Behind the wheel
Romania's spectacular roads
The Transfăgărășan, called 'the best road in the world', and the Transalpina, the country's highest road, climb through ridges above 2,000 m. Open in summer, with hairpins, waterfalls and glacial lakes at every bend.
NatureCascada Bâlea
Bâlea Waterfall is one of the best-known cascades in the Făgăraș Mountains, set on the northern slope of the massif right beside the famous Transfăgărășan road, near Făgăraș. Its water comes from Lake Bâlea, a high-altitude glacial lake, and plunges among the rocks over a considerable drop, forming one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Romanian Carpathians. The surrounding scenery is typically alpine and glacial, with steep walls, scree and mountain vegetation, offering striking views especially in spring and early summer, when the increased flow from melting snow gives the waterfall a special force. Nearby is a cable car linking the waterfall area to Lake Bâlea, above 2,000 metres. The place is a classic stopping point on the Transfăgărășan route, usually open only in the warm season, when the road is passable. Visitors are advised to wear suitable footwear and to be careful on the wet, stony paths around the waterfall.
ViewpointTelecabina Bâlea Lac
The Bâlea Lac cable car climbs spectacularly from Bâlea Waterfall up to the glacial Lake Bâlea, in the heart of the Făgăraș Mountains, the highest mountains in Romania. The cable car route offers wide views over the steep walls, the forests, and the valleys of the massif, and is a useful alternative especially in winter, when the Transfăgărășan, the famous high-altitude road, is closed because of snow. At the upper end, Lake Bâlea, formed in an old glacial cirque, offers an alpine landscape of rare beauty, with clear waters surrounded by rocky ridges. The area is a starting point for many hikes on the Făgăraș ridges, and also a place where a famous ice hotel is built in winter. The thin air and the views make this a sought-after destination in any season. Visitors should equip themselves properly for the altitude and changeable weather. It is advisable to check the operation of the cable car and the weather before going up.
MountainTransalpina (Pasul Urdele)
The Transalpina is the highest road in Romania, a spectacular route that crosses the Parâng massif of the Southern Carpathians, linking Oltenia to Transylvania over alpine ridges. The Urdele Pass, the highest point of the road, sits at over 2100 metres, offering broad views over the bare summits, the deep valleys and the alpine meadows that stretch as far as the eye can see. The road, with historical origins lost in antiquity and modernised in recent times, climbs in switchbacks above the tree line, through a wild, bare landscape often swept by wind and shrouded in mist. Flocks of sheep graze on either side of the highway, and in the warm season the slopes are covered with flowers. Because of the altitude, the road is passable only in the warm months, being closed in winter due to heavy snow. The route is prized by motorcyclists, cyclists and lovers of mountain scenery, offering one of the most memorable driving experiences in the country, with many stops for photographs.