Dolj county

Calafat

A Belle Époque palace on the Danube, and the bridge to Bulgaria

From Craiova

89 km by road

1 h 18 min driving, no traffic

Measured from Piața Mihai Viteazul on 2026-10-08.

Calafat is where Oltenia stops. The Marincu Palace — built by a local landowner at the turn of the twentieth century and now the town museum — is the same architectural moment as Craiova's Calea Unirii, transplanted to a river town eighty-nine kilometres south. Beyond it the Danube, and the bridge to Vidin that since 2013 has made this the quickest way from Craiova into Bulgaria.

What to see

Marincu Palace
The reason to come. An eclectic, French-influenced house of the same generation as Craiova's grand facades, kept as a museum.
The crossing into Bulgaria
The Calafat–Vidin bridge replaced the old ferry. If you are driving on into Bulgaria, this is the crossing; it is a toll bridge.

What we could not verify

Museum hours and the bridge toll are not published in a form we can date; check both before travelling, especially if the crossing is part of your plan.

Frequently asked

How far is Calafat from Craiova?

89 km by road from Piața Mihai Viteazul, which is about 1 h 18 min driving without traffic. The distance and time were measured on 2026-10-08.

Can you do Calafat as a day trip from Craiova?

Yes. 1 h 18 min each way means about 2 h 36 min of driving alone, so leave in the morning.

What does Calafat cost and when is it open?

Museum hours and the bridge toll are not published in a form we can date; check both before travelling, especially if the crossing is part of your plan.

While you are out there

Segarcea
The Crown Estate cellars, half an hour from the city
29 km · 34 min
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Trajan's bridge, a Roman fort, and the start of the Iron Gates
112 km · 1 h 45 min
Mănăstirea Jitianu
A seventeenth-century monastery inside the city's reach
8 km · 18 min