The Danube cliff

Almost three kilometers long, the cliff arranged on the bank of the Danube, with an area of about 30 hectares, offers visitors a splendid promenade, under the willows or under the plane trees, or the view of the river and the Dobrogea Mountains. Sports enthusiasts can “go” with the rollers, with the plate or the bike on the specially arranged tracks or they can try a fishing match with the fishermen who come daily to the area. Visitors can admire the works of art on display everywhere, as evidenced by one of the most important European metal sculpture camps of the last century.

“Precista”, the church-fortress

Remaining close to the seafront, a tourist attraction that should not be missed in any case is the Precista Fortified Church. It is the oldest historical monument in the city of Galați and was built between 1643-1647, during the reign of Vasile Lupu. Over time, Precista endured all the vicissitudes of the times: it was burned by the Turks, destroyed in the Russian-Ottoman-Austrian wars, looted by the Ottomans. In 1831, the sanctuary was restored for the first time and regained its new appearance. In 1940, during a great earthquake, the church was severely damaged and then closed. Between 1952 and 1966, it was restored to its current form, according to a project by architect Eugen Chefneux. In addition to the special architecture, here you can also admire a collection of old icons.

Natural Sciences Museum Complex

At the southwestern end of the Cliff, in a natural “gutter” of two hill slopes, we discover the Museum of Natural Sciences, whose visit can take hours, even days if you want to pay attention to details. The complex has an impressive botanical garden with thousands of varieties of plants (including exotic, in protected areas), a beautiful aquarium with 800 fish of 68 different species, an astronomical observatory (the most modern in the country), a sensory garden and many others, all spread over an area of over 14 hectares. The visiting hours are 10.00 – 18.00 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday), respectively 10.00 – 20.00 (Saturday and Sunday), and the visiting fee is modest.

The television tower

On a promontory with an impressive view of the southern part of the city, in the Danube district, you can visit a masterpiece of modern engineering: the television tower. Almost 100 meters high, it dominates the city and offers an extraordinary view of the Danube and the Dobrogea mountains. Construction was completed in 1978, and there is a restaurant at the top. Climbing to the top of the tower can only be done with the elevator for a fee. Very close to the tower are the Danube beach, the Multipurpose Hall, the “Danube” stadium and the ICMRS tennis complex. The Bac Pass to Tulcea is about 500 meters away.

Princely Street

Strada Domnească was the backbone of the city of Galați in the nineteenth century and in the first half of the twentieth century. Today it has lost its former charm. Strada Domnească was compared in those days with Calea Victoriei in the Capital, “but bent wider, with wider sidewalks, planted with fragrant lime trees and bushy chestnuts”, wrote Gheorghe Cristescu in “The Charm of the Danube and Galaţi”. Unique in the country in appearance, Domnească Street was very beautiful. No wonder aristocratic houses were built here near the Public Garden. The oldest buildings of the urban ensemble to which we refer date from the 19th century and were built in neoclassical and secession style. Among them we mention the Roman Catholic Church in Galați and the “Notre Dame de Sion” Institute. In the first years of the 20th century, on Domnească Street, representative buildings were erected for the city on the Danube, but also for the portfolio of architects who created the neo-Romanian style. According to the Galaţi County Department of Culture, “the length of Domneşti Street from the Royal Square to Carol Park is 4 kilometers. From the new Palace of Justice to the end it is planted with lime. From the Royal Square to the Palace of Justice are the largest and most luxurious shops as seen in major Western cities. ”

History Museum

At the History Museum on Domnească Street, number 25, you can visit the exhibitions “Archaeological Sequences of Galaţi” and “Memory of Romanian Aviation”. In the first exhibition, the public can admire photos and can find information about two of the most important archaeological sites in Galati County, Tirighina-Barbos and Negrileşti.

Museum of Christian History and Spirituality on the Lower Danube

Recently established, the museum has already become a landmark. It houses thousands of exhibits, including hundreds of books and icons over a quarter of a millennium old. The museum also includes testimonies of ancient civilizations (from two millennia ago), but also sections of modern history, such as a memorial of the pain summing up evidence of the persecution endured by priests in communist prisons.

Casa Cuza

The “Casa Cuza Vodă” museum is arranged in the former home of the family of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, in a building built in the first decades of the 19th century. Exhibits furniture from the most representative styles of the era, decorative pieces of European design, clothing and clothing accessories, documents related to the reforming policy of Al. I. Cuza, knives and firearms, medals, but also many other interesting things. The Cuza Museum owns, among other things, a vintage car valued at one million dollars.

