Gura Dobrogei Cave
About Gura Dobrogei Cave
Gura Dobrogei Cave, also known as Peștera Liliecilor (the Bat Cave), opens in the limestone of Târgușor commune, ~4 km from the village of Gura Dobrogei and less than a kilometre from La Adam Cave. It is a nature reserve (code 2.357, 5 ha), designated by Law 5/2000, and lies within the Natura 2000 sites Recifii Jurasici Cheia and Cheile Dobrogei, in the same landscape of steppe and limestone crags as St John Cassian's Cave.
Its existence was first reported in 1926 by the historian Vasile Pârvan. The geologist E. Jekelius dated its formation to the end of the Pliocene or the start of the Quaternary, along the contact between a hard limestone and a softer one full of fissures. Palaeolithic and Neolithic flint tools, Neolithic pottery and Iron Age metal objects have been found in the cave.
The popular name comes from the colonies: the bats Rhinolophus mehelyi and Myotis mystacinus use the passages as a summer roost and for hibernation in winter, and large mounds of compacted guano have built up beneath the colonies. An endemic spider, Lessertiella dobrogica, was also described from here.
What you can see
The cave has three entrances: the main one, ~2 m wide and ~1.5 m high, leads into a hall from which the passages start; the second drops through a small shaft into the Pottery Gallery (Galeria cu Ceramică), and the third comes out on a short corridor linked to the entrance hall. The passages total more than 480 m. Outside, the limestone plateau with its steppe grassland stretches towards the Dobrogea Gorges.
Good to know
The cave is not developed for tourism and has no lighting: you need a head torch, good footwear and clothes that can get dirty. As this is a reserve with protected bats, noise and strong light aimed at the colonies disturb them; in winter, when the bats hibernate, the cave is best left alone. Other caves in Dobruja are Limanu Cave and St Andrew's Cave.
Information verified on 31 October 2026.
- The low, wide main entrance, opening into the hall where the passages begin.
- The Pottery Gallery, reached from the second entrance through a small shaft.
- The guano mounds beneath the bat colonies, a sign of old and numerous colonies.
- The surrounding steppe plateau, with La Adam Cave less than a kilometre away.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the cave is ~49 km from Constanța (~50 min) and ~220 km from Bucharest (~3 hours). From Constanța take the A4 and the DN2A towards Mihail Kogălniceanu, then the DJ222 towards Târgușor and the DC81 local road towards Gura Dobrogei, which passes by the cave. From St John Cassian's Cave it is ~12 km by road (~30 min).
Public transport: a regular connection to the cave is not confirmed.
- Rules
The cave is a nature reserve: silence is compulsory, and the bats must not be touched, photographed with a flash at close range or lit directly. Leave no litter and take nothing from the cave. Commercial photography and filming require the consent of the protected area's custodian. You need a head torch (ideally a spare one too), footwear with good soles and clothes that can get dirty.
- Facilities
no facilities · undeveloped cave, no lighting · no access for pushchairs
Frequently asked questions about Gura Dobrogei Cave
How long does a visit to Gura Dobrogei Cave take?
A visit to Gura Dobrogei Cave takes about 45 min (not counting the trip there).
Can you visit Gura Dobrogei Cave with kids?
No, Gura Dobrogei Cave is not recommended for visits with children (undeveloped cave, no lighting).
How do I get to Gura Dobrogei Cave?
Gura Dobrogei Cave is located at beside the DC81 local road to Gura Dobrogei, ~1 km from La Adam Cave, Târgușor, Constanța County. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit Gura Dobrogei Cave?
The best season for Gura Dobrogei Cave: May – September (bats hibernate in winter).
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