Tourist Attractions in Valcea County

Today we are stopping over in Valcea County, to discover just some of the attractions of a county great for religious, monastic, or leisure tourism, as well as curative. Valcea County boasts a large number of places of worship, historic monuments part of the national heritage. Famous in that county is Horezu pottery, made by hand on a potters wheel. Most of these ceramic pots are masterfully painted in 100% natural dyes.

Daniel Onea, 27.05.2021, 13:45

Today we are stopping over in Valcea County, to discover just some of the attractions of a county great for religious, monastic, or leisure tourism, as well as curative. Valcea County boasts a large number of places of worship, historic monuments part of the national heritage. Famous in that county is Horezu pottery, made by hand on a potters wheel. Most of these ceramic pots are masterfully painted in 100% natural dyes.

Monica Gheorghiu, coordinator of the Valcea County National Tourist Information and Promotion Center, told us that our destination is suitable for all forms of tourism. However, all trails start in the county seat. It is a major economic and cultural center, first documented in 1388. Today it is a modern city, with renovated buildings, and plenty of leisure space:

“The city of Ramnicu-Valcea has a lot to offer for tourists. Keeping in mind that it is a rather small city, we have an impressive number of tourist objectives: the County History Museum, the Anton Pann Memorial House, the Simian House Art Museum, the tinted glass windows of the County Library, the Ramnic Archbishopric, Zavoi Park, where they sang for the first time the Romanian state anthem, and the Mircea the Old Park. Also, for leisurely walks, we recommend Ramnicu Valcea Zoo. We started holding events in the city too. The Days of Ramnic event was held in the center of town, with a great fair showcasing the traditional crafts of the county. The fair provides a trip throughout the traditions and customs of the county. Both locals and visitors can discover the authentic beauty of the area. We hope that, once restrictions are lifted, life will return to normal, and we can hold events once again as we used to.”

There are plenty of tourist circuits, given, the tourism potential of Valcea County. There we have three of the nine resorts in the country renown across the world for their curative potential. Here is Monica Gheorghiu once again:

“Tourists will definitely want to visit the spa resorts in the area, and I would mention Băile Olănești, Călimănești-Căciulata, Băile Govora, Ocnele Mari, which are very important from a climate point of view. Of them, Călimănești-Căciulata, from our point of view, is a resort that simply got reborn in a short span of time, and has great tourism potential. It is much sought after by tourists in the summer. We are looking forward to all restrictions being lifted, so that people can access the pools in the resort, recommended for both treatment and prevention. I would also visit the chain of monasteries in the region, which welcome visitors too. They have a rich history, and attract many tourists. At the same time, Cozia National Park, close to the resort, with its trails and beautiful scenery, takes tourists by surprise. The list goes on.”

The Ocnele Mari salt mine is the biggest in the country, with a surface of over 20,000 sqm. The aerosols in the salt mine are recommended for treating respiratory afflictions, allergies, and chronic fatigue. Inside the mine, the micro-climate is constant, with a temperature of 13 to 15 degrees Celsius, according to Monica Gheorghiu, coordinator of the Valcea County National Tourist Information and Promotion Center:

“The Ocnele Mari salt mine is attractive both for its treatment potential, and for its beauty. It is quite large, and has a lot to offer to tourists. You can get a meal in a restaurant, or can go to the small church there, and not only that, you can also catch a movie.”

If you are interested in souvenirs, and want to see the craftsmen who make them right at home, you can get all the information you need at the Tourist Information Center:

“In Horezu Valley, a tourist can discover this area of Horezu pottery, which is a part of the UNESCO world heritage fund. Here you have the Olari village, meaning Potters, where the legend began. There, you can buy traditional artifacts, and not only. If you get in touch with us, we provide information and contact data, so tourists can purchase traditional souvenirs directly from the makers. Each tourist that walks into the Tourist Information Center gets all the information they need. We have lots of different requests, from accommodation, to circuits, or areas. Depending on the request, we provide tourists with information needed, whether they are by themselves or part of an organized group, we tell them where to go and what to see.”

Right now, the county of Valcea is working on a project whose results

could be seen soon, and Monica Gheorghiu told us about it:

“I want to tell your listeners that we are about to put out signs with QR codes for all the heritage sites in the county, in partnership with the Traveler Association of Romania. This could open the horizon for digitizing tourism. By accessing these codes, visitors can get useful and interesting information. We hope to get the project on the road soon, and put up these codes in all the heritage tourist sites, and not only.”

Valcea County also has a rich culinary offer. Monica Gheorghiu recommends the Vaideeni area, for its wonderful mutton preparations, and Tara Lovistei, as well as Lotru Valley, for the B&Bs there who work with locals to prepare local food.