The Mehedinti County

The capital city is the municipality of Drobeta-Turnu Severin since 1841.

Thanks to its temperate-continental climate, with warm winters and early springs, in the Mehedinti county the tourism is possible round the year.

The forest with their rich and varied fauna as well as the hydrographic network rich in fish are interesting for sportive hunters and fishers.

The tourists are impressed by the wonderful landscapes of the karstic relief and interesting geological structures.

A reason to visit this county is its history and vestiges. Archaeologicaly, the man lived since the palaeolithic (Schela Cladovei). The Romans' arrival in the Balkan Peninsule, their wars with the Dacian Kingdom, the colonization of Dacia and the birth of the Romanian people are proved by important vestiges: the ruines of the Trajan's Bridge, Drobeta Roman camp, or Roman Thermae. In a large archaeologic park which consists also in the ruines of a mediaeval defence works from the XIII-th century and a mediaeval church (the XIV-th century) of the Severin Metropolitan Seat, in Drobeta-Turnu Severin there is the "Portile de Fier" Museum (natural sciences, history, folk art, aquarium and art).

Near by Simian, on the way from Craiova to Drobeta-Turnu Severin, in the middle of the Danube River, there is the Simian Alt where the Turkish houses and a mosque from the XVII-th century were moved from the Ada Kaleh Island before it was flooded by the Portile de Fier man-made lake.

At 6 km East from Drobeta-Turnu Severin there is Cerned, a former capital city till 1833. The "Tudor's Fortress" is the memorial house of revolutionist Tudor Vladimirescu, a well-known hero of the Revolution from 1821.

To the North 31 km far from Dorbeta-Turnu Severin there is the mountain locality of Ciresu where there is the Topolnita Cave, one of the biggest and most interesting caves in Romania with its over 11 explored kilometers.

At 25 km far from Drobeta-Turnu Severin there is the town of Orsova situated at the confluence of the Danube with the Cerna River, on the site of an antique fortress named Dierna.

A port of the Danube, Orsova has a modern nautic base both for performers and for leisure, being the start point of the trips by boat on the Danube to the known wonderful zone of "Cazane". The Dealul Mosului where there is the Sf. Ana Monastery watches over the town and opens a magic view to the Cerna Bay and the Portile de Fier Dam.

At 70 km North far from the capital city, the town of Baia de Arama (a former copper mine in Antiquity) is a junction to the Cerna Valley and to the natural bridge from Ponoarele (a huge vault 60 m long formed after the crumbling of a cave) and to the lilac forest with a surface of 20 ha where it is organized a traditional feast every May.

To the East, there is the town of Strehaia, with the ruines of the Princely Court (the XVII-th century) and the church built in 1645 under ruler Matei Basarab, on an older foundation whose origins are unknown.

The "Portile le de Fier" Hydro-power System determined the making of some large man-made lakes and regularizing the Danube River and improving the navigation for ships.

Even a short introduction of this county has to mention the Bala Spa, known for it sulphurous waters and mud.