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Check out your transportation options in Mamaia in County Constanţa, part of the region of Dobrogea in Romania. Find your accommodation options in either Mamaia or Constanţa, with fun things to do from eoc-tourism, to nearby hiking and even skiing.
 
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 Mamaia  Romania's Top Beach

REGIONS
 In County Constanţa
 Romanian Thatched Beach Umbrellas on Mamaia's Golden Sands
See our Beachlife Section for more! 
 
/\  Adamclisi  Cernavoda  Constanţa  Eforie Nord  Histria  Mamaia  Mangalia  Medgidia  Năvodari

 

Mamaia in County Constanţa
 
County Constanţa is in the Dobrogea region

The Sun and Fun of Mamaia

You can confidently compare Mamaia to the beaches of Cannes or Saint Tropez.  Fringed by wild pear trees, and renowned for its fine, soft sand, Mamaia is Romania's oldest resort.

Mamaia was thoughtfully designed from the ground up since 1906 when the first wooden pier went in, to cater to all whims and desires with the long strip of sand dotted with luxury hotels, fun parks, shops, restaurants, and a promenade running the entire length of the resort with annual summer events for all ages. 
Mamaia concentrates it's fun because of the 300 metre width of the amazing sand bar which separates the large inland Lake Siutghiol from the sea, going north from Constanţa 8km until it meets the mainland again at Năvodari.

The Complete Range

Through major developments throughout the past couple of years, Mamaia has transformed itself into one of the great summer destinations of Europe, with world-class five-star hotels resting comfortably with a dozen 3-star hotels, over 25 two-star properties, and even some great camping on the north end.  There's a reason Romania's royal family chose Mamaia for their seaside summer palace!

Family Friendly Surf

In addition to beautifully low salinity and no strong currents, the Black Sea is free of dangerous species of plants or fish, with a gently sloping shallow coastal shelf, with waters only 1 metre deep at points up to 100 metres out.  This makes Mamaia particularly suitable and safe for families, with beach patrols and fully staffed aqua parks too.

Early Mamaia

A grand Royal estate was established in 1922, with the Royal Palace of Mamaia built by Romania's Queen Marie (on left), formerly English Princess Marie of Edinburgh.  Mamaia became a thriving seaside resort with it's own rail line, amusements, a new casino in 1925, and rising popularity internationally.
"About Mamaia beach, and the departure from Constanţa. Full of vigour, everyone rushes along every conceivable route to gather in clumps under their wide beach umbrellas.
"The train whistle signals yet again to hurry up the late arrivals to the next step in their journey, to Mamaia. Caught in a crush for several minutes, people hold hands, and call out the names of the comfortable train carriages, with big Holland blinds snapping open, revealing a procession of the masses set free."   -- by Essayist Ioan Adam, 1906
Mamaia survived through the Communist years as well, as development continued to serve the burgeoning Eastern European tourism market.  After the 1989 revolution, Mamaia began it's return as Europe's eastern-most premium resort.

See More in the History of Mamaia Below

If you have some information for us about Mamaia or County Constanţa, please Let us know about it now!
The Mamaia Strip
Looking north from just over the fun park with the Lake on the left, and the golden-white fine sands of the Black Sea beaches on the right.

True Resort Amenities
Some of Romania's best hotels cater to their own sections of the Mamaia beachfront, complete with beach boys, drinks service and assistance.

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
 
The Romanian Beach Umbrella.  Click here to see more of beach life!

Need more info?  Click here to contact us about choosing the right beach holiday vacation spot for you and your family!

Sulina Sfântu Gheorghe Gura Portiţei Mamaia Constanţa Eforie Nord Techirghiol Eforie Sud Costineşti Olimp Neptun Jupiter Saturn Mangalia Doi Mai Vama Veche
 
 
Wild Ride!
The Hammer ride at Mamaia's amusement park

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

The Sizzling Strip of Mamaia

By far the most popular and well-known of Romania's beach hot-spots, Mamaia is the Black Sea Coast's "Little Miami", dotted with multi-story resorts, big-name hotels, and a very long strip of seemingly endless white sand.

A very long boardwalk runs 2 km up and down the coast right along the beach, with the sands on one side and the hotels on the other.   The walk is dotted with little kiosks or restaurants, and in some sections, almost open-air malls with shops, bakeries and more restaurants. 
General beach cleanliness increases towards the northern end of the Mamaia strip where you can find fewer hotels and a camping area; as infrequent as they may be, the southern end in does indeed suffer from slightly whiffy algal blooms due to less than optimal discharges into the water.   Mamaia does benefit from having a regularised lifeguard service on duty. 

The Fun Park and South End

Wild little carnival style rides, a bowling alley, little cafes and restaurants and stalls make the fun park at the southern end of the Mamaia strip Romania's answer to Coney Island or Brighton.   The sky gondolas going north take off from here, not far from the southern entrance to the Mamaia strip, soaring over the water park (a colourful and large waterslide and pool complex) and ending about three-quarters of the way up the strip. 

 

The Classic Mamaia Beach
One massively long strip of sand, here towards the southern end of the resort complex, with the wide road running the length, separating the beach from the hotels. 

The Aqua Magic Park at Mamaia
The admission is a bit pricey for some Romanians, but Americans and Australians will find it cheap.  With specials for half-price admission after 4pm (open until 8pm), a family of four can have fun for under $14USD.
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
 
The Mamaia Casino Complex
About half-way up the 2km of fun on the boardwalk, the casino area is surrounded by restaurants, shopping, bakeries, fruit stands, cafes, fountains, rides and more!

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

It's YOUR Vacation!

Honestly, it matters little if you are younger, more mature single, couple or family, because Mamaia has a slice of what you like waiting for you!

Even for those seeking a quiet corner with a world-class espresso, liveried and experienced waiters, and a calm haven away from the screams of fun outside, Mamaia will cater to your every need.
You are here to spend your free time doing what you like best, such as lying in the sun, swimming in the ocean, going to the spa for some pampering, or playing a game of beach soccer on the perfect golden sands. 
The Bungee Trampoline at Mamaia

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
Fun Fountains at Mamaia
The kids will squeal with delight as these cool geysers jet up unexpectedly!

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
Cool in the Pool
Mamaia's AquaMagic Park is a wonderland of water fun with little cafes and restaurants, and an amazing capacity across 9 rides

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
The Mamaia Cable Cars
Sailing over resorts, the AquaMagic park, and parkland with great views

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

 

 The Holiday Village Fun Park

For such a funny little carnival type park (at the "Satul de Vacanţă", or Holiday Village), the rides on the south end of Mamaia really do have something for everyone.

For a bit of air-conditioned inside fun, you can try out the bowling alley, recently refurbished and popular amongst the Americans based nearby at one of the NATO air bases. 

