Romania’s best ski destinations

Winter sports fans looking to explore Romania’s mountain landscape can find a variety of slopes and resorts for beginners, intermediate or advanced skiers, snowboarders, children and lots of entertainment and relaxing activities for non-skiers. Weather conditions now in the Romanian Carpathians are perfect for skiing, and below is a list of the best winter-resort destinations in the country:

Sinaia

So-called the „Royal Resort” where King Carol built his summer residence in 1870 and branded as the „Pearl of the Carpathians”, Sinaia, located on the Prahova Valley (some 120 kilometers North from Bucharest) is also very popular and one of the most crowded ski resorts in Romania, on all its 16 ski slopes. Known for the Peleș Castle, Sinaia (1,030 meters altitude) offers the biggest vertical of any resort in Romania and the longest piste is over 6km long and peaks above Sinaia reach 2500m. At the 2017 World Ski Awards, Sinaia received the title of Romania’s Best Ski Resort 2017.

Poiana Brașov

Situated near Brașov, this resort is one of the most popular Romanian ski resorts. It's an important tourist centre preferred by many tourists not only from Romania, but also from abroad. All slopes are now open, and there are excellent conditions for skiing. Visitors can take a cable car to Cristianu Mare or Postăvaru mountain peaks. They can also take the telegondola, the Capra Neagra cable car, the Ruia and the Lupului chairlifts or the Bradu and Stadion ski lifts. Poiana Brasov (1,020 meters altitude) offers 20 kilometers of slopes and stunning views of snow-capped peaks.

Predeal

Located in Brașov County, Predeal is also a popular destination, mainly for those coming from Bucharest during weekends. It has 8.5 km of slopes available and six lifts. It has 8,5 kilometers of slopes and its intermediate two kilometer long track Clăbucet is one of the most famous in Romania.

Bușteni

This resort has a reputation for some extreme skiing as well as for the usual cruising slopes. Buşteni ski field has one chairlift and one surface lift (the area has two cable cars to Babele and Peștera). All cable and entertainment facilities at the Fun Park Kalinderu are operational.

Azuga

Located in the Prahova Valley, between Sinaia and Predeal, at 135 kilometers from Bucharest, it has 7 km of ski-slopes, a good destination for both beginners and advanced skiers. It gets extremely crowded during weekends. Its famous ski slopes, Sorica and Cazacu, both of around two kilometers long, are less crowded. Babyski Cazacu is a major attraction for children who want learn how to ski.

Neamț County: Durău

Durău is a tiny low altitude ski area at the foot of the Ceahlău Mountains in the North-Eastern Carpathians. There is one trail and one lift at Durău. Skiers or snowboarders have a 500 m long slope.

Alba County: Șureanu and Arieșeni

Arieșeni: Situated in the heart of the Apuseni Mountains, half way between Arieșeni town and Vârtop Pass, Arieșeni is a major attraction for winter sports fans. It has exceptional surroundings like „Scarisoara Glacier”, „Focul Viu Glacier”, „Cetățile Ponorului Caves” - a large complex of caves, and the canyon of the Arieș river.

Șureanu is the newest ski area in Romania, and is located in the Șureanu Mountains in the Alba County. The slopes are surrounded by a very beautiful landscape, and with a lower altitude of 1650m. With more than 10 km of ski slopes, the Șureanu ski complex offers amazing views that turn skiing or snowboarding into amazing experiences. Tourists can choose from several types of passes. The best and easiest way to get there is by car. To reach this ski destination in winter-time, small vehicles should be properly equipped with tire-chains.

Hunedoara County: Jiului Valley – Straja and Parâng

Straja: Situated at an altitude of some 1,450 m (Vulcan Mountains), its nine ski and snowboard slopes are among the best in Romania, totaling almost 13 km. Each ski slope offers cable transport, and some can also be used at night.

Parâng: Located in the Parang Mountains (2,519 meters altitude), close to Petroșani, the Rânca ski resort offers more than 6 km of 9 ski slopes, most of them for intermediate and expert skiers.

Caraș-Severin County: Semenic

Semenic is a ski resort in the Semenic-Cheile Carașului National Park, in the Banat region of Romania. Here, tourists can enjoy about 11 km of ski slopes, according to data on Ski-in-romania.com. Valiug ski slope in the Semenic mountains is part of touristic complex of the Văliug-Crivaia Resort and it has a slop of only just 800 m but well maintained and with easy access.

Ski area “The Small Mountain” (Muntele Mic) is a mountain resort from south-west of Romania located under the peak mountain with the same name. It is considered to be “ The Banat’s Pearl”. The Borlova I / Borlova II slopes have average difficulty degrees and a length of 1,000 m each.

Maramureș County: Cavnic and Șuior

With ski slopes that total more than 7 km, the Cavnic resort is located in the Gutâi Mountains in Maramureș county, halfway between Baia Mare and Sighetu Marmației. The best way to get there is by car. However, it’s a long drive from Bucharest.

Șuior – an excellent place to discover traditions, food and hospitality of people in Maramureș – offers 12 ski slopes for beginners and intermediate level skiers, most popular of them being Mogoșa. The resort is situated at one and a half hour drive from the Merry Cemetery of Săpânța, in the same region where there are the eight wooden churches on UNESCO World Heritage List.

Sibiu County: Păltiniș

Păltiniș is the oldest ski resort in Romania, located near Sibiu. At 1,442 meters altitude, it offers slopes for both beginner and intermeidate skiers, as well as hiking opportunities in the area.

Suceava County: Vatra Dornei, Gura Humorului, Câmpulung Moldovenesc

In Suceava County, there are 9.8 kilometres of slopes and the ski resorts are served by 7 ski lifts. In the list of the best ski resorts in Suceava County, the ski resort Câmpulung Moldovenesc is top with 2.6 out of 5 stars. The largest ski resorts offer up to 5 kilometres of slopes (Vatra Dornei). The highest ski resorts for skiing in Suceava County extend up to an altitude of 1,218 metres (Câmpulung Moldovenesc).

Covasna County: Șugaș Băi

For skiing and snowboarding, there are 0.8 km of slopes available. 2 lifts transport the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 780 and 930 m.

Vâlcea County: Transalpina Ski Resort - Vidra/Voineasa

The new ski resort Transalpina – Vidra/Voineasa is located in Vâlcea County, at 1,940 meters altitude. For skiing and snowboarding, there are 6.1 km for the 7 slopes available for beginners and intermediate skiers. 5 lifts transport the guests. The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 1,320 and 1,940 m. Skiers can enjoy spectacular views of the Făgăraș and Parâng Mountains.

Highest Mountains of Romania – Făgăraș (Moldoveanu Peak, 2544 meters, Argeș County)

Finally, professional skiers might consider the slopes of the highest mountains in Romania, the Făgăraș Mountains of the Southern Carpathians (Argeș and Sibiu Counties), crossed by the famous high-altitude road Transfăgărășan, but because of the high difficulty degree, they might need to be properly guided.

In Romania, the winter season generally opens in December and closes in March. Winter sports fans choosing to ski in Romania can find information on available ski slopes on each resort’s website.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei