It’s not as popular as Vama Veche, but it used to be, and it’s still packed with young people planning a Black Sea resort holiday on a budget. Costineşti was once “the paradise of youth and of students” – but since 2 Mai and Vama Veche became popular, this little rural Black Sea resort is no longer worth the accolades.

Yes, it still holds one of the largest open air discos in the country – Disco Ring – where the most popular Romanian artists of the moment throw memorable concerts almost every evening during the Summer season. There’s also Mega Discoteca Tineretului for even more dance and live concerts, but other than these, there’s not much to do here.

Well, you do have the usual water sports, beach fun and even an old shipwreck (Evangelia, a Greek ship beached there in the late 1960s) to challenge your imagination, but from a cultural perspective, Costineşti doesn’t have much to offer.

Mind you, this used to be a student camp during the communist era, when also Costineşti’s biggest hotel was erected, yet such activities are no longer “trendy.”

What you get is the occasional young artist, ready to pen your portrait in five minutes for a symbolic fee. You get the musician who plays a guitar tune, surrounded by a gang of lively friends. You get the typical beach parties at night, and sometimes, you can even spot a dolphin or two if your eyes are not wandering to spot Romanian topless beauties.

The resort has an official capacity of 5300 beds, but many private families in the village Schitu, which is included in the commune, offer lodging and other hospitality services. Speaking of which, you might want to try to find such an accommodation, at least for the authentic Romanian cuisine.