May 1, or the Labor Day, is an official day off in Romania. This year, May 1 is on a Friday so most Romanians will have a three-day weekend to go away somewhere or spend more time with their families and friends.

If you are in Romania and want to spend this mini-break in the country, we’ve made a list of places you could head to.

The summer season opens on May 1 in Romania and thousands of tourists are expected to go to the seaside on the May 1-3 weekend. Some of the most popular resorts are Mamaia and Vama Veche, where concerts, parties and other events will be organized in this period. However, if you choose to spend this mini-break at the seaside, don’t forget to pack some warm clothes as the weather is still cold, especially during the night. If you don’t mind the cold, you could also go camping.

If you want to spend May 1 in a quieter place, the Danube Delta might be a good idea. Romania’s Danube Delta is known to be the best preserved on the continent, and it could be a different experience.

Gura Portitei holiday village in the Danube Delta is one of the wildest and quieter touristic destinations on Romania’s seaside and can be an alternative to Vama Veche resort, which has become too crowded and popular in recent years.

Corbu Beach is located in the south of the Danube Delta and could also be a quieter alternative to the loud and crowded seaside resorts, though some other people might choose it too.

Mountain lovers can spend the May 1 mini-break in Romania’s mountains, especially as the weather forecast announces warm weather for this period. However, take warm clothes with you as it gets colder during the night.

If you are in Bucharest and don’t want to go too far, you can choose the well-known mountain resorts such as those located in Prahova Valley - Sinaia or Busteni, as well as Predeal or Brasov. While in the area of Prahova Valley, you can also make a stop at Bolboci Lake, some 10 km away from Sinaia, or at altinul Lake on Doftanei Valley, Prahova county.

If you don’t mind spending some more time on the road, you can choose other beautiful mountains in Romania, such as Fagaras in Central Romania or Apuseni in Western Romania These places can be perfect for nature lovers who like long walks, fresh air and maybe would like to have a picnic with their families.

If you like camping, you can do that in almost all of Romania’s areas. In Dobrogea area, southeastern Romania, you can take your tent and go camping in the Danube Delta, Mamaia or Navodari. If you choose the Moldova area, northeastern Romania, you can go to the campings in Vatra Dornei or Humor. You can also go camping in Cheia, Prahova county, or in Ocna Sibiului and Baile Herculane in Transylvania. You can find campsites using this web page.

You can also take the three days to discover some of Romania’s most beautiful cities, such as Sibiu, Sighisoara, Timisoara or Cluj-Napoca. Go more to the north to see the Maramures area or a little bit to the north-east to visit some of the most beautiful monasteries in the Moldova area.

Many of the Romanians who don't take longer trips for May 1 will for sure mark the day some another way: by barbequing in the nearby forests or close to the lakes.

Those in Bucharest can also barbeque or organize a picnic with their family in the forests around the capital or make a one-day trip to the mountains resorts in the Prahova Valley.Barbequing is also possible in some Bucharest parks, such as the Titan park, where the municipality has installed barbecue equipment. Barbequing is allowed only in parks where such equipment has been installed, and is illegal elsewhere in Bucharest.

If the weather is warm and sunny, you can also go to the Mogosoaia Palace, close to Bucharest, a lovely and green place where you can spend some quality time with your friends and family. You can also have some fresh air and make a barbeque in the Cernica forest, Snagov Lake, or Baneasa forest.

If you just want to take a walk, ride the bicycle or just sit on the grass, go to one of Bucharest’s large parks such as Herastrau, Tineretului or Cismigiu.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com