I’ve said it before and I’ll continue saying it until I’m blue in the face: I love a good road trip. When Nikki and I were planning our adventures in Romania, she introduced me to the Transfagarasan Highway in Transylvania. Intrigued, I started my customary Google search and the results were simply stunning.
I then turned to the thrill-seeking junkies of Top Gear to get my complete introduction. They said it was the best road in the world…and I have the opportunity to drive it?
I couldn’t say YES fast enough!
Pulling from the Top Gear article:
There are many characteristics that contribute to a great driving road. A string of great corners, probably draped over a mountain. Scintillating views as you ascend or descend. And a nice, remote location to ensure you’ve got it mostly to yourself.
Stephen Dobie
The Trasfagarasan Highway in Romania gets a lot of that stuff right. Hundreds of corners, dissecting a section