Dreaming of a lovely Black Sea vacation? While many will head to the Bulgarian Riviera and its all-inclusive beach resorts, don’t overlook Romania’s slice of Black Sea paradise. Here are nine of the best beaches in Romania that make for the perfect summer escape.
Can’t read now? Pin for later!
The Best Beaches in Romania
While you certainly won’t have time to visit all nine of these beaches during your trip, make sure to put at least one or two on your Romania itinerary (especially if you come here during the summer).
Read Next: 17 of the Best Places to Visit in Romania for Every Kind of Traveler
Plaja Vadu
This is one of the last pristine beaches on the Black Sea in Romania as everything else has been almost entirely developed. The best thing about this beach is its pristine azure waters, which are some of the finest in Romania.
It’s surrounded by pretty poppy fields, while the beach itself is made of fine golden sand that stretches for a few kilometers. There is no village nearby, so be properly prepared.
Plaja Corbu
This is an easy beach to reach, and it’s located quite close to the popular resorts of Mamaia and Navodari. It has a very distinct solitary feel to it as there aren’t a lot of visitors most of the time.
However, it’s most known for its excellent snorkeling due to the impeccably clear waters as well as kitesurfing, windsurfing, and plenty of other watersports. There are a couple of nearby ruins of fortresses, too.
Plaja Agigea
A beach that’s ideal for snorkeling, this is a beach located near the village of Agigea, which is an ancient village founded millennia ago.
Besides snorkeling, this is a great spot for some sunbathing and marine life spotting. You’ll find plenty of the Black Sea’s most unique fish and species of crabs here. On top of that, Agigea also has arguably the best seafood restaurant in Romania.
Plaja Gostinu
A perfect contrast to the developed beaches in the Black Sea, this one is located directly on the Danube River. It’s located very close to Bucharest, and it’s considered one of the best day trips from the city.
It has an entirely relaxed feel to it as its thin strips of sand are great for relaxing and bird watching. Its waters are great for swimming and lounging, and it’s just a great place to cool off in summer.
Plaja Sfântu Gheorge
Part of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reservation, this beach is probably the biggest wildlife retreat in Romania. It’s found close to a village of the same name, and its sands are impeccably clean and are considered one of the best in Romania.
Another upside is that you’ll be sharing the beach with wild animals since it’s a habitat for them. In any case, it’s one of the most photogenic spots in the country.
Plaja Sulina
A UNESCO protected spot, this beach is ideal for people that prefer to have some alone time as they’re walking down long strips of pristine sands. It’s very close to the city of the same name, although it shares none of the bustle.
The beach is also a perfect family-friendly vacation spot as the waters are quite shallow, and it’s a great spot to do some birdwatching.
Plaja Gura Portiței
This is one of the most remote and unspoiled beaches in the entire country of Romania. It’s a gorgeous, long stretch of sand. It borders a fishing village of the same name, and it’s incredibly scenic. It’s a very calm and relaxing place, and it’s ideal for family retreats.
It has plenty of accommodations, most of which are entirely unique and picturesque. The entire place has a peculiar traditional Romanian feel to it.
Plaja Vama Veche
The village of Vama Veche has a long-standing image to be an oasis of freedom and anti-consumerism. It’s a tiny place on the Black Sea, which was deemed a spot unsuitable for tourism decades ago.
Now, it’s one of the most popular spots in the area. It’s a place for free spirits and party-goers, where crowds of people gather from all across the country to enjoy its fine sands and all-night parties.
Plaja Mamaia
A very family-friendly picturesque beach, Mamaia Beach is a great destination for any kind of watersport as well as simply lounging and relaxing. You can go scuba diving and snorkeling, play volleyball on the beach, or just enjoy its fine waters.
However, at night, this beach turns into a party-oriented beach, with many parties occurring until the early hours of the morning.
What to Bring with You to Romania
If you’re planning a trip to Romania, you’ll want to pack all the normal essentials, but here are a few things we strongly recommend bringing that may not have crossed your mind. For more, check out our complete Romania packing list.
– A physical guidebook, in paper or on Kindle. We love Lonely Planet Bulgaria & Romania for this region and strongly recommend it to supplement blogs. Blogs are great, but a combination of a blog and a guidebook is key to having the best access to information easily at your fingertips.
– A water bottle with a filter. While generally, the tap water in big cities in Romania is drinkable, such as in Bucharest and Brasov, we generally recommend using a water bottle with a purifying filter to reduce your plastic consumption and ensure you won’t drink any funny-tasting water on your stomach that could make your trip unpleasant! We recommend the GRAYL water bottle – it filters water perfectly in an instant so that you can even drink from lakes, bad taps, etc.
– Motion sickness pills. Romanian roads are winding and road conditions are not good – not even getting into the drivers, either. If you have a weak stomach like we do, save yourself and bring some non-drowsy motion sickness pills.
– Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, TP & other Balkan transit needs. Bathrooms in the Balkans tend to be… how can we say it?… not so well-stocked. Save yourself the disappointment and bring a mini-rescue pack of wet wipes & hand sanitizer.
– Travel safety items. We think Romania is very safe to travel, but at the same time, it never hurts to be prepared! Some people like to carry money belts, but neither Allison or I use these.
Instead, we both carry the same PacSafe anti-theft backpack. It has locking zippers, slash-proof construction with metal mesh hidden in the fabric, and tons of other smart security features — all while being cute and stylish enough to be our everyday bag. We recommend it highly for both male and female travelers, as it’s neutral enough to be unisex. We also strongly recommend travel insurance! Our recommendation is at the bottom of the post.
Read more: Essential Romania Packing List: What to Wear & Pack for Romania
Where to Stay on the Romanian Riviera
We’re in the process of creating comprehensive guides on where to stay in various Romanian cities, but for now, we recommend checking out Booking.com as early as possible. While Romania is underrated by international travelers, many of the best places can book early during the high season because Romanians know where to go.
Romania Travel Resources
If you’re going to Romania, we have a goldmine of resources for you to take advantage of! First, check out this guide to planning a trip to Romania. It’s a good starting point for planning your trip.
Next, check out all the things to do in Transylvania and things to do in Bucharest. You can also check out our Instagram guides to Sibiu, Brasov, and Bucharest – more are on the way.
You can also read about the best Romanian castles, the Romanian food you should try on your trip, the best Romanian souvenirs, and inspirational travel quotes about Romania. Plus, how to plan some epic day trips from Bucharest.
We publish new content nearly every day! Bookmark our pages on Romania and the Balkans so that you don’t miss out on any new info or resources that we publish before your trip!
Don’t Forget About Travel Insurance
RIP Prescription Sunglasses. This photo was taken about twenty minutes before they floated away, never to be seen again.
I’m sure you’re aware that travel insurance is a good idea for traveling in Romania (or really, any part of the world)! Allison and I have both been paying customers of World Nomads for the last three years. We love the peace of mind it gives us in case of emergencies, accidents, illnesses, theft, or trip cancellation or disruption.
While the Balkans are perfectly safe to travel around, there’s always a risk inherent in everyday travel, so it’s better to play it safe. The saying goes “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel” is true!
>> Get a travel insurance quote for your trip here <<
Pin this guide to the Best Romanian Beaches for Your Trip
Stephanie has been living in and traveling around the Balkans for the past three years. She’s written for National Geographic Online, appeared on CNN Arabic and in the New York Times, and ridden more Balkan buses than is good for a person.
