Vacation in Rasnov

Today we are heading towards the center of Romania

Daniel Onea, 08.11.2023, 19:27

Today we are heading towards the center of Romania. Here, at the foot of the mountains, we discover a tourist resort of national interest: Râșnov. Almost 700 years old, the settlement has a rich history, but also tourist attractions for the whole family and for all tastes.

Râșnov is wooded. Everywhere you look, you can see the forest, and the fresh air invites you to hikes or sports activities of lesser or greater difficulty. At the same time, the hotels and guesthouses are very welcoming, and the gastronomic offer is very large. Daniela Bonta, president of the Rosenau Tourism Association, says that Râșnov, through its tourist attractions, is a destination for the whole family.

“The most important objective is Râșnov Fortress, which is now under restoration, but the fortress courtyard can be visited. We have a multitude of festivals throughout the summer and fall, and the citadel courtyard is home to most of these festivals. Next is the Valea Cetății cave, which is 2.5 km from Râșnov and 7 km from Poiana Brașov. It is a unique tourist attraction in this area. Then tourists can visit the largest dinosaur theme park in South-Eastern Europe, as well as an open-air museum. The Old Romanian Church is also on the list of objectives. It is the oldest Orthodox church with elevation in the south-east of Transylvania. You can also visit the Evangelical Church in Râșnov. The age of the church is shown primarily by the architectural elements visible inside, and less by the inscribed documents that appear quite late, around 1384. Another attraction, this time a sporting venue, is the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, which hosts every year two World Cup stages for both boys and girls in February.”

From the city center, you can use an ecological and unique means of transport, an elevator on a slope. It connects the center of Râșnov with the fortress. Râșnov Citadel is today one of the most important medieval monuments in Romania, and is undergoing an extensive restoration process. It was started in February 2020, and it is estimated that the works will be completed in 2025, says Mihai Dragomir, president of the Mioritic Association, and member of the Rosenau Tourism Association.

“Râșnov Citadel is the main attraction of Râșnov at the moment. Thanks to archeological digs, we know that, since ancient times, the fortifications on the hill of the fortress protected a Dacian settlement. The first medieval fortress in Râșnov was built by the Saxon Teutonic Knights in the period 1211-1225, as long as the Crusader reign in the Land of Bursa lasted. Then, after the crusaders were expelled from the Land of Bursa, the wood and earth fortress was rebuilt into a stone one by the local community and evolved over the centuries, resisting Tatar sieges. This was a place of refuge for the Râșnov community until the 18th century. The current form of a fortified medieval market has been preserved ever since. Visitors can now enter the fortress garden, the lower area of the Râșnov Fortress, from where they can admire the fortifications and the Bathory Tower, and from the upper part, next to the barbican, you can see a very beautiful landscape over the Bucegi Mountains and the Postăvar Massif. Events at the Râșnov Citadel continued, because the vast majority of them were scheduled for the citadels garden, the area that is not affected by restoration works.”

In addition to being a destination for lovers of cultural events and history, Râșnov remains a destination for lovers of active tourism both through the offer of the city and its surroundings, says Daniela Bonta, president of the Rosenau Turism Association.

“About 5 km away, there is Cheile Râșnoavei, an ideal area for hiking and picnicking in the middle of nature. Here you can practice climbing, horse riding, bungee jumping, zipline, mountain biking. We also have the Sissi promenade. In 1879, a swimming school was built near the barracks of the cavalry regiment, and a promenade named Elisabeta was laid out. It is known today as Sissi Promenade, because it is closely related to Princess Sissi, but this is her story. As for hiking trails, we invite tourists on easier or slightly more difficult trails. We have 11 routes that leave from Râșnov and are of varying degrees of difficulty. At the same time, we boast 16 km of bike routes of varying degrees of difficulty, starting from easy, then medium, difficult, and very difficult. The bike routes are very well known by those who practice mountain biking. There are bicycle rental centers in Râșnov and in the immediate vicinity. At the same time, starting this year, we invited tourists to two free guided tours, held every Saturday, starting from spring and ending in autumn. One is to discover Râșnov, to find out the stories of the city, and, by alternation, the following Saturday we invite tourists to hikes in the middle of nature, to meet the silence. They will enjoy an authentic experience of discovering the sounds and colors of nature, disconnecting from the hectic life and reconnecting with the energy of the forest.”

Upon request and for a fee, tours can also be done in international languages. And this is just one of the tourism development projects in Râșnov, continues Daniela Bonta.

“Another would look at the ongoing development at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. These are bike paths, longboard, and the walking area. Another project would look at the fortress. When the rehabilitation of the citadel is finished, we will have a series of well-connected and well-structured tourist objectives, so that the tourists, when they set out on a sightseeing route, can mark all the objectives. At the same time, we are planning, and I hope to succeed very soon, to enhance the value of the historic center of the city of Râșnov through events that take place in the historic center and through an invitation to the terraces and restaurants of Râșnov, which are very well located, in the immediate vicinity of the forest. Tourists on terraces have a superb view of the fortress, the forest, and the landscape.”

Here, therefore, is a destination for the whole family, regardless of the season! With the hope that you will follow our invitation, we are waiting for you next time with offers from the Romanian Tourism Fair, the autumn edition.