Things to see and do Tulcea

Close to the railway and bus stations, separated from the Danube by a thin strip of land, Lake Ciuperca (literally "Mushroom Lake") is one of the city's favorite walking spots. The surrounding park is pleasant. On the western shore, a small beach has been laid out for swimming. You can also fish in specially designated areas, or hire a rowing or pedal boat. There are several bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity, as well as a swimming pool to the northwest.

Located to the west of Tulcea, these are the oldest mountains in Romania, and even among the oldest in Europe, dating back several hundred million years. Their altitude does not exceed 500 m. Their arid climate and highly specific soil composition make them Europe's last refuge for steppe flora and fauna. They are home to exceptional biodiversity. The Măcin Mountains also offer superb landscapes, dotted with curious rock formations such as those around the Pricopan ridge (Culmea Pricopanului). A number of short and medium-distance hikes are possible. You can also go cycling or horse-riding. The localities around the Măcin mountains are also rich in historical heritage. Last but not least, the region is famous for its vineyards, which stretch along the foothills.

Măcin mountains. You can stop here to admire the old mosque and the ruins of the wall surrounding the ancient Roman city of Arrubium.

Turcoaia. In this village south of Măcin, you'll see the ruins of the Troesmis fortress. Dating from the 3rd century BC.

Isaccea. Named Noviodunum by the Romans, this pleasant little town on the Danube played an important strategic and commercial role in the region at the time. Remains of its former grandeur are still visible. Not far away, in the village of Tichilești, is Europe's last leprosarium.

Niculițel. In this wine-growing village, you can visit the ruins of an early Christian basilica. The church and crypt were founded by Emperor Valens in the year 370. Discovered in the 1970s, the basilica has been partially rebuilt. Four martyrs' skeletons lie in a collective coffin on the upper level of the crypt.

Cocoș Monastery. The "Rooster" monastery was erected in 1835 in an oriental Turkish style. It houses a museum of medieval and modern art featuring a collection of ancient books, icons and documents relating to the Ottoman period. The path leading to the museum crosses hills planted with vines.

Celic-Dere Monastery. South of Telița, this monastery today run by nuns was founded between 1841 and 1844 by Romanian and Russian monks. It owes its name to its proximity to a stream, the Celik Dere (Turkish for "stream of steel").

Dinogetia fortress. First mentioned by Ptolemy, this was originally a Dacian site, before the Romans took it over. What remains is the result of numerous destructions and reconstructions over the centuries.

It is the largest mosque in Romania, with an imposing minaret. It was built in 1865 by the Muslim community of Tulcea, with the approval of the Sultan of the time, Abdülaziz (hence its name). At the time, Dobrogea was part of the Ottoman Empire. The interior is sober, with a light green wooden ceiling and carpeted floor. The mosque is now used by the small Muslim community of Tulcea, consisting of the historic Turkish and Tatar minorities, plus a large number of Roma.

This beautiful mansion with its eclectic style was built in 1897 for Alexandru Avramid, a wealthy Greek businessman of Albanian origin who lived in the area. Confiscated by the communists, it has long housed a museum. In 2010-2012, the house benefited from a vast rehabilitation project, which allowed it to regain its splendour. The interiors, furnished with period furniture, objects and photos, are luxurious: painted ceilings, mouldings, gilding, frescoes, parquet floors, chandeliers... The house also houses temporary exhibitions.

This imposing monument surmounted by three towers was built around 1865 in a Byzantine style. It was the object of conflict and remained out of service for several years before Romanian Orthodox faithful took possession of the premises in 1887. It is from there that his interiors were fitted out: paintings, furniture, etc. Its bells, designed in Bavaria, are particularly melodious. The cathedral is surrounded by a beautiful garden with benches.

The headquarters of the biosphere reserve houses an ecological information and education centre, where you will find a small informative exhibition on the fauna and flora of the Danube Delta. Maps of the area and information on fishing and hunting licences are available. You will also be able to buy (either at the ticket office or at the ATM) the permits needed to visit the delta, if you don't go through an agency.

The Tulcea Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art, which occupies an emblematic building in the city, reopened its doors in 2023 after renovation work. It features a collection of over 8,000 costumes and various objects that take us back to the multicultural Tulcea of yesteryear, and allow us to discover the folklore of the various local minorities. The museum also manages the house of the writer Panait Cerna, born in the commune of Cerna, the Panaghia house in the town of Babadag and the museum of the traditional village of Dobroudja, located in Enisala.

Situated below the monument to the Heroes of Independence, you can admire a fine collection of ancient ceramics and coins from Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Part of the exhibition focuses on the adoption of Christianity by the region's inhabitants and religious persecution in the first centuries AD. Ruins of the ancient fortress of Aegyssus, which dates back to antiquity, can be seen next to the museum.

A must see! This modern building houses a large aquarium, where you can observe exotic fish and species present in the mouth of the Danube: pike, carp... The highlight of the visit, the sturgeon pond is absolutely captivating. The centre also presents several dioramas reconstructing the natural environments of Dobrogea, with their fauna and flora: pelicans, eagles, mink, etc.. An excellent introduction, before setting off to explore the region.

This obelisk planted on top of the citadel hill, east of the city, was erected in 1900 by the sculptors Vasilescu and Bălăcescu, as a tribute to the dead of the War of Independence of 1877-1878. All the way up, after climbing a good flight of stairs, you will enjoy a 360-degree view of the river, the city and the surrounding fields. It is also on this hill that the giant letters forming the name of the city were erected.

This beautiful neoclassical building was built in 1870 by Ismail Pasha, then Ottoman governor of Tulcea. Recently modernized, it houses beautiful collections of paintings, engravings and sculptures. There are contemporary works by Pallady, Aman, Baba, Brauner or Grigorescu. One room is dedicated to paintings depicting Tulcea and Dobrogea. You will also be able to admire Russian and Lipovene icons, as well as beautiful pieces of European and Oriental decorative arts: jewellery, furniture, carpets, Persian earthenware, dresses sewn with gold thread..