Last year we went cycling in one of the lesser-known European states in the Balkans: Romania.
With a great deal of domestic tourism and very little international flow, Romania seemed to us to be a suitable destination to spend our holidays. We travelled this beautiful bike tour along the Transylvanian roads, crossing forest roads, several singletracks and two of the most beautiful high-altitude roads we have ever travelled: the Transalpina and the Transfagarasan. If the former is the highest road in Romania, the latter takes the podium in terms of altitude and scenic beauty.
You will find everything along the route: alpine lakes, impressive dams and truly endless mountain lands. We set off from Cluj by train to Teius; our real start. The ruote is a seven days cycling trip with no shortage of important climbs, rewarded by places that are still little known and highly recommended to cross by bike.
Having arrived in Sibiu, the city of eyes, because of the curious skylights sprouting from the roofs of the historic houses, we decided to avoid 80 and more KM of flat boring road and returned to Cluj for a enjoyable day-off.
Recommended bike
A gravel bike with 40/45 mm treaded tires is the perfect weapon. The gravel sections are forest tracks with a beaten surface, and there are very few points that deserve more attention.
I ridden the route with an old 26-inch mountain bike and 2.25-inch tires because I have become obsessed with this type of bike and wanted to equip myself with a bike exclusively for travelling. I wrote a dedicated article on bikepacking.com
Notes
Water: Water is not a big problem. You will find enough along the stages although we recommend to leave with a supply of at least two and a half litres per day, especially if you decide to ride the route in summer.
Sleeping: We preferred to sleep in facilities rather than free camping. The prices are very low compared to the European average and there are plenty of ‘cabanas’ along the way. Above all: we are on holiday.
Bears: On the Transfagarasan it is very easy to meet bears by the roadside. Be careful: being used to tourists feeding them, the bears did not seem that dangerous to us, but they are still beasts to stay away from. Wait for a car to act as a barrier in case you spot some bears on the route. On Transfagarasan, there is an alternative forest track to the paved route. Although some travellers on bicycles have crossed it without any problems, local people have strongly advised against riding it because of the danger of bears on the path.
Noroc!
