Costinești Resort is a village and summer resort on Romania's Black Sea coast. Administratively, it belongs to Constanța County, in the Dobruja region.
Aerial view of Costinești
The village is bordered to the south by 23 August commune, to the north by Tuzla commune, to the west by national road DN39, and to the east by the Black Sea.
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Its neighboring resorts are Eforie Sud and Olimp.
Its location places it about 31 kilometers by road south of the city of Constanța, the county seat, and about 22 kilometers north of the city of Mangalia.
Costinești Resort
Costinești is traditionally known in Romania as the “Youth Resort.” From its beginnings in the 1960s, it was developed mainly as a vacation center for young people.
History
The present-day territory of Costinești Resort has been inhabited intermittently since earlier times. Before its modern tourism development, the area was home to small settlements.
A notable settlement was the German colony of Büffelbrunnen (in Romanian, Fântâna Bivolului), founded in the late 19th century by German settlers from Bessarabia and Southern Dobruja.
After World War II and the departure of most ethnic Germans, the village was renamed Valea Izvorului.
Through successive administrative reorganizations, the commune of Costinești took shape, made up of the villages of Costinești (formerly Büffelbrunnen/Valea Izvorului) and Schitu.
Development as a Seaside Resort
The radical transformation of the area began in the 1960s. Under the auspices of the Union of Communist Youth (UTC), a project was launched to build a health resort and, above all, a leisure center dedicated to young people.
The first summer camps for students and Pioneers were built, with dormitory-style accommodation and recreational facilities.
An important milestone was the opening of the Forum Hotel in 1969, an iconic accommodation for the resort that became a landmark. Later, other hotel and villa complexes were developed, along with canteens and spaces for cultural and sports activities.
The following decade, the 1980s, saw the expansion of the infrastructure and firmly established Costinești's reputation as the “Youth Resort.” New accommodation complexes were built, existing ones were modernized, and entertainment options became more varied.
The resort became a major draw for young people from all over the country, hosting numerous events, festivals, and competitions.
The Post-1989 Period
After the political changes of December 1989, the place entered a new stage of development. The assets of the former Union of Communist Youth, which included much of the resort's tourism infrastructure, were largely privatized. See Wikipedia
Numerous new villas, guesthouses, and hotels built by private investors also appeared, considerably increasing the resort's accommodation capacity. The food service and entertainment sectors became more diverse.
Although its youth-oriented character has largely been preserved, Costinești Resort has also begun to attract other kinds of tourists, including families.
The Evangelia wreck
Getting to Costinești Resort
The main access road is National Road 39 (DN39), which is also part of European Route E87. This road links Constanța with Mangalia and continues to the border with Bulgaria.
From DN39, the resort is reached via well-signposted county or local roads. The connection with the A2 Motorway (Bucharest-Constanța) is via DN39, after crossing the city of Constanța or via bypass roads.
The resort is served by two railway stops. Costinești Sat station is on the Bucharest-Constanța-Mangalia main line and is a stop for Regio and InterRegio trains, especially in the summer season.
Costinești Tabără halt is an additional stop, closer to the central area of the resort and the camps, served mainly by Regio trains during the summer.
The nearest airport is Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport Constanța (CND), about 55-60 kilometers to the north.
During the summer season, private minibuses run within the resort and to nearby places (such as Tuzla or 23 August).
Geographical and Natural Setting
Costinești lies on a low-lying stretch of coast, on an active cliff of relatively low to medium height that is subject to marine abrasion. The cliff is vulnerable to erosion, especially during storms.
At the foot of the cliff lies a beach, which is the resort's main natural attraction. The coastline is therefore of the cliff-and-beach type, continuously shaped by coastal dynamics.
The Beach in Costinești
The resort's beach stretches for about 1 kilometer and has been widened by recent sand replenishment works. The beach is not yet in its final form, but the works will pause during the summer season. See details here
Once the works are completed, the beach in Costinești is expected to exceed 2.5 km. A new beach has been created in the southern part of the resort. See details
The beach generally faces east-southeast, which gives it good sun exposure throughout the morning and around midday.
Costinești in season
The sand used to be mostly fine to medium-grained, composed mainly of quartz, along with shell fragments and other minerals typical of the coastal zone. Given the beach expansion works, its composition may have changed in places.
The beach can be divided into several zones. A northern section, wider and often more crowded, extends through the central area of the resort, near the Obelisk.
To the south, the beach continues, gradually narrowing near the area where the Evangelia wreck lies. There are also smaller stretches of beach around the village of Schitu, plus the new 800 m beach created in the area.
