24 Sep Romania Road Trip: the Exhilarating TransFagarasan Scenic Drive
Referred to one of the best scenic roads in the world, the TransFagarasan Road (Route # 7 C or DN 7C) is 71 miles (114 km) and cuts through forest, by the Poenari Castle Ruins, alongside the beautiful Vidraru Lake and Dam, up and around the Fagaras Mountains, and by Balea Glacial Lake.
Due to heavy snow, the TransFagarasan Road (DN 7C) is only open a few months a year – typically between the end of June and late October. You can check the status of the road here.
Our Driving Experience
Duration: a full day, starting in Bucharest (where we rented the car) and ending in Cartisoara.
Time of Year: late August
What Was Our Experience:
Our first stop was the eerie, Catatea Poenari (the Poenari castle – fortress of Vlad the Impaler’s fortress). To read more, check out our Castles post.
view of Poenari Castle from DN 7C
A short trip down the TransFagarasan Road, we entered a tunnel and exited near the mouth of the Vidraru Lake and Dam. Here we pulled off to the side to glimpse the beauty of the water and surrounding valley forest.
Vidraru Lake
For a long, while we drove along the lake, the sun rays cutting through the thick cover of trees. It was so peaceful.
Then came the mountain pass. We climbed the road admiring the vistas. At one point we passed a shepherd and his flock of sheep – some on the shoulder of the road and hundreds more perched along the side of the valley.
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- sheep along the TransFagarasan Road
hillside scattered with sheep
twists and turns of the TransFagarasan Road
chilly but happy!
At the highest elevation, we drove through a tunnel which opened up to a covered roadway and then a street side market with cars and tour buses parked on the side. We saw signs for the Balea Glacial Lake, restaurants and hotels. However, we did not stop as we were short on remaining sunlight (due to a late start).
Next, we were treated to a view of the squiggling road ahead of us, cutting through the valley.
the valley on the other side of the tunnel
We began our descent, and to our delight, we had company — we spotted a bicyclist in our side-view mirror and watched him gleefully pass us. His hard work paid off, as he now coasted down the scenic road.
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- bicyclist in our side-view mirror
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- bicyclist coasting down the TransFagarasan
The sun was setting as we continued our descent. When we reached the flat road to Cartisoara, we pulled off to the side to take in the spectacular view of the Fagaras Mountains, painted in pastels by the dusk light.
As we approached the quaint town of Cartisoara where we’d stay overnight, we were greeted by cattle and one last memory of the landscape we just conquered.
town of Cartisoara
Our host for the evening was the friendly, George Michael. He sent us to a trout farm for dinner about 15 minutes away. And upon our return he had us join him for drinks, homemade berry brandy, and a lovely conversation.
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- our drinking quarters in the daylight
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- we revisited the Albota trout farm for breakfast
Our takeaways:
The TransFagarasan is truly an incredible drive. It’s also very manageable as the road is never too steep and it’s in good condition. (This is coming from someone that is terrified of some mountainous scenic routes – like the ones in Corsica!)
The only minor issue we ran into was constantly falling behind a weighted down tour bus as it climbed the mountain. This is our fault because we kept pulling off to take photos, then would safely pass it only to find ourselves interested in another lookout spot… and repeat.
So you’re interested in driving the TransFagarasan Road… here are some helpful planning tips
Start your trip early!! You’ll want to leisurely drive this route and need ample sunlight to do so.
The temperature can fluctuate a lot, becoming quite chilly, even in summer, so wear layers.
There are dozens of spots where you can pull off the road during the climb and descent to take pictures.
You might share the road with bicyclists- be alert.
Be careful when passing slower vehicles – only do so when the road signals (dotted lines) permit.
There are long stretches of road without a place to purchase food, so bring water & snacks with you. And note that the few restaurants that are available may be packed with tour buses.
Return to the Romania Road Trip post or read about the points of interest by clicking on the below categories:
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Are you a huge fan of driving scenic routes? If so, what’s been your favorite drive?
Leave a comment!
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