Galati

Intro

Galati is a city in eastern Romania, just north of the confluence between the Danube River and the Siret River and capital of Galati county in Moldova, Romania.

The city is home to almost 300000 people, making it the 7th largest city in Romania.

The name comes from the Arabic "qal'at", meaning "fortress".

Location

Galati is situated in southeastern Romania, 200 km northwest of Bucharest, on the banks of the Danube River. The city is just 15 km north of another major Romanian city, Braila, and plans are underway for a possible Galati-Braila merger that might create the second largest Romanian city with over 500000 inhabitants.

Getting to & around

The easiest way to reach Galati is by train, Galati being well connected with the other major Romanian cities.

Another easy way to get to Galati is by road. There's no high class highway to Galati, but the European and national roads passing through the city aren't bad at all.

Unfortunately, Galati lacks an international airport so you can't get there by plane. The closest airport is Bucharest's "Henri Coanda", the country's largest, 200 km southwest of the city.

Galati can be reached through the Danube as well, from both sides. You can pay for a cruise down the Danube in either Germany, Austria, Slovakia or Hungary (just make sure they don't take the Danube-Black Sea canal shortcut to reach Constanta directly while in Romania) that'll pass through Galati or you can come with a boat straight from the Black Sea, through the Sulina branch of the Danube Delta, the Danube being navigable for sea ships all the way to Braila.

Attractions

The main landmarks of Galati are:

  • The "St. George" ("Sfantu Gheorghe") Orthodox Cathedral - built in the 17th century;
  • The "St. Mary" ("Sfanta Maria") fortified church - on the banks of the Danube;
  • The Galati Opera House - recently restored;
  • Promenades along the shores of the Danube;
  • A sculpture park.

Accommodation

Please visit our page of Galati hotels to get further information on Galati accommodation or to comment or rate a specific hotel.

Sports

Galati is home to a major football team named Otelul Galati. The team has been a usual presence in the Romanian top flight for the past two decades and were able to finish on UEFA Cup eligible spots once.