 

An over-the-top (literally) swinging hammer type ride offers alot of screams, and a few carousel type rides are clearly adored by the kids. 

A series of quick-bite type eateries cluster near the northern opening of the rides area, so a mici or beer are easy to access. Keep your suitcase size in mind as you shop here for odd and silly trinkets, some of which can indeed be alluring.  Our last Australian writer there went home with a big crazy plastic water flower which waters your garden as it whips about like a demented sunflower in a hurricane!

 

 Kids Playtime

The fountains about half way up at the entrance to the Casino complex are great fun for kids, spurting up and down from the wide concrete base sporadically, resulting in squeals of delight.

Several fun rides are aimed at the wee ones too in the Fun Park on the southern end.  Most days however, the kids will enjoy the sand and the surf.  Due to the Black Sea's gently sloping base, and on most days, lack of any serious wave action, the undertow risk is minimum for kids. The main beaches are Mamaia are patrolled by a lifeguard service, but look for the stations if you're particularly wanting to be near one.
Some of the larger hotels do feature kids zones, either limited playgrounds, or fully fledged staffed play rooms. Ask before booking if you'd like these features.  Otherwise, the hotel pool always offers a nice area for the wee ones, supervised, of course.
 

The AquaMagic Water Park

The Aqua Magic water park offers good value, and specials after 4pm for families.   Let the kids splash and slide whilst you take some time to relax by the pool at Mamaia's top attraction. 

The mayor's office in Constanţa with the national tourism ministry pushed for the Romanian Riviera's premier water park in 2003.  About half-way between the Casino zone and the southern entrance to the Mamaia fun strip, it can serve over 2000 guests with 9 rides and features, with a few designed for the younger kiddies.  Whilst in the park, Mum and Dad can catch a bite at the restaurant, or get something cheap at one of the food kiosks.

 

 The Cable Car Ride

The Mamaia Cable Cars run two kilometres from the southern entrance end up to just north of the Casino Complex, about half-way up the most built-up areas of the strip.  

Called a "telegondola" by the Romanians, this gondola lift type of cable car (by Austrian manufacturers Doppelmayr) has multiple cars on a loop cable, similar to those at Disney resorts, Taronga Zoo in Sydney, or Alton Towers in England.

You can get on at either end, and the seven minute ride offers a great overview of the resort, the lake, and the long golden sands as you float 50 metres over the beach.

 The eight-person cars have tinted blue glass which cast a curious aqua glow on the resort, making photography a little weird.    It's a fun ride and helps to orient you to the places (and parts of the beach) which you'd like to be!
The Holiday Village Fun Park
Great carnival style fun on the south end of Mamaia
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
Bunjee Fun in the Sun
This combined trampoline and bunjee ride next to a drinks and food kiosk is the typical Mamaia beach scene. Warm waters await!
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

Water, Water, Everywhere

Most of the water sports and rental companies are clustered around eight "points of service", or kiosk stations on the long sand strip, each named after a nearby attraction or feature. 

On the ocean side, you can get rentals and check out the fun at the service points at the Parc Zone (at the Parc Hotel), the Flora Zone, the Iaki-Riviera Zone opposite the Iaki hotel, and the Lido Zone, near the Lido hotel.   On the lake side, check out the Tic-Tac point for hires on the lake, as well as the points at Capitanie, Pinguin, and Caraiman.

While specific vendors and available water fun does vary slightly from year to year, generally you'll at least find hydrobikes (little boats with those big wheels which paddle through the water), para-sailing, scuba diving, and windsurfing

For a bit more varied fun, check out the yacht school, scream through the waves on a towed inflatable banana boat (a wild ride), or have fun hanging onto a  towed giant inner tube.  You can also hire ski-dos (water scooters), as well as sailboats, catamarans, and caravelle boats, with boat rides fully crewed.

Boating and Kayaking

The large-ish inland lake which defines the western shore of the Mamaia strip offers slightly more sedate water activities, including a good row boat hire from little Ovidiu Island towards the north end, accessible by ferry boat.
You can also yacht on Lake Mamaia (Lake Siutghiol), with hires available from near the ferry point, and kayak hire starts from $5 per hour very worthwhile and enjoyable pastime!
 
 
 
In Background: Looking northwest across Lake Siutghiol

The name of the lake, Siutghiol, means "Lake of Milk" in Turkish (the area was a province in the Ottoman Empire for 500 years until 1878). 
Long a favourite of ethnic Romanian shepherds for centuries, moving their sheep from the Carpathian mountains, down to the rich pastures along the Black Sea, the Lake Siutghiol area was home to many Romanian shepherds in the autumn and winter months. 
 
Boats on Lake Siutghiol

Swan Boats at Lake Mamaia

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
Beach Buggies
For hourly hire all around the boardwalk, here near at the Casino complex
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA

Jet Ski Hire

If you want some fast fun on the lake, head over to the Tic-Tac wharf, about $65 hourly for hire, good fun however if you've had any experience with jet-skis (or ski-dos as the Australians call them). 

Water Skiing

At about $90 an hour, it's a pricey choice, but great fun along the verdant shores of Lake Siutghiol

Scuba Diving

Down at the tourist port in Constanţa you can also find a dive company giving good off-shore dives.

Windsurfing

Mamaia offers hires for windsurfing boards on Lake Mamaia, which does get some good summer winds, and a relatively smoother surface most days too. 
The main Tomis tourist port in Constanţa offers the Condor yacht which goes out daily from there, for some great views up and down the coast, and a real authentic feel for the Black Sea coast too!

 

 Get Active, Get Around!

Bikes

Mamaia usually has one or two set up along the lake, sometimes along the main boardwalk on the southern end.

Health Pursuits

If you want to really stay healthy, jog along the beach each morning! Otherwise, the benefits of the health spas at Mamaia are quite popular.

Sports on the Sun Strip

Being Romanian after all, it's almost inevitable that your fellow beach-goers will have a few football (soccer) games going on in various spots on the beach.   Otherwise, organised sports involve a bit of beach volleyball and in Constanţa  you can also catch a football match during the spring months. 
 

Lifeguards and Beach Patrol

   Every summer since 2001 Mamaia beach has been patrolled by police and private security. 

Five Yamaha ATVs help to assist in securing the beach including the prevention of  illegal commerce and theft and to provide security at the numerous festivals that are hosted each summer.
 The Mamaia Beach Patrol includes 10 beach stations, 10 row boats, and 2 speed boats which patrol the coast.   Additionally, 52 Lifeguards are on duty daily from 8am - 8pm. 
Let Us Know about more things to do!  Thanks!
 
From the Rest Romania Website at

Restaurants

 The Romanian Restaurant

See More about Restaurants
and Dining in Romania Here

One of the more amusing phrases across the Romanian foodscape is the curious need to reinforce that the restaurant serves "Romanian" food. Whilst we in the west would never dream of saying that we have "specifically Australian food" or "Canadian Restaurant", in Romania, it is not considered strange.

The Specifically Romanian Restaurant
Yeah, it almost goes without mentioning, with fewer "ethnic" restaurants in Romania then you'd find in Vancouver or Vaucluse.

The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest Romania SRL, All rights reserved. Photo: © REST ROMÂNIA
The Specific Romanesc (really meaning more "rustic" or traditional styule) offering of restaurants are frankly, just great at Mamaia.  Usually arranged in delightful open-air terraces so you can watch the world go by (although some are in more sheltered grotto-esque type places), the fun-strip dining experience nonetheless has authentic cuisine to match all price points.
Almost all of the major hotels also have reasonable restaurants attached, and can offer some rather good deals on 3-course dinners. 

 The Terasa

Walk around and read the boards for specials before choosing. Pick a place with good views for people-watching and a few flowers.

Mamaia does offer some of the best "terasa" style restaurants with open-air eating and great barbecued foods, something that Romanians do almost as well as the Australians or Californians (sorry New Zealand!). 
The Vacation Village on the south end of the resort has over 30 of these terasa/rustic style eateries, all competing to offer great value and traditional fare.   There are even restaurants offering regional specialties, although frankly, most of the stew type dishes seem rather familiar. 

 Kiosks

In a rather pleasing Romanian custom, you can simply pick up some fruit from one of many vendors alongside the main promenade.  

Whilst a surprisingly simple solution for families on a budget, it's a pure joy to just pick up some nectarines, peaches, watermelon, bananas, or citrus fruit at one of the little kiosks.  Yes, indeed, you will be paying almost double the market square price, but it's still so much cheaper than the other deep fried and processed snacks in the busier areas.

 Top Picks

One fun choice is a trip out to restaurant of the same name on Ovidius' Island in the middle of the big lake which forms the western border of the Mamaia strip.

 

From the Rest Romania Website at

Events

 

Musical Ensemble at the Festival

The Mamaia Festival

Every year in early June, the Annual Mamaia Pop Festival debuts at the Summer theatre and runs through early September. 

Well, no, it's not quite like an MTV or VH1 day on the beaches of Miami, Orange County or Honolulu, but the annual events at Mamaia are a bit of fun for the younger crowd and the young at heart.

The Festival runs daily and is broadcast on Prime TV each evening, with the Festival ending with the Laureate's Gala in the first week of September.

Organised by the County Constanţa council, the Festival coincides with the Romanian Folk Festival in early September (also broadcast in the afternoons).
There are also a spate of contests for youths and music recitals, including an open "Creative Contest", where participants are judged by how well they act and move and play a song, rather than raw singing talent.  Prizes of new cars and cash prizes are awarded to the best, including the the Mamaia Trophy.

Famous Romanian acts like Simplu, Cream & Marius Moga, Compact, Semnal M and Directia 5 and more show up and play their latest albums (or at least compilation of their work over the last 5 years or so). 

Live transmissions from the hot beaches of Mamaia flood the airwaves, as well as football matches, more live concerts and events.  Mamaia truly is where it all happens during Romania's summer season!
The "Last Beach" at Mamaia
On the far northern end the young crowd gathers for the "Ultima Playa" event each summer, part of the Mamaia Festival and broadcast on TV and radio

 
From the Rest Romania Website at

local clubs

 
 
 
The Ethereal Delight
    of Constanţa's Trendy ClubTwo
 
 
Background:  The main lounge at ClubTwo in Constanţa

 Clubs in Constanţa & Mamaia

Clubs in Constanţa have the fabulously Romanian habit of decamping for the beaches at Mamaia during the summer months. 

Like a gypsy caravan, the barmen, staff and management move their club's operations to their summer locations in Mamaia starting between the 1st of May and around mid-June usually, moving back into town around late-August or later.

If you just want some casual dancing with the tourists, any of the little discos attached to the hotels will do or you can get some cabaret at the Melody near the casino. 

 Top local clubs in Contanţa year-round are the Bourbon House, Oscar, Phoenix, Motor Club, Morgana, Megalos, Club 21, Amnesia, Oxford, Exit Caffe - Club, No Problem, Two, Crush and Domino, some of which have their Mamaia operations during summer months (often called the "open air" location).

Megalos, is one of the clubs which moves its operations to Mamaia during the summer months from early June through August.

Open since 1999, Club Megalos was an instant hit on the Constanţa club scene, striving to offer elegance and quality in a spacious club attracting top showbiz names and acts.
Popular in Romania tends to veer towards snob appeal more than low-down cool, and Megalos and Kristal Club are two local leaders in these popularity stakes.
Even more upscale (and snobbier perhaps) Cristal Club operates at Castel in the summer months in Mamaia.
Check out the City Nights club website for more info and photos of the local club scenes!
Love it at LaMania
World class club vibe with a hot, throbbing Romanian beat at Mamaia's LaMania club

Scandinavia on Siutghiol
A great club, restaurant, hotel and resort complex on the shores of Lake Siutghiol, Club Scandinavia is one of Mamaia's top five famous resorts.

Kool at Kudos
Serious house and up-to-date sounds make Kudos a way-cool celebration of sand, surf and sound

Megalomaniacs Meeting
Club Megalos in Constanţa opens it's doors annually for the summer season at Mamaia.

Rage the Red Velvet
A packed night at Constanţa's Oscar Cafe & Club

Rococo at La Rocca
Fun interiors and comfortable seating at La Rocca make this upscale club a delight

(All club photos from respective clubs)

Mamaia Clubs and Pubs

In addition to the major hotel discos and clubs, these are some of the top ones along the sizzling sand strip of Mamaia.   Some are extentions of the ones in town. 
Club XXI in Mamaia Formerly Club Melody. +40 (727) MEL ODY
La Mania At the Club Hotel Lido and Ambasador in Mamaia +40 (241)611716
Heaven Club  Capt. Dobrila Eugeniu Street in Mamaia In the Tic-Tac zone in Mamaia, open Thursday - Saturdays from 10pm until late +40 (722) 151 475 
Kristal Summer Club in Mamaia The former Castel Club, with pool, lounge area and adjoining restaurant
Kudos Beach  in Mamaia, on the beach side of the boardwalk near Enigma.  The Kudos store is near the Casino +40 (723) 585 069  Fax +40 (21) 316 8195
Terasa "Casa Ialomita"  In the Vacation Village in Mamaia Open Friday from 9pm until the last dancer dances the last dance  +40 (724) 561 118
Scandinavia Night Club in Mamaia This club in a resort complex is on the Lake Siutghiol side, opposite the Rex hotel.  Open 09:00 - 05:00 +40 (241) 607 000  Fax +40 (241) 607 001
Ultima Playa on the north end of the beach in Mamaia Big area near the exit for Năvodari to the north, about 250 metres from the Hotel Lido

Constanţa Pubs and Clubs

Worth the taxi ride into Constanţa for some of the towns more permanent clubs and pubs.
Club Two 11 Marc Aureliu Street at Ovidiu Square in Constanţa Club & restaurant +40 (720) 122 122
Insomnia Club in Constanţa +40 (744) 434 502 or Reservations on +40 (720) 223 673
La Taclale  17 Mihai Eminescu Street in Constanţa 
Bernie's Café 285 Tomis Blvd in Constanţa     +40 (241) 629 062
Megalos Club, 155 Mamaia Blvd  Constanţa 
Megalos  155 Mamaia Blvd in Constanţa Open 24 hours with nonstop music and dance.  Upscale 42 room hotel and good restaurant attached.  +40 (241) 516 362, +40 (721) 471 094 or +40 (788) 470 790
Oscar club  Sarmisegetuza, nr 5  in Constanţa  Pleasant club with cafe attached.    Club:  +40 (721) 249 249 Cafe:  +40 (729) 800 351  Open from noon to the last client.
No Limit   In the cellar at 194 Lapuşneanu Blvd in Constanţa Open daily except Mondays and Tuesdays from 10pm until late (or early if the sun is up). +40 (241) 546 200; +40 (726) 265 900
Phoenix Club 1 Capt. Dobrila Eugeniu Street in Constanţa   +40 (241) 667 408
Phoenix Club II  87 Mamaia Blvd in Constanţa
Club Motor Mix, 218 Mamaia Blvd in Constanţa Open 24 hours  or +40 (724) 831 855

Bourbon House Ferdinand Blvd at Unirii Square  in Constanţa Funky roadhouse style club with a usually full dance floor  +40 (721) 458 029 or +40 (722) 230 970 or +40 (241) 615166

Domino Club  105  Mircea cel Bătrân St. in Constanţa Open 09:00 - 24:00 +40 (241) 665 888 +40 (728) 182 210 
Kmy's Club   194 Alexandru Lapuşneanu Blvd  in Constanţa Open non stop +40 (241) 546 200 or +40 (726) 265 900 

Rockoteca  in Constanţa

Hot Place Club Disco 113 Alexandru Lapuşneanu Blvd in Constanţa  Open 10:00 until the last client   +40 (745) 091 005 
Oxford Pub 202 Alexandru Lapuşneanu Blvd in Constanţa Open 9am to Midnight +40 (241) 606 510
Club - Caffe Exit 115 Tomis Blvd in Constanţa  +40 (723) 269 687
Scotch Pub On the first floor (second for Americans) in the Ciresica Complex at 1 Dispensarului Street in Constanţa Right across from the roundabout +40 (788) 323 488 or +40 (722) 945 615
La Rocca On the first floor (second for Americans) in the Ciresica Complex at 26 Cişmelei Street in Constanţa A fun medieval theme combined with a fun rococo look gives La Rocca class and whimsy +40 (788) 170 656 or +40 (745) 505 506
Web Cafe 56 Tomis Blvd in Constanţa Just opposite city hall, ask about wireless +40 (341) 407 785
We're waiting on e-mail or web information for the following clubs:
Discoteca Morgana  1 Alexandru Lapuşneanu Blvd in Constanţa +40 (241) 516 362  Fax +40 (241) 516362
Amnesia Ferdinand Blvd at Unirii Square in Constanţa Open 18:00 - 06:00 +40 (721) 458 029 +40 (722) 919 420
Asterix Pub 16 Cişmelei Street in Constanţa Open 07:00 - 01:00  +40 (241) 667 258
Beta  6A Stefan cel Mare St. in Constanţa  +40 (241) 673 763
Epava - 107 Mircea Cel Bătrân St in Constanţa Open 08:00 - 01:00
High Class Club Café 155 Mamaia Blvd  in Constanţa Open 24 hours
New Orleans  At the Corner of Siretului Street and Mamaia Blvd.   Not quite like the corner of Bourbon and Rue Dumaine however, so don't try to let those bontemps roulez here.  Open Noon to 2am weekdays, and weekends 6am - 4am Fridays and Saturdays (they clean for 2 hours)  +40 (241) 609557
Nova Club Café Bar Mamaia Blvd  in Constanţa  In a rather secure location opposite the precinct police station, open 9am - Midnight.
No Problem  At the Dacia complex in Constanţa Open 22:00 - 05:00 +40 (241) 513 377  
Off Duty  Tomis Blvd in the Capitol District Downtown in Constanţa  Open from 9am until everyone goes home  +40 (721) 285 688
Tabu Café  133 Tomis Blvd in the downtown Capitol district in Constanţa  Open 07:00 - 24:00
 
 Club LaMania at Mamaia
 
   
Know of more clubs or have corrections?  Let us know here!
 
 

For more great things to do, see also County Constanţa and the Dobrogea region

 

Listed below are some local agents who can help you with bookings and organize local tours in the Mamaia area.

Perla Majestic Mamaia, Hotel Perla, statiunea Mamaia in Mamaia
+40 (241) 831995  FAX: +40 (241) 831995 
Agentia de Voiaj Mamaia, In incinta Berarie Tic-Tac in Mamaia
Informations,tickets
 +40 (241) 831062  
 

 

Click here for a larger version, or CLICK ON TOWNS
for info on each town in CountyConstanţa
==> Constanţa ==> Călăraşi ==> Ialomiţa ==> Ialomiţa ==> Tulcea ==> Slobozia ==> Călăraşi ==> Adamclisi ==> Feteşti ==> Medgidia ==> Cernavodă ==> Mangalia ==> Eforie Nord ==> Constanţa ==> Mamaia ==> Năvodari ==> Constanţa

 
  See a Road Map of the Mamaia Area

 

 
See More Maps of Romania and Mamaia at


See an Area Map of County Constanţa


See a Street Map of Mamaia

See More Street Maps of Mamaia at

 

See a General Tourist Map of Mamaia

See More Street Maps of Mamaia on hartionline.ro
See a Zoomable Detailed Map of the Mamaia Strip and Constanţa
 

See more maps from the Constanţa County Council Here
 
The Mamaia Strip
The thin bar of sand, now well forested with planted trees, looking North to Năvodari
 

 Lake Siutghiol is just
 300 Metres from the Beach
 
Localities in The Port of Constanţa area:
Constanţa  Ovidiu  Palazu Mare  Poiana  Nazarcea

For other towns in OTHERREGION, please see our OTHERPAGENAME section!

 Geography

Mamaia is just a big sand bar.  We're surprised some storm hasn't washed it away and opened up Lake Siutghiol forming a big bay.  Which, of course is exactly what the region probably once was.