Costinești Lake
Costinești Lake is a fluvio-marine liman, formed when a sandbar cut off a former bay or the mouth of a small stream. It covers about 7 hectares and is shallow, generally less than 1.5 meters deep.
The salinity of the lake water varies, influenced by the inflow of fresh water from precipitation and underground springs, as well as by occasional temporary connections with the sea. In general, its water is brackish (low salinity).
Costinești Lake has been known for its deposits of sapropelic mud, which has therapeutic potential. Today, the therapeutic use of the mud from Costinești Lake is not as officially promoted as at other specialized coastal lakes (such as Lake Techirghiol).
Accommodation Deals in Costinești 2025: Hotels, Villas, Guesthouses, and Bed and Breakfasts
Costinești has a wide range of accommodation to suit different preferences and budgets, including hotels, villas, guesthouses, and vacation homes:
Alessio Hotel Residence
Alessio Hotel Residence is less than 1 km from 23 August Beach and offers a seasonal outdoor pool, a garden, a shared lounge, and free private parking.
Hotel DaMar
Hotel DaMar has a garden, terrace, bar, free parking, room service, 24-hour front desk, and free WiFi. It includes a children's playground, and some rooms have a balcony with a view of the town.
Autentic Boutique
Autentic Boutique (3 stars): a 3-minute walk from the Evangelia wreck and close to the beach, it offers air-conditioned rooms with a sea-view balcony and a fridge. Facilities: garden, terrace, bar, free parking, WiFi.
YANIS GUEST HOUSE
YANNIS GUEST HOUSE: a 5-minute walk from Costinești Beach, with a seasonal outdoor pool, garden, and terrace.
Casa Kalu
Casa Kalu: Located a few hundred meters from the resort's beach, it offers free WiFi, a garden, a terrace, and a bar.
Răzvan Holiday
By the sea, 5 minutes from the beach and close to the wreck, you'll find Răzvan Holiday (3 stars). It offers rooms with AC and a balcony, a garden, lounge, terrace, bar, shared kitchen, barbecue, WiFi, and a 24-hour front desk.
The resort's total accommodation capacity is significant, with the number of properties growing every year. Most of them are villas and guesthouses.
Costinești maintains its reputation as a fun hub for young people thanks to its range of leisure and entertainment options:
The resort is famous for Costinești Beach and its vibrant nightlife, with some of the best-known clubs and discos on the Romanian coast.
Many terraces host live music nights covering a variety of genres.
On the beach, you can rent pedal boats, jet skis, and motorboats for rides, or try sports such as parasailing. The availability and variety of these services may vary from one season to the next, as they are run by private operators.
Costinești Attractions
Although the resort focuses mainly on tourism and entertainment, it has a few distinctive points of interest that contribute to its identity.
The Wreck of the Evangelia
The Evangelia ran aground about 1.5 nautical miles (about 2.8 kilometers) north of the main beach of Costinești Resort, near the southern part of Tuzla commune, on October 15, 1968. Officially, the grounding was attributed to bad weather (a strong storm and dense fog) that pushed the ship toward the shore.
The wreck
Over the decades, the wreck of the Evangelia has deteriorated considerably. Even so, its distinctive silhouette, visible a few meters from the beach, has become a symbol of the place.
The Obelisk
The Obelisk in Costinești is a modern monument, not particularly old, but with strong symbolic value for the resort.
The Obelisk
It was erected during the period when Costinești was developed as the “Youth Resort.” It stands in the central area of the beach, visible from afar, and marks one of the busiest parts of the resort.
The Schitu Area
The village of Schitu, part of Costinești commune and located at the southern end of the resort, offers a quieter atmosphere compared to the bustle of central Costinești. It may appeal to those looking for less crowded beaches.
The Rural Settlement at Schitu
The National Archaeological Record mentions a rural settlement dating from the Roman period (2nd-4th centuries AD) in the area of Schitu. Although it is not an archaeological site set up for large-scale tourist visits, its existence attests to early habitation in this part of the coast.
Weather in Costinești
Costinești has a temperate continental climate with maritime influences: winters are milder and summers more moderate than in inland continental areas.
Current weather in Costinești and for the next 7 days:
Conclusions
Among the resorts on the Black Sea coast, Costinești occupies a specific niche, catering mainly to young tourists and those looking for a lively vacation destination with competitive prices.
It stands apart from resorts with a mainly family-oriented profile (such as Eforie Nord or some parts of Mamaia) and from those with a stronger spa focus (such as Techirghiol, Mangalia, or Eforie Sud).
With this distinctive character, Costinești complements the overall tourism offer of the Romanian coast. See also the articles 14 Resorts on the Romanian Coast and Mamaia Nord – Năvodari
