Winter holiday in Busteni
The well-deserved name of ‘Gate to Bucegi Mountains comes from the fact that this is the perfect place to start exploring the mountains.
Daniel Onea, 17.01.2019, 13:52
Today we invite you to join us on a trip to the town of Busteni, in the Prahova Valley, a two-hour trip from the capital Bucharest. The well-deserved name of ‘Gate to Bucegi Mountains’ comes from the fact that this is the perfect place to start exploring the mountains, where there are at least 200 tourist routes. Also, a walk through this quiet town at the foot of the mountain is worth taking, as the place is rich in beautiful traditional houses. They have a porch with pillars that support arches built in the Brancoveanu style and also stone stairs.
Mihai Colesi is a coordinator with the Tourist Information and Promotion Center and he highlighted for us the main attractions of the place: “The landscapes are unique, the Caraiman Massif is spectacular and there are several spots that are particularly attractive, such as the Sphinx, Babele and the cross on top of the massif. The climate allows tourist activities all throughout the year. The ski slopes, Kalinderu I and II, have a lift chair with a capacity of 1,200 seats per hour. Next to the slopes there is a leisure park, for all ages, which also has a slope for beginners. Also, on the upper side of Kalinderu there is a special piste for sleighs, provided with all the necessary safety devices in order to avoid any accident. At the bottom of the slopes there are 8 ski rentals, where people can rent equipment for both beginner and advanced skiers or snowboarders.”
The resort’s largest and most precious monument is the National Heroes’ Cross. It was built between 1926 and 1927, at an altitude of 2,291 meters, at the request of Queen Marie. The cross is made of steel and is placed on a ferroconcrete plinth. The monument has impressive dimensions: it is 48 meters high and 14 meters wide. At night, when the sky is clear and the lights of the monument are on, tourists can enjoy a very special sight. Busteni is a resort for all seasons and for all categories of tourists.
Speaking about that, is Mihai Colesi, coordinator with the Tourist Information and Promotion Center: ”Apart from sports and leisure tourism, we’re trying to find alternative solutions for tourists to spend their free time. In the summer, tourists can opt for hang gliding, paintball and bouldering. Also, we have religious and cultural tourism. In Busteni we have the Aurel Stroe Cultural Center that presents cultural events and theatre shows all year round. Furthermore, the Caraiman Monastery has become a strong point of attraction. The Princely Church and the Cantacuzino castle are two other tourist hotspots. We also recommend a visit to the Cezar Petrescu Museum. “
More and more people are spending their holidays in Busteni. The recent success enjoyed by this resort is the result of investments made in infrastructure, the town’s modernization, the restoration of its tourist sites and the events held.
Mihai Colesi, the coordinator of the Tourist Promotion and Information Centre tells us more: “I’m glad to say that in the last three years, the number of visitors has grown constantly. More recently, we’ve also had tourists from the Nordic countries, but we’re still attracting a lot of visitors from Israel, Italy and France. They have all discovered the beauty of the area. They have been overwhelmed by the landscape and said what a shame we haven’t been able to promote ourselves better before. The tourist promotion and information centre provides maps of the town and of the mountain routes. The latest maps we have created also include GPS coordinates, but there are also mountain guides available. In recent years, we’ve also been hosting in February the Ice Climbing World Cup, which is a great success with visitors. The Busteni Days festival is also held generally in the first weekend in February. We hope to be able to hold it this year as well. For the time being, the weather looks good. There’s enough snow on the ski tracks and it looks like it’s going to be a long winter. In summer, Busteni hosts various outdoor festivals in the amphitheatre located in the town’s central park.”
Busteni is not only a mountain resort for tourists who want to relax and practice various sports, but a place where Romanian craftsmen are very active. Mihai Colesi has the details: “At the entrance to the resort, and also close to the cable car connecting the resort to Babele nature monument, there are special areas where craftsmen display their products. Also, in the center of the town, at the Cultural Center, there is a craftsmen’s fair open all year round. Participants come from all over the country and sell Romanian traditional products. Foreign tourists are delighted about it and say the prices are very good. Busteni offers more than 250 accommodation places, including guest houses and hotels. We are always eager to welcome tourists. We are trying to offer as many services as possible, and make sure our guests are happy with what they can find here, from landscapes to all the other attractions of Busteni”.