All up and down the western Black Sea coast you can find these vestigial bays, now closed over by sand bars.  Mamaia, Eforie Sud, and several others show this form of occlusion from lowering sea levels and silt build up, especially pronounced in the Danube Delta regions to the north.   Mamaia has a few coastal breakwaters and groins in the southern area.

The Mamaia Sector

Upper Pleistocene Beginnings

The Romanian littoral at Mamaia was formed during the Upper Pleistocene high-stands and in the Holocene.

Its present day geomorphology expresses the interaction of the Danube river to the north (sediment and water discharges) and the sea (waves and littoral currents, sea level changes).
Beach sediments consist of terrigenous, organogenous and calcareous sand. Terrigenous sand, from the Danube is predominantly found in the northern sector, and makes up to 87% on the beach and up to 95% in the nearshore zone.
Organogenous and calcareous sand are found in the southern zone and make up to 98% of the beach sediments and up to 80% of the nearshore sediments. Shells of Corbula, Cardium, Mya in the northern zone, and Mytilus in the southern zone, are the sources for organogenous sand.
The Mamaia sector of the Romanian Riviera is defined from Cape Midia to Cape Singol, and the Mamaia sector is transitional and characterised by the occurrence of the first promontories with active, high cliffs separated by the larges zones with accumulative beaches. The beaches are in certain places backed by littoral lakes, such as Lake Siutghiol. 
Just north of Mamaia is Petromidia oil refinery at Năvodari.  It's not open for tours.  But at the northern end, there is an  important concentration of small villages with industrial and harbour activities, as there are in Constanţa to the south.

Recent Formations

The Mamaia strip is formed by sandy material that originates from the Danube, bordered by the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol (Mamaia Lake), which was once a marine lagoon similar to that near Venice in Italy.  After time, the mouth silted up, and it became the fresh water lake it is today.
Mamaia beach is facing east and is a natural low sandy beach characterised by gentle sloping underwater profile down to - 6 m. The beach consists of alluvial sediments (brought into the Black Sea by the Danube and transported to the beaches by combined wave action and the north to south flowing current along the Romanian coast) and biogenic shells sediments (especially shells of Mytilus and Mia arenaria).
 
 
The Romanian Beach Umbrella.  Click here to see more of beach life!

Need more info?  Click here to contact us about choosing the right beach holiday vacation spot for you and your family!

Sulina Sfântu Gheorghe Gura Portiţei Mamaia Constanţa Eforie Nord Techirghiol Eforie Sud Costineşti Olimp Neptun Jupiter Saturn Mangalia Doi Mai Vama Veche
 

See Other Towns in County Constanţa Here

Transportation

Drive the Sun Freeway!

Many travellers get to Mamaia via the new A2 "Freeway of the Sun", linking Dobrogea and the Romanian Riviera to Bucharest.  With fully controlled access, overpasses and well graded exit ramps, the freeway is almost 100% completed through to Constanţa.

Busses, maxi-taxis and cars ply this route day and night, piercing through some relatively boring alluvial plains before crossing the Danube river and then twisting it's way through low hills to the port city.

The Constanţa Train Station

See More about Train
Travel in Romania Here
There is a left luggage service at the train station in Constanţa if you need to stow your main gear for a while, as the station is about 2km southwest of the city centre. 
In addition to the copious maxi-taxis waiting all hours outside the station to go to Mamaia, you can take a trolley-bus into town from there along the main arterial road, Ferdinand Boulevard.

Constanţa Train Station, Strada Victoriei 1 +40 (241) 617 930
 

Trains

Constanţa is not the end of the line from Bucharest as you might think, with the main rail line heading down the coast from Constanţa to the southern resort towns ending in Mangalia after 258km. 

A first class ticket on the excellent Blue Arrow service from Bucharest is about 25RON, and well worth the extra 10RON or so over second class.  The 120 minute ride from Bucharest's Obor train station runs three times daily; you can get slower trains during other times of the day if needed, or if you want to stop along the way (little need however). 

The Rapid and Accelerat services take just over 4 hours and make 5 stops on the way to Constanţa from Obor station in eastern Bucharest. 

A couple of these services continue south along the sea coast, offering first-class service to the south of Constanţa (Mamaia is the only resort north of Constanţa) stopping at Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud Hm, Costinesti, Costinesti Tabara hc, and finally Neptun hc before terminating at Mangalia.

Don't Get Personal!

If, for some unknown reason, you are going to book yourself on a Personal train, realise that you'll be making an extra 10 stops on your way to Constanţa.
Whilst not the worst thing to have happen to you, the Personal trains have second class carriages, which have the benefit of having a bit more room for larger suitcases. 

Maxi-Taxis and Busses

Your trolley bus to Mamaia will be waiting at the southern train station or the northern bus station.

During the summer months, you have direct trolley-busses running north to the Mamaia stops (the 8km strip of land has about 12 main stops), and you'll be able to connect to get there outside of the main season.
The New Pink MAB busses
The 44 Bus.  Take the 41 in from the train station to Mamaia or the 40 around  in Constanţa's north side too.

 
Carpatair to Constanţa
Early morning flights to Bucharest and on to Timişoara about 3 or 4 times weekly.  Check out the Carpatair website for more details.

Photo:  C. Hollywood
 
Most busses coming in from Bucharest or the resorts stop and depart in at the south (main) bus station, although some services north to Tulcea depart from the North Bus Station.  You can catch a bus between these two bus stations if you need to transfer from the train or southern bus station to the northern one. 
See More about Taxis, Busses
and Driving Here
At the main southern bus station, adjacent to the main train station, taxis and maxi-taxis are easy to find in the lot just south of the main train station.
Both have services locally and to all major near destinations such as Bucureşti, Mangalia, Tulcea and all stops along the way.
HINT:  Be nice to your local taxi or maxi taxi driver!  This is the best way for you to get to nearby villages and sites, and a little tip might help to get some good information on where to find a taxi for your return trip!  Tipping is an art form in Romania, so learn it fast, and you will have great transportation everywhere.

 

Air Service

Mamaia and the Romanian Riviera are served by Constanţa's main airport, amid the farms on the gentle rolling hills at the commune of Mihai Kogălniceanu

Catch a maxi-taxi at the airport bound for Mamaia.  Most will stop in Constanţa on the way, and you may even need to change maxi-taxi's at the southern train station. 
If you have the cash, $30 can take you straight to your Mamaia hotel, and do be sure to negotiate firmly to agree on the price before you get in the cab.  See our taxi tips section for more info.
Even though the main airports at Bucharest are only 90 minutes away by maxi taxi, the Constanţa airport, about a half hour to the northwest of the town centre, offers flights to Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Iaşi, Timişoara, and even Budapest. 
See More about Air
Travel in Romania Here

The Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport is served by the Romanian airline Carpatair, the national carrier TAROM, as well as the Hungarian carrier Malév. 

