Baile Tusnad and Its Surroundings

Today we are headed to Baile Tusnad, in the heart of Transylvania

Daniel Onea, 02.12.2020, 13:00

Today we are headed to Transylvania, and we will be stopping in the Ciuc depression, in Harghita County, in Baile Tusnad. According to the latest census, it is the town with the smallest population in Romania. At the same time, it is the perfect vacation destination. Here you will find the only volcanic lake in Southeastern Europe, hundreds of mineral springs, bear watching stations, fortified churches with ornate wooden doors, but also many options for active recreation. The natural richness of the resort and its mineral-rich thermal waters, the climate and the scenery are only a few of the means to treat all kinds of health conditions, such as heart, digestive, motor, and endocrine conditions.

Situated in Harghita County, in the heart of Romania, the resort is referred to as Little Switzerland, according to Attila Pilbath, the manager of this ecotourism destination:

“In the Baile Tusnad resort, the center of the destination, I would recommend the scenery and its protected areas, the very reason for which we decided to certify the destination as an ecotourism spot. Here we have St. Ana lake, the only volcanic lake in Southeastern Europe. Also here you can find many endemic plants, some of them carnivorous, which attract a lot of tourists. We also have thematic trails, and the waters and therapeutic inhalations are a strong suit of the area. Even though the resort town of Baile Herculane spa is the smallest in Romania, it has lots of accommodation and entertainment venues. I would mention the meso-thermal pool, which was refurbished and recently restored to the tourist circuit, using European investments. Right now it stands at international standards. Nearby we have the Tinovul Mohos nature reserve. We have a thematic trail going there from the resort. Baile Tusnad is also famous for its large population of bears, which sometimes take a stroll on the outskirts. If you want to see them in their habitat, though, you can go to the bear watching stations, accompanied by a guide, of course.

In the center of the resort there is a beautiful Orthodox church which was built in 1939. You can also see there Apor Tower, built in 1883. It is at an altitude of 761 meters, but the bastion never had a strategic role, it is simply a belvedere point. Last but not least, the Tusnad ski slope is relatively new, and is recommended for beginners, as it has a low degree of difficulty. It is 500 m long, and has snow cannons and a ski lift. Here is Attile Pilbath, manager of the Baile Tusnad destination:

“We have a variety of activities in the resort area, like horse-drawn cart rides. In the summer you can take a ride like that to a picnic, and in winter you can take horse-drawn sleigh rides. We recommend an easy trail walk, one hour and a half to Lake St Ana. In the area, the locals, the Szekely, have preserved their traditions. We have traditional craftsmen in a local network that we promote. For instance, in the village of Tusnad, just 15 minutes away from the resort, we have a craftsman who restores traditional Szekely gates. They resemble the ones in Maramures, which are only sculpted, not painted as well. From dusk ’till dawn, he restores gates that are sometimes a century old. In that village there are four gates for the tourists to admire, with a guide to explain the symbols they carry.

The resort also has treatment bases, which provide warm mineral baths, paraffin wraps, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, medical gymnastics, and electrotherapy. Also, most of the accommodation units offer a diverse traditional menu. We asked manager Attila Pilbath about what tourists say after staying in the resort:

“We have questionnaires that we distributed among the 50 accommodation units in the area. The tourists took them, and, based on their opinions we can make improvements where necessary. These questionnaires can be filled online as well, and our web page already has over 15,000 visitors. This year was more complicated because of the healthcare situation, but based on previous results in the previous years, we can say that they tend to have positive opinions. The only complaints were about the presence of the bears. Tourists get scared, and don’t know how to react. However, we put up posters, banners, and made fliers all over the resort with instructions. Fortunately, we’ve never had a serious incident.

There are many events to attend in Baile Tusnad. Even though many have been canceled, the most eagerly awaited event may take place in late January. It is a special athletic event, which next year will be held under special conditions, if there will be enough show, and if the number of coronavirus infections will not be too high to warrant a local quarantine. It is called the Baile Tusnad Cup, and is a dog sled competition. This has been held since 2009, in a wonderful spot in the heart of snowy mountains. Here is Attila Pilbath once again:

“You should come to Baile Tusnad for the mineral waters, both for bathing and for drinking, as well as for the activities we offer: bear watching, horse-drawn cart trips, tandem paragliding, cultural tours, rafting, kayaking on Olt River, riding lessons, guided nature tours, observing the local flora and fauna. We have a complete offer, on top of the relaxing atmosphere in Baile Tusnad.

If we managed to be persuasive enough, you can now download the Android app called Visit Tusnad. It is available in four languages, and it covers all the tourist offers in the area.