Sibiu's bucolic road shows no signs of an imminent adventure. On the contrary, everything is placid, a rural landscape in which greenery predominates, extensive areas of crops, grazing cows and single-family houses with tiled roofs in the shape of an inverted V. In the background a dark silhouette begins to be seen, as if it were the outline of a giant creature.
The famous region of Transylvania, in the heart of Romania, has nothing terrifying about it. The good condition of its roads, commercial establishments, homes and agricultural areas is surprising. After a peaceful 30 minutes, the slight but persistent ascension towards the realms of Transfagarasan begins.
The town of Cartiosara is the last stop to stock up on food, drink and gasoline, there are also guesthouses that serve as a base to explore this destination. The meadows transition towards extensive forests of beech and poplar, which hang over the territory like a gigantic mantle. Between the months of October and November, in the transition from autumn to winter, the leaves of the beech trees begin a transformation of their color, from an intense green to a coppery brown - almost golden -, offering an unforgettable spectacle.
The Carpathian Mountains cover an extensive area 1,500 kilometers long and 150 kilometers wide and include several countries, such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Serbia and Romania itself. This immense ecosystem is home to a third of all plant species in Europe, the largest population of brown bears and European wolves, and a high concentration of thermal waters and minerals. Romania is the second country on the European continent with the largest area of virgin forests, only surpassed by Russia, and the one with the largest number of brown bears. In fact, signs announcing the presence of this friendly but dangerous resident are common in this area.
A reservoir of turquoise waters invites you to make a first stop. At the foot they have built a beautiful hotel, which looks like a hot springs spa. In a small space of time we have moved to a deeply mountainous environment, reminiscent of the Swiss Alps. We have to roll up the window because the temperature has dropped several degrees.
A stretch begins in which the curves require meticulous attention, each turn invites you to discover what is hidden behind the next summit. The altitude increases as we advance. We arrive at the beginning of the most famous part of this road trip, the most photogenic and portrayed part, a succession of meanders in the road, with very tight curves, as if it were a huge snake that ascends to more than 2,000 meters high. The air is cold and sharp. In fact, this road is closed between the months of December and May, due to heavy snowfall. Since it is still in October, the snow barely appears in any corner of the neighboring peaks.
At the top there is a viewpoint with a few tourists who want to capture the greatness of the place, but honestly it is impossible. You can see the winding road from a bird's eye view in an idyllic environment that shares high mountain areas, with waterfalls, meadows and extensive forests in the lower areas. In reality, what makes this experience unique is the sum of sections, ecosystems and landscapes that this entire territory covers.
Behind us, as if it were a unfolded mirror, another similar road begins that takes us south, towards Bucharest, the capital. After about 20 minutes, the charming Balea Lake appears, idyllic and cinematic, emerald in color, surrounded by lush grass and some red houses, so that they can be easily located when heavy snowfall occurs.
The history of the road's construction is checkered, like the road itself. It was ordered to be carried out by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu as a pharaonic and complex project that had a high cost of lives. After the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 by the USSR, Romania wanted to facilitate the movement of troops in the event of a possible Soviet attack. Between 1970 and 1974, the works were carried out, which meant an enormous deployment of men never before seen in the country. In addition to soldiers, engineers and civil workers were used in the work, who, thanks to the explosion of 6,000 tons of dynamite, chiseled the winding road.
It's hard not to stop at Lake Balea. The view is simply overwhelming: turquoise waters surrounded by green meadows, protected by imposing mountains in a perfect balance between serenity and the grandeur of the environment.
Just in the final stretch, as an extra ball, Poenari Castle appears on the road, which was the true residence of the Romanian prince Vlad Teppes, known worldwide as Dracula. Today it is a ruin that is difficult to access. The castle was built in the 13th century and rebuilt by Tepes in the 15th century. To access it you have to climb 1,482 steps. At the entrance to the excursion gate there is a sign prohibiting access to the castle, due to the presence of several families of bears, which could attack and devour a human in a matter of seconds. A situation that Bram Stoker would surely have loved.
