Vacation in Bihor
This north-western area of the country is a great destination all year long.
Daniel Onea, 29.01.2015, 13:11
As you set off from Oradea, a city with a rich history and 77 buildings with monument status, you should take as your destination Baile Felix, one of the most famous in the country, then head for the mountain resorts. This north-western area of the country is a great destination all year long.
We spoke with Adrian Dubere, head of the Bihor National Tourist Information and Promotion Center. He told us that in Oradea, the seat of Bihor County, you can admire one of the biggest Roman Catholic cathedrals in Eastern Europe, which is at the same time the largest Baroque ensemble in Romania. Construction there started in 1752. No less famous is the organ of the church, a gift bestowed by Empress of Austria Maria Theresa, also installed in the 1780s.
Adrian Dubere: “We have a great many tourist venues in Oradea: the fortifications, which are undergoing restoration as we speak, historic buildings with art nouveau architecture, and so on. Close to the city we have Baile Felix, a very attractive spa. The fortifications in Oradea are pentagonal, and are around 800 years old. You can see the fortification’s church and the old horse paddocks. It is being renovated, and you can only visit one of the inner courtyards.”
As the fortification was being restored, workers uncovered a medieval kitchen in almost perfect state. They found the ovens, the brick constructions that supported the tables, a 400 year-old sink, and the pantry. It will soon be included in the tourist circuit. Bogdan Pater, a Bihor county councilman, recommends Oradea across the board:
Bogdan Pater: “Oradea is a multicultural city. All religions are represented. It is a great destination for lovers of culture and history tourism, with its fortification, the monuments in the city or around it. It is also a great place for nightlife. We restored the entire area around the Black Eagle passageway, with loads of clubs and pubs. Early in autumn we have the Oradea Autumn Festival and the International Short Theater Festival of Oradea. Then, on 12 October, we celebrate the Days of the City.”
Baile Felix spa, one of the best known in the country, is hard to turn down, according to Adrian Iohas, who owns a travel agency. It can accommodate nearly 6,000 tourists in modern facilities, outdoor and indoor pools fueled by hot springs, with themperatures ranging between 43 and 49 degrees Celsius. Here is Adrian Iohas with more details on the region:
Adrian Iohas: “Bihor is great for all kinds of tourism. We have loads of historical monuments in Oradea and in every town. At Vadul Crisului we have the tradition of white pottery, which is very old. In the Beius area we have ancient folklore traditions. In Rosia we have a watermill unique in Europe. The karst area is extraordinary, with 300 caves in Vadul Crisului alone, of which only three are open to the regular public, the rest are only accessible with special gear.”
If what you wish is to spend a vacation in an isolated mountain area, in a century-old house, but one with all the modern comforts, Bihor is the place for you. Viorel Lascu, a speleologist, is now a business owner in the Padurea Craiului mountains, partnering with his son. He runs an original tourism project. Tourists who stay at his place don’t have Internet access, and have to cut their own firewood. Don’t count on mobile coverage either. It costs about 10 Euro to stay there for the night.
Viorel Lascu: “This is a project aimed directly at the rebirth of the Romanian village, and stems from a passion I shared with my investors: speleology. In the 1980s I was exploring the Padurea Craiului Mountains, the Rosia area, a few of the large caves, some famous for their Stone Age relics. That is where we found the oldest traces of human habitation in Romania. Aside from the incredible scenery, we were impressed by the thatched roof houses with adobe hearths one or two centuries old. We started renovating them as they were in the olden days, beginning with one particular house, 200 years old, flanked by two cherry trees older than the house itself. We restored the houses just as in the old days, with the respective furnishings, but adapted to modern needs, with zero impact on their aspect. We have running water, we have heating, cooking utensils. As my training is in speleology, I set up a school with a few friends. We have expert guides who speak English, French, Hungarian, even Norwegian. They can teach someone who’s never even seen a real cave to navigate the wild places in the area, at any level of difficulty.”
Among the activities you can find there are also horse riding and archery. Or you can visit the workshop of a craftsman. Bihor is also famous for the Stroviola, or Romanian horn violin, which is only used in this area, and for the design of its dowry chests. You may want to pick up a souvenir, because you’ll regret leaving this great place, Bihor.
