Vişeu & Vaser Valleys
Wooded mountains rise to dizzying heights around the beautiful Vişeu Valley (Valea Vişeu), which tracks the Vişeu River on its journey southeast from Sighet. The equally picturesque Vaser Valley (Valea Vaser) is carved out by the river of the same name, which empties into the Vişeu River at Vişeu de Sus.
Vişeu de Sus
Pop 15,050
Essentially a one-street affair dotted with a few banks, cafes and restaurants, the town's narrow lanes radiate towards the Vaser Valley railway station where you can board the celebrated steam train. If you're headed into the rural wilds of Maramureş this is a good stop to fuel up on gasoline and lei, and there are a couple of solid hotels.
2Activities
Most travellers come to Vişeu de Sus for the chance to ride a steam-powered locomotive high into the hills along a narrow-gauge track originally built for transporting logs. It’s a grand day out and combines the thrill of a good ride with a chance to start a hike into the upper reaches of the Vaser Valley.
STEAMED UP!
Operated by CFF Vişeu de Sus and known as the 'Vaser Valley Forest Railway' or 'Carpathian Forest Steam Train' in English, this former logging train travels a network of some 60km of narrow 12-gauge track (though travellers only get to ride on 22km of it), and is probably the last forestry railway still powered by steam working in Europe today. Started in 1932 as an alternative to transporting logs by river, the track wends through soaring forested crags that a traveller might otherwise have trouble reaching. And it's an excellent ride as you smell the wood-smoke and hear the train whistle blaring.
The journey proper starts at 9am, but you'll need to secure a ticket by arriving at the railway station (%0262-353 381; Str Cerbului 5) at 8.30am (the train only seats 210). In summer call ahead or book online. Due to the damage sustained to the track by flooding in 2008, the journey ends at Paltin, where you'll alight by the river for a 1½-hour lunch break. There are benches in a meadow, and grilled sausages and cold drinks are sold nearby. From Paltin the intrepid can trek higher into the mountains, or it's possible to camp near the warden's lodge (at Paltin) if you seek his permission (arrange with the CFF Vişeu de Sus office to catch a return train the following day).
The magic ends somewhere between 2.30pm and 3.30pm (depending on the season) as you return to the station. The railway runs daily from mid-June to late September, with an extra train or two sometimes added at 9.30am and 10am in July and August. It runs from Thursday to Sunday only from April to mid-June and late September to October.
4Sleeping
Hotel GabrielaHOTEL$
(%0262-354 380, 0757-114 972; www.hotel-gabriela.ro; Str Răndunelelor 1; s/d 120/140 lei; pnaW)
Located 2km east of Vişeu de Sus, reliable Hotel Gabriela offers 29 clean, modern rooms with verandahs, cable TV, en suites and hearty breakfasts. The hotel restaurant serves decent pizza.
Pensiunea StancutaPENSION$
(%0745-096 481; www.pensiuneastancuta.ro; Str Alexandru Ioan Cuza 56; r 120 lei)
Handy for catching the early-morning train, Stancuta is 1km past the train station from the centre of town and on the other side of the tracks. The five rooms are clean and welcoming, with fine views of the nearby mountains. There's a large garden – almost a farm – and a wooden terrace to sun or read on.
5Eating & Drinking
Pizzeria AndraPIZZA$
(%0741-226 055; www.facebook.com/pizzeriarestaurantandra; Str 22 Decembrie 1989 25; pizza 12-20 lei; h7am-midnight)
With chartreuse-coloured seats and wooden-tile panelling, Andra is upbeat and a local favourite, with a huge menu of pizza, pasta (11 to 17 lei), schnitzel and bruschetta to choose from. There's a back terrace too.
Café MayaCAFE
(www.facebook.com/MayaCaffeBar; Str 22 Decembrie 1989 12; h7am-10pm)
With its vaguely Parisian, nicotine-coloured interior, this is a good stop for cappuccinos and, come evening, mojitos and daiquiris.
