The Danube Delta, situated where the Danube flows into the Black Sea, is the largest wetland area of the Central Europe. Built from the sediments brought by the river in an old gulf of the Black Sea during the last few thousand years, it is the “youngest” part of the Romanian territory.
Inside the Danube Delta, between the three main branches of the river, Chilia, Sulina and Sfantu Gheorghe, there are numerous streams, channels, marshes, backwaters, lakes and a few stretches of land areas (levees).
Its main attraction is the extraordinary biodiversity, with rich vegetation and many animal species concentrated on a relatively small area, one of the last untamed regions of Europe.
The vegetation includes more than 1100 species, with the predominance of the water vegetation, with high and thick reed beds, one of the largest in the world, including floating reed beds islands. White- and yellow – water lilies cover the surface of many lakes, the channels are “ guarded “ by willow trees and poplars, and on the larger Letea and Caraorman levees there are tropical-like forests, named “hasmac” by the locals, with century-old grey oak trees, elms, alder trees, white and black poplars, fluffy ash trees and many creeping plants like Periploca graeca liana.
The Danube Delta is a real paradise for the avifauna, with 325 bird species counted till now, some of them have been declared “Monuments of nature” such as White Pelican (Pelicanus onocrotalus), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelicanus crispus) Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pymeus), Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) Great White Egret (Egretta alba) and the White – tailed Eagle (Haliaetus albicilla). More than 170 species nestle in the Danube Delta, from spring till late autumn, and this is the period chosen by many nature lovers and specialists to visit our delta.
The lakes, streams and channels represents shelters for more than 160 species of fish. Some of them , like crucians and breams are on the increase, while pikes, tenches, sheat fish and pike perches are on a constant decline in their numbers. Nevertheless, the anglers often have had the opportunity for sensational captures at pike ( Esox Lucius ), carp ( Cyprinus Carpio ) and sheat fish ( Silurus Glanis ). The sturgeons, fish who migrate every spring inside the delta for reproduction and can be found only in the Black Sea and in the Caspian Sea, are worldwide famous for their black roe (caviar), the most important species being The marine (great) sturgeon (Huso huso), Common Sturgeon (Acipenser Guldenstaedti), Red Sterlet (Acipenser Ruthenus) and Sevruga (Acipenser Stellatus).
In order to protect this unique environment an to support the sustainable development of human communities in the area, in 1990 was created “The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve”, singled out as “Wetland of international value, and a major water birds habitat” (under the 1971 Ramsar “Convention on Wetlands”), and placed on the UNESCO's (“United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation”) “List of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage”. The reserve covers 5,800 square kilometers, and its boundaries enclose the Danube Delta, the Razim-Sinoe lagoons, the Danube's floodplain between Isaccea and Tulcea (upstream the diffluence where the delta begins) and the coastal marine waters to the 20-th m isobath.
For 2003, the member countries of the Ramsar Convention, including Romania, have chosen the theme “No wetlads – no water” in support to the UNESCO's “International Year of Freshwater”, aiming the protection of the planet's freshwaters' quality.
The human factor is also present in the Danube Delta. The region is inhabited by approximately 15,000 people of different nationalities such as Russians ( lipoveni ), Romanians, Ukrainians ( caholi ), Turks and Bulgarians, a very interesting mixed population who live in a few villages with traditional households and in a small town, Sulina. Their main occupation is the fishing, reflected in their unique culture, customs and delicious gastronomy.
A visit in the heart of the Dobrogea region and to Black Sea coast will complete this new amazing experience. Here you will find one of the most famous Romanian vineyard, the Murfatlar Vineyard, worldwide recognized for the quality of its wines, and the Murfatlar Wine Cellar, where our guests could taste several of this wine sorts.
In the seaside resort of Neptun, the tourists will enjoy the traditional Romanian cuisine, best Romanian wines and folklore programs at the Crama Neptun restaurant, the finest restaurant on the Black Sea coast.
More informations about the Danube Delta's sojourns programs, Murfatlar Wine Cellar and Crama Neptun's programs are available within this site.