Travel Guide Abrud

12 km south of Câmpeni, this town of 5,000 inhabitants at 640 m altitude was an important gold-mining center in Roman times. Thanks to this wealth, the town, a former moți chief town, boasts some pretty Baroque houses and some more picturesque wooden ones. Abrud is much prettier than Câmpeni, but less central and therefore less convenient. It is, however, a good starting point for Bucium and Roșia Montană. The latter, 10 km northeast of Abrud, is famous for its gold mines, exploited since Roman times. Its beautiful 18th-century Baroque center bears witness to its prosperity at the time. Here you can visit the Mining Museum. Born in 1997, a controversial Canadian-Romanian open-pit gold mining project provoked a strong mobilization of the population and NGOs. The project was finally abandoned in 2021. Easily accessible, the villages to the south-east of Abrud are very pretty and their inhabitants renowned for their hospitality and attachment to tradition. It's as if time has stood still. It's also a paradise for hikers and nature lovers: the landscapes are enchanting. Don't hesitate to hire a guide to discover two superb basalt peaks called Detunatele. One, Detunata Goală ("bald"), is 1,169 m high; the other, Detunata Flocoasă ("hairy"), reaches 1,265 m. They are at the center of a geological reserve, accessed from Bucium by a marked path, or alternatively from Roșia Montană.