8Information
CFF Vişeu de SusTOURIST INFORMATION
(%0262-353 381, 0744-686 716; www.cffviseu.com; Str Cerbului 5; adult 48-57 lei, child 33-39 lei; h8am-6pm)
All your information needs are taken care of by the tirelessly helpful staff at CFF Vişeu de Sus, the agency that operates the narrow-gauge railway from the train station. They can assist you with walking maps and eating and accommodation advice. They can also help organise guides
8Getting There & Away
Regular buses and maxitaxis link the Vişeu Valley with the cities of Sighet and Baia Mare, making it more accessible for travellers without private transport. There are between five and six departures for Vişeu de Sus and Borşa from both cities on weekdays. Service is limited to two or three buses on Saturday.
Borşa
Pop 27,600
Grubby little Borşa has an ace up its sleeve: the Borşa Complex some 10km east, a ski resort set amid insanely pretty countryside with dark green forests, sun-dappled streams and midsize mountains. As well as having some decent intermediate and beginner slopes (1km-long Știol, 2km-long Poiana), it's the main entry point for hikers keen to experience the Rodna Mountains, part of which forms the Pietrosul Rodnei Nature Reservation (5900 hectares).
2Activities
Hiking information is scarce, but there are clearly marked trails with red stripes leading from the top of the Borșa Complex Ski Lift (Str Brădet 10; one way/return 15/30 lei; h9am-5pm). Trails include a two-hour hike (in good weather) to the Prislop Pass (1413m) and a pleasant, 90-minute walk to Cascada Cailor (Horseshoe Waterfall), which is 90m high. If you want to stretch your legs before starting on the trails, there’s a path leading up underneath the ski lift.
WORTH A TRIP
HIKING THE PRISLOP PASS
From the Borşa Complex, a tight, winding road climbs for 10km to the remote 1413m-high Prislop Pass. Hikers can trek north into the Maramureş Mountains or head south into the Rodna Mountains and onward to Moldavia. Red triangles then blue stripes lead to the peak of the Gărgălău Saddle (1925m, two hours). You can then either continue east (red stripes) to the Rotunda Pass, then southeast to Vatra Dornei, or west to the highest part of the massif and on to La Cruce (four to five hours). From here the weather station on the summit of Mt Pietrosul (2305m, blue stripes) is only 90 minutes away, which, among the mind-bending views here, allows for a good long gaze into Ukraine without the hassle of border checks. At this point, it’s a direct hustle back down to Borşa (two to three hours).
Do not attempt to stray too far from these trails without a good map and compass.
4Sleeping & Eating
Motel RodnaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0262-344 122, 0744-699 052; Str Libertații 37; d from 80 lei; pW)
It might not sound like much but this 18-room guesthouse is just about the best place to stay in Borșa. It's about 300m west of the centre and has an in-house restaurant.
Pensiunea Vila FocusCHALET$
(%0721-290 239, 0262-344 038; Str Brădet 12; r 120 lei; pW)
At the Borșa Complex and hard by the chairlift, the Vila Focus is a timber and stone affair with a tempting restaurant and 11 immaculate rooms. Try for digs facing the mountain.
Moldavia & the Bucovina Monasteries
Moldavia & the Bucovina Monasteries Highlights
Moldavia
Iasi
Targu Neamt & Around
Piatra Neamt
Ceahlau National Park
Bucovina
Suceava
Bucovina Monasteries
Moldavia & the Bucovina Monasteries
Why Go?
Less visited than other parts of Romania, Moldavia rewards those intrepid enough to seek it out: from glorious medieval monasteries to rugged mountains ideal for hiking, this singular region combines natural beauty with plenty of action. Moldavia’s bucolic villages and oddly endearing towns feature some of Romania’s friendliest locals. Beyond the hinterland, Moldavian modernity is fully displayed in Iaşi, one of Romani
a's largest cities and a vibrant student town famous for its nightlife. Bucovina, to the northwest, is home to Romania's pride and joy: a half dozen Unesco-protected painted monasteries from the 15th and 16th centuries that attest to the region's artistic skills and enduring faith. Everywhere you'll find signs of Moldavian prince (and Romanian national hero) Ștefan cel Mare and his epic battles with the Ottoman Empire, above all at the mighty fortresses at Suceava and Târgu Neamţ.
When to Go
AApr & May Enjoy Iaşi when it's rejuvenated by spring flowers, boisterous students and live music.
