Wild Danube Delta

Sulina is the easternmost point of Romania, and as of 1 January 2007, the easternmost city of the European Union. Actually, while I was visiting Cape Roca in Portugal a few months ago, I made a point of calling someone in Sulina, making this way a call from one extreme of the Union to the other. Just for fun

For a small city like it, it has an extraordinary history spanning over 2700 years, making it one of the most interesting cities of the country.

Back in the nineteenth century, all countries that had access to the Danube agreed that making the lower Danube easily accessible and safe for shipping was a priority so they founded the European Commission of the Danube in 1856 and decided that the headquarters should be at Sulina to be able to easily supervise the works. According to many historians, this was the first big European organization, making it an important precursor of the modern European Union.

The city also became a free port which made it possible for a completely cosmopolite population to thrive here. At some point, there were tens of different nationalities living and doing business here, including Greeks, Turks, Russians, Lipovans, Romanians, British, French, Austrians, Armenians, Germans and Dutch. A legacy from those times is the cemetery where all these can be found, each with national specifics, a unique place in Europe.

Other monuments dating from those days are the Palace of The European commission of the Danube and the ECD Lighthouse.

Sulina was the setting for the novel and movie “Toate panzele sus” “All sails up”, a place where pirates and sea adventurers start their world journeys. The movie emphasized this rich cultural background of the place.

Thee days, it is the most important city in the Danube Delta and the starting place for many of the tourists routes across the delta.

After a forced industrialization during the communist era, Sulina is now making efforts to regain it old glory and turn itself into a tourist hub. Although it can only be reached by boat, this has always been its advantage. It provides easy access to nearby Letea forest, a natural monument and also Rosu Lake.

Its Black Sea beach is still keeping its wild aspect, making it one of the best retreats for the nature enthusiasts.