Comana Natural Park lies about half the way between Bucharest and Giurgiu, however not along the main road. Located in an area formerly covered by extensive swamps (some still exist and some meadows off the Neajlov are still prone to flooding in spring time if it rains too much), the park hosts an interesting flora and fauna among which a couple of protected snakes, turtles and two particularly interesting flowers: a species of peony (Paeonia peregrina) and one of thorn (Ruscus aculeatus). Overall this is the third wetland in the country as far as its size is concerned, respectively the second one in terms of biodiversity after the Danube Delta, as it hosts some 141 species of birds and 13 species of fish, of which two are endemic at Comana. There is more data on the park here.

There is a dirt road crossing the forest from the main entrance (where a charge usually applies to cars during the weekends in spring and summer time). The road and the trails splitting to the left and right provide a pleasant walk or cycling route. On the lake there used to be a few wooden cottages supported by wooden pillars set in the water off shore. Only a few traces of them still exist nowadays, as well as the equally suspended walkways leading to their sites. The extensive reed thickets plying the shore provide fine views and host quite a lot of birds. For bird-watching, one can walk along the lake shore through the forest, but there also is a nice pedestrian bridge, the so-called Pasarela dorințelor (En. The Wish Bridge). To get there, go to the park entrance (or Casa Comana mentioned below) and from there walk on the left shore of the lake to the NW for some 10 minutes until you find it. Another interesting spot in the park is the Fântâna cu nuc (En. The Walnut Tree Spring), a picturesque spot close to which there is the old hut built in 1889 to host the park office; the latter also has a bird observation post. The local legend has it that Vlad the Impaler was killed there in the winter of 1476-1477.

The best times to visit are in spring (end of April and especially May, when the peony blossoms), as well as in autumn (October) when the foliage turns in beautiful colours. These times also see some migratory birds stopping in the area on their way North or South, as is the case. Also, the last weekend of May usually hosts the Peony Festival, a local event with traditional singing, dancing and traditional crafts set around the peony blossoming. If in search of a more serious activity, you could cross most of the natural park woods from South to North, starting on the DN41 at between Pietrele and Prundu (at the small shrine off the Puieni fork, N44 5 41.29 E26 9 44.13) or at the trodden dirt road farther East (N44 6 4.25 E26 10 24.32) and making your way along trails to Comana Village. Bring a map and / or GPS with a track on it (or ask me for directions). The Puieni fork is reachable from Bucharest (CFR Progresu, see below) by minibus that runs three times daily, the departure fitting a day out being at 07:30 AM; for the other starting point farther East, you need walk along the DN41 some 1.30 km.

A trip to the park can be conveniently combined with a visit to Comana Monastery, a pleasant walk across the fairly quiet and interesting village, as well as with a peek at Moara de hârtie (En. the Paper Mill), a local project by some very passionate people that aim at manually producing different types of paper and at reviving old, paper-involving or not traditions. For longer stays, there are a couple of guesthouses in the village, from the more expensive, rustic theme Casa Comana just off the park entrance, complete with its two other locations (a fisherman hut on the lake shore, respectively a small, romantic villa in the forest), to the more basic Bujorul Guesthouse located very close to Comana Monastery.

In order to get there by minibus, one needs go to CFR Progresu (the end of the line for tramway #25 and bus #102) and take a minibus that runs daily at 05:45 AM, 06:45 AM, 07:45 AM, 09:15 AM, 12:15 PM, 02:30 PM, 03:30 PM, 04:30 PM, 05:30 PM, 06:30 PM, 07:20 PM, 08:10 PM (data as of 2015). To get on the tramway, you can go by subway to the Eroii Revoluției and take the #25 Southwards all the way to the end of the line.

GPS -  N44 10.19.84 E26 8 8.93 (entrance to the park)