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A Taste of Ancient Histria and Constanta, Romania

A Taste of Ancient Histria and Constanta, Romania

The beautiful seaside Constanta, Romania was a cruise port on the Black Sea cruise I took with Princess Cruise Lines.

When it came to excursions, my friend, Jo, and I selected a tour that was offered on Cruise Critic called “Constanta City Tour and Wine Tasting at Murfatlar”. The price was 82€ and the title alone made it sound worth trying. 

Cristina Ruien, a spunky young gal who had good control of her audience and spoke excellent English, was our guide for the day. She told both fun and factual stories and led our group of 15 to see the local sights of her unique country.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Constanta City Tour

The first activity was an hour-long walking tour through downtown Constanta, Romania, the largest port on the Black Sea. Our group strolled along the Tomis Harbor, which runs parallel to the waterfront. We admired the beautiful, old buildings and interesting architecture. My favorite photo-op was the statue of Queen Elisabeth. Elisabeth, a famous poet whose literary pseudonym was “Carmen Sylvia”, was married to Charles I (Carol I) of Romania. The statue depicts her standing with a muse at her feet.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

The Constanta Casino is the perfect example of a grand, historic building loaded now sitting in ruins along the waterfront. It was built by King Carlo in 1910 and was “the” place to come. British sailors would fill the casino as they gambled their troubles away, then hit the brothels a few streets away. It was Constanta’s own red light district.

Romania is still a very sad country; I could sense the pain of its people and places, leftover from so many years of war. Still, I was thrilled to be here exploring and seeing it for myself. 

More info: Many of the older homes in Constanta are still in desperate need of repair. After the war era, when the communist occupation claimed Constanta, families could finally buy back their family homes, but only if they could afford to fix them up to todays standard. In this expensive neighborhood of today, this was virtually impossible to those who it applied to.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Prestigious Mosques and Cathedrals

Our tour group strolled into the dimly lit Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul, Orthodox Church, where a service was going on.

To our surprise, the Orthodox churches did not have pews or anywhere to sit for that matter. Church services often last two to three hours; people are expected to stand the entire time. The cathedral had lovely hand-painted murals on the outside of the doors in the narthex. To the right side was a depiction of joyous scenes such as the kingdom of heaven, and to the left, murals painted of sin and hell.

Intricate frescoes inside the church were impressive and the whole place was adorned with brass. We noticed a delicious herbal smell about the cathedral. Orthodox is the religion for 90% of Romanians and 1 million of Romania’s 21 million people, live in Constanta.We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Next, we visited the Grand Mosque of Constanta, formerly Carlos I Mosque, that only allows women when services are not going on. The mosque was decorated with patterned tiles and bright carpets. This was my first time visiting a mosque so I really did not know what to expect.

We were allowed time to walk up the 140 steps inside the minaret for panoramic views of Constanta. Afterward, we explored a bit more of Constanta’s town square, including the aquarium and museum, then boarded the bus.

Our next stop, the historic town of Histria. 

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Ancient City of Histria

The first ten minutes of our bus ride literally jarred us around so badly that my back ached for days so be prepared for extreme road conditions as well as a lot of hiking. Histria dates back to 630 BC and is Romania’s oldest town and found on the West coast of the Black Sea.

After coming under Roman domination, temples were built here for the Roman gods, complete with bathhouses for the wealthy. By the 7th century AD, the town of Histria was completed deserted. It was only rediscovered and excavated in the past 19th and 20th centuries. Histria’s ruins include Turkish baths, squares, community buildings, and market stalls.

A visually appealing contemporary history museum at Histria displays some of the uncovered artifacts as well as offers an on-site restaurant. Abundant fruit trees were on the property and we were allowed to pluck the fruits right from the trees. One piece was a sweet, juicy fruit that Christina could not properly translate, a cross between a big cherry and plum. It was beautiful and delicious. 

