The most beautiful natural sites to discover Romania

From Şimon and Moieciu de Sus, you can win Poiana Guţanu, a refuge from which many paths go to the Smo, Babele or, further afield, Sinaia, across the Bucegi mountains.

The village of Fundata is one of the most beautiful in this valley and one of the highest in Romania. The site is superb, the architecture of some rich houses. In July there is a folk festival very popular (dances, costumes, etc.).

Opened in 1860, it is the oldest park in Bucharest, and certainly the most charming. Its benches, kiosks, avenues lined with venerable trees, lake and bridges give it a very romantic feel. It is a very popular place in all seasons: in good weather, you can rent a boat there. In winter, people come here to skate or toboggan. Also look for the chess player area (șahiști), where gentlemen play lively backgammon games. All in length, the park is surrounded by beautiful residences, such as the palace Creţulescu.

Stretching around the massif's highest point, at 2,238 meters, the "Prince's Stone" National Park is characterized by its steep walls and rich flora. It was here that the film Return to Cold Mountain, starring Nicole Kidman and Jude Law, was shot. The area is home to many endemic plant species, including the Piatra Craiului carnation. Birds of prey and large carnivores can also be found here. It's a popular massif for hikers and mountaineers. One of the most beautiful hikes: the one leading to Cabana Curmatura via the Zărnești gorge.

First of all, you will be surrounded by the large and interesting buildings of the outbuildings, which are interesting and arranged in a bar, villas, post, hotel, souvenir shop… The park on the terrace is in Italian Renaissance style and puts the castle in value.

This is the last remaining forest railroad in Europe. Put into service in the 1930s, this narrow-gauge railway runs for 50 km through the magnificent Vaser valley, accessible only by this means. Customs officers and lumberjacks use it to get to their places of work, and on the return journey, to bring the wood back to Vișeu. Tourists can also take the 21.6 km route, aboard vintage wagons pulled by a steam(mocăniță) or diesel locomotive. Enjoy spectacular views of the valley, punctuated by gorges, ridges, tunnels and waterfalls. Several stops are planned. At Paltin, the last stop, you'll stay for 1 to 2 hours. Here you can enjoy a picnic or barbecue lunch and a short walk through the forest. The train runs from late March to mid-November (Thursday to Sunday; daily from June to late September): departure is at 9am, returning around 3pm. The mocăniță also runs around Christmas and New Year. With the snow, the atmosphere is magical!

In the station parking lot you can admire a group of traditional Maramureș houses(Satul Maramureșean Mocănița). Local produce is sold here, and folklore events are sometimes held.

The station is also home to a small café called Elefant, in a traditional Jewish house that doubles as a museum.

Caravans and motorhomes can also park here for a fee.

It is one of the most pleasant places in the city to rest and contemplate nature. Known as one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Eastern Europe, this unique place on the heights of the city was designed by Alexandru Borza in 1920. Its 11,000 varieties of plants from all over the world, spread over 14 hectares, are used for research, conservation and public education. Thus, important research on edible plants is carried out here and the scientists in charge of this garden are in contact with colleagues from many countries. Outdoors, you will visit a Gyo-no-niwa-style Japanese garden with bridges and gates, and a beautiful rose garden surrounded by other ornamental plants from all over the world and from all walks of life. A section of ancient cultures allows you to rediscover plants that are nowadays neglected. A section of medicinal plants, coastal flora and real forests will complete your walk. Some of the plants are sheltered under gigantic greenhouses. One is a collection of large palm trees, banana and cocoa trees. Another is devoted to cacti of all sizes and origins. Yet another is home to more than 50 species of orchids. Mediterranean and Australian plants grow side-by-side, while olive, fig and eucalyptus trees grow elsewhere. Finally, the most impressive is in the aquarium greenhouse, with its giant Amazon lotus, almost 1.5 m in diameter, carnivorous plants and papyrus.

A beautiful mountain resort, a small cave offers exquisite karst formations. We then continue to Bran and Braşov.

The Piatra Craiului National Park Visitors' Center is a natural site located in Bran. Visitors can buy tickets using the blue ticket machines located at the Zărnești post office, the Piatra Craiului National Park Visitors' Center, the Plaiul Foii Hut and the Ivan Valley Bridge. Tickets can also be purchased by sending an SMS with the text "Pcrai1" for one person, "Pcrai2" for two people or "Pcrai5" for five people to number 7473. Prices range from 2 to 10 euros, plus VAT. The entrance fee also includes a visit to the Zărnești Visitors' Center.

