The Village of Sfântu Gheorghe in the Danube Delta
Attractions in Sfântu Gheorghe
The village of Sfântu Gheorghe in the Danube Delta is a relaxation tourist destination, showcasing the most beautiful wild beach stretching 14 km, with the image of the old village situated very close to the mouth of the Sfântu Gheorghe branch into the sea. Located in the port commune of Sfântu Gheorghe in Tulcea County – as the only settlement in the commune, 35 km from Sulina and 120 km from Tulcea, the village of Sfântu Gheorghe lies on the eastern edge of the Danube Delta, with the Black Sea to the east and south.
The village of Sfântu Gheorghe is an old fishing settlement, historically attested in the 14th century, with a small population of about 800 residents. The locals are hardworking and house-proud people, including Romanians, Lipovans, and Ukrainians, who have preserved their traditions and language. The beauty and authenticity of Sfântu Gheorghe can be appreciated by tourists in any season, as long as they are equipped for both the hot summers and the freezing continental winters with strong winds.
Fishing remains the primary occupation of the locals, alongside reed harvesting, which is used as a distinctive element in the traditional houses of the village of Sfântu Gheorghe. The reed is found in the architectural style—used in constructing roofs and fences, emblematic of this area of the Danube Delta. Additionally, it has significant economic value since Sfântu Gheorghe produces the most reeds in Romania.
Rural tourism has become a new occupation for the residents in recent years. Along the village streets, lined houses shelter dozens of tourists during the summer, eager to enjoy tranquility, relaxation, water, sun, clean air, and fine sand. Seemingly frozen in time, the old village retains its charm with the old school, the church, and the cultural center, complete with the village library. The experience of bathing from the waters of the Danube directly into the Black Sea far surpasses the imagination of the beachgoers at the mouth of the river.
The stunning natural landscapes are complemented by the local cuisine, rich in fish recipes, such as storceag (a local fish soup from Sfântu Gheorghe), fish roe, or fish sarmale. Cherhanaua Veche is a renowned restaurant-terrace in the area, located on the esplanade of the new (mini) boat port in Sfântu Gheorghe. Tourists appreciate the fresh self-service food, priced per kilogram, based on the selected specialty.
"Anonimul" Film Festival
Since 2003, every summer, the village of Sfântu Gheorghe in the Danube Delta hosts the ANONIMUL International Independent Film Festival, featuring continuous screenings, in cinema halls during the day and outdoors at night.
Sfântu Gheorghe Beach
If you love wild beaches with impressive stretches of fine sand – you must visit Sfântu Gheorghe Beach. Here you will find the finest shell-laden sand (made from shells) and the unique sensation of being able to bathe in the waters of the Danube merging with the Black Sea (at the mouth). Sfântu Gheorghe Beach has the finest sand on the entire Black Sea coast.
Sacalin-Zatoane Reserve
In the south of the Sfântu Gheorghe commune stretches the Sacalin-Zatoane scientific reserve, a strictly protected area of national interest and part of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. The nature reserve covers an area of 21,410 hectares adjacent to the coastline and was declared a protected area in 2000. It is located in the southeastern part of the village of Sfântu Gheorghe, in the southern area of the Danube Delta, close to the mouth of the Sfântu Gheorghe branch into the sea.
The Sacalin Zătoane protected area consists of a sandy territory, made up of sandbanks, marshes, sand dunes, brackish lakes (with low salinity), waterholes, ponds, and reeds. The reserve is a nesting, resting, and feeding shelter for several species of nesting birds—migratory or sedentary, as well as for passage birds (only in transit during migration). Among these are: spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia), Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus), yellow herons (Ardeola ralloides), purple herons (Ardea purpurea), glossy ibises (Plegadis falcinellus), and swans (Cygnus cygnus).
Since 1938, Sacalin Island has been declared a Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, and tourist access to the island is strictly prohibited. It is the newest Romanian land, where the largest colonies of Sandwich terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) and Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) in our country nest, feed, and winter.
Sacalin Island
Sacalin Island in the Danube Delta is located opposite the Sfântu Gheorghe branch. Formed in 1896 in the Black Sea, Sacalin Island is currently about 19 km long. Alongside Sfântu Gheorghe Beach, it has the finest sand on the Black Sea coast. The island hosts a wide variety of birds (229 species), as well as mammals and reptiles.
Access
The village of Sfântu Gheorghe is the only location in the Danube Delta that offers a view of the Danube’s discharge into the Black Sea, visible with the naked eye. Access is exclusively by boat, from three ports: Tulcea River Station (4h), Mahmudia (2h 30’), or Murighiol (2h). The access route to the ports of Mahmudia and Murighiol is by road, through the city of Tulcea, with the following road distances: Tulcea-Mahmudia at 30 km (approx. 27 min) and Tulcea-Murighiol at 38 km (approx. 34 min).
