Going Skiing in Romania

Snow, sun and cheerful skiers: the offer to go skiing in Romania in wintertime is too enticing to refuse.

Ana-Maria Cononovici, 12.12.2013, 13:00

As Romania boasts several mountainous regions, you can go skiing in several charming places, which are famous for their traditions and the locals’ hospitality. The best known and also the most crowded ski resorts are those in Prahova Valley: Sinaia, Busteni, Azuga and Predeal. The numerous ski pistes, cable cars, ski lifts and snow cannons here, create the necessary conditions for beginners and experienced skiers alike to spend a perfect holyday. Radu Miscoci, the owner of a sports base in Sinaia has some tips for us to choose the right place to go skiing:

Radu Miscoci: “Valea Dorului” is extremely beautiful. I for one like the place a lot. You can also choose the slopes at ‘Cota 2000’ and ‘Cota 1400’. ‘Valea lui Carp’ is a ski run for experienced skiers, whereas ‘Drumul de vara” is perfect for beginners. There are two ski lifts in ‘Valea Dorulu’, two separate routes and you can actually enjoy very good skiing conditions here. You can rent snowboards only near the Telegondola in Sinaia. There are few runs for snowboarding and you need a lot of snow to be able to use them.”

In the evening, you can enjoy the offer of clubs or you can replace the skies with skates and go to the skating rinks, which are open in all resorts. Further north, at the foot of the Postavaru Massif, you can visit the resort of Poiana Brasov. It was set up in 1895, for the inhabitants of the city of Brasov. As early as 1906, Poiana Brasov had already been recognized as a winter resort and three years later, in 1909, it hosted the first winter competitions.

With the organization of the Winter University Games of 1951, Poiana Brasov became the first mountain resort in the country destined for winter sports, with a 24-km skiing area. Swimming or going to a sauna are some of the activities you can practice after going skiing. You can also try a massage or go to the gym.

In the west of the country you can ski as well, in Semenic, in the Sibiu area, or on Muntele Mic, in the Timisoara area. Dragos Pop, manager of the “Muntele Mic” company told us why this is a great destination for a winter vacation:

Dragos Pop: “Muntele Mic is the mountain resort with the highest elevation in the west of the country. We have three ski lifts, snow lasts from the middle of November until the middle of April. It is beautiful here and we have plenty of accommodation newly created. Starting this year, we have another novelty, a car parking lot up on Muntele Mic, which means you can reach the resort by car, not just by ski lift. Prices are affordable compared to other resorts: a 1-day ski pass is 50 lei, and one ride is between 1.5 to 3 lei. That would be one of our advantages, in addition to affordable prices for accommodation. We await tourists every year with lots of snow and good slopes, with the warmth specific to this area, and lots of sun on the ski tracks. ”

Even though Bukovina is best known for religious tourism, and visitors look mostly for the monasteries built by Stephen the Great, you can also ski in the Vatra Dornei area. Petru Grigoras, headmaster of a ski school in Vatra Dornei, gave us some details:

Petru Grigoras: “Vatra Dornei is one of the most important ski resorts in northern Romania. It attracts thousands of tourists every winter. In our ski school, we have the entire range of skiing and snowboarding activities. We offer both private lessons and group lessons. We have slopes for all levels and for all tastes. In Vatra Dornei we have at this point four ski tracks. Some have ski lifts and there is also a cable car. We also have flood lighting, as well as snow cannons. Vatra Dornei is a great place to visit.”

If you want to enjoy Christmas and the New Year party in a ski resort in Romania, now would be the time to do the bookings. Everyone in the area offering accommodation has announced they are 80% full, but we still hope to see you there.