AJul & Aug Escape the summer heat by hiking the Ceahlău and Rarău Mountains.
ASep & Oct Visit the Bucovina painted monasteries minus the crowds, as the autumn leaves change colour.
Best Places to Eat
A Cuib
A Restaurant Centru Vechi
A Q'usine
A Noir
A Antique
Best Places to Sleep
A Hotel Select
A Hotel Lacu Roşu
A Irene's Hostel
A Eden
A Casa Bunicilor
A Gerald's Hotel
Moldavia & the Bucovina Monasteries Highlights
1 Arbore Monastery Admiring the artistry and beauty of this church and all of the surrounding painted monasteries.
2 Palace of Culture Gawking at the size and gleam of Iaşi’s now fully renovated grand royal palace.
3 Lady’s Stones Gazing at this high-altitude string of soaring limestone rock formation in the Rarău Mountains.
4 Bicaz Gorges Bearing down for some white-knuckle driving through these narrow, stupendously steep rock gorges.
5 Cucuteni Museum Blushing at the more-than-zaftig female figurines created by the neolithic Cucuteni people.
6 Agapia Monastery Enjoying the tranquillity and beauty of the often-overlooked Neamţ monasteries.
7 Ceahlău National Park Peering out over the mist of Lake Bicaz from the top of Moldavia's highest mountain, the Ceahlău Massif.
History
In prehistoric times, the territory of Moldavia was the centre of a remarkable neolithic culture known as Cucuteni-Trypillian. Thriving from 6000 to 3500 BC, the Cucuteni were known for their beautiful, modern-looking pottery and highly sexualised female figurines. Many pieces have survived and are on display at Piatra Neamţ’s Cucuteni Museum.
Later, Moldavia was occupied by Thracian and Dacian tribes in the millennium up to the Common Era, and was then under partial Roman occupation for some centuries after. It also experienced waves of peoples, including Goths, Huns, Slavs and Bulgars, moving across the land from the 4th to 10th centuries.
Moldavia achieved its own identity between the 13th and 16th centuries, when it and its sister Romanian principality, Wallachia, emerged as buffers to protect the Hungarian kingdom from the growing might of the Ottoman Empire. This opposition to the Ottoman Turks gave rise to a string of Moldavian heroes, chief among them Prince Ştefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great; r 1457–1504).
Ştefan cel Mare and subsequent rulers, including his illegitimate son Petru Rareș (r 1527–38), established impregnable fortresses and monasteries, among them the Bucovina painted monasteries, which formed the crux of the region’s identity. Ştefan cel Mare’s Moldavian principality stretched well to the east into the territory of the present-day Republic of Moldova, leaving us with the confusing nomenclature of Moldavia/Moldova, which continues to this day.
Both Wallachia and Moldavia eventually fell to the Turks, but were briefly united, along with Transylvania in the west, at Alba Iulia under the leadership of Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave; r 1593–1601).
In 1775 part of Moldavia’s northern territory, Bucovina, was annexed by Austria-Hungary. This was followed in 1812 by the loss of its eastern territory – Bessarabia (modern-day Republic of Moldova) – to Russia. After the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–29, Wallachia and Moldavia became Russian protectorates while remaining within the Ottoman Empire.
As the Ottoman Empire weakened throughout the 19th century, leaders in both Moldavia and Wallachia saw the opportunity to fuse together as a united Romania. This eventually took place in 1961 under the leadership of Moldavian Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Later, the defeat of Austria-Hungary in WWI paved the way for the return of Bucovina.
From this point onward, Moldavia’s fortunes rise and fall with the rest of the country, with a low point during WWII. The alliance of Romania with Nazi Germany in June 1941 eventually led to the destruction of Moldavia’s sizeable Jewish community. The horrific pogrom of that month in Iaşi, where some 13,000 people were killed, and the mass deportations to Bessarabia in the east reduced the number of Jews living in Moldavia to just a few thousand.
Moldavia
Apart from the painted monasteries in Bucovina, the eastern half of Romania gets relatively few tourists. That's their loss, as vibrant cities like Iaşi, filled with students, exude both cultural energy and impressive historic and sacral architecture.
