Travel Guide Răşinari

The birthplace of philosopher Emil Cioran, Rășinari (5,300 inhabitants) enjoys a magnificent location at the foot of the Cindrel mountains. Strolling through its labyrinth of roughly cobbled streets, lined with low, colorful houses covered with uneven tiles, is very pleasant. Here you'll find a beautiful 18th-century church, Cuvioasa Paraschiva, famous for its painted façade entitled The Wheel of Life. The church also houses a number of icons on wood and glass. The village, whose name means "resin collectors", is also renowned for its crafts (wood, textiles), which feature prominently in the small ethnographic museum (strada Goga 1527, +40 733 490 642, open Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 4pm, Sunday 9am to 2pm, admission €0.80). To the south of Rășinari, on the heights, the locality of Prislop is known for its large Roma community. Heading southwest, continuing along the 106A for 20 km, you'll come to the mountain resort of Păltiniș. At an altitude of 1,450 m, it's the highest in the country and the oldest, founded in 1894. It offers several slopes of varying difficulty, generally passable from December to April.