The national carrier Tarom offers 50-seater fast turboprop service to Constanţa from Bucharest on ATR42 aircraft (see below), and Carpatair flies their Saab 2000 turboprops to Craiova, en route to their Timişoara hub. 
Jet traffic is seen mostly from the charter services in the summer season, when some European cut-rate carriers fly tourists in from northern Europe (often Hamburg, Dortmund, Cologne, and the like) to enjoy the Black Sea warmth and the low prices!  Check out AirBerlin, the national airline of fiesty Luxembourg, Luxair, Lauda, Danish discount carrier Sterling and Hamburg International for seasonal flights and times.

 

From the Rest Romania Website at

 Rental Cars at Constanţa Airport

Constanţa Airport, Str Tudor Vladimireascu 4 in Mihăil Kogălniceanu
to or Weekly
to or Weekly
to or Weekly
        
  +1(877) 940 6900   +44 (845) 758 5375    +40 (722) 211 518  FAX: +40 (241) 513933 
Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport, Str. Tudor Vladimirescu, nr.4 in Mihăil Kogălniceanu
to or Weekly
to or Weekly
to or Weekly
        
  +1(800) 654 3131   +44 (8708) 44 88 44    +40 (241) 661100  FAX: +40 (241) 661100 
 

See our driving section for tips on Driving in Romania! 

If you're renting in Bucharest, See Here

TAROM to Mamaia!
TAROM flies their turbo-prop ATR42s daily to Constanţa's Mihai Kogalniceanu's airport. 
Photo:  TAROM
 

 

 

 The Season

The beach season is at its best between mid-May and late September, when average daytime temperatures are 25 to 30 degrees. The water is quite warm until late autumn.

The sands heat up in June with young couples beginning the summer rush which peaks in August and continues until well after school starts again. 

 Mamaia Climate

Mamaia has a typical Mediterranean type of climate, with four seasons. 

The summer is warm, dry and sunny with a July average of 23 °C. Mamaia rarely experience very hot days often found in the interior, because of the moderating influence of the Black Sea. Summer settles around June 15 and ends in late September.
The autumn starts late September, and it's long and relatively warm. Nights are still tropical (temperatures over 20 °C) on an average of 10 days in September. September is often warmer than June, because of the heat accumulated by the Black Sea. The first frost occurs on average on November 19.

The winter is much balmier compared to other cities in southern Romania. It has very little snow but can be very windy and thus, unpleasant. Winter arrives much later than in the interior and December weather is often balmy with high temperatures reaching 12 °C. Average January temperature is +0.4 °C.

The spring arrives early but it's very cool. Often thanks to fresh spring winds in April and May, Mamaia and the Black Sea coast is even a bit cooler than the wide planes of Romania.

 

 

From the Rest Romania Website at

  Communications

 Dialling Mamaia

From anywhere in Romania, you can dial Mamaia by starting with (0241) or (0341), If you're dialling a number owned by RomTelecom, it's the (0241), and the (0341) is for all others.  Note it doesn't matter the service of the phone you're using to dial.

Dialling internationally (from America, Australia, etc) into anywhere in Constanţa or County Constanţa  you must remove any leading zero from the county code portion of the phone number, so that (0241) becomes (241). Dialling to a mobile number, you do the same, dropping the zero from the (07XX) part of the number, to make it (7XX). Both landlines and mobiles have 6 digits following the initial county code. 
 For full dialling information and a chart of county codes, see our Dialling Romania section here

The Sun Strip HotSpots

Some in Nearby Constanţa

You may wish to stop off at the bus or train station in Constanţa  go do your wireless time, and then resume your journey up to Constanţa.  The American style pizza restaurant "Pizza Hut" in nearby Constanţa is one of your better bets when going to Mamaia.
Appraisals Office, 295 Tomis Blvd, bl. T16, ap.26 Constanţa  What is this place? Please e-mail us if you know. Or call on +40 (341) 428 921
CMI Dumbrâva Carmen, 11 Bogdan Voda Street ConstanţaWhat is this place? Please e-mail us if you know. Or call on +40 (241)  

The two wireless locations at Pizza Hut are at their downtown restaurant, and the one out at the Carrefour mall:

Pizza Hut Downtown, 10 Răscoală din 1907 Street  Constanţa  This nicely located restaurant open until 10pm daily is between the main post office and the central Unification Square with plenty of beer and wi-fi on tap! +40 (241) 518 430 or  +40 (740) 121 915

Pizza Hut Tom Centre 401 Tomis Blvd.  in Constanţa  This Pizza Hut is part of the mall attached to the Carrefour hypermarket in the food court area (open until 9:30pm, 8pm Sundays), but indeed has the wi-fi, which you can also pick up from one or two of the neighbouring restaurants.  +40 (241) 585 415 or  +40 (749) 120 614

We also heard that the Andante caffe across from High School 4 has wireless, as might the Banca Transilvania Caffee.  Let us know

 Internet Cafes

The Hotel Parc near the Casino Complex has reasonable rates for their 24 hour Internet Cafe.

 

Hotels

Much of your time in Mamaia will necessarily be spent in a hotel, unless you are commuting from your accommodation in Constanţa. So picking the right sort is important.

Romania's system of stars is a good seat-of-pants guide to choosing your accommodation, and choosing by price in the ultra-competitive Mamaia room market is also more reliable here than elsewhere in Romania.

 

So, set your budget and get the maximum stars you can afford.  Position is almost not an issue here.  The beaches tend to be just a bit less tidy at the southern end, and the mid-to-northern area have the somewhat more trendy and well-appointed hotels. 
Hotel Iaki
Enjoy some wireless in the bar area with your cocktail and some great service too!

 
If you're on a budget, you'll enjoy paying the same as Romanian working families at any of the 30 or so value properties towards the southern end, which also tend to be the choice of package tour groups and discount accommodation retailers.

 Hospitality Professionals

Several rather good hotels on the northern end will have you thinking more Miami than Mamaia, so good are the levels of staff training, from the valet parking to the quiet and expert staff at the bar, who also serve the private pool areas.

Romanians in this segment of the hospitality market take deep pride in their work and it shows. Our American staff writer observed a waiter at The Rex quietly lifting the corner of a linen tablecloth and fluidly removed an offending crumb after noticing the very small bump lurking there.

The afternoon bar waiter at the Hotel Iaki was watched with amazement by our Australian travel writer as he entered and exited the unwieldy door to the pool area. 

The trick was the four times in a half hour he was observed walking double-time with a very full tray of cocktails to reach the door in time to open for guests in an acrobatic twist using and elbow and knee to hold the door while balancing the tray and managing to smile and greet at the same time.
So yes, good staff indeed at many of the Mamaia hotels. And for any English speaker, the value for money is still truly exceptional.  With Romania not due to change over to the Euro until 2013 (despite having been in the European Union since early 2007 and NATO since 2004), such good value will only continue for the near future.

