Giurgiu between the Danube, nature and cultural heritage

Giurgiu offers a range of ways to experience a trip: the Danube shapes the landscape around the Friendship Bridge and the remaining walls of the fortress, while nature and cultural attractions each offer their own focus. You can plan your time around landscapes, historic buildings or the connection between Giurgiu and the Bulgarian city of Ruse.

Nature, water and activities

Balta Comana covers 1,206.4 hectares, about 400 hectares of which are permanently covered by open water. Comana Nature Park is recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention and includes Natura 2000 sites designated as SPAs and SCIs. Another natural highlight is the Padina Tătarului reserve, which protects the Romanian forest peony (Paeonia peregrina, ssp. romanica).

The vegetation and wildlife on Mocanu Island resemble those of the Danube Delta. The island also has beaches and inland waters. Fishing trips can be arranged there; if you are planning such an activity, confirm the arrangements in advance. The island’s varied landscapes also make it appealing to travellers who want to make water and nature the focus of their stay.

In Comana Nature Park, conventional and electric bicycles are permitted only on marked tourist trails, public roads, and forestry and agricultural roads open to public traffic. Check the park rules before setting off. The protected area of the nature park is open to visitors at all times, including public holidays; check the current regulations before travelling. Comana Adventure Park has six courses for children and three courses for adults, with increasing levels of difficulty: easy, medium and difficult. There is also a zip line over the lake and a cascade of zip lines. Before visiting, check whether the facilities are currently operating.

Historic sites and collections

Comana Monastery is included on Romania’s list of historic monuments. In Călugăreni, Crucea lui Mihai commemorates a different chapter of history: the monument was erected in 1993 to mark the 400th anniversary of Mihai Viteazul’s accession to the throne of Wallachia. Giurgiu is home to a 22-metre-high clock tower, built in 1734. The surviving fragments of the walls of Giurgiu Fortress recall a fortress that Mircea the Elder had built on the banks of the Danube in the 14th century.

The archaeological site of Curtea familiei Năsturel Herescu de la Herăşti includes a palace built by Udrişte Năsturel between 1640 and 1644. Its architecture is defined by carved stone and an L-shaped floor plan. Near Popești in Mihăilești lies Argedava, a Geto-Dacian fortress dating to the La Tène period. Both sites offer a tangible insight into different historical periods and architectural styles.

In the municipality of Florești-Stoenești, Conacul Drugănescu has been restored and set up as a museum of ethnography and folk art. The historic monument dates from 1731 to 1735; a restoration is dated to 1940–1941. The Gellu Naum Memorial House preserves the surrealist poet’s summer home as it was during the summers he spent there. The Muzeul şcolar Dacia in Frăteşti is primarily devoted to archaeology and history; the museum houses significant material remains attributed to the Geto-Dacians. The Comana artisans’ village also has a traditional workshop for processing fruit and vegetables.

Finding your way along the Danube

Along the Danube, the Via Danubiana links dykes, forests, villages, towns and fields into a continuous route through Giurgiu County. The Friendship Bridge connects Giurgiu in Romania with Ruse in Bulgaria and carries road, rail and pedestrian traffic. Check current traffic conditions before planning to use the bridge. The route through the county and the connection between the two cities are separate points of reference for planning your trip. If you are looking for a hotel in Giurgiu, you can first decide whether nature reserves, historic sites or the Danube connection will be the main focus of your stay.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Banesti, Călugăreni, Malu, Roata De Jos, Mihailesti, Daia, Varlaam, Giurgiu, Potlogi, Izvoarele, Greaca, Comana.

For the main travel overview: Romania.