Radio România Internațional

Tag: seaside

  • Romania in mini-holiday

    Romania in mini-holiday

    The Orthodox Easter, celebrated on May 5th, this year happens to be very close to Labour Day and that has offered the Romanians a spring mini-holiday, which ends on Monday, May 6th. Almost two thirds of the Romanians choose to spend this holiday at home, mainly people over 60 years of age and those with small incomes – says a recent survey.

    13.5% of the respondents say they don’t celebrate at all this day, while those who chose to take a trip on this day account for 12.5 %. As Labour Day is considered the beginning of the summer holiday very few of the respondents, 3.4%, say they go to the seaside for this holiday.

    However, over 50 thousand tourists are going to be in the seaside resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast. In the sunny resorts of the south, like Vama Veche and Costinesti, parties have already kicked off. Thousands of young people from Romania and abroad have arrived at Mamaia North for the electronic music festival Sunwaves.

    According to organizers, 100 Romanian and foreign artists are to attend the aforementioned festival, which is to last for seven nights on the beach. Anti-drug enforcers have also arrived in the area in an attempt to convince the participants to stay away from banned substances. The participants are encouraged to be able to identify first-aid centers, refrain from drinking to excess and be cautious regarding strangers who may offer them drugs concealed as food, drinks, medicine or cigarettes. In case of special situations they are encouraged to directly contact anti-drug experts or call the emergency number 112 in case of health-related issues. A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, Monica Dajbog, has told Radio Romania that measures have been taken to ensure public order and for intervention in emergency situations. Around 25 thousand policemen, gendarmes, border police, firefighters and troops from other structures of the Interior Ministry have been deployed to enforce law and order during this mini-holiday in Romania, with emphasis on travel resorts, churches and other crowded places, such as rail stations and airports.

    Over 200 public events are to be staged in this period, which are expected to bring together roughly 167 thousand people. 2.6 million believers are expected to attend religious services at 12,200 churches on the Holy Night of Easter.

    According to surveys, though, the number of those willing to travel on Easter holidays is around 16%, five percentages higher than last year. However, most of the Romanians, roughly 80%, intend to spend Easter with their families at home, while three quarters of them want to attend religious services on the Holy Night of Easter.

    (bill)

  • The Beginning of the Summer Season in Romania

    The Beginning of the Summer Season in Romania

    This weekend, which also marks the International
    Workers’ Day with barbeques and parties the summer season officially kicks off
    in Romania. Many Romanians are these days travelling to the seaside resorts on
    the Black Sea coast, where over 100 hotels are expected to be open. According
    to travel operators, after two years of pandemic, people are now appreciating
    holidays more than ever as over 80% of the rooms have already been booked and
    resorts are expected to be crowded this summer season.




    Hotel owners believe that roughly 30 thousand
    tourists are going to spend May Day at the seaside, most of them in the resorts
    of Mamaia and Costinesti. Night clubs and the Sunwaves electronic music
    festival in Mamaia resort are expected to be the main attractions for young
    people these days, as well as the festivals of hip-hop&trap and rock music
    in the resort of Costinesti.




    Prices for a holiday in a seaside resort have risen
    at least 15% and when demand is higher, in the month of August, for instance,
    prices can get even higher, because as the tour operators have explained, like
    in any market economy it is the supply and demand, which is setting the
    price.




    According to Romania’s Tourism Minister, Daniel
    Cadariu, beaches in the seaside resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast have
    been prepared to welcome tourists. They have been cleaned by the National
    Administration ‘Romanian Waters’ and submitted to operators. According to
    Minister Cadariu holiday vouchers, aimed at giving an impetus to local tourism,
    are to soon make it to the employees of the state and some private companies.
    Every institution decides whether to offer these vouchers or not, but they have
    been urged to do it as soon as possible. Here is Tourism Minister Daniel
    Cadariu with more on the issue.




    Daniel Cadariu: In December
    we passed an emergency ordinance, on which every institution based its budget,
    so that they may get the right amount of money. Now it’s true that part of this
    money has so far been spent on public procurement but according to figures
    released last week, nearly 97 million lei have already been deposited into the accounts
    of the beneficiaries.




