# Durău

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Moldavia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/moldova) › [Neamț County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/neamt) › [Durău](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/durau)

> A mountain resort at ~800 m on the north-western slope of Ceahlău: the starting point for Dochia Chalet, a monastery painted by Tonitza and a ski and sledding run at the foot of the mountain.

**At a glance:** Ski slopes in Durău, Neamț County. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 2½ – 3 hours. Information verified on 29 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily open 24 hours — The resort can be entered freely all year. The ski and sledding run usually operates from mid-December to late March, with artificial snow as well as natural; in summer the amusement park is open. The trails to Dochia Chalet can also be walked in winter, depending on weather and snow.
- **Ticket:** Free — park fee: 10 lei/week
- **Visit duration:** 2½ – 3 hours — stroll; hike: a full day
- **With kids:** Yes — sledding, playground
- **Parking:** Yes, free — in the centre, by the hotels
- **Best season:** All year round — skiing in winter, hiking in summer
- **Address:** Stațiunea Durău, în centru, lângă mănăstire, Durău, Neamț County
- **Coordinates:** 46.998, 25.922
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dur%C4%83u
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5316840
- **Categories:** [Ski slopes](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ski-slopes), [Mountains and trails](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/mountains-and-trails), [Resorts and thermal baths](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/resorts-and-thermal-baths)

## About Durău

Durău is a mountain resort in Ceahlău commune, at 780–800 m, in a clearing on the north-western slope of the Ceahlău massif. It is home to the administration of Ceahlău National Park and the Salvamont mountain rescue base, and the marked trails to the mountain's plateau start from the edge of the settlement. From the clearing you can see the steep rocks of Ceahlău above the spruce forest.

The settlement grew up around Durău Monastery, whose community of nuns is documented from 1779; tradition places the beginnings of the hermitage in 1600. The present church, dedicated to the Annunciation, was built in 1832–1835 and painted in 1936–1937 by Nicolae Tonitza and his students. Hotels, guesthouses and villas then appeared around the monastery, and Durău became a mountain climatic resort, open all year.

### What you can see

The monastery is right in the centre: a triconch church with three wooden turrets, a carved and gilded iconostasis and a stone bell tower from 1835. From the resort the red-stripe trail climbs to Dochia Chalet, via Fântânele Chalet, Cușma Dorobanțului and the Meteo Chalet (7.3 km, 1,180 m of elevation gain, 3–3.5 hours going up), and the red-cross trail passes the Duruitoarea waterfall.

At the foot of the mountain is the Durău Park ski and sledding run, 406 m long with a 35 m drop, with a double drag lift and a separate lift for beginners. In summer the same place is an amusement park, with tubing, a summer toboggan, a drag lift, playgrounds and cycling trails.

### Good to know

Entry to the park is only allowed with the visitor fee paid and only on marked trails. In winter the road section from Izvorul Muntelui may be closed, and the climb to the plateau depends on snow and weather; the stretch from Duruitoarea to Dochia Chalet is not recommended in winter.

## Don't miss

- The climb to Dochia Chalet on the red-stripe trail, 7.3 km via Fântânele and Cușma Dorobanțului.
- The Duruitoarea waterfall, about two hours on foot on the red-cross trail.
- The monastery church, painted by Nicolae Tonitza in 1936–1937.
- The rocks of Ceahlău seen from the clearings above the resort.
- The ski and sledding run in winter or the amusement park in summer.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** Durău is in Ceahlău commune, ~60 km from Piatra Neamț (about 1 h 30): via Bicaz and then along the DJ 155F axial road, through Izvorul Muntelui; in winter the Izvorul Muntelui – Durău stretch may be closed. Otherwise, from Bicaz follow the DN15 along Lake Izvorul Muntelui to Ceahlău commune, from where a road climbs to Durău. From Târgu Neamț it is ~63 km, via Poiana Largului; from Bicaz, ~34 km on the axial road.

**Public transport:** buses and minibuses run from Piatra Neamț to Ceahlău commune and Durău; the timetable changes from year to year, so check it beforehand. The nearest railway stations are Bicaz and Piatra Neamț.

### Where to park

Parking is in the centre of the resort and around the hotels and guesthouses, generally free. At summer weekends and around the pilgrimage of 6 August the spaces fill up quickly, so come in the morning. You cannot drive any higher than the resort.

### Fees & discounts

Entry to the resort is free. Entering Ceahlău National Park requires the visitor fee (2026 rates): adults 10 lei per person per week; children, pupils, students and pensioners 5 lei per week; the annual pass costs 80 lei for adults and 40 lei for children, pupils, students and pensioners. The fee is paid in cash at the point in Durău, or online or by SMS using the QR codes on the park's signs. The ski run and the amusement park are paid separately, at the operator.