You'll not be wanting for good service or staff on the Romanian Riviera!

 

Mamaia Resort Accommodation

Listed below are some local hotels, guesthouses (B&Bs) and other accommodation in the Mamaia area.

Please Use the links above for Accommodation in each town. If you own a business, please check out our advertising options for Accommodation!,  
+40 (788) 029 0143  FAX: +40 (31) 710 7036 
 
 

See also County Constanţa for accommodation in other nearby towns

 
 
The Romanian Beach Umbrella.  Click here to see more of beach life!

Need more info?  Click here to contact us about choosing the right beach holiday vacation spot for you and your family!

Sulina Sfântu Gheorghe Gura Portiţei Mamaia Constanţa Eforie Nord Techirghiol Eforie Sud Costineşti Olimp Neptun Jupiter Saturn Mangalia Doi Mai Vama Veche
 
Below:  The Romanian Royal Family at Mamaia, c 1906

 The Dunes Become a Resort

Hard to believe today, but Mamaia was once as wild as Vama Veche, with high dunes, sea grasses and small forested areas greeting the fishermen and local Turks and Bulgar populations.

This was the scene then, when the long strip of land separating Lake Siutghiol from the ocean, and all of Dobrogea, was given to victorious Romania in 1878 in an agreement with Russia after the Ottomans were finally defeated by joint Romanian and Russia forces after 500 years of ruling the Dobrogea Region.
 
The Royals Near Bathing Pavilion, c1909
Prince Nicolae and Princess Maria pose cautiously whilst guards await, just south from a bathing pavilion.
Traditional Windmill at Mamaia, c1917
Painted by Elisabetă, Queen of Greece in The Country That I Love, by Queen Marie of România
Queen Marie at Mamaia, c1926
Tending to her flowers on the veranda of her newly built Italianate seaside villa at Mamaia.
Princess Ileana, c1931
Enjoying a Dobrogean spring in a wild pear tree on the royal estate at Mamaia

The Mamaia strip developed as a seaside resort after the golden strip of sand was inaugurated in 1906 when a pier was constructed, allowing transfers of passengers and goods.

"Going to Mamaia beach, the departure from Constanţa. Full of vigour, everyone rushes along every conceivable route to gather in clumps under their wide beach umbrellas. The train whistle signals yet again to hurry up the late arrivals to the next step in their journey, to Mamaia. Caught in a crush for several minutes, people hold hands, and call out the names of the comfortable train carriages, with big Holland blinds snapping open, revealing a procession of the masses set free."

"Plaja Mamaia - plecarea din Constanţa. Lumea grăbită şi plină de înviorare vine pe toate drumurile şi se strânge grămadă sub umbrarele haltelor. Fluieratul trenului îndeamnă mai mult încă pe întârziaţii care se văd iuţind paşii. - La Mamaia… În îmbulzeala de câteva minute, oamenii îşi strâng mâna, se cheamă pe nume şi vagoanele comode, cu obloanele largi lăsate, pare că duc un convoi de lume dezrobită."

"Mamaia, Where the Sky and Water Merge"

Such were the first impressions written by a chronicler and essayist of the times in Mamaia, those of Ioan Adam from a published work commissioned by mayor of Constanţa. Adam referred in this paragraph about the departure "to several baths from Mamaia in the year of our Lord 1906, when the station started it's public functioning, the train running out on a rail spur between the main Constanţa train station near the mayor's office, and the bathing station at the Mamaia rail stop." Acestea sunt primele impresii scrise de vreun cronicar ori monografist al acelor vremi despre Mamaia şi aparţin lui Ioan Adam într-o lucrare publicitară comandată de primăria Constanţa. El face referire în acest paragraf la plecarea " către băile de la Mamaia în anul de graţie 1906, când staţiunea a început să funcţioneze public, trenul circulând pe un tronson de cale ferată între gara Constanţa (zona actualei Primării) şi gara băilor (clădirea actualului Cazino - Mamaia). "At Mamaia, the horizon looms large and is laden with blue. There the sky and the water merge as if one. The people on the train appears tired of the heat which penetrates the town and it's straining and puffing rushes passengers through the little stations on the route, where they finally get out at the end of their journeys and feel the cool breeze from the ocean. "

"La Mamaia, orizontul se roteşte larg şi cufundat în albastru. - Acolo cerul şi cu apa sunt tot una. Trenul pare obosit şi el de căldura care toropeşte oraşul şi-n sforţarea şi năduful lui se sileşte să ia cât mai în grabă lumea de prin micile staţii din drum, ca s-ajungă odată afară, pe culmea de sus, unde se simte cum vine boarea răcoroasă din necuprinsul mării."

Mamaia in the first decade of the 20th century was home to both the rich and regal with their seaside villas, and the burgeoning middle class enjoying seaside recreation from Constanţa.

The rail bridge built over the Danube coming from Bucharest 1895 also allowed Mamaia to develop as a seaside haven for the Bucharest market, by far the easiest and fastest resort area for Bucharesteans to access, which they did in increasing numbers. 
The new resort also provided lands for summer houses near the sea.  All of this potential was seen by the famous Dobrogean engineer of last century, Anghel Saligny, regarding the need to realise infrastructure for the new resorts and to facilitate corresponding tourism activities.
By 1905, an oasis of architectural, gastronomic and cultural traditions was developed with the opening of the Vacation Village. Comprised of 31 restaurants, the area features little rustic cabins representing the various Romanian cultural zones, offering tourists special dishes from the regional kitchens as well as popular dance and music from the regions.

The first games of chance and rides went in, with a carousel next to the Casino train station, and a brass band made up from 42 infantrymen of the local garrison, along with 34 singers each week.

  Most of the buildings in old Mamaia featured a rustic wood look, with restaurants looking like fishing shacks or dressing sheds where men and women would change into their modest long-sleeved bathing costumes.
 The slow process of levelling the dunes began after the first world war, making way for serious construction of the first villas by Romanian's upper class, mostly from Bucharest. During the Golden Age in Mamaia from 1920 - 1940, several tens of thousands of Romanians visited annually.
 

 The Royal Palace of Mamaia

After decades of enjoying the Mamaia seashore, the Royal Family Romanian Royal Family accepted the kind gift of 4 hectares of prime dune land from the local mayor to build the Royal Palace of Mamaia. 

