# Scenic roads — tourist attractions in Romania [Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Categories](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/categories) > Spectacular roads over mountains and through gorges, worth driving for their own sake. The scenic roads of Romania are first of all pass roads: routes that climb over the Carpathians, sometimes above the treeline, and that you drive more for the view than to get somewhere. The two big ones, the Transfăgărășan and the Transalpina, are usually open only from June or July until October, depending on snow; the lower passes, through Maramureș, Bukovina or the Apuseni, are open all year. Add to these the gorge roads and the ones along the Danube. Check the road status before setting off and fill up in the valley. The [Transfăgărășan](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transfagarasan) crosses the Făgăraș via Bâlea, while the [Transalpina](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transalpina) climbs into the Parâng, via Rânca, to the highest altitude reached by any road in the country. For other regions: [Transrarău](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transrarau) in Bukovina, [Prislop Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-prislop) between Maramureș and Bukovina, [Transapuseana](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transapuseana) through the Apuseni and the [Danube Gorge Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumul-clisurii-dunarii) along the river, in the Banat. ## Tourist attractions 20 attractions - [Transalpina](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transalpina) — Scenic roads · Gorj County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 20 Romania's highest road: the DN67C climbs from Novaci over the Parâng Mountains to 2,145 m at the Urdele Pass and drops past Lake Oașa to Sebeș, 148 km above the clouds. - [Transfăgărășan](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transfagarasan) — Scenic roads · Argeș County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 20 The DN7C crosses the Făgăraș Mountains for 151 km, from the Vidraru dam up to the glacial Bâlea Lake at 2,042 m, then winds down in hairpin bends into Transylvania. - [Bicaz Gorge](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cheile-bicazului) — Gorges and canyons · Bicaz-Chei, NT · Free · ½ – 1 hours · Top 100 The best-known gorge in the Carpathians: the DN12C road runs between limestone walls over 300 m high, along the Bicaz river, between Lacu Roșu and Bicaz-Chei. - [Danube Gorge Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumul-clisurii-dunarii) — Scenic roads · Mehedinți County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 100 The DN57 runs about 100 km along the Danube from Orșova to Moldova Nouă, through the Great and Small Cauldrons, past the rock face of Decebalus, with Serbia on the far bank. - [Prislop Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-prislop) — Scenic roads · Maramureș County · Free · 1½ – 2 hours · Top 100 The highest pass in the Eastern Carpathians: the DN18 climbs from Borșa to 1,416 m between the Rodna and Maramureș Mountains and drops down the Golden Bistrița valley to Cârlibaba, from Maramureș into Bukovina. - [Transrarău](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transrarau) — Scenic roads · Suceava County · Free · 1½ – 2 hours · Top 100 A paved road over the Rarău Mountains between Pojorâta and Chiril, with 28 km of hairpins beneath the Pietrele Doamnei rocks and views over the mountains of Bukovina. - [Jiu Gorge](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/defileul-jiului) — Scenic roads · Gorj County · Free · Top 100 The 33 km gorge by which the Jiu crosses the Carpathians between Bumbești-Jiu and Livezeni: the DN66 follows the river through Defileul Jiului National Park, past Lainici Monastery. - [Gutâi Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-gutai) — Scenic roads · Maramureș County · Free · 1 – 1½ hours The pass where the DN18 climbs in hairpins from Baia Sprie to 987 m between the Igniș and Gutâi Mountains, then drops towards Mara and the Maramureș Land, an hour from Baia Mare. - [Lotru Valley Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/valea-lotrului) — Scenic roads · Vâlcea County · Free The DN7A climbs 108 km from Brezoi up the Lotru valley, through Voineasa and past Lake Vidra to Obârșia Lotrului, then crosses the Groapa Seacă Pass and drops through the Jieț Gorge to Petroșani. - [Olt Defile](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/defileul-oltului) — Scenic roads · Vâlcea County · Free · 1½ – 2 hours The 47 km gorge by which the Olt crosses the Carpathians: on the DN7, between Boița and Călimănești, the road follows the river past Cozia Monastery. A busy through route, not a leisure drive. - [Transbucegi](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transbucegi) — Scenic roads · Dâmbovița County · 10 lei · 2½ – 3 hours The DJ713 climbs from the DN71 near Sinaia over 16 km of tarmac to 1,925 m at Piatra Arsă: the only road that takes you by car onto the Bucegi plateau. - [Transsemenic](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transsemenic) — Scenic roads · Caraș-Severin County · Free · 2½ – 3 hours County road DJ582 crosses the Semenic Mountains for 58 km, from Reșița through Văliug and the Prislop Pass to Slatina-Timiș, past mountain lakes, pastures and the villages of Gărâna and Brebu Nou. - [Bratocea Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-bratocea) — Scenic roads · Brașov County · Free · ½ – 1 hours The pass where the DN1A crosses from the Teleajen valley into the Bârsa region at 1,263 m, below the Ciucaș Mountains: a mountain road between Cheia and Săcele and the trailhead for Ciucaș Peak. - [Cerna Valley Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumul-vaii-cernei) — Scenic roads · Caraș-Severin County · Free · 2½ – 3 hours The DN67D links Baia de Aramă to Băile Herculane in about 65 km: it climbs to the Arșasca saddle at ~900 m and drops down the Cerna Valley, between limestone walls, through Domogled–Valea Cernei National Park. - [Ciumârna Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-ciumarna) — Scenic roads · Suceava County · Free · ½ – 1 hours The ~1,100 m pass where the DN17A crosses the Obcina Mare ridge between Vatra Moldoviței and Sucevița, with hairpins through spruce forest, wide views over the Bukovina hills and the road builders' “Palm” monument. - [Rucăr–Bran Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/culoarul-rucar-bran) — Scenic roads · Brașov County · Free · 1 – 1½ hours The pass between Piatra Craiului and the Bucegi: the DN73 climbs from Rucăr onto the Fundata plateau, over the Giuvala Pass at about 1,260 m, and descends to Bran past hamlets scattered on the ridges. - [Tihuța Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-tihuta) — Scenic roads · Bistrița-Năsăud County · Free · 1½ – 2 hours The pass where the DN17 crosses from Transylvania into Bukovina at 1,201 m, between Bistrița and Vatra Dornei: spruce-dotted pastures, a 31 m cross and a hotel inspired by the Borgo Pass of “Dracula”. - [Transapuseana](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transapuseana) — Scenic roads · Alba County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours County road DJ107I, 78 km through the Trascău Mountains between Aiud and Bucium, near Abrud: villages scattered along the ridges, thatched houses and views from over 1,100 m. - [Transursoaia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transursoaia) — Scenic roads · Alba County · Free · 2½ – 3 hours National road DN1R, 80 km through the Apuseni Mountains between Huedin and Albac: past Lake Beliș-Fântânele, through the Moți villages and over the Ursoaia Pass, at about 1,320 m. - [Vârtop Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-vartop) — Scenic roads · Bihor County · Free The pass where the DN75 crosses the Bihor Mountains at 1,160 m, between Nucet and Arieșeni: the Vârtop holiday village, ski slopes and trails to Groapa Ruginoasă and Piatra Grăitoare. --- Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/drumuri-panoramice Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/drumuri-panoramice.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/drumuri-panoramice.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/drumuri-panoramice.md Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania