NORTHERN DOBROGEA Abundant Andthefishare Nervous
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© Lonely Planet 290 Northern Dobrogea Northern Dobrogea is undeniably a kingdom unto itself within Romania. Despite the lack of prevailing Romanian icons (breathtaking mountains, ancient churches, the undead), the Danube River (Râul Dunărea) and the Black Sea coast (Marea Neagră) contain offerings rang- ing from all nature to au natural. The 194km coastline (litoral) attracts waves of wildlife and party animals alike. Equally, those seeking waterfront seclusion, archaeological stimulation and overwhelming numbers of exotic birds won’t be disappointed. Though widely considered to be the least ‘Romanian’ part of the country, ironically, this is where the strongest evidence of Romania’s conspicuously proud connection to ancient NORTHERN DOBROGEA Rome is found in the form of statues, busts, sarcophagi and other archaeological finds. The cultural distance from the rest of Romania can be partially explained by the unusually broad ethnic diversity in the area. Sizeable Turkish, Tatar, Bulgarian, Ukrainian and Lippovani/Old Believer settlements add to the mix, giving the area a refreshing burst of multiculturalism. History and culture notwithstanding, marine life still rules supreme here, despite tenacious attempts by humans to usurp the crown. On one hand we have the 65km stretch south of Mamaia where humans converge in beach resort towns to soothe their bodies with sunshine and curative mud. These restorative pursuits are then promptly annulled hours later by glut- tonous feasts and some of the wildest clubbing in the country. Alternately, the calming and notably less opulent Danube Delta draws bird-lovers and seekers of solitude. A fantastic, tangled network of ever-eroding canals, riverbeds and wetlands in Europe’s second-largest delta boasts remote fishing villages and stretches of deserted coast, where the pelicans are abundant and the fish are nervous. HIGHLIGHTS Test the limits of sun, carousing and your Danube Delta beach modesty around Mamaia ( p299 ) Disregard prudence and wallow in stinky black mud in Eforie Nord ( p301 ) Relive ancient Greece in Histria ( p307 ) Hear the sound of thousands of pelicans in the canals and lakes of the Danube Delta Histria ( p307 ) Hit a midsummer music fest and soak in some counter-culture vibes at Vama Veche Mamaia ( p305 ) Eforie Nord Vama Veche 16-northern-dobrogea-rom5.indd 290 12/02/2010 10:51:21 AM lonelyplanet.com NORTHERN DOBROGEA •• History 291 HISTORY Once Romanian flags flew over Dobrogea, In 1878 Northern Dobrogea became part of much was done to integrate it to the ‘main- Romania when a combined Russo-Romanian land’ as soon as possible, and with the com- army defeated the Turks in Bulgaria. Southern pletion of the formidable bridge over the Dobrogea was ceded to Bulgaria. Danube at Cernavodă (1895), a vital rail In antiquity the Dobrogea region was link was established between Constanţa and colonised first by the Greeks and then by the the capital. At this time, the coast started to Romans, both of whom left behind much for develop as a summer leisure destination; to visitors to admire. Histria, the oldest Greek this day, summer tourism is the backbone of the region’s economy. settlement in Romania, was founded in 657 NORTHERN DOBROGEA BC. From AD 46, Dobrogea was the Roman province of Moesia Inferior. At Adamclisi ECOLOGY (Tropaeum Trajani) the Romans scored a de- Litoral Beaches cisive victory over the Geto-Dacian tribes, thus There are no Blue Flag beaches here, though expanding into regions north of the Danube. this is more a matter of bureaucracy and fi- Dobrogea later fell under Byzantine control nances than cleanliness, as many beaches and in 1418 was conquered by the Turks. meet the 27 criteria (see www.blueflag.org). 0 40 km NORTHERN DOBROGEA 0 20 miles Prut U K R A I N E Siret Reni Kilija Ozero Ὀ OzeroὅὅὅὅὅὅὅKatlabuk Vylkove Gala»i Ozero Jalpuch Lake Kahul Periprava Crapina Izmayil u ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ Buz© Chilia Arm Br©ila Isaccea M©cin Danube Danube (Dun©rea) ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅDelta Tulcea Niculi»el ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅSulina Arm Sulina ) Ὀ Mahmudia To Buz©u a e (90km) r Horia © n u ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅMurighiol W A L L A C H I A E87 Sfân D ( tu ) e e e rgh b G b heo e h u Arm c u Sf©ntu n e ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ n Lake a V a Ciucurova Gheorghe Însur©»ei D Razim D a e d r Babadag l © O n u ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ D ( JurilovcaὈὈὈ Hâr¢ova To Bucharest Saraiu (190km) Mihai- Viteazul E60 T©nd©rei Lake Sinoie Topalu Histriaὅὅὅ E60 22 ) a B L A C K e Mihail r Ὀ © ὅὅὅ Fete¢ti n Kog©niceanu S E A u Lake D Airport ( Tasaul To Bucharest Cernavod© N©vodari (190km) e b Lake Mamaia Danu Medgidia (Siutghiol) Murfatlar Mamaia Basarabi Constan»a Ion Corvin Agigea Cobadin Danube- Adamclisi Black Sea Eforie Nord Canal Techirghiol Eforie Sud Costine¢ti E87 Neptun-Olimp Jupiter Cap Aurora Saturn Mangalia B U L G A R I A To Varna (30km) Doi Mai (2 Mai) To Dobriç Vama Veche (34km) 116-northern-dobrogea-rom5.indd6-northern-dobrogea-rom5.indd 229191 112/02/20102/02/2010 110:51:230:51:23 AAMM.