    The Minister has also announced that private
    companies can also give holiday vouchers up to six minimum wages and aren’t
    limited to the 1450 lei ceiling as the state companies. This could be a real
    stimulus for their employees at a time of severe labour force crisis Minister Cadariu
    went on to say.


    (bill)

  • State of alert extended once again

    State of alert extended once again

    The government of Romania decided to extend the state of alert in the country by another 30 days, beginning on Tuesday, April 13, to contain and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.



    In other words, all the measures already known to Romanians remain in place, from mandatory face covering both outdoors and indoors to physical distancing. Indoor restaurants, theatre and cinema halls are also closed.



    A night curfew is in place between 10 pm and 5 am. In places with infection rates above 4 per thousand, the curfew begins at 8pm at the weekend, and shops close at 6pm. These measures apply throughout the week in places where the infection rate is above 7.5 per thousand. Gyms are also closed if the Covid infection rate is over 4 per thousand, to be opened when the figure drops below 3.5.



    The only concessions made by the authorities have to do with the religious holidays celebrated these days. After Catholic Christians were able to enjoy an almost normal Easter holiday and Jews in Romania were able to attend the Passover ceremonies, Orthodox Christians will also be able to travel without restrictions on Resurrection night, celebrated on 1 May, unlike last year when church attendance was prohibited. Muslim believers were not overlooked either, with the government allowing them to move freely on the night of 8 May when they celebrate the Ramadan.



    On the other hand, traditionally 1 May is the start of the holiday season in Romanias Black Sea resorts. Given that for the past year the hospitality industry has suffered severely because of the Covid-19 containment measures, this year the government decided that seaside resorts may open, at a maximum 70% of their accommodation capacity and in full observance of relevant regulations, just as it is the case at present with mountain resorts.



    The interior minister Lucian Bode has recently travelled to Constanța, the biggest Romanian city on the Black Sea coast, to warn police and gendarmes that their mission during the Easter and 1 May weekend will be particularly difficult, as lots of tourists will be coming to the seaside. Health is paramount, the minister cautioned, so the police must do everything in their power to ensure restrictions are observed. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Summer holiday options

    Summer holiday options


    Despite its predicament in terms of economy, Romanian is still rated as a beautiful country. The summer season is open to everybody, so we invite you to stay fit and climb our mountains and breathe the fresh air of the mountain woods.


    As usual, we begin with a series of useful words and phrases:


    Vacanta=holiday


    Urca=climb up


    Cobori=climb down


    Respira=breathe


    Aer curat=fresh air


    A se bronza=to get suntanned


    Carari de munte=mountain paths



    Let us use some of these words and phrases in meaningful sentences.


    Daca ati avea vacanta, ati putea face un tur prin Romania.


    If you were on holiday, you could take a tour of Romania.


    Ati putea veade o multime de locuri frumoase, de orase, fiecare cu ceea ce are specific.


    You could see a lot of beautiful places, a lot of cities, each with their own specific elements.


    Urcind si coborind pe jos, pe carari de munte, respirind aer curat, v-ati odihni cu adevarat.


    Climbing up and down, along mountain paths, breathing fresh air, you can really rest.


    La mare, v-ati bronza, ati inota, si ati putea face plimbari lungi pe plaja.


    At the seaside, you could get suntanned, you could swim, and you can take long walks on the beach.


    Orasul Cluj, in centrul Transilvaniei, este vestit pentru numeroasele lui institutii de invatamint si cultura.


    The city of Cluj, in central Transylvania, is famous for its numerous education and culture institutions.


    In Cluj ati putea vedea si vestita Gradina Botanca.


    In Cluj, you can also visit the famous Botanical Gardens.


    In Brasov, in centrul Romaniei, ati vedea Biserica Neagra.


    In the central Romanian city of Brasov, you can visit the famous Black Church.


    In Moldova, ati putea vizita manastirile pictate si Iasul cu universitatea sa renumita.


    In Moldavia, you could visit the painted monasteries and the city of Iassi, with its famous university.


    In Bucuresti, puteti vizita Ateneul Roman si Muzeul de Arta.


    In Bucharest, you could visit the Romanian Athenaeum and the Art Museum



    Thank you ALL for the interest you take in Romanian culture, and for being so keen on learning Romanian with us. Good Bye! La revedere!