This was the stamping ground of early national heroes such as Prince Ştefan cel Mare, and many churches and fortresses, especially the impregnable rock at Târgu Neamţ, bear his stamp. The region's numerous monasteries lack the dazzling colours of Bucovina but arguably compensate with a more genuine sense of living spirituality. The Bicaz Gorges and Ceahlău Massif in the west are stark natural wonders.
Iaşi
Pop 290,422
Exuberant, cultured Iaşi (pronounced ‘yash’) clearly enjoys being the biggest city in Moldavia. Once dubbed the ‘city of the hundred churches’, Iaşi is indeed bursting with centuries of architectural creations. Yet besides the monasteries, theatres and other historic buildings, this eclectic place has botanical parks, big squares and (for better or for worse) both communist-era concrete structures and gleaming modern shopping malls.
As with its shopping scene, Iaşi’s innumerable eateries, drinking holes and lively clubs depend on the robust university population. You'll find students from all over the world here – making this little corner of Romania unexpectedly cosmopolitan.
Iaşi
1Top Sights
1Palace of CultureE6
1Sights
2Alexandru Ioan Cuza UniversityB1
Art MuseumE6
3Bărboi MonasteryF5
4Church of the Three HierarchsD6
Ethnographic MuseumE6
5Golia MonasteryE4
6Great SynagogueF4
7Jewish MuseumF4
Moldavian History MuseumE6
8Moldavian Metropolitan CathedralD5
'Ștefan Procopiu' Science & Technical MuseumE6
9Union MuseumC3
4Sleeping
10Grand Hotel TraianC4
11Hampton by HiltonF5
12Hotel EdenE5
13Hotel MajesticC4
14Hotel SelectD4
15Hotel UnireaC4
5Eating
16Buena VistaC5
17CuibC4
18Trattoria LavricE3
6Drinking & Nightlife
19Cafeneaua AcajuE5
20JassyroD4
La BazăD5
21Radio Ga Ga English PubC4
22Terasa CorsoC3
3Entertainment
23Agenţia de OperaD5
24FilarmonicaD4
GateD5
25Romanian National OperaD4
Underground The PubD5
Vasile Alecsandri National TheatreD4
7Shopping
26Anticariat GrumazescuC3
27Palas MallE6
1Sights
The city's elaborate system of boulevards and squares centres on Piaţa Unirii, from which B-dul Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt extends south to Piaţa Moldova. Between the two squares are some of the town’s most famed historic buildings, including the Moldavian Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palace of Culture.
oPalace of CultureMUSEUM
(Palatul Culturii; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0232-275 979; www.palatulculturii.ro;
Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt 1; adult/child combined entry 40/10 lei, tower only 16/4 lei; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun)
Iaşi's premier attraction and symbol of the city is the grandiose Gothic-revival Palace of Culture that dominates the horizon at the southern end of B-dul Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt. Though it looks as if it stepped out of a medieval fairy tale, the building is only around 100 years old (built from 1906 to 1925). The palace stands over Prince Alexandru cel Bun's ruined 15th-century princely court. Visitors can tour the palace, climb the tower and explore four major museums.
The project to restore the palace ranks among the largest public-works projects undertaken in Romania since 1989. The building's floor plan covers some 34,000 sq metres and there's said to be 365 rooms (one for each day of the year), though the actual count is around 300. The structure's dominant feature is the central clock tower, with immense clock faces on three sides decorated in stained glass. As you enter, the grand central hall shows off the architect's infatuation – in keeping with the neo-Gothic style – with medieval beasts: dragons, lions and griffons to name a few.
The four main museums are the Ethnographic Museum ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0232-275 979; www.palatulculturii.ro; Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt 1, Palatul Culturii; adult/child 12/3 lei; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun), Art Museum ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0232-275 979; www.palatulculturii.ro; Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt 1, Palatul Culturii; adult/student 16/4 lei; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun), History Museum ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0232-275 979; www.palatulculturii.ro; Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt 1, Palatul Culturii; adult/child 16/4 lei; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun), Science & Technical Museum ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0232-275 979; www.palatulculturii.ro; Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt 1, Palatul Culturii; adult/student 12/3 lei; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun). It's possible to buy separate entrances to each museum or a discounted combined-entry ticket to the museums and palace.
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