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Mamaia
Romania's Top Beach
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In County Constanţa
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Romanian
Thatched Beach Umbrellas on Mamaia's Golden Sands
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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.

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

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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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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
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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The Mamaia Cable Cars
Sailing over resorts, the AquaMagic park, and
parkland with great views
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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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 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 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!
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The Holiday Village Fun Park
Great carnival style fun on the south end of
Mamaia
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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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!
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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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.
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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.
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Boats on Lake Siutghiol
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Swan Boats at Lake Mamaia
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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Beach Buggies
For hourly hire all around the boardwalk, here
near at the Casino complex
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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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).

At about $90 an hour, it's a pricey choice, but great fun
along the verdant shores of Lake Siutghiol.
Down at the tourist port in Constanţa you can
also find a dive company giving good off-shore dives.
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!
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!
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From the Rest Romania Website at
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The Romanian Restaurant
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.
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
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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.
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From the Rest Romania Website at
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Musical Ensemble at the Festival
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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!
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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
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From the Rest Romania Website at
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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
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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.
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Kool at Kudos
Serious house and up-to-date sounds make
Kudos a
way-cool celebration of sand, surf and sound
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Megalomaniacs Meeting
Club Megalos in Constanţa opens it's doors annually for the summer season at
Mamaia.
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Rage the Red Velvet
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Rococo at La Rocca
Fun interiors and comfortable seating at
La
Rocca make this upscale club a delight
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(All club photos from respective
clubs)
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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
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Know of more clubs or have corrections?
Let us know here!
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Listed below are some local agents who can help you with bookings and organize local tours in the Mamaia area.
 +40 (241) 831995 FAX: +40 (241) 831995
+40 (241) 831062 |
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Click here for a larger version, or CLICK ON TOWNS for info on each town in CountyConstanţa
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See a Road Map of the Mamaia Area

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See More Maps of Romania and
Mamaia at
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See an
Area Map of County Constanţa

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See a Street Map of Mamaia

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See
More Street Maps of Mamaia at
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See a General
Tourist Map of Mamaia

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See a Zoomable Detailed Map of the Mamaia Strip and
Constanţa
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The Mamaia Strip
The thin bar of sand, now well forested
with planted trees, looking North to
Năvodari
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Lake
Siutghiol is just
300 Metres from the Beach
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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
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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.
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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).
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See Other Towns in County Constanţa Here
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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
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.
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Constanţa Train Station, Strada Victoriei 1 +40 (241) 617 930 |
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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.
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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.
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Photo:
C. Hollywood
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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.
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.
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
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TAROM to Mamaia!
TAROM flies their turbo-prop ATR42s daily
to Constanţa's
Mihai Kogalniceanu's airport.
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Photo: TAROM
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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.
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From the Rest Romania Website at
Communications
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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 Constanţa.
What 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.
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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.
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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.
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Hotel Iaki
Enjoy some wireless in the bar area with your
cocktail and some great service too!
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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
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See also County Constanţa
for accommodation in other nearby towns |
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Below: The Romanian Royal Family at Mamaia, c 1906
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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.
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Traditional Windmill at Mamaia, c1917
Painted by Elisabetă,
Queen of Greece in
The Country That I Love, by Queen Marie of România
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Queen Marie at Mamaia, c1926
Tending to her flowers on the veranda of her
newly built Italianate seaside villa at Mamaia.
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Princess Ileana, c1931
Enjoying a Dobrogean spring in a wild pear tree
on the royal estate at Mamaia
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Read More about Mamaia at:
The
Constanţa Mayor's Office
Clubs in the
Constanţa area
Queen Marie's Memoirs |
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From the Rest Romania Website at
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