House of Collections Museum

Entered the consciousness of the people of Galaţi as Ţinc Pharmacy (which appears in the List of historical monuments at position GL-II-mB-03045), the headquarters building of the Galati Collections House, built in 1900, prevailed in the architectural landscape of Galati – specific to the beginning of the century XX – through defining stylistic elements and had as initial destination a pharmacy and housing. The pharmacy operated on the ground floor, while on the upper levels was the pharmacist’s home and the space allocated to the service staff. The building was used as a pharmacy until 1989, when a technical expertise ordered the evacuation for safety reasons. The restoration of the building takes place between 1994 – 2006, by financing the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs and the Galati County Council. The museum hosts indoor exhibitions and memorial collections, the most important of which are the collections “George Maksay” – supplier of the Royal Court and luxury photographer of Galați, and “Smaranda Brăescu” – the first woman parachutist with a patent in Romania, born in the commune Buciumeni from the current Galati county.

Roman camp

Located only one kilometer from Galaţi (at DN 25 Galaţi-Tecuci), the Barboşi-Tirighina archeological site is a historical monument with national and international value. Excavations carried out in 1959-1962 brought to light the Roman camp, built on the site of a Dacian fortress, fortified with a wave of earth. The archeological complex covers about 10 hectares and includes two Roman necropolises, three amphora deposits (large vessels in which in antiquity were kept and transported wine, oil, grain), the civil settlement in the Siret plain and the first tomb of a Daco-Roman Christianized, Innocent.

Gârboavele Forest

With an area of 230 hectares, Gârboavele forest is located about eight kilometers from the city of Galati, close to the intersection between DN24D and DN26. It is a protected natural area, with many wild areas and suitable fauna, but also includes leisure objectives: mountain biking and cross-country trails, barbecue and relaxation areas. At Gârboavele there are also four tourist complexes, which offer swimming pools, football and tennis courts. Also here is the Museum of the Moldovan Village, which includes the traditional households from Corod, Măstăcani, Cavadineşti and Cahul, for a century ago, the museum can be visited on weekends, between 10.00 – 17.00. Also in the forest there is a zoo recently modernized to western standards. Just two kilometers from the forest is the Tuluceşti stud farm, the only one in Romania that raises purebred Ghidran horses.

Lake Brateș

In the immediate vicinity of Galați is Brateș, the largest meadow lake in Romania, an important fishing base and an important tourist attraction. The complex of the same name, located on the shores of the lake, offers guests all the conditions for a relaxing day: beach, barbecue places, volleyball and football fields, restaurants.

Buciumeni Forest

Located in the north of Galați county, close to the borders with Bacău and Vaslui counties, Buciumeni forest is a wonderful place. It occupies over 800 hectares and is one of the most beautiful beech forests in the hilly area, with centuries-old specimens. In the heart of the forest is the Buciumeni Monastery, almost six centuries old (it is attested in 1430), a place of pilgrimage and worship that between 1950 and 1990 was transformed by the communists into the zootechnical farm of a children’s camp. Nearby there are some famous wineries and vineyards (in Nicoreşti), but also an archeological site with testimonies dating from the Neolithic (Poiana). Siret is only five kilometers away (the landscape is beautiful), and the European road E585 (Tişiţa-Tecuci) is only 15 kilometers away.

Adam Forest

Near the border with Vaslui County of DN26, about 25 kilometers from Bârlad, is Adam Forest, another nature reserve of Galati County. The mentioned forest was one of the favorite hunting places of Nicolae Ceauşescu, who hunted here some magnificent wild boar trophies. In fact, the hunting lodge still exists, being introduced by its administrator (Romsilva) in the tourist circuit. The area is excellent for hiking, mountain biking and hunting, and the surrounding villages are true ethnographic treasures that have the gift of impressing. Not far away is the Adam Monastery (dating from the 16th century) which houses one of the most famous miracle-working icons in Moldova. Nearby is the Zimbru hermitage, which was founded by St. Raphael of Agapia.

Lake Tălăbasca

Located on DN 25, between Tudor Vladimirescu and Hanu Conachi, Lake Tălăbasca is a true bird’s paradise. A natural polder of a river, the area has a deltaic appearance and is a place for hatching and feeding for thousands of birds. Near the lake is the Vladimiresti Monastery (one of the most beautiful monastic settlements in southern Moldova), as well as a tourist complex (Hanu Conachi).

Tour of fishing villages in southern Dobrogea

We cross the Danube by ferry or soon on the new bridge to visit the Lipovan villages on the shores of Lake Razem, the village of Sarichioi – Jurilovca – Cap Doloșman (Argamum Fortress) and Enisala Fortress, with a lunch break at Zebil – La Tauc where a sensational fish soup.

Mini trip to the Macin Mountains

Macin (Lady’s Stone) the places haunted by the dreaded outlaw Terente, the stone quarry at Macin and the visit of the Granite Monoliths (Dinosaurus eggs), Marie Stones – the stones of Mary, Troesmis – the fortress where the Roman Legions of Scyticha II Macedonia and a Va Herculia, Viile Măcinului – belvedere on Priopcea Peak – 410m, the trip is an interactive one in which you will find more information about places – religious cults and people who have put their grip on places. You can also visit the Macin Mountains, whether you do it on foot, by bike or in 4 × 4 tours.