Scenic roads

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.