Galați

A trip to Galați takes you to Romania's largest Danube city, whose life has been shaped by the river for centuries. Shipyards, harbor cranes, and a promenade stretching for miles along the water define the county seat, while the surrounding countryside is a quiet land of vineyard-covered hills and river floodplains.

Where the Danube, Siret, and Prut Meet

Galați County lies in the far east of the country, where the Siret flows into the Danube from the north and the Prut from the east. Along the Prut, it borders the Republic of Moldova. Wide plains, lakes such as Lake Brateș, and floodplain forests dominate the landscape, and in the north the land rises toward the hills around Tecuci. Beyond the city, the Danube already begins to widen toward the delta; ocean-going ships can sail as far as Galați.

Sights in Galați

The best experience is a stroll along the Faleza, the long, multi-level riverside promenade with sculptures, cafés, and views of the ships. A little way above it stands the fortified Precista Church from the 17th century, one of the oldest buildings in the city. The Botanical Garden and the Natural Science Museum with its aquarium and planetarium form a large complex on the Danube bank. The shipyard is one of the most storied in the country, and the steelworks on the edge of town was once the largest in Romania. Galați has remained a working-class city, with lively markets and summer terraces. A small ferry carries you across the Danube to Dobruja, and you'll soon be on your way toward the Măcin Mountains and the Danube Delta.

Fish, Wine, and Getting There

Along the Danube, fish is on every menu: carp saramură, grilled and served in brine, and a tangy fish soup called borș de pește. In the north of the county lies the wine-growing region around Târgu Bujor, where a wine fair is held every year. The best time to visit is from May to September; in high summer it can get very hot on the plains. By train, Galați is about four hours from Bucharest; by car, you travel via Brăila, where a large suspension bridge has spanned the Danube toward Tulcea since 2023.