Spa Tourism on the Romanian Black Sea Coast

Today well take you on an imaginary trip to Mangalia, a seaside resort in the southeast of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. This is a travel destination, which we believe will whet the appetite of both those interested in history and those seeking refuge

Daniel Onea, 09.05.2013, 14:37

But what does Mangalia and its surroundings have to offer to its visitors? The list is long and includes the vestiges of the fortified city of Callatis, the Esmahan Sultan Mosque, the Movile Cave, which has been turned into a spaeleological reserve, the Limanu Cave, with its four-kilometer long underground tunnels, as well as the internationally recognized Murfatlar vineyard, where one can taste its exquisite, multi-awarded wines. Worth noting is that Europe’s oldest scroll, dating back to the 4th century BC can be found here.

After having undergone long and laborious restoration procedures in Moscow that lasted almost half a century, the document has been put on view at the Archaeology Museum in Mangalia.

Mangalia is also well known for its spa treatment facilities, performed at the main health resort here. Here is Florentina Stoica, chief-nurse at the Mangalia health resort with details on the spa’s offer.

Florentina Stoica: “Our spa offers a lot in terms of natural treatment procedures, things you cannot find elsewhere in Romania or even in southeastern Europe. We have recently opened a spa-wellness segment with everything such a concept entails. We offer sessions of massage with volcanic rocks, aromatic oils, nutrition therapy, a gym, as well as swimming pools with seawater and sulphurous water.”

Florentina Stoica has further referred to the standard procedures available at the Mangalia health resort.

Florentina Stoica: “Tourists will first benefit from medical checkups, after which they will be prescribed the best treatment we can offer here. If they like to spend some afternoon time in our spa-wellness sector, the same doctor who conducted the investigation will make some recommendations. Ladies can here benefit from a very effective gynecological treatment. And if they are into healthy food and dieting in order to keep in good physical shape our experts can come up with very helpful suggestions. They can also benefit from massage, sauna and other relaxation programmes. For families with children we have been running, for some time now, several mother-and-child programmes, afternoon swimming courses, so when they leave the spa, children will be able to swim very well.”

Prices for tourists coming from abroad are the same as for the locals with no difference whatsoever. For instance, a 1-week full board holiday will cost you about 200 euros. The Mangalia health center is an all-season facility, and tourists can benefit from the same good quality of treatment procedures all throughout the year. In the following minutes Florentina Stoica will be talking about the local cuisine.

Florentina Stoica: “There are several restaurants with Romanian cuisine in the region. Being a Romanian, I would recommend forcemeat rolls in cabbage leaves with polenta. Also because we are in a seaside resort, I think that our visitors should try some fishmeals; we have a delicious oven-roasted fish dish and another kind of traditional fishmeal cooked with onion and oil called Plachie. In our spa tourists can also find information on the monasteries in the region, on the Danube Delta, on several other hotspots in Romania and in neighboring Bulgaria. Besides the health facilities, tourists can find a quiet spot here, and we welcome everyone in this beautiful resort.”

Taking a trip to the neighboring Danube Delta would prove a very inspired move for those who come to Mangalia. We recall that in the Danube Delta, which was declared a biosphere reserve in 1990, one can find the largest reed-covered area on the planet, stretching out on more than 15 hundred kilometers, as well as a lot of bird species, some of which have been declared natural monuments. With a wide range of accommodation facilities, the region caters for all tastes; here tourists can choose from floating hotels or hotel compounds around the Delta. Here is Mihaela Andrei, manager in such a hotel compound in the Danube Delta.

Mihaela Andrei: “Our compound stretches over 10 hectares and offers a lot of outdoor entertainment facilities. We have an Olympic swimming pool for those fond of swimming and sunbaths. And if you are into fishing, you should know that the Murighiol Lake teems with various kinds of fish. We have hydro bikes, rowing boats, as well as a spa center fitted with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and a massage parlor. Besides these services, which are included, we can organize trips on the Danube canals, which may last from three to seven hours, reaching up to the village of Sfantu Gheorghe, where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. We can also take our tourists to the monasteries in the area. As you can see tourists here have a wide range of entertainment facilities to choose from.”

This accommodation compound offers international cuisine, which also abounds in traditional fishmeals. A room here costs around 23 euros per night, including three meals and access to all the entertainment facilities of this compound whose personnel is fluent in English, French and Italian. Leaflets promoting the area have been printed in these languages plus in German and Russian.