Beautiful valley where the river is surrounded by gentle mountains covered with forests. Pensions and camping abound around Lepşa (thanks to the fortunes of Italy) as well as sumptuous and colorful wooden villas. Possibility to visit a small trout farming and buy (if you do not want to fish them in the river) to get them ready in your pension. The place is also perfectly celebrated by the Romanians, since the valley is located just steps from the Monastery of Putna, where the Stefan Cel Mare Voivode is founded.

The majestic "Monts du Gypaète" offer great hiking opportunities. At the heart of the massif lies a national park, a nature reserve that protects many rare botanical species (edelweiss, sabot-de-Vénus...). These mountains are nicknamed the "Moldavian Olympus". Kogaionon, the sacred mountain of the Dacians, was located here and Zamolxis, their supreme god, had his temple. The steep slopes are flanked by deep forests and strangely shaped rocky peaks, such as Panaghia. Its highest points are Ocolașul Mare and Toaca (around 1,900 m).

The Dragoș Vodă bison(zimbri) reserve lies 15 km west of Târgu Neamț, at the entrance to the Vânători Neamț nature park. Created in 1968, it was home to the first bison reintroduced to Romania in captivity. Today, it still holds a few specimens. Others have been released into the wild, but some, living in semi-liberty, can also be seen. You can also meet other animals, such as deer and peacocks. The nature park team offers safaris to observe the bison in their natural habitat.

Close to the railway and bus stations, separated from the Danube by a thin strip of land, Lake Ciuperca (literally "Mushroom Lake") is one of the city's favorite walking spots. The surrounding park is pleasant. On the western shore, a small beach has been laid out for swimming. You can also fish in specially designated areas, or hire a rowing or pedal boat. There are several bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity, as well as a swimming pool to the northwest.

A mountain pan that brings together more than 35 species of fossilized molluscs.

Some ten kilometers west of the city, the Turda Gorge(Cheile Turzii) offers an astonishing spectacle. The Hășdate River has cut an impressive corridor over 3 kilometers long, giving rise to cliffs nearly 350 meters high. There are some sixty caves, formed in the karstic relief. Most are small, apart from the 120 m-long Cetățeaua Mare. The region benefits from a microclimate that favors a dazzling natural wealth. Some sixty species of animals (birds, foxes, fish, weasels, amphibians, deer...) and over 1,000 different plant species, including some particularly rare ones (wild garlic, Jupiter's helmet...), can be found in a 125-hectare reserve.

The main access point to the gorge is the village of Cheia, which can be reached by local bus or by a 2-hour walk from Turda, along a path called Drumul Domnilor (departure from piața Romană, red cross markings, approx. 8 km). By car, pass the village of Mihai Viteazu and, a little further on, on the road towards Câmpeni, follow the signs. The gorge can easily be covered in just over an hour. But if you'd like to explore the area in more depth, you can go to the Cabana Cheile Turzii, where a map is displayed, detailing the various trails. We can also provide you with a map. The gorge route stops at Petreştii de Jos, where buses run back down to Turda (occasionally at least).

This small village north of Luduş (town between Târgu Mureş and Turda) has a small original natural reserve. It is formed around an area where many of the peonies of the steppes grow. Beautiful during flowering in May.

Near the village of Topleţ, in the south of the city by going to Orşova, the Sphinx (Sfinxul Bănăţean) is set, a curious rock formation reminiscent of that of the guardian of the Egyptian Pyramids.

A gigantic-year-old tree standing in front of the city's history museum.

To the south of Vatra Dornei, in the natural park of the mountains Călimani, is the superb geological reserve of the Twelve Apostles (Rezervaţia Doisprezece Apostoli). Its strangely shaped volcanic rocks, sculpted by erosion, sometimes evoke human figures, sometimes dragons and other fantastic creatures. You can reach it from the village of Neagra Șarului, by a hike of about 3 hours (marking: red dot) or from Gura Haitii, in about 2h30 (blue dot).

Located 4 km west of the city, stretching all the way to the Hungarian border, this remarkable natural area surrounding the Mureş is well worth a visit. Covering an area of 17,000 ha, it is home to over 200 species of bird. Its forests are made up of pedunculate oak, poplar, willow and ash. Points of interest include the Bezdin pond, famous for its water lilies, and the monastery of the same name. Cycling and canoeing are also available.

On the road towards Deva, near Pietroasa, this waterfall of 80 meters is part of a geological reserve (precipices, waterfalls, water holes…), forest and floral, refreshing in summer. Attention, access is not easy. Located in the Apuseni Natural Park, the place is quite impressive and places beautiful landscapes in this natural region away from any human domestication.