Greetings from the old maritime port of Constanta, on the Black Sea Coast / VIDEO

This summer was like an emotional and professional roller-coaster, that almost drained me out of energy. Many positive things happened, I made another career change and, most important of all, I was blessed to meet wonderful people. However, working almost 24/7 took a toll on me and I decided to leave all behind for one weekend and go to the beach.

So, here I am, Saturday afternoon writing about my first weekend at the beach, in Constanta, right on the Black Sea Coast. I love sunrises but this morning I missed it by few minutes, and all I got was a relaxing stroll along the beach when the sun wasn’t burning too much. One hour later, I returned to my hotel for a boost of energy in the form of coffee and breakfast. It went quickly back up so I was good to go with my plan to act like a tourist discovering the old charm of Constanta.

Going left from my centrally located hotel it was just a 5 minutes walking to the narrowest street in town, named Vantului (Wind) Street. Once upon a time it went down straight into the sea, but now it ends into a newer row of houses. However, the buildings that almost embrace each other and the old street lamps make this a spellbinding must see attraction of Constanta.

Since the sea was just a stone’s throw away, I changed my plans to see how the sand feels under my toes. The sea is a bit cold this time of year, but the sun and the breeze can give you the perfect late summer tan. I just went with a cappuccino served right on the waterfront, and enjoyed the view of the marina for almost an hour. Next stop on my itinerary, back to the old quarters to take more photos with the amazing houses which once belonged to famous shipowners.

Constanta is one the most interesting towns along the Black Sea Coast, and it has been the heart of the maritime trade in the region since antiquity. Greek and Roman artfacts are burried all over the area, while the Armenians, Turks and Russians who also did business here added spectacular private residences to the town’s multicultural heritage. A must see while visiting Constanta are the Genovese Lighthouse, the King Carol 1st Mosque – the bird’s-eye view over the peninsula is absoutely spectacular, and the Archeological Museum, where one can see a partial intact ancient mosaic.

I have to check just one more box on my list for today: taking the hop-on-hop-off double decker and enjoy the view from the rooftop. Off I go now!

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