Mureş County Destinations, Transylvania

The Mureş County lies in the central-northern part of Romania, in eastern Transylvania and it’s crossed by the Mureş river the most important water course in Transylvania, whose name it bears. On its banks there is a wealth of rural and urban settlements, thick forests, gardens, orchards and vineyards, staple food cultures and vegetable gardens.

The access in the area is facilitated by the existence of the Targu-Mures Vidrasau International Airport. Located in a privileged geo strategic position in Europe area as well as in Romania, Targu-Mures Airport provides services on an area 24,500 square kilometers with a number of 2.6 million inhabitants. That’s why the Board of Targu-Mures Airport started the preparative for new flights in 2004 to the following connections: Bucharest charter (daily); Helsinki charter (weekly); Copenhaga regular charter (weekly); Budapest (weekly). In preparation connection flights to Prague (regular), Frankfurt/Hahn (low cost), Rome (low cost) and Nurenberg/Dusseldorff. For more info you can contact www.targumuresairport.ro.
A network of roads and railways facilitate the access to the Mureş and Târnavas leisure areas, to the Sovata spa, to the fortress of Sighişoara (“pearl of the Tarnavas”, the place where the real Dracula, Vlad “The Empaler” was born, the only inhabited fortress in Europe, part of the UNESCO patrimony) and to several agrotourism places.
Several types of tourism can be practiced here; there is a great potential: both urban and rural tourism, spa tourism, eco-tourism adventure tourism, scientific tourism. The multitude of castles, churches, villages gives you the opportunity to witness architectural monuments of different cultures (Romanian, Hungarian, Saxon, Gipsy), styles and periods. Such styles as Transylvanian Gothic, late Baroque, Neoclassical, Secession or mixed are represented here. A special place in the Mureş area was held by the wooden churches erected in villages by Romanian peasant craftsmen, characterized by ingenious construction, harmony, balance and perfect integration into the surrounding landscape. The village, here, like nowhere else in Europe, has kept it’s authentic character and not seldom you can spot sheep herds led by shepherds in thick traditional woollen clothes and you can drink the clear and freshwater from a sweep well just like centuries ago. Secular buildings were erected during the Middle Ages as residences for the nobility; in modern times they were meant to emphasize the achievements of rich bourgeoisie but also served public service, educational and socio-cultural purposes.
Cultural Tourism
If you are interested in urban tourism don’t miss the town of Tîrgu-Mureş- the capital of the Mureş County, Reghin- the town of violins, Sighişoara- the museum town, Târnăveni- town of the wines.

Tîrgu-Mureş
The Administrative Palace and The Palace of Culture, built in Secession Style are the most important landmarks of the town. The Administrative Palace was finished in the year 1907 and the Palace in 1913. The two buildings impress the eye with both exterior and interior decorations: the polychromous tiles of the roof, Majolica adornments, monumental mosaic, bronze bas-reliefs, stone adornments and stucco works, frescoes, stained-glass windows, golden paintings. For a century the clock of the Town Council has been measuring the time of the town. The arrow of the Clock Tower rises 60 metres above the ground and gives an impressive overview of the city. In front of the building you can see the Monument of Latinity – “Lupa Capitolina”. The Palace of Culture hosts important cultural-artistic institutions: the County Library, the History Museum, the Art Museum, the Philharmonic. The Concert Hall organ features 4463 pipes and 63 registers; it is one of the biggest in Central-Eastern Europe. An impressive hall of 45 metres long, was exuberantly decorated and mirrors on both sides make the room seem even longer. The so-called Hall of Mirrors with Venetian mirrors, stained glass windows with folk-inspired themes and luxury furniture, holds important receptions. Arts and crafts joined hands to confer a unique value upon the Palace of Culture in Tirgu-Mures.
Another building of the administrative centre is the Town Hall, built in a Neobrancovan style in the year 1940.
The Telekiana Library was established by Count Teleki Samuel, chancellor of Transylvania, a bibliophile of continental reputation. The baroque building was specifically conceived as a library, having as its emblem the bird of wisdom – the owl. The initial book-stock consisted of more than 40,000 rare and valuable books purchased from 24 European printing centres.
The Tîrgu-Mureş Fortress, begun at the end of the XVth century and completed between 1605-1656 under the command of judge Borsos Tamas , is an area of history, culture and leisure for the inhabitants of the town. The fortress has 7 bastions united by fortified walls that form a great interior yard where we can find the Protestant Church and the Army Buildings. 5 of the 7 towers bear the names of that guilds that, according to tradition, supported their architecture. The whole establishment bears the mark of the late Renaissance.
The fortress became a space where many cultural manifestations take place, like “The Tîrgu-Mureş Days”, “The Beer Festival”, “The Festival of Wine”, ‘The Kids Town” and so on. There is also an art gallery inside the fortress and weekly theatre performances take place as well.
In the Greek - Catholic Small Cathedral, built between 1934-1936, according to a plan similar to that of the San Pietro Basilica in Rome, we can admire decorations putting together Christian iconic traditions of Eastern and Western Europe. Standing next to each other, the Great Orthodox Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Church, put on display shapes inspired by Byzantine and Roman artistic traditions. Don’t miss out on the wooden place of worship in the traditional Transylvanian style erected in the Heroes Park.
In the heart of the town there is an alternation of Neoclassical, Secession, Baroc styles of architecture, while in the Roses Square we can relax among rows of beautiful flowers and admire the floral clock in its very centre, a clock that never fails to show the exact time.

