Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Halfway back towards Răşinari,
Curmătura Ştezii
( 0269-557 310;
www.curmaturastezii.ro
;
Km17; r/cabin 80/60 lei)
is a happy little lodge with heaps of
pelts and an appealing streamside location. There are trails nearby and a good restaurant.
Breakfast is 15 lei.
CINDREL MOUNTAINS
These lovely mountains, topped with Mt Cindrel (2244m) and Mt Frumoasa (2170m), shelter two large glacial
lakes, with well-marked trails cutting across. Visitors could start from Păltiniş and make their way overland to
Mărginimea Sibiului as a day hike.
From Păltiniş, some trails are perfect for mountain biking too. You can pick up trail maps from the Păltiniş re-
ception centre. There's a 4km trail to Şanta, where there's a refuge for campers to spend the night. The most popu-
lar route (3.5km, red circles) descends to the Cibin Gorges (Cheile Cibinului). From here the trail goes northeast,
past Cibin River to Cabana Fântânele. The next day, continue in the same direction to Sibiel village (three to 3½
hours, blue crosses). Alternatively, follow another blue-cross trail to the neighbouring village of Fântânele. From
Sibiel you can also take a 2½-hour walk to Cetatea Sibielului - it starts from the stream at the western end of the
village.
Heading back south from Cabana Fântânele, a trail (red crosses and blue circles) cuts down a valley to Şaua
Şerbănei, where you pick a separate trail leading to the Cânaia refuge (7½ to eight hours for the whole trip, blue
circles).
More adventurous alpinists should follow the trail from
Cabana Păltiniş
( 0730-651 699, 0724-313 908; r
per person with shared/private bathroom 80/100 lei)
south, past the Cânaia refuge (5½ to 6½ hours, red stripes) to
the summit of Mt Cindrel. Heading northwards, red stripes also indicate the way to Răşinari village (six to seven
hours), with its Cabana Mai.
MĂRGINIMEA SIBIULUI
The villages in the so-called Mărginimea Sibiului ('borders of Sibiu') represent the heart
of traditional rural (ie Romanian) Transylvania. Scattered throughout the region west of
Sibiu, they have preserved an old way of life: here you see not only the ubiquitous horse
and plough, but also artisans engaged in woodwork, carving and weaving. Painting icons
on glass and colouring eggs are pastimes here as much as vigorous text messaging is in
Bucharest, and the local cuisine includes a tasty shepherd's polenta (with loads of fresh
cream and milk).
It's great to ramble around by bike - get a map to take quiet backroads from Sibiu, as
the Sibiu-Alba Iulia highway is unpleasantly flooded with traffic.
Look up
www.ruraltourism.ro
for details (and photos) of many guesthouses in the area.
