About Durgău Salt Lakes
The Durgău lido is laid out on two salt lakes at the surface, Lacul Ocnei and Lacul Rotund (the Round Lake), in the grounds of the Turda Salt Mine, about 100 m from the mine's new entrance. Both formed in old bell-shaped salt pits whose roofs caved in and filled with water. Lacul Ocnei is around 33 m deep and Lacul Rotund around 15 m. The water holds roughly 10% salt at the surface and 28% at 30 m, and the difference makes the lower layers warm up in the sun: in summer the water reaches about 30 °C.
The Durgău lakes have been used for bathing since the 19th century, with wooden cabins on their shores. Today's lido, opened in 2009, is run by Salina Turda SA, the municipal company that also operates the salt mine. The lakes lie within the Sărăturile Ocna Veche Natura 2000 site, protected for its salt-marsh plants.
What you can see
The lido has sandy beaches, wooden jetties, showers and a bar with a terrace. In the salty water you float without effort. On the hill above the lakes you can see the roofs over the shafts of the old Iosif and Terezia mines, and around them, along Valea Sărată, smaller lakes and salt flats left by abandoned pits.
About 2 km to the south-east, in the Băile Sărate district, is Turda's second salt-water lido, on the Roman Lake, which has its own page.
Good to know
These are lakes at the surface only: the Turda Salt Mine is visited separately, with a separate ticket. The lido opens only in summer; in 2026 it ran from 1 June to 6 September.
- A swim in Lacul Ocnei, a former salt pit more than 30 m deep, in water that keeps you afloat without effort.
- Lacul Rotund, the smaller lake, the easternmost of the old Durgău salt pits.
- The roofs over the shafts of the Iosif and Terezia mines, on the hill above the lido.
- A walk along Valea Sărată, among salt flats and small lakes formed in abandoned pits, towards the mine's new entrance.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Turda lies ~30 km south of Cluj-Napoca, on the A3 motorway (Turda exit) or the DN1 (~35 minutes). The lido is in the Durgău district, in the grounds of the Turda Salt Mine: follow the signs for "Salina Turda – intrarea nouă" and Aleea Durgăului. From Alba Iulia it is ~65 km, from Târgu Mureș ~70 km.
Public transport: frequent minibuses from Cluj-Napoca to Turda, then the local bus to the salt mine or a taxi (~3 km from Turda's centre).
- Where to park
Park in the Turda Salt Mine car park at the Durgău entrance, at 10 lei an hour (the mine's official rate), about 100 m from the lido. The car park is shared with the mine. We found no information on a separate car park or reduced rates for lido visitors.
- Fees & discounts
Official Salina Turda SA prices, in force since March 2025 and still applied in 2026: adults 40 lei, children and seniors over 65 25 lei; Monday to Thursday after 17:00, 25 lei for adults and 18 lei for children and seniors. A 7-day pass costs 250 lei for adults and 150 lei for children and seniors. A sunlounger costs 15 lei. Children under 3 go in free; seniors and children show a document proving their age. The ticket does not include the salt mine (75 lei on weekdays, 90 lei at weekends for adults) and we found no combined ticket.
- Rules
For the reduced rate, seniors show their identity card and children a birth certificate, passport or student card. The very salty water stings the eyes and must not be swallowed, so do not dive under, and rinse off in the shower afterwards. The lakes are deep former pits, so keep children close. The surrounding area is protected: do not pick plants on the salt flats.
- Facilities
Sandy beaches · wooden jetties · showers · bar with terrace · sunloungers for hire · barbecue area · 100 m away, the car park, toilets and restaurant at the Durgău entrance of the Turda Salt Mine, plus Hotel Potaissa
Reviews
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