Hi friends!
Let me tell you a few words about my last trip. Three weeks ago my fiancee and I travelled to Jurilovca which is a small village in Dobrogea (Dobruja – south-east of Romania) standing close to the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. It’s a beautiful and quiet settlement founded and inhabited by lipovans (Russian ethnics). If one looks for relaxation this is the right place to arrive. The only thing to be aware are the mosquitos, one really needs to bring a good spray for protection (we found out this fact in most of the evenings!). The village itself does not have many sightseeing attractions except for the mini-port. However it’s an excellent starting point for exploring the area.
Let me tell you now about the two places. First one is Gura Portitei. It’s a unique place in Europe as it stands right between the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. On one side a lake can be spotted (Lake Golovita) while on the other side the the beauty of the sea can be admired. Easiest way to arrive here is via fast boat from Jurilovca mini port and this is what we did almost every day. Gura Portitei was originally a fishermen village which was later transformed into a holiday village, actually first established holiday village in Romania. It’s a small paradise which retained its “wild” aspect although its visited by many tourists during the season and the beach is almost full. As a note one can only go swimming into the sea. Swimming in the lake is strictly forbidden, probably for safety reasons. However after a good (fish) lunch it pays off to stand by the lake and enjoy some beautiful relaxation moments.
I also took the time to take some bird photos while in Gura Portitei. I mostly encountered seagulls but from time to time I could also watch and take photos of cormorants, white wagtails (including juveniles) and common terns. This came as a nice addition to the pelicans and storks that I photographed in the Jurilovca mini-port area. When the day was almost over we took the boat back to Jurilovca where we could watch the breathtaking sunset.
The second place we visited was the archaeological site of the Orgame (Argamum) settlement which is a few kilometers close to Jurilovca. We went this distance on foot and it took us over two hours to arrive as there was a lot of sightseeing (and picture taking) to do on the way. Argamum is one of the oldest known settlements in Romania. Actually there is not much left from the buildings and walls but the view is magnificent. After climbing the hill where the ruins are located one can see the beautiful green lake below (which is part of Lake Razim). After taking some photos with the panorama we descended on the slopes until we reached the wild beach. We rested for an hour and took a bath into the lake and finally we went back to Jurilovca.
The landscapes of Dobrogea have a special charm. They are not spectacular (like the Carpathian mountains for example) but instead please the visitor’s eyes by simplicity. Yes, simplicity can also “create” stunning landscapes! You already heard the expression “less is more”. When walking to Argamum and back we had the opportunity to fully enjoy the beauty of the area. I won’t tell much about this but let the pictures do the “talk” instead.
To conclude it was fully worth visiting Gura Portitei and Argamum. There are other places to visit too but as we didn’t travel by car it was hardly possible to come to them. But I’m sure we’ll have many other occasions and we’ll definitely return to this area. I recommend it to everyone who wants to see “something else” and “something different” from the classic seaside excursions. Actually I recommend you visit as much as possible in the Tulcea county. You won’t regret it!
Take care.
P.S. Check these posts too:
A Trip to Magura
Autumn in the Mountains
An Unforgetable Trip
The Game of Light and Shadow
Why Snow is a Perfect Setup for Photography (2)
Visit to Argamum (Orgame)
Gura Portitei
Jurilovca (mini-port surroundings)
Call of Nature 