Reghin
“The Town upon the hill” or “The Town of Violins” is located on the Mureş river at a distance of 32 km from the county residence, Tîrgu-Mureş. It is a settlement documentarily mentioned since 1228, Saxon burg during the Middle Ages, centre of struggle for national emancipation of Mureş Romanians in modern times, municipality since 1994. The emblems of the town are the Saxon Church, built in 1330 in Transylvanian Gothic, and the “pyramid of violins”, a statue recalling a craft that makes the town famous: violin making.
The buildings from the centre of the town were built between 1850-1910 in neo-baroque, neo-classical, eclectic and secessionist styles. They carry a large variety of ornaments on their facades and frontispieces. The tourist potential of the town is increased by the location, at only 6 km from the town, of the salt pools at Ideciu and Jabeniţa, lesser known worldwide but great spa centres.
The Gurghiului Valley villages, which can be accessed from Reghin, is one of the “reservations”of folk attire and old Romanian traditions, where peasant wooden houses can still be seen, mills and other traditional water-driven devices, village smithies – farrieries, as well as paraphernalia (cauldrons) used for brandy distillation. For more than 125 years, the highly mineralized brackish waters at Jabeniţa (previously mentioned), have had beneficial curing properties.

Târnăveni
In old documents, the Târnave Hills have been called “Weinland”, that is “Wine Country”. On the Târnave Valleys several settlements preserve traces of the centuries long Saxon presence. In the village of Băgaciu there are good conditions and offers for rural tourism.
There are also a couple of very interesting and beautiful castles and fortresses in the Mureş county, some of which not so famous worldwide but real pearls of culture.
The world famous town of Sighişoara which I already mentioned. According to local traditions and medieval chroniclers the first Saxons settled down here between 1191 and 1198. After the Tatar – Mongolian invasion, in the year 1241, the Fortress Hill was surrounded by a strong wall, which, by the end of the Middle Ages was protecting a small town with over 160 houses and 13 public buildings. This fortress imposed her as one of the „Seven Fortresses”of medieval Transylvania. The fortress had 14 towers of which 9 have survived time, keeping the name of the guilds they previously housed. The Clock Tower is the most remarkable one, the pride and the symbol of the town. Erected during the XIIIth – XIVth centuries and named initially „The Great Tower of he Gate”, is was gifted with a primitive clock at the beginning of the XVIIth century, replaced in 1648 with a clock „like no other in Transylvania” at that time. This clock could show the time and also put into motion a couple of wooden figures representing pagan gods which personified the days of the week: Diana, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the Sun.

Saschiz
At the end of the XVth century the Fortified Evanghelic Church was erected in Gothic style in the northern part of the central square of the town. The tower of the church resembles visibly the Clock Tower from the Sighisoara Fortress; in the grave yard we can find inscriptions that date back hundreds of years (1572, 1677). At approximately 1 km from the village, on top of a 500m high hill, lies touched by the passing of centuries, the Saxon Fortress. Its building started in the XIVth century. The walls which measure a height of 7-9 m and the 6 towers had the purpose of defending the population of Saschiz and the surrounding villages in times of war. In the fortress there is a 50m deep well which leads to the center of the village.
Criş - Bethlen Castle
Criş village was established in the year 1305 under the name of Kreish. Here lived a very strong Saxon comunity and the fame of the village was built around the XIV – XVII th century Bethlen Castle whose beauty is impressive. In the year 1996 works of restoration started.

Spa Tourism
Sovata
Indicated for gynaecological treatments, rheumatic diseases, post-traumatic, neurological, endocrine, cardio-vascular, dermatological (psoriasis). There are treatments with salty water in tub, in swimming pool or in the Ursu Lake, mud treatments, thermotherapy, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy through electrotherapy, phototherapy, therapy massage and gymnastics. You can find accommodation in hotels and modern villas.