### Rules

Entry to the park is only allowed with the fee paid, and only on marked trails. Dogs must be kept on a lead; do not light fires or leave rubbish, and camping is allowed only at designated sites. For the mountain trails bring boots, water and a rain jacket; there are bears in the area. At the monastery, dress modestly and keep quiet during services.

### Facilities

Hotels, guesthouses and chalets · restaurants and shops · park administration office and fee point · Salvamont base · ski and sledding run, amusement park in summer · monastery in the centre

## Details

- **Trail marking:** red stripe, red cross
- **Mountain range:** Ceahlău
- **Night skiing:** Yes

## Frequently asked questions about Durău

**How much is a ticket to Durău?**

Admission to Durău is free (park fee: 10 lei/week). More under “Fees & discounts”.

**What are the opening hours of Durău?**

Opening hours at Durău: daily open 24 hours. More under “Opening hours”.

**How long does a visit to Durău take?**

A visit to Durău takes about 2½ – 3 hours (stroll; hike: a full day).

**Can you visit Durău with kids?**

Yes, Durău is suitable for children (sledding, playground).

**Where can I park at Durău?**

There is free parking at Durău (in the centre, by the hotels). More under “Where to park”.

**How do I get to Durău?**

Durău is located at Stațiunea Durău, în centru, lângă mănăstire, Durău, Neamț County. More under “Getting there”.

**When is the best time to visit Durău?**

The best season for Durău: All year round (skiing in winter, hiking in summer).

## Nearby attractions

- [Duruitoarea Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/duruitoarea-waterfall) — Waterfalls · Durău, NT · 10 lei · 3½ – 4 hours · 4 km
  A 25 m, two-tier waterfall on the Rupturi stream, in the forests below Toaca peak in Ceahlău National Park; reached on foot from the Durău resort in about two hours.
- [Ceahlău Massif](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ceahlau-massif) — Mountains and trails · Durău, NT · 10 lei · 7½ – 8 hours · Top 100 · 4 km
  The “holy mountain” of Moldavia, with the Ocolașul Mare (1,907 m) and Toaca (1,904 m) peaks, legendary rocks, the Dochia Chalet and marked trails from Durău and Izvorul Muntelui, in the Ceahlău National Park.
- [Lake Izvorul Muntelui](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/lake-izvorul-muntelui) — Lakes · Bicaz, NT · Free · 1½ – 2 hours · Top 100 · 20 km
  Better known as Lake Bicaz, it is the largest reservoir on Romania's inland rivers: 35 km of water on the Bistrița, below Mount Ceahlău, held back by a 127 m dam.
- [Bicaz Gorge](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/bicaz-gorge) — Gorges and canyons · Bicaz-Chei, NT · Free · ½ – 1 hours · Top 100 · 29 km
  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.
- [Lake Cuejdel](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/lake-cuejdel) — Lakes · Gârcina, NT · Free · 2 – 2½ hours · 29 km
  Romania's largest natural dam lake, formed by landslides between 1978 and 1991 in the Stânișoarei Mountains, with bare spruce trunks rising out of the water; reached on foot through the forest.
- [Red Lake](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/red-lake) — Lakes · Lacu Roșu, HR · Free · 1½ – 2 hours · Top 100 · 33 km
  A natural dam lake formed in 1837, when a mountainside blocked the Bicaz valley; the trunks of the drowned forest still rise from the water, at the upper end of the Bicaz Gorge.

## Featured in the guides

- [Ski slopes in Romania: the ski resorts and ski areas by region, with a map](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/ski-resorts-in-romania) — 46 ski resorts and ski areas in Romania by region: Poiana Brașov, Sinaia, Straja, Transalpina, Rânca, Cavnic. Km of slopes, lifts, night skiing, map.
- [When the ski slopes open and where the snow comes first: the ski season in Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/ski-season-in-romania) — Romania's slopes open from late November (Arena Platoș: 28 November 2026) to January and close in March–April. Where the snow comes first.
- [The nearest ski slopes to Bucharest, Cluj, Brașov, Sibiu, Iași, Timișoara and Oradea: distances for a day of skiing](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/ski-slopes-near-bucharest-cluj-brasov) — Feleacu is 10 km from Cluj, Poiana Brașov 12 km from Brașov, Păltiniș 32 km from Sibiu, Sinaia 140 km from Bucharest. Distances and times for 12 cities.

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Last updated: 29 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania