Let me start by saying that Sfântu Gheroghe is a destination is not an accessible tourist destination, which make for the most of its charm. It is in fact a somewhat time consuming and expensive to rach place, and believe me that is a very good thing, because you will find a place largely untocched by mass tourism.
I took the "Not so Cheap" ride, and the trip from Murighiol (where you will find guarded parking) takes about an hour. The Danube branch of Sfântu Gheroghe itself is very wide with a lot of turns and it is sparsely circulated.
The river used to be very sinuous, but about 5-6 artificial channel were dug to make the ride easier.
Sfântu Gheorghe is practically a village on the Sfântu Gheorghe branch of the Danube, right where it flows into the Black Sea. It is a village with some B&Bs, where you can really see the rural way of life in the Danube Delta - with cows and fishermen and lotkas (the traditional elongated fishing boats).
How does one get to Sfântu Gheroghe?
On the Cheap - using scheduled commuter boats from Tulcea (about 50 RON one way), which I heard are very slow - 3-4 hours each way
Not so cheap - with private high speed boar (about 40+ EUR round trip) fro Murighiol.
Most likely, other options are also available, but I have not looked for them.
I took the "Not so Cheap" ride, and the trip from Murighiol (where you will find guarded parking) takes about an hour. The Danube branch of Sfântu Gheroghe itself is very wide with a lot of turns and it is sparsely circulated.
The river used to be very sinuous, but about 5-6 artificial channel were dug to make the ride easier.
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Where I stayed?
Green Village Hotel Sfântu Gheorghe,(not trying to advertise here - just writing about it)
What can I say? Very good hotel with nice rooms, very very nice landscaping, very niiice pool and somewhat close to the beach (about 1 km - a 1/2 hour walk).
The food here was amazing. One must try the storceag (a very light soup with bits and pieces of fish). I had about four bowls - that's how much I loved it.
The rooms were decent, but ... the big but ... almost all of them are close to ponds the, while during the first night seemed pretty cool to fall asleep to the croaking frogs, the following night I could barely fall asleep because of the croaking :-).
What can I say? Very good hotel with nice rooms, very very nice landscaping, very niiice pool and somewhat close to the beach (about 1 km - a 1/2 hour walk).
The food here was amazing. One must try the storceag (a very light soup with bits and pieces of fish). I had about four bowls - that's how much I loved it.
The rooms were decent, but ... the big but ... almost all of them are close to ponds the, while during the first night seemed pretty cool to fall asleep to the croaking frogs, the following night I could barely fall asleep because of the croaking :-).
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But what's there to do around here?
Well...
Boat Trip on the Danube Delta Canals
I took a 3 hour trip through the Danube Detla canals (which included a 45 minute break in the city of Sulina - on the Sulina Branch, also close to the Black Sea).
The trip itslef was very nice.
After setting sail from Sfântu Gheroghe, we too a turn on a straight 5-6 km canal (Tatatru Canal - most likely man made), after which we took another turn and entered the Rosu Lake (which was so big that I even got the impression we are now at sea).
Afterwards the boat entered a canal called Imputita (the Stinky One), which got it name from the very strong sulphur smell - the result of the leaves decomposing each spring.
And the we got to the city of Sulina - nice and quiet small port and then back on the same route.
The scenery was beatiful - very nice and quiet with a wide variety of plants and birds (the most interesting one being the pelikan).
The trip itslef was very nice.
After setting sail from Sfântu Gheroghe, we too a turn on a straight 5-6 km canal (Tatatru Canal - most likely man made), after which we took another turn and entered the Rosu Lake (which was so big that I even got the impression we are now at sea).
Afterwards the boat entered a canal called Imputita (the Stinky One), which got it name from the very strong sulphur smell - the result of the leaves decomposing each spring.
And the we got to the city of Sulina - nice and quiet small port and then back on the same route.
The scenery was beatiful - very nice and quiet with a wide variety of plants and birds (the most interesting one being the pelikan).
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Bike the Black Sea beaches
I like nature , but I am not what you would call a nature lover, so for me the highpoint of my trip a a bike trip on the beaches of the Black Sea.
Why?
Because it is one of those things that I am sure I will only do once in my lifetime, namely to bike a deserted beach in the Danube Delta.
The sand, the waves and myself.
Why?
Because it is one of those things that I am sure I will only do once in my lifetime, namely to bike a deserted beach in the Danube Delta.
The sand, the waves and myself.
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Beach Hike to the Mouth of the Danube
Last but not least, a hike to the the mouths of the Danube is totally worth your time.
It is about an hour's walk from the hotel - 30 minutes to the beach and then another 30 to the Danube.
At first the beach is wide, after which it becomes smaller and smaller, with a lot of shrubs, and then you get to the Danube.
Right at the mouths of the Danube the sand get mixed with a lot algae, so you sorta get the feeling of sinking into quicksands (just the feeling :-) ).
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To draw the line, three nice days away from civilization (worth doing every once in a while).
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