Themed paths and hiking paths, caves, old wooden churches, Via Ferrata, off-road running and mountain bike routes and traditional food are just some of the ingredients of an unforgettable holiday. Whether with families, friends or colleagues, for relaxation or adventure, P\u0103durea Craiului can be the perfect place to take refuge to in nature. Situated in the west of Romania, the area boasts dense forests and gentle hills, as well as a wealth of karstic phenomena and the biggest density of caves in the country.<\/p>\n
Paul Iacoba\u0219, the manager of the Centre for Protected Areas and Sustainable Development, tells us more about where exactly this area is located:<\/p>\n
\u201cP\u0103durea Craiului lies to the north-west of the Apuseni Mountains, into Bihor county. To the north, it is bordered by the river Cri\u0219ul Repede, which flows from Cluj county to Bihor, with its gorges and karstic plateaus, an area known as Dami\u0219-Ponora\u0219. The Beiu\u0219 depression, or the Beiu\u0219 Country, as we like to call it here in Bihor, lies to the south. This is a truly special ethnographic area. Westwards, to Oradea, we find a hilly area, and to the east, lie Valea Iadului and Mount Vl\u0103deasa, which are also part of Apuseni Mountains. Basically, it\u2019s a country between two rivers, Cri\u0219ul Repede to the north and Cri\u0219ul Negru to the south.\u201d<\/p>\n
This region has in time become one of the most diverse nature destinations in Romania, packed with interesting sites:<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m referring, first of all, to the caves, many of which are accessible to visitors. \u00a0We also have a network of more technical caves that can only be visited with a guide and with special caving equipment. There is also a number of Via Ferrata routes, a rafting course, and many areas for practicing cyclotourism and mountain biking. The\u00a0 rocky sides of P\u0103durea Craiului are perfect for rock climbing. Tourist can also go hiking and educational trails are available to children, as well as adults. Last but not least, the area is good for mountain running, for which we have a developed infrastructure and, lately, the horse-back riding business has also developed a little, so there\u2019s also that for tourists. It\u2019s important to note that the area is also suitable for relaxation, whether it\u2019s in the garden of a local guesthouse, often a traditional house that has been restored, or in a tent on glamping sites and campsites.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Via Ferrata route means climbing rock walls, stepping on metal pieces, firmly fixed in the rock, secured with specific equipment, by a metal cable. In short, maximum adventure with minimum risks. The Via Ferrata routes in P\u0103durea Craiului offer challenging experiences to both beginners and the most experienced. Viorel Lascu, cave diver and mountaineer, tells us more about the history of the via ferrata trails:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe history of the Via Ferrata dates back to the Second World War, when Italian troops had to cross from one side of the mountain to the other. They created iron steps with cable. After the war, they started to be used as tourist trails. Thus, from one place to another, the Via Ferrata route was developed. In recent years, it has become very popular. We have designed routes in this area, many for professionals, but the number of professional climbers has decreased, there are not so many anymore. However, the Via Ferrata area can be accessible to everyone who is fit enough and has a minimum of training. You don’t have to be a professional. Next to those iron steps, there is a cable we call “the cable of life”. It starts from the bottom, from the beginning of the route, to the exit of the route. For their own protection, tourists wishing to go on Via Ferrata must have a harness with silencer, silencer, helmet and, if they want to, gloves.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the start of the trails, you will also find a small QR code. By scanning it with your phone, you’ll find out all the details. It’s something that helps the tourists, cave diver and mountaineer Viorel Lascu says. There are many trails, of various degrees of difficulty, for advanced, beginners, but also for children.<\/p>\n
“We have a trail, for example, made before the two professional tracks, called Piticot. It\u2019s for children, and it\u2019s 20 meters high at most. I see the parents standing on the sidelines and cheering them on, but they don\u2019t realise that 20 meters is a lot. It\u2019s as high as a four-story building. But gradually you start to get used to it. Those who finished the small routes a few years ago have already moved on to the big ones. The big ones reach heights of 40, 60, 80 meters. The vast majority of routes are approximately 150 meters long. Each Via Ferrata route is different, because the rock is different. All are beautiful, all must be tried. We\u2019ve noticed that there are already people who want to experience all Via Ferrata routes in Romania.”<\/p>\n
P\u0103durea Craiului is also crossed by a European route of wooden churches, says Paul Iacoba\u0219, manager of the Center for Protected Areas and Sustainable Development:<\/p>\n
“We are specifically referring to two historical monuments: the wooden church in Beznea and the wooden church in Valea Cri\u0219ului, both located near Cri\u0219ul Repede, in the northern part of the area and easily accessible. But there are others. For example, there is still a wooden church in the northern area at Josani, in the village of M\u0103ge\u0219ti. There are also churches in the southern part. Even if they are not that valuable, because they are not listed as a historical monument, they are very interesting because of the architecture and the paintings inside, the age and the fact that they have lasted for so long.”<\/p>\n
On the page of the ecotourism destination padureacraiului.ro, you will find detailed information on all tourist activities available in the area, both above and beneath the ground.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Themed paths and hiking paths, caves, old wooden churches, Via Ferrata, off-road running and mountain bike routes and traditional food are just some of the ingredients of an unforgettable holiday. Whether with families, friends or colleagues, for relaxation or adventure, P\u0103durea Craiului can be the perfect place to take refuge to in nature. Situated in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":858234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[29229],"coauthors":[113280],"class_list":["post-861691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide","tag-tourism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n