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Wine Tasting at Murfatlar

Murfatlar is the largest producer of wines in the country of Romania. Our group had a quick tour of the winery and our guide explained the Murfatlar winemaking process. We were shown the entire organization.

Murfatlar is a showplace decorated with massive amounts of beautiful marble and offers an interesting wine museum. A representative from the winery came with us to for lunch afterward to give us a wine demonstration and sampling.

Our tour group arrived at a restaurant whose name I could not pronounce. It had outdoor picnic tables that were beautifully set up for us. During the demo, we sampled five wines: Rose, one similar to Moscato, Sauvignon Blanc, a sweet red, and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The consensus of the group was that we did not care much for the wines offered as we were all mostly used to California wines. Our host did a nice job of explaining the wines, their popularity, history, and how they are produced.

During the wine sampling, we were served a meal of potatoes, a beef & lamb sausage, a pork sausage, grilled chicken and a roll. Also included was a traditional cabbage salad that was really flavorful and tasty.

Pitchers of red and white house wines were available to enjoy with our meal. We actually liked these better than the wines showcased earlier. After all this drinking and eating, our group loosened up and we had a blast! The restaurant did a wonderful job serving us and taking care of our needs.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Historia while we were at the cruise port of Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Chalk It Up To A Successful Cruise Excursion

The ride back to the cruise ship was more pleasant since there was more energy on the bus as a result of the pitchers of the wine. This made the day much more memorable than just a headful of historical facts.

I am glad I chose to tour such an old part of Romania, but I do not think I would ever need to come back. I was kicking myself for not doing the very long day trip with Princess cruise lines that went to Romania’s capital of Bucharest, even though it had a 3 1/2 hour bus ride in each direction.

FYI: Constanta’s cruise terminal has free WiFi and with nice souvenirs for purchase.

Tip: Beware, there are many pickpocketers in the area. Thieves use babies and children to try and tempt you into giving, often using fake hands underneath the babies so you cannot see where their “real” hand is going as it finds your wallet or purse.

Fact: The Black Sea has no waves.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

My Constanta, Romania Photo Gallery:

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Historia while we were at the cruise port of Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Statue of Ovid, the famous Latin writer in Ovidiu Square.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

The House of Lions was a high society gathering spot.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

Pin This Post For Later!

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

We sampled the famous Murfatlar wines and visited Histria while we were in Constanta, Romania.

 

Check out our other European cruise port posts:

  • Khios, Greece                 
  • Copenhagen, Denmark                 
  • Helsinki, Finland

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About Melody Pittman

Melody and Taylor are a mom/daughter team who write about luxury travel, culture, cruising, food, and most recently, life with a toddler. Places they specialize in are FL, MS, WV, and the Midwest, as well as Panama. Both ladies freelance (print & online publications), host a Southern-based travel conference host, and are digital influencers. They love cruising, animals, National Parks, small towns, Broadway, TV, and cooking.

Comments

    • MelodyPittman says

      HAHA! They may have gotten sick if they were in my seat on that ride. I have to say I had to hold my arms across my chest the entire time, if you get my drift.

    • MelodyPittman says

      Thanks Amanda. The Bulgaria post is coming soon. It was the favorite port on the entire cruise and I have so many gorgeous pictures of it. I hope you will check it out.

  3. Sarah Ebner says

    Sorry about the bus journey, but it sounds as if it was worth it! I would love to try that fruit and really loved your facts such as the black sea having no waves. I also didn’t know that there were no pews in Orthodox churches so have learnt such a lot from your blog!

    • MelodyPittman says

      Thanks so much! I guess you can tell trivia is really “my bag” so after hearing the tour guide lecture on and on for hours, my mind remembers the things that may be a Jeopardy question some day. LOL

    • MelodyPittman says

      It was a nice tour but very sad seeing everything the country has been through. Geography around problematic areas sure affects peoples lives for years to come. Thanks for stopping by!

