Hidden Gems of Romania | Visit Transylvania Like a Romanian

You’ve been to Bucharest, Dracula’s Castle and other tourist places and now you want something else. You want the hidden gems of Romania, the places Romanians actually go. What would I, a woman with vampire blood, recommend? Here’s my honest local guide to visit Romania like a Romanian, focused on Transylvania region.

The first three hidden gems of Romania mentioned in this article are based on our itinerary from a couple of years ago and it is good to know that they are close to each other. You can visit Peștera Bolii, Cheile Băniței and Cascada Lolaia in a single day, driving around an hour in total.

Peștera Bolii or The Disease Cave

I know — creepy name. It makes you wonder if it’s safe to go there. It is and it’s beautiful. We went to Peștera Bolii two years ago with my family and our then 10-year-old son, and it was lovely. I expected a small cave, I don’t know why, but it isn’t. Peștera Bolii is one of the hidden gems of Romania that’s worth visiting, and it’s just a 5-minute drive from the next location.

Cheile Băniței or Bănița Gorge

Cheile Băniței or Bănița Gorge in English, is another beautiful place that’s worth visiting. I remember going there without knowing what to expect. Should I admit something shameful? I had no idea what a gorge (“chei”) actually looked like, geographically speaking, so this place took me by surprise. I had no idea how to get through it, but I did a bit of rock climbing (designed for tourists), then went through the water. Stepping on stones barefoot was painful, but honestly, the whole experience was lovely and unforgettable.

My only recommendation when you visit: wear trainers, and since it will probably be a planned visit, keep spare shoes in the backpack or in the car, just in case. We didn’t need them, but there’s a chance you might.

Munții Retezat or Retezat Mountains

The Retezat Mountains offer beautiful scenery, but in this article I want to tell you what we saw there after visiting Peștera Bolii and Cheile Băniței, about a 50-minute drive from the last location.

If you love nature, fresh mountain air and a light hike after driving, Cascada Lolaia is the perfect spot. From the parking area at the north entrance of Retezat National Park, it’s about a 12-minute walk to the waterfall, and the last part has wooden steps and railings to take you down to the viewpoint. There are other beautiful places nearby that require a 2–3 hour hike, but this was enough for us for that day.

Because no Romanian place is complete without a legend, they say a shepherdess named Lolaia was coming down the mountain with her sheep when a terrible creature appeared and devoured her whole flock. Her golden hair turned white with fear, and she threw herself into the valley. Where she fell, the rock split open and the waterfall was born — and if you look closely, the two silver streams of water are said to be her unbraided hair.

Cetatea Deva or Deva Fortress

Deva Fortress is next on my list of hidden gems of Romania. You might never have heard of it, but I think you’ve heard of Corvin Castle, also known as Hunedoara Castle or Castelul Huniazilor and good news! Deva Fortress is only a 30-minute drive from Corvin Castle, and Deva itself is a lovely town.

The fortress has watched over the town from its volcanic hill since the 13th century. It once belonged to Iancu de Hunedoara, the same family as Corvin Castle, and it met a dramatic end in 1849, when the gunpowder stored inside exploded and blew much of it apart. What you visit today are its restored ruins, with one of the best panoramic views in the region.

There are two ways to visit Deva Fortress or Cetatea Devei: on foot or by cable car. On foot it takes between half an hour and 45 minutes, while the cable car takes just a few minutes. At the time of writing, the cable car appears to be temporarily closed, so I suggest you google “Deva fortress cable car” before you go to check if it’s running.

If you’re into hiking, walks, nature and history, I definitely recommend this place.

Parcul Dendrologic Simeria or Simeria Dendrological Park

This is a hidden gem of Transylvania even for Romanians, although in recent years it has become more popular, thanks to Google Maps. Parcul Dendrologic Simeria is the largest dendrological park in Romania and is described as one of the most valuable arboretums in Europe, hosting more than 2,000 species of trees and shrubs and ranking third in Europe for the diversity of its tree species.

I recommend visiting in spring, when the trees and flowers are blooming or during summer. It is a lovely place for walking, nature, fresh air and drinking water straight from the spring. If you want to visit Transylvania and discover some of the hidden gems of Romania, this is a lovely place to add to your trip.

Lacus Cinciș or Cinciș Lake

Just a 20-minute drive from Corvin Castle, Lacul Cinciș is one of the places locals go. It is a lovely spot for a summer afternoon, where you can do swimming, fishing, terraces by the water, and at first sight, it looks like any pretty lake surrounded by hills.

But this lake keeps a secret: there’s a drowned village beneath it. In the 1960s, the valley was flooded to create a reservoir for the Hunedoara steelworks, and several villages disappeared under the water: houses, churches, cemeteries and all. At the far end of the lake, the ruin of an old church still rises out of the water, and when the water level drops, more of it appears. As you can imagine, the locals have their legends: they say the lake is cursed, and that the souls from the flooded cemeteries never left.

Cursed or not, it is a beautiful place and one of those hidden gems of Romania where you can have a swim, a meal by the water, and a ghost story, all in one afternoon.

Peștera Urșilor or The Bears’ Cave

The Bears’ Cave is a truly Romanian gem — visiting it on a school trip is practically a Romanian childhood tradition, and that’s exactly how I saw it, a long, long time ago. It was beautiful.

The cave was discovered by accident in 1975, when quarry workers blasted through the rock and found the skeletons of cave bears, a species extinct for thousands of years. You can still see them in the Bones Gallery, lying just where the bears died, before the route leads you through the Candles Gallery, where countless formations rise from the ground like candles.

The Bears’ Cave sits in the Apuseni Mountains, and it’s a longer drive from the other gems on this list, but if your route takes you through western Romania, don’t miss it. Maybe I need to go back myself, with my family this time, not the school bus.

Seven hidden gems of Romania that most tourists drive right past, all waiting quietly in Transylvania. If you want to visit Transylvania beyond Dracula’s Castle and the usual tourist stops, these are the places I would put on your list. No queues, no crowds, no entrance fees beyond a few pounds and some places are even free. Have you been to Romania or is it on your list? If you are Romanian, which hidden gem would you add? Tell me in the comment section below and if you have any questions about visiting these places, please ask. I am happy to help.

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