most important city at Black Sea in antiquity).
On the other hand, Bucharest, cities in Transylania, or Iași, are very modern, clean, looking better than many parts of Western Europe. And countryside too is very beautiful.
Varna and Burgas, like Constanța too, are rather industrial cities but coastline is far more beautiful in Bulgaria, because is high, not flat. But the roads are bad in Bulgaria and is poorer than Romania.
As a fellow (former) Romanian I second this 100%. I lived in Sibiu, so much nicer than Constanța, just the general environment is a huge improvement. Parts of Constanța just feel too grimy and backwards.. run down flats and thick traffic everywhere. Even the "historical" areas feel like they're still trapped in communist romania. I can see how tourists would get a bad impression of Romania from visiting Constanța, it's unfortunate that's all we have to offer on the coastline.
Great information! That's the kind of stuff that's interesting to hear. Welcome to the forum as well, and great photos of Bucharest. I didn't realize that the Bulgaria coastline was more rugged and less flat. Also interesting to know that most of those bigger cities are basically just industrial. Sounds better to bypass the cities, and try to focus on the smaller towns than.
Bulgarian coast, while not mountainous, is some tens to a hundred meters high, with other flat parts too. Unfortunately, the road along the coast is relatively far from sea and you don't have much panoramic views for most of it.
The most interesting towns on Bulgarian coast are Nesebar and Sozopol, both having the historical core on peninsulas (Nesebar was initially an island, later linked to land by a road) with Greek and Roman vestiges, Byzantine churches and traditional Balkan houses.
Also Varna has a rich archaeological museum, with faboulous gold treasures of Thracian princes (Thracians were the people inhabiting Bulgaria in antiquity).
In Romania, on the coast I would recommend Mangalia (a town with some historical vestiges) and the resorts just north of it (Neptun, Saturn, there are several at small distance one to another) as especially Mamaia which is a continuation of Constanța and has a very lively nightlife if you go in July-August.
Also, part of the coastline is Danube Delta, a kind of Europe's Amazonia or Everglades, a labyrinth of countless water channels, floating vegetation islands and lakes (some 4,000 sq km) with an incredible rich bird and other fauna, as well particular culture (villages with houses covered in reed inhabited by a Russian religious minority). Is Europe's best preserved natural area but visiting a part of it (which equals a safari in some respects) takes from 3 days to as much you want. There are no roads (except inside villages), because the localities are isolated by water and marshlands and the access is made only by boats and ferries:
Constanța is Romania's worst city (dirty, ruined old buildings), you'll be very dissapointed, except for the beauty of the sea and archaeological vestiges (was the most important city at Black Sea in antiquity).
On the other hand, Bucharest, cities in Transylania, or Iași, are very modern, clean, looking better than many parts of Western Europe. And countryside too is very beautiful.
Varna and Burgas, like Constanța too, are rather industrial cities but coastline is far more beautiful in Bulgaria, because is high, not flat. But the roads are bad in Bulgaria and is poorer than Romania.
It sounds like I should focus more inland and away from the Black Sea, at least as far as Bulgaria and Romania go. I google mapped them, and they don't look all that interesting as far as cities go.
It sounds like I should focus more inland and away from the Black Sea, at least as far as Bulgaria and Romania go. I google mapped them, and they don't look all that interesting as far as cities go.
Constanța has seen a major improvement last months, the rehabilitation of central square, called Ovidiu Square was finished, some of the old houses have been restored, the streets are filled with foreign tourists.
I would say, don't miss it, mostly because north of it starts Mamaia (there is not unbuilt space between them), Romania's main resort, which in 2012 was labeled World’s Most Fashionable Party Destination by Monaco International Clubbing Show.
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