    • MelodyPittman says

      Princess is my favorite cruise line. I have sailed with 6 others but they win for me in most cases. There are more ports to choose from on some cruise lines, and the food is a little better on another, but all in all, Princess pleases me ultimately. What was your favorite cruise thus far? Though I will cruise anywhere, European destinations are my choice.

  11. Steve Tierney says

    We did Romania a few years ago. We decided to stay in Constanta a few nights. Nice beach. There was an outdoor concert we went to. What I remember most about the Roman remains were the headstones that left messages for travelers. They were translated into English. Would say something directly to the passerby about the deceased.
    I remember the first time we were walking to the beach and unsure of the direction. A ten year old girl was walking near us, made swimming motions with her arms; when I responded affirmatively she pointed out directions.

    • MelodyPittman says

      Didn’t let that language barrier get in the way; I like that.;) We didn’t see the headstones but loved the stroll along the waterfront. Glad you enjoyed.

  15. Gearoid McSweeney says

    I taught a Romanian student for a while and it is indeed a country that suffered a lot, particularly under hardline communism.

    However, that church is stunning and some of the photography is really excellent. I almost wanted to book a flight right now…

  16. Marta says

    Sounds like your visit had a few ups and down but overall: what a beautiful place! Apart from the architecture, my favourite photo of yours is the one with the language: Romanian has the same roots as Italian and it’s always fun for me to try and spot similarities and see if I can guess anything (in writing sometimes yes, listening… not a word 😉 )

  20. Shelly says

    Interesting about no pews in the Orthodox church. I can’t imagine having to stand still in one place for hours on end.

    I also didn’t know the Black Sea doesn’t have waves – look at all these tidbits you have provided me with today! Fantastic pics as well.

  30. Rob Taylor says

    Eastern block countries have such a sad history. I appreciate that you captured that as well as the touristy aspect of the the city. It looks and sounds like it was pretty happenin’ only a hundred years ago. The ruins sound pretty cool too… but bumpy roads are kind of the worst. Ever.

  31. Eulanda says

    We’ve heard a lot of great things about Princess Cruise lines. We just went on our first cruise with P&O. and had a fantastic Med cruise. We’ve never been to Romania, and it was great to see it through your eyes. Thanks for sharing!

  32. Ami Bhat says

    Histeria sounds wonderful. So much of history there. And yes, I can see what you mean – Romania is beautiful and it is depressing to know the pain it had to go through. Lovely pictures and write up.

  33. Alexandra Dolea says

    Hi, really glad you enjoyed Romania, but I would make some observations, if I may?
    1. “the statue of Queen Elisabeth, married to King George II of Greece, a famous poet, whose literary name was “Carmen Sylva”. The statue depicts her standing with a muse at her feet.” Queen Elisabeth was married to king Charles I (Carol I) of Romania. Her literary pseudonym was Carmen Sylva.
    2. “The Historic City of Histeria” is actually named Histria.http://www.cimec.ro/Arheologie/web-histria/1sit/sit_eng.htm
    3. “Fact: The Black Sea has no waves.” It has a lot of waves, see http://www.stiri.com.ro/img_mare/21126marea-neagra-cazinoul-din-constanta-1.jpg

    I hope the information was helpful.

    Best wishes,
    Alexandra

    • MelodyPittman says

      Thank you so much for the info. I guess the tour companies somewhat slack when it comes to divulging info to us Americans. I have corrected the info you listed above. I really appreciate it. I love facts and trivia and am sorry it was not right to begin with. 😉

  34. Mike Bran says

    Romania looks awesome! Reminds me a lot of Odessa, which I’ve visited – its also on the black sea and not too far from Romania. Great photos as well. Really inspirational and makes me think I should make a stop there the next time i’m in that region of the world.

  35. Israt Jahan says

    Although I did not go to the city of Romania,but I feel very good to read your reviews. Its really amazing. Later on I saw the country of Europe on the internate. The food, the mosque and your photos say that your group has made a lot of enjoy. If there is time, every traveler man Should come to visit the city of romania.

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