The newly crowned King Ferdinand and the former Marie of Edinburgh, Queen Marie (their crowning delayed due to WWI after their 1914 ascensions) built a summer palace there in 1922 called "Cara-Dalga", in the favoured an Italianate style influenced by Queen Marie. 
Indeed, the view from the Italianate Royal Palace of Mamaia was quite stunning, with the complex designed for summer use by renowned architect, Mario Stoppa.  Whereas the royal residences in the mountains and hills of Romanian would feature hunting pavillions, here it was bathing pavilions which reigned supreme, the palace being more villa than the other more formal palaces.

 

Built in the middle of the royal estate, the palace was built in 1924 using rather rich and diverse construction materials. 

The palace was fitted out with all the latest technology, from fan-forced air conditioning, a hot water system for heating and bathing, and fully wired with electrics. The kitchen was furnished with all the modern appliances, from electric cook tops and pastry ovens, to plate warming cabinets, and hot and cold running water.
After King Carol II assumed the thrown in 1927, the palace was given by Queen Marie to Elena, the Queen Consort and mother of today's King Mihai I of Romania. 
The new owner, Queen Elena, did some modest modifications to the palace, as well as more substantial changes to the Mamaia palace's surrounding  roads and royal estate.  After Queen Elena divorced King Carol II in 1928, the property was used as a summer residence for King Carol II.  

 

His mother, Queen Marie, adored small houses, and in 1930 had a little side cottage built on the royal estate with her signature low vaulted ceilings and large pillars.  She lived there lived there with her daughter Ileana, and wrote that Mamaia "was always such a joy to us all" in her memoirs.

Despite the traditional cottage-Brâncoveanu style favoured by the Queen, the little residence was fully electrified and was built replete with elevator.  "Around this quaint little building I designed a paved garden with large spaces between, in which we planted bright pink petunias. The result was a joy to the eye, the house seemed to have dropped from the skies upon a carpet of brilliant hue. Their perfume reached down to the beach and was with us as we bathed in the sea."
Carol rather cruelly ordered his mother to move to the royal seaside palace in New Dobrogea at Balcic in 1932, where she remained until her death in 1938. Her heart was buried there but moved to Bran Castle when New Dobrogea was ceded to Bulgaria.  Ileana's son, an architect in New York and rather ironically a member of the Habsburg family, is now the owner of Bran Castle, and the heart of Queen Marie.
 

 Interbellum Building

The surrounding land to the north and south of the royal residence was parcelled out where dozens of villas were built in the interbellum period. One of the first truly iconic buildings at Mamaia went up with the Casino being built in 1925.

It stands today as a reminder of the glory days of the Romanian Riviera between the wars, when people from all over Europe flocked to the warm Black Sea sands, although at that time, only the rich could really afford Mamaia.
Once the Casino was in, building proceeded at a crazy pace, with more holiday villas and top-of-the-line hotels such as the Italianate grandeur of the Rex opening in 1936 in a style similar to the Royal Palace of Mamaia.  This early prestige, with the casino, royal residence, and some stunning villas, saw Mamaia gain popularity with the burgeoning middle class during, and new accommodation was built in in the 1930s to accommodate the swell in these weekend and week-long tourist numbers. 

 

The Red Sands of Communist Mamaia in 1961
Well into the Communist era, and about three years after most of the block-like holiday accommodation was built for the Eastern Europeans enjoying the Black Sea sands.

 Communist Mamaia

Mamaia and Constanţa were occupied briefly by the Germans, Russians and Turkish forces during the second world war, and the decline of the resort through the war years was rapid.  The old villas were stripped or levelled to the ground, and the resort's Golden Age indeed came to a sad halt.

Queen Marie's daughter the Princess Ileana decided to go back to the royal villa of Mamaia in 1947, as the grim cloud of Communism descended on their cherished Great Romania, now with lost territories and a sinister new government.  
"I made one more attempt to bring back the past for my children. We paid a visit to the magnificent beach of Mamaia, upon which my parents had built a lovely Italian villa. There as a young girl I had occasionally given dances on August 15, our Navy Day.
"At first I could not find the spot, so many houses had grown up around it. They were all ruined now, and as we walked about among them I suddenly recognized the villa by its shape. It, too, was a ruin.
"Wiring and piping had been wrenched out of the walls, the fireplaces were broken to bits, and out of the floors over which our dancing feet once trod so lightly weeds were growing. Why had I tried to go back? I thought. What sad pictures the children would carry of these places, once green and gracious.
"My vision of what had been was not strong enough to be transmitted to them. One should never try to revisit the past."

After 1956, Mamaia began to see a flood of tourists flocking from the surrounding communist states, partly due to the rather noticeable reforms in Poland, as well as the revolution in Hungary. 

This forced the the communist regimes to raise living standards for profoundly displeased domestic populations.  Since visas to the West were prohibited, only the beaches of Romania and Bulgaria were able to satisfy this growing demand from Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary and communist eastern Germany.

Construction work in earnest to give good Communists their mandated seaside holiday began later in 1959, with the favoured concrete and steel concocting some accommodation alarmingly similar to apartment blocks in the big cities.

    They're painted in funky colours now, but are still blocky eyesores that will eventually be replaced.  The early communist years saw 60 – 70 tourist hotels go up in Mamaia, and as many restaurants, with building continuing sporadically into the 1970s.   Building slowed considerably with poor economic times during the last miserable decades of the mad Ceausescu dictatorship.

 

The Deco Glory of the Rex
One of the great examples of early Mamaia architecture, the Rex is still King of it's class, a real classic.

 Modern Mamaia

In 1991 with the Berlin wall well and truly down, the Eastern Bloc tourism boom started to wane, and the now-democratic government lost it's capacity to administer the resort as a single state-run operation. 

Almost all of the resort buildings and facilities were turned over to local government, returned to rightful pre-communist owners (in a process called retrocession), or privatised and sold on the open market.  
Today, Mamaia functions as a normal western resort (Romanians oddly call this a "station"), with the local Constanţa council providing maintenance and upkeep of roads and the kilometres of paved walkways and common areas throughout the resort, as well as beach grooming and park maintenance.

By the mid 1990s, charter operators were flying into Constanţa's airport full of Danish, Germans and Dutch tourists.

Today, all of Europe and finally, Americans and the rest of the world have discovered the cheap, clean and beautiful beaches of Mamaia, the perfect alternative to the crowded, over-done and expensive Mediterranean. 
Read More about Mamaia at:

The Constanţa Mayor's Office

Clubs in the Constanţa area

Queen Marie's Memoirs

 
From the Rest Romania Website at
 
The Romanian Beach Umbrella.  Click here to see more of beach life!

Need more info?  Click here to contact us about choosing the right beach holiday vacation spot for you and your family!

Sulina Sfântu Gheorghe Gura Portiţei Mamaia Constanţa Eforie Nord Techirghiol Eforie Sud Costineşti Olimp Neptun Jupiter Saturn Mangalia Doi Mai Vama Veche
 

Thanks for Reading our Information about Mamaia in Dobrogea!

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