On Arges Valley, on to the Fagaras Mountains

The Transfagarasan ties the southern and the northern sides of the Fagaras Mountains, the tallest in the country

Ștefan Baciu, 20.01.2022, 14:00

In order to get easier to the highest mountain peaks in Romania, in Fagaras Mountains, one has to follow the river Arges, on the road linking Pitesti, Curtea de Arges, and Vidraru Lake, where we find many valuable historical monuments, which makes the area ideal for cultural and religious tourism. Here we find the Princely Church, the oldest medieval art ensemble, conserved in its initial form, as well as the Curtea de Arges monastery, a masterpiece of Romanian medieval architecture, built during the reign of Neagoe Basarab (1512-1521). Curtea de Arges the monastery is the resting place of Romania’s kings and queens. Also, the monastery is famous in Romania for its mythical creation, set in collective memory as the traditional ballad of Master Manole.

From the town of Curtea de Arges, the road ascends north, passing through localities with many B&Bs and vacation houses. On the northern side, near the village of Capataneni, we find the Vidraru dam, which harnesses the power of the river Arges and its tributaries. The height differential of the dam is over 500 m, and in order to reach its top you have to take a long and snaking road. We continue this presentation with help from Dumitru Grecu, who spoke to us about the development of tourism in this area:

“We are talking about a new destination in everything to do with vacations in Romania, the Transfagarasan, which is now on the top list of tourist destinations in Romania. It is among the top five such destinations, and I am not talking about just the road, but about everything you can find in this area, Transfagarasan. One of the special attractions here is Vidraru Lake with its Vidraru dam. The dam was built in the 1960s, it is an imposing, spectacular construction that delights the tourists who visit it. The lake itself is also an attraction. Even at this time of year, in winter, you can sail or row the lake. It is a great experience, because from the lake you can admire in the distance the snow capped peaks of the surrounding mountains. Also in this area, this mountainous area, we have the Poenari fortification, one that is already in the international circuit, and many foreign tourists visit it. It is already famous as being one of the destinations tied to the character Dracula and the myth of Dracula, this fortification being the only one actually reconstructed by Vlad the Impaler, in 1462.

Because of ample conservation and restoration works which started in November 2021, visitor access to Poenari is limited right now. In 2019, before the pandemic, around 100,000 visitors dared to climb the 1,480 steps to reach the stronghold at the top of the mountain, which oversees the Arges Gorges.

“There are many attractions here. There is a trail that is spectacular when the waters freeze. We are talking about Stan’s Valley, probably one of the first three trails in Romania in terms of beauty. Many lovers of trekking and adventure take the trail, in Stan’s Valley. Then there is the Transfagarasan itself, which, unfortunately, is closed on its alpine portion, but there is access up to that area, and the road is crowded, especially when it snows. People come to enjoy the snow, and the small improvised slopes in the area. In addition to that, there are all sorts of attractions in terms of traditional customs and cuisine in the area.

Around Vidraru Lake we find a few hotels, B&Bs, and cabins. The end of the lake is the origin of the Transfagarasan, one of the highest altitude roads in Europe, so high that it is closed in winter on its highest portion. Lake Vidraru and the Transfagarasan offer a lot to people who are into adventure tourism, as we found out from Dumitru Grecu, promoter of tourism for the area:

“Here we have ATVs, which can be used to explore some well defined trails, reaching the high edge of the forest, where the scenery is breathtaking. They also organize off-road vehicle expeditions. There are trips in the forest, there is photo-hunting, people come here to sight see, to take photographs, sometimes of wild game in the forest. The area has quite a lot of bears. In summer, you can even see them on the road. Now, in winter, they are taking shelter, they are not as visible as they are in the summer. There are many activities there, boat trips on the lake, including rowing and kayaking, which is an opportunity to admire the snow laden surrounding mountains. All you need to do is love adventure!

The Transfagarasan can be navigated in its entirety between June and November, when there is no danger of avalanches. Reaching an altitude of 2,040 m, the Transfagarasan ties the southern and the northern sides of the Fagaras Mountains, the tallest in the country. The highest peak in Romania is Moldoveanu, at 2,544 m in height.