Poiana Brașov

Poiana Braşov

I, as many people, had the wrong idea that Poiana Braşov is a winter tourist destination and that there you can only ski and enjoy what snow and slopes have to offer. Totally wrong! Poiana Braşov has a much greater tourism potential and it is accessible for tourists every season. I have to admit that I got for the first time there during winter and the first memory I have about this place is obviously related to snow. The branches of the fir trees hung under the weight of a white immaculate snow. It seemed whiter than anywhere. The slopes swarmed with people. Everything was on the move and in alert. I was fascinated by this world that unfolded in front of me. I didn’t know how to ski, but it was enough to watch the skiers to know that I fell in love with that wonderful place.  

I thought that Poiana Braşov is a dead area during other seasons, but I was wrong again. I discovered many years later that the area can be visited in summer as well as in spring. I can’t recommend a certain season. Each has its own charm. It is like every time I come here the forest looks different, nature sounds different. 

You can get to Poiana easily by car from Braşov. But the real charm is to discover Poiana Braşov by walking; to admire each route, to have time to linger and to breathe the pure and joyful nature that surrounds you. From here you can walk, with some effort, to the chalet on Postăvaru Massif. The view you have from Postăvaru can’t be described by words. You have to go there and see by yourself the view that unfolds at your feet (the chalet is at 1600 m altitude). In the morning it is the most amazing. I have never drunk my coffee in a more beautiful place with a more wonderful view than here. The effort it took to get up there it totally worth it. Postăvaru is that kind of place that makes you want to come back. For those more comfortable there is the option to get at the chalet by car.

For those who are more used with the mountain and are fans of trips, there is a route named Pietrele lui Solomon (Solomon’s Stones). I have to admit that I haven’t been there yet, but I assume that it is similar to Cetăţile Ponorului (Fortresses of Ponor) from Apuseni Mountains. The route is difficult – a climb on the mountain on a narrow trail surrounded by vegetation and cliffs that seem to warm up in the sun. When you get at the top you can say that you have the whole world at your feet. The breathtaking view under your feet is the reward for every step made on the trail that climbs the rocky mountain. 

If you want to stay close to the ground and see something else in Poiana Braşov, I recomend St. John  wooden church and Valea Cetăţii Cave. The church is similar to those from Maramureş. I was deeply impressed by its architecture, small interior, tall steeple, wood, shingle, all contrary to the habits of the place. If we look around, in Brașov there are fortified churches. But somehow this little church found its place here, in a meadow at the foothills of Postăvaru, surrounded by towering firs that protect it day and night. A wonderful place of worship that breaks the barriers of the area. Here the peace of the soul blends perfectly with the spiritual one in order to transpose you in a different world, a dream, simple one, where time is patient. Time is patient in Valea Cetăţii Cave as well. There things move slowly; it takes hundreds of years to the karst formations to come to light. The cave is not large, but it is spectacular and benefits from perfect acoustics. If you have the chance to get here when there is a classical music or jazz concert, you will fully enjoy what the cave has to offer.

Going back to Poiana Braşov, I have to say that it is a mountain area that can offer to its tourists a lot of relaxation options. It surprises me each time I come here. And if you get here in winter, you should really try something else but the ski slopes. Don’t think too much and try to discover the nature that surrounds you and the breathtaking views. Poiana Braşov is an important tourist point on Romania’s map and an area that has a very special place in my heart and to which I come back each time I have the opportunity. 

Article by: Andreea – Toud

Photos – Pure Romania