Românești Cave
About Românești Cave
Românești Cave lies south-east of the village of Românești, in Tomești commune, in the Poiana Ruscă Mountains, on the side of a wooded limestone valley. Its passages add up to some 1,450 m on three levels: the upper and middle ones are fossil, while the lower one, reached by groundwater, can only be explored by cavers with equipment. The first speleological research was carried out in 1872, and archaeological digs brought to light cave bear bones and traces of a Neolithic settlement (a grain store, pottery and a hearth), now kept at the Banat Museum in Timișoara.
The entrance, facing north-north-west, is 9.5 m wide and 2 m high and lets daylight reach about 70 m inside, with walls greened by algae. Further in, the nearly straight main gallery widens into halls where fault lines cross. The largest of them, the Bat Hall, is cut into tectonic breccia, a rare case among Romanian caves, and is home to a permanent bat colony.
What you can see
The visitable section, about 340 m long, runs through the wide entrance gallery and the halls beyond, with a floor shaped by water into small gullies and pools. Corrosion hieroglyphs mark the walls, and speleothems are few: thin tubular stalactites like macaroni, wall flowstones, cave pearls, stalagmites and a 7 m column. In the Concert Hall, the acoustics have made the cave well known.
Good to know
Since 1984 the Speotimiș Speleological Association has organised concerts in the cave every year, usually in autumn, from classical music and jazz to rock and electronic music. The largest audience was around 2,000 people. It is cool inside all year round, and the floor covered in guano becomes damp and slippery.
Information verified on 31 October 2026.
- The 9.5 m wide entrance, through which daylight reaches about 70 m into the cave.
- The Bat Hall, cut into tectonic breccia and home to a permanent bat colony.
- The Concert Hall, with its acoustics, where music has been played since 1984.
- The 7 m column in the main gallery, cracked by the movement of the floor.
- The corrosion hieroglyphs and the macaroni-thin stalactites on the walls.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Timișoara ~100 km (~1 h 15 min), from Lugoj ~48 km (~1 h) and from Făget ~19 km (~20 minutes). Take the DN 68A and at Coșava turn onto the road to Românești, from where the cave is reached on foot: a path marked with a yellow cross leaves the village by the cemetery and climbs to the cave in about an hour's walk.
- Rules
The cave is undeveloped: a hard hat, warm clothing under overalls and a torch are useful, because daylight only reaches the first few metres. Do not disturb the bats, leave no litter and light no fires.
- Facilities
Undeveloped cave, no facilities
Frequently asked questions about Românești Cave
How long does a visit to Românești Cave take?
A visit to Românești Cave takes about 2 – 2½ hours (including the walk from the village).
How do I get to Românești Cave?
Românești Cave is located at South-east of the village of Românești (Tomești commune), along a road and a path that start in the village, Românești, Timiș County. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit Românești Cave?
The best season for Românești Cave: All year round (cool inside all year).
Reviews
Other attractions nearby
The closest attractions to Românești Cave, sorted by distance.
18 km from Românești Cave
21 km from Românești Cave
34 km from Românești Cave