  • Summer season on the Romanian Black Sea coast

    Summer season on the Romanian Black Sea coast

    The
    summer season on the Romanian Black Sea Coast opened, as usually, on May 1.
    According to the latest data available, a growing number of bookings are made
    from abroad, reaching around 7% of the total, although many of them are made by
    Romanians who live and work abroad. Still, the events organised in the seaside
    resorts, the fun in the local night clubs and the very low prices compared to
    other destinations are quite attractive to foreign tourists as well,
    particularly those from the UK, Spain, Italy and Israel. Corina Martin, the
    president of the Romanian Federation of Tourist Promotion Associations, has
    told us that new investment projects have been finalised for the 2019 season:




    These
    new projects include both hotels and extended accommodation facilities, as well
    as thousands of new holiday apartments. The latter have grown particularly
    popular over the past few years, and are actually an alternative for tourists
    who seek more comfort and more privacy than hotels can provide. They probably
    come to the seaside with larger families, with children and baby sitters, and
    they need this alternative. We also have all-inclusive resorts, developed particularly
    in the south of the Romanian Black Sea Coast, where many 4 and 5-star hotels
    have been built in recent years.




    The
    selling points of the Romanian seaside are already well known. As many as 245
    km of beaches with a deep layer of sand, a gradual increase of the water level,
    water temperature that may exceed 25 degrees Celsius in the summer, 10 to 12
    hours of sunlight a day and roughly the same latitude as the more famous Venice
    and Nice make the Black Sea coast a rival for the Mediterranean resorts. And
    many of the events organised here already enjoy international fame. Here is
    Corina Martin, the president of the Romanian Federation of Tourist Promotion
    Associations with more details:




    There
    are obviously novelties in terms of events as well, but the highlight of the
    season remains NeverSea Festival, on July 4-7. It brings here tens of thousands
    of music fans not only from Romania, but also from Western Europe. The summer
    season started with the 25th edition of Sunwaves Festival. As many
    as 8,000 young foreign tourists attended this electronic music festival which
    is already a tradition. The list of events in seaside resorts is quite long, we
    will see what the individual clubs will organise, and also the companies that
    put together major general public events, including K1 galas, kickboxing galas,
    music festivals and fashion shows. Such events attract large numbers of people,
    especially in Mamaia, which is acknowledged as the capital of fun on the
    Romanian sea coast. Second in this respect comes Vama Veche, followed by Mamaia
    Nord-Navodari and Eforie, which are close to Constanta and have many accommodation
    facilities.




    The
    number of foreign tourists on the Black Sea coast will be growing, Corina
    Martin also tells us:




    We
    have just finalised a project which is a novelty in Romania. With support from
    the Turkish national air line, we have brought to Romania representatives of 10
    of the largest Turkish tour operators. Romania and Turkey are well connected,
    we’ve had 4 direct flights between Constanta and Istanbul for 5 years already.
    Japanese officials have also visited the Romanian seaside resorts, and our goal
    is to bring tourists from this market as well, by means of these flights to
    Constanta via Istanbul. Our target are tourists who seek exciting nightlife,
    entertainment, casinos, and so on. The Danube Delta, which we have also been
    promoting, is also of great interest. Apart from that, this summer we will
    continue to have direct flights from and to Tallinn, bringing Estonian tourists
    to Romania. These flights, operated by the Estonian national air line, were
    launched last year. Estonian tourists are very interested in packages that include
    multi-ethnic performances. English tourists also come here in large numbers,
    thanks to a direct flight connecting Constanta to London, 4 times a week. This
    is a very busy route, with about 95% occupancy rate. Many British men have
    their bachelor parties in the hotels and night clubs in Mamaia in particular.




    Catalin
    Tibuleac, the president of the Danube Delta Tourist Management Association,
    says Dobrogea is increasingly popular among the tourists interested in atypical
    experiences:




    Those
    who are interested in a different kind of holiday on the Black Sea coast are
    well advised to come see the wild beaches in Sfantu Gheorghe and Sulina.
    Equally interesting is a trip to Macinului Mountains, the oldest mountains in
    Europe, with great routes for trekking and horseback riding. Tulcea County
    takes pride in as many as 16 ancient and medieval citadels, open to the public.
    We also recommend a tour of the local vineyards, the best known of which are
    Macin, Sarica Niculitel and Hamangia.




    The
    Romanian Black Sea coast resorts cater for all tastes and budgets. Corina
    Martin, the head of the Romanian Federation of Tourist Promotion Associations,
    wraps up today’s travel segment with an invitation:




    We
    are waiting for you at the seaside. On the Romanian Black Sea coast, prices are
    still very attractive, there are events for all tastes, all-inclusive resorts,
    direct flights to the Constanta Airport and easy transfer to any seaside hotel
    and to the rest of the country.

  • On the Romanian Black Sea Coast

    On the Romanian Black Sea Coast

    As an absolute first, this year the summer season on the Romanian Black Sea coast opened on April the 15. The resorts were fully prepared for that, the events plan had been drawn out, and tourists are well advised to book their accommodation in advance, as in certain hotels, the occupancy rate has been constantly growing, to reach even 100% at the weekend. Romantic walks along the sea shore, the beach and the sun, leisure opportunities, live concerts, loads of joy and merry-making, all these are defining traits for the Romanian Black Sea Coast. The president of the Black Sea Coast-Danube Delta Association Cristian Barhalescu has confirmed this years busy agenda:



    Cristian Barhalescu: “In 2017, the Romanian Black Sea coast resorts have planned a variety of events, having first of all prepared their hotels and restaurants to the standards required by the Romanian and foreign market. The fact that for the May Day break we had 40,000 tickets sold for just one event in Mamaia, of which 8,000 were sold to foreigners, speaks volumes about how well we have prepared for this season. This summers most important event will be Neversea. It will be held over July 7-9 in Constanta, and we estimate that more than 50,000 people will show up, from across the country as well as from abroad. It was created under the Untold brand, bringing in the same kind of music as the famous festival of the same name in Cluj. It will feature DJs and top stars that will surely bring loads of satisfaction to those who will be on the seaside at that time.



    The around 245 kilometres of beach from Sulina to Vama Veche next to the Bulgarian border, with 9 resorts that were declared resorts of national tourist interest, offering holidays for all budgets, as well as for all tastes, is what makes the Romanian seaside accessible to everybody.



    Cristian Barhalescu: “The Romanian seaside facilities cater to all age categories. In the southern part of the sea coast we have all-inclusive resorts for children, just like in Mamaia. The Black Sea coast is also a destination for youngsters, who can have fun in Costinesti as well as in the northern part of Mamaia, where the night clubs are clustered. On the other hand, the elderly can head towards Mangalia, Techirghiol, Eforie Nord, Eforie Sud, where they have balneal treatment sessions. Tourists return from here healthier, with a lot more satisfaction, with the joy of living. The Romanian seaside is a pleasant experience given that as a rule people are not very familiar with Romania.



    A strength for the Romanian seaside is the calm sea, with a low salt concentration as compared to other continental seas, with swimmers feeling quite safe, because there is no tide or dangerous sea creatures. Trips are also organised from the seacoast resorts to the areas nearby, the president of the Black Sea Coast-Danube Delta Association also said:



    Cristian Barhalescu: “Depending on age and on specific interests, tourists may head towards historical sites, military museums, sea museums, as well as to archaeology or traditional arts and crafts museums. Also, there are performances, live concerts, and people can take trips in the region, to the Danube Delta or to the southern part of the coast, where they have the chance to discover absolutely fabulous places. If tourists love nature, four-wheel drive trips can be organised, they can have bike trips or can just take a walk through Dobrogeas forests. It will be a special experience. Dobrogea is one of the cradles of European civilization, and the regions ethnic diversity, comprising Jews, Romanians, Bulgarians, Russians, Lippovans, Greeks, Turks and Tartars, makes for an extremely colourful and pleasant image.“



    Officially, the Black Sea coast can accommodates 90,000 tourists. In addition, there are lots of places for trailers and tents to be set up. Things keep improving, with new hotels and new investments, and tourists may expect surprises from one year to the next.



    Cristian Barhalescu: “Each year we come into contact with foreign tourists who visit the Romanian seaside. They are surprised to see how good the conditions are here. The image of the country abroad is different. When foreign tourists come here and see that there is no difference to a western European country in terms of the quality of service, they are amazed.



    Ana Maria Gheorghe is the head of the Business and Tourism Department with the Mangalia Town Hall, and she made a quick review of the resorts available:



    Ana Maria Gheorghe: “Saturn is a quiet summer resort, with plenty of green areas, where tourists can enjoy the full benefits of natural cures. Venus is a place that lives up to its name, inspired by the goddess of beauty. Dozens of villas and bungalows have been built around the lake in the middle of the resort. The resort of Cap Aurora was set up in 1973, it was the last one to be built on the Romanian Black Sea coast. It lies on a strip 250 meters wide, one kilometre long. Jupiter is a resort set up in 1969 on the edge of Comorova Forest. It is a small and very cosy place. West of Comorova Forest you will find Neptun, a very stylish tourist destination.



    The resorts in the south of the Black Sea coast are quieter, with fewer large scale events, best suited for those who seek some peace and quiet. However, last year Venus ranked third among the resorts on the Romanian seaside. Topping the standing were Mamaia and Vama Veche. Over the last few years, a number of all-inclusive four and five star hotels have opened in Venus. Vama Veche is also expected to be a top resort in 2017 as well.

  • May 2, 2016 UPDATE

    May 2, 2016 UPDATE

    Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians, which make up the religious majority in Romania, celebrate as of Monday the Bright Week, the first week after Easter, when light is seen as the symbol of the Resurrection of Christ. In churches, on the second day of Easter, the same religious service was celebrated as the one on Resurrection night.



    More than 35,000 tourists were in Romanian seaside resorts for the first two days of the summer season, which started officially on May 1. Hotel had attractive offers during this period, with prices including various facilities. As a result, for instance, the resort of Mamaia was almost fully booked. High occupancy rates were also reported in the resorts of Vama Veche, Eforie and Costineşti. During the Easter holiday, tourists also had access to the new beach sections on the Romanian sea coast. The beaches on the south of the Romanian Black Sea coast were extended by several tens of hectares, as part of EU-funded projects with a combined budget of 170 million Euros.



    The Prime Minister of Romania, Dacian Cioloş, will submit to President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday a request to discharge Vlad Alexandrescu as Culture Minister and a nomination for his replacement. The dismissal comes against the backdrop of a scandal at the Romanian Opera House in Bucharest, triggered by discontent with the successive appointments for the director post as well as with the substantial imbalances between the salaries paid to the Romanian and the foreign dancers. Protests led to the cancellation of three shows, and PM Ciolos asked for Vlad Alexandrescu’s resignation. In messages posted on Facebook or published in the media, Vlad Alexandrescu says he was forced out because he upset various interest groups. The head of government said he had not been informed of the problems Vlad Alexandrescu claimed to have been facing and promised he would urge the new minister to carry on the reforms initiated by Alexandrescu.



    Some 200 US troops will reach the Republic of Moldova from Romania, for joint military exercises, between May 3 and 20, signalling a stronger American military presence in the region, Associated Press reports. According to the Defence Ministry in Chisinau, the US troops are accompanied by armoured vehicles. Taking part in the drills are 165 troops from the former Soviet republic. The US Embassy in Chisinău has announced that the exercises, which illustrate the on-going cooperation between Moldova and the USA, will include first aid and evacuation training, with a view to providing on-site maintenance and demolition assistance. The Republic of Moldova joined the NATO Partnership for Peace in 1994.



    The Romanian tennis player Patricia Ţig (134 WTA), Monday scored a surprising win against American Sloane Stephens (16 WTA), whom she defeated 6-2, 6-3, in the second round of the WTA Premier tournament in Madrid, which has 4.7 million US dollars in prize money. In the eighth-finals, Ţig will be facing the winner of the match between Madison Keys and Barbora Strycova. Also qualified in the second round of the Madrid tournament are two other Romanians, Simona Halep, seed no. 6, and Sorana Carstea. Halep played the final of the Madrid tournament in 2014, when she lost to Russia’s Maria Sharapova.