Sângeorgiu de Mureş
The high content of minerals (iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium and nitrogen) offers the water special therapeutic qualities. These waters have the highest content of iodine from Transylvania, this being the key of longevity. The salty waters have remarkable effects in the treatment of rheumatism, post-traumatic states, neurological diseases, children’s diseases.
There are a few more spa tourism possibilities in Mures County, such as:
Jabeniţa known for its salty mud
Ideciu de Jos known for its mineral waters and mud
Stânceni known for its mineral waters rich in Chlorine, Sodium, Potassium, Iodine, Bromine

Adventure Tourism

Paragliding - Ogra
Accessibility: Auto access to the base of the slope which is located at a distance of approximately 1 km from the village of Ogra (situated on the Tirgu-Mures – Cluj-Napoca road at approximately 20 km from Tirgu-Mures)
Comments: The flying place is a slope of 100 m visible from the road on the other side of the Mureş River. The take off space is accessible also to beginners and the landing space is also quite large.
- Ernei
Accessibility: Auto access to the base of the slope. With a 4×4 you can climb to the take off place. The slope is located at approx. 500 m from the village of Ernei (on the Tîrgu-Mureş – Reghin road, 12 km from Tîrgu-Mureş)
Comments: It is one of the best flying spaces frequented by the gliders of Tîrgu-Mureş
- Deda Bistra
Accessibility: Auto access to the base of the slope, approx. 2 km from Deda-Bistra village, located on the Tîrgu-Mureş-Topliţa road, 60 km from Tîrgu-Mureş. The take off place can be accessed only by foot.
Comments: It is one of the most picturesque flying places in the county, being located in the vicinity of the Călimani Mountains. During the summer season, due to the mountain breeze, there is a front wind all the time.

Ice climbing
Cascades of ice of approximately 10m- 25m develop every year on the Mureş Valley, between the villages of Topliţa and Lunca Bradului. This makes a good training space for advanced as well as for beginners. The area can be accessed by car or by train (Lunca Bradului station). The ice walls are located near the road and they are visible from there.

Ski Tour
During the winter all the trails are closed in the Călimani Mountains, but you can practice ski tours, this being recommended only for experienced mountain climbers with a very good physical condition You can chose your way on a snow covered forest road, not circulated in the winter, or on a marked mountain trail. But because of the long distances we also recommend that you go accompanied by a guide who knows the area very well. Any tourist who wants to visit the area can make appeal to the services of the Mountain Rescuers Team or the National Park Rangers.
Here are some trails recommended by mountain rescuers:

Călimani Mountains

-Deda-Bistra (500m)- Scaunul Domnului Peak (1380m)- Steji Glade (1300m)- Compii Glade (1300m)- Vişei Valley- Răstoliţa (550m)
Duration of trail: 1 day
Trail mark: blue band intersected by red spot (Steji Glade)

-Lunca Bradului (600m)- Fantanii Valley- Fantanele Glade (Obcina Ferigelor- 1100m)- Lunca Bradului
Duration: 5 hrs
Trail mark: yellow band

Gurghiu Mountains:

-Rastolita (550m)- Borta Glade (1100m)- Belciu Glade (1100m)- Iod Glade (1300m)- Rusului Glade (1200m)- Iodului Valley- Rastolita
Duration: one day
Trail mark: yellow dot, intersected with blue band in the Borta Glade

-Sovata ski slope- Sebesului Valley- Saca Mare Peak (1777m)- Sovata ski slope
Duration: one day

Back Country Skiing
It can be practised on the valleys and glades on both sides of the Mures Valley. The access is on foot, there is no lifting equipment. For whoever wants a wilder experience they can climb up to the meteorological station in the Calimani Mountains (Retitis Peak 2050m) and they can try the northern faces of these mountains for much longer descents, 500m difference of level.

