| AUTUMN HOLIDAYS IN BORSA 29/10/2009 |
| Last updated: 2009-10-30 13:27 EET |
Our destination today is the Borsa spa located in Maramures, in northern Romania. A strongly ionised air and a mild climate make Borsa an ideal holiday destination all year round. In autumn, however, the surrounding forests provide un unforgettable chromatic experience. Adriana Timaru, who works in a tourist complex in the region, told us that winter is a busy time in Borsa because of the winter sports practised here, but that in autumn you can easily find accommodation:
“Borsa is surrounded by the Rodnei massif. The resort starts from an altitude of 880 metres and reaches 1400 m. The cable car covers 2 km and runs every day from 8 am to 7 pm in winter and from 8 am to 6 pm in the rest of the year. The cable car carries on average 400 people every hour. There is also a ski lift covering 1 km which goes to 1600 m.”
A trip by the cable car provides breath-taking views. A gondola and a new ski slope are currently under construction. Both the gondola and the new Olympic slope will be opened at the beginning of winter. The gondola will be used in winter to transport skiers, while in the other seasons will carry visitors to the Rodnei Mountains National Park.
The park itself is suited for many different forms of tourism, including horseback riding, ecotourism, rural tourism, spas and cultural tourism. Radu Timaru, the owner of a guest house in Borsa told us that tourists will never get bored here:
“The large forested area, the shaded paths and the routes along the ridge of the mountain through scenic valleys attract tourists from all over the country and especially from abroad. Travel agencies or people who have come here for years are probably very good at promoting this region abroad, because we have many groups of foreign visitors, particularly from Europe.”
The villages in the region can easily be reached from Borsa. The whole area is famous for its woodworking and everything is made of beautifully carved wood, including churches, gates, tools and household objects. Woodworking techniques date back to centuries ago and are passed down from generation to generation. If you like adventure tourism Borsa is the best place for you, with its caves, mountain biking routes and mountain climbing areas. Radu Timaru:
“There are very well designed routes for people who like extreme sports for climbing and gliding. Rafting is also a possibility.”
Any tourist who has visited Borsa before would tell you not to leave the area without taking a trip to the Horses' Waterfall in the vicinity of the resort, or go down the Vaser Valley by the narrow gauge train, or 'mocanita’, as the locals call it, the only such train in Romania that is still functional. You can take the train from the railway station in Viseu de Sus, that is 36 kilometres away from Viseul de Sus. The Horses' Waterfall is one of the most spectacular sites in Romania. Water resulting from the melting of snow and rain is collected in a glacial valley and then flows down a steep cliff, forming the waterfall. The water falls in three successive stages, for 40 meters, 20 meters and again 40 meters, so the view is breathtaking. Access to the waterfall is very easy. You either walk down the marked footpath from Borsa, or you can take the cable car to the top of the mountain and get down to the waterfall, in only 15 minutes.
After a day spent in the middle of nature, you will be more than eager to taste the delicious meals prepared by locals. There is always an abundance of polenta boiled in milk, with sheep cheese, cream and pork, dumplings, home made bread, and plum brandy. For desert, you'll have a choice of the traditional pie and sweet bread with nuts. Guest house owners in the Borsa resort will give you a warm welcome and will offer to guide you to the tourist attractions in the area. Accommodation in a double room will cost you 100 lei per night (about 25 euros), in a 3-star guest house. Some guest houses, located on lake banks, offer tourists the opportunity to spend a day fishing, and provide them with equipment and boats.
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2010-09-06
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