Winter Holidays in the foothills of Piatra Craiului Mountains
The area boasts an impressive number of tourist attractions.
Daniel Onea, 20.12.2018, 13:05
If you want to spend your winter holidays far from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, in a natural environment and a fairy-tale atmosphere, we have the perfect destination: the Dambovicioara Gorges. The area boasts an impressive number of tourist attractions, while winter traditions and customs will add special charm to your stay in the region. Raluca Busioc is a travel agent with Arges County’s Dambovicioara Tourism Information center.
She gives us details about the region: ”The commune of Dambovicioara is located on the border of Arges and Brasov counties. It is, in fact, Arges county’s northernmost commune. The main tourist attractions here, that made it famous, are the Piatra Craiului massif, the Dambovicioara gorges, and especially the Dambovicioara cave. However, there are lots of other tourist attractions here. When it comes to trekking, the Dambovicioara gorges and also the Dambovicioara Cave is a favorite with tourists. “
There are around 50 caves in the Piatra Craiului reserve. The Dambovicioara cave was discovered more than 400 years ago, in 1579, and has had electric lighting since 1980. Now it has a metal walkway, along which tourists can walk the 250 meters that are open to visitors. There are also other walkways that are closed to the public.
Raluca Busioc: ”In the cave there are stalactites of various shapes. People with a rich imagination said these stalactites and stalagmites have the shape of a snake’s head or a bear’s paw, for instance. One of the legends says that a hermit used to live in the Dambovicioara cave, Pavel (Paul) by his name, who used stones to build a library, a bed, and several other objects. We may also say that, if we let our imagination wander, we can identify certain objects. Children in the Dambovicioara commune do volunteer work, playing the role of guides. They love telling tourists the legend of hermit Pavel. They also tell another story, that of a bunch of outlaws who stole money from the rich and gave it to the poor. Children are delighted when they see that tourist really love listening to these legends.”
The area is perfect for trekking, as travel agent Raluca Busioc tells us: “We have trekking routes of medium-difficulty, suitable for the winter season, such as the routes to the Piatra Craiului reserve, or to Leaota, that are also perfect for short walks. We also have a very beautiful traditional museum, with very old pieces. And we also have very interesting traditions. Brezaia is one of them. Youngsters in the village form groups and go caroling on the New Year’s Eve night with Brezaia, which is a wooden goat, adorned with lots of vividly-colored headscarves belonging to unmarried girls. We help youngsters promoter this tradition. We also have a Christmas ball, as on Christmas Eve the Brezaia Ball is staged. According to tradition, this is mainly a pretext for bringing unmarried people together, a round dance of the entire village, with the other people in the commune taking part as well. We also have other projects in mind for the upcoming period.”
Raluca Busioc recommends tourists to practice organized tourism in the Dambovicioara area. They can thus reach all tourist objectives in the region and can get all the information about them. That is her recommendation for all those who come to the Dambovicioara Tourism Center: “We have some books with information on Dâmbovicioara, Rucăr and Lerești, the three communes of tourist interest in the region. However, we dare say it is most useful for tourists to access our website. My phone number is also available there. Of course, they are welcome at the Tourist Centre, where I have some traditional objects available, and a room laid out in a traditional way, to get tourists more familiar with our culture. I can also offer them useful information on the itineraries which are accessible all year round.”
Most tourists are foreigners, says travel agent Raluca Busioc: ”They come from Israel, France, Canada, the US. Actually, they come from many countries, mostly from Europe. They are delighted with what they find here, particularly tourists from Israel, where there are not so many green areas like here. Our commune is ideal from this point of view, because we have many green areas, forests as well as scenic mountains and rivers. I invite everyone to come to Dâmbovicioara and open their hearts to discover the place and its people, because Dâmbovicioara is a small and simple commune, but with hospitable people, willing to show our guests what’s best and most beautiful here: traditional food, peace and quiet, in brief all they need to have a pleasant stay. So, we have all the trumps cards.”
The guest houses in Dâmbovicioara are ready to accommodate guests during the winter holiday season. Either you choose to rent a whole guest house or only a room, prices are very good. For instance, a chalet for 16 people can be rented for 300 Euros per night, with self-catering. The chalet, has a beautiful garden, with barbecue and a terrace as well as free Wi-Fi.