Mountain Biking
The many country roads and picturesque valleys, hills and quaint villages scattered around the county enable us to do many nice biking tours. Often you can combine a biking tour with rural and cultural tourism in search of old churches and houses of the county.
Also for a wilder adventure, if you are physically fit, you may try biking in the mountains. Here are some of the most popular biking trails:

Gurghiu Mountains:

1. Iod- Iod Valley- Iod Glade- Tiba Mare- Salard- Lunca Bradului
2. Reghin- Gurghiului Valley- Glajerie- Iod Glade- Iod Valley- Rastolita
3. Deda- Falea- Iod Glade- Iod Valley- Rastolita
4. Campul Cetatii- Tigla Glade- Campul Cetatii

Calimani Mountains

1. Toplita- Retitis- Meteo- Ilvei Valley- Lunca Bradului
2. Lunca Bradului- Fantanel Valley- Fantanel Glade- Androneasa Stream- Lunca Bradului

Kayaking
In Mureş County kayaking and canoeing are seasonal sports. They can be practiced on the upper stream of the Mures Valley (between Stanceni and Deda, on a length of 35 km, with a gradient of difficulty up to 2) generally in April, May until mid-June because the rest of the year the waters on the river recede.

Horseback Riding
For horseback riding adventures there is a small horse breeding ranch in the heart of the Calimani Mountains. The geographic location of the ranch gives it a unique position in Transylvania, on the upper stream of the Mures River, at about 80 km from Tirgu-Mures, at approximately 750 m above sea level. More than a dozen beautiful horses, well trained and equipped, a very professional team, a beautiful and highly comfortable chalet located right next to the horse ranch and equipped with modern facilities are waiting for your visit. Depending on the weather conditions and the tourists' options, the horseback riding trips will consist of adventurous 15 to 30 km riding on mountain paths daily, having picnics in the forest and campfire dinners and enjoying traditional meals in peasants' homes or picturesque lodges.

Horseback Riding Routes:
From Lunca Bradului to the Gurghiu Valley: 6 day trips
This horseback riding route passes through one of the most famous hunting areas in the Carpathians. So much so that this forests were the favourite hunting ground of the Romanian Royal Family, the Royal House of the Habsburgs and even of Ceausescu - the former communist leader of Romania. They all used to set up their headquarters at a very picturesque hunting castle in Lapusna.
Local routes in the Lunca Bradului neighbourhood: 1 day trips

The schedule consists of about 6 to 8 hours of horseback riding daily, along star shaped trails, beginning and ending at the lodge in Lunca Bradului. The routes provide the opportunity to visit several sheepfolds, hunting observatories and the former Arpad defence line built by the Germans during World War II. There are some additional options included, like visits by car to the Bicaz Straits, Lacul Rosu (the Red Lake) and the Toplita monastery.

Off-road adventures: motorcycling, quad & 4×4
There are off-road activities in Mureş County. There are groups (such as Landy Transylvania whose head office is in Tirgu-Mures) which try to include the beautiful and amazing Romanian woods and highlands into the circuit of European off-road tracks. This country, unfailing of natural and cultural values proves to be an excellent location for those enjoying outdoor adventures. Thanks to the dynamic economical and infrastructural developments of this region in the past years it offers a high quality and unique location for organising corporate events. There are also opportunities for motocross and quad-riding in the forests or on specially arranged fields (like the one near Reghin).

Scientific Tourism

Cave tourism and tourism in protected areas

In the Călimani and Gurghiu Mountains there are the so-called ‘moulding caves’, which are tubular, unique in Europe, but unfortunately not very visited because they lack cave formations and they are not very deep. On both sides of the Mures Valley, between Deda and Toplita there are over 100 of these small caves or grottos. Just to quote some of them: in Rastolita (T1, T2, T3), Androneasa (Casoaia lui Lados), Stanceni, Salard.
On the Sebes Valley there is another small cave called The Cave of Lakes. In Sarateni there is a cave in grit stone and in Sovata there are caves in salt, near the Ursu Lake.

In Mureş County there protected areas and natural reserves which present a scientific interest as well. Such is the Calimani National Park, the most picturesque natural area of the county, and one of the most beautiful in Romania.

The Călimani Mountain is a volcanic one and its extinguished crater has a diameter of 10 km. Up to an altitude of 2000m we encounter rich vegetation represented by juniper trees, spruce-fir, and mountain peony. There is a Juniper-tree Reserve, which besides the beautiful scenery represents a unique habitat in Europe.

The “12 Apostles” Reserve comprises anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures of cemented lava sculpted by natural factors in the course of time. There are mountain trails leading up the mountain but it is recommended that you contact the Mures Mountain Rescuers Team .

The Steppe Peony Reserve from Zau de Câmpie attracts tourists during the blossoming period, in the month of May.
The not so known mud volcanoes from Deleni present a geological interest.

The Scaunul Domnului Peak (1380 m), meaning “God’s Chair”, in direct translation is a very popular destination for hikers, with a really nice panorama towards 3 different river valleys from the top. The trail starts from the village of Deda-Bistra on the Mureş Valley, 55 km away from the town of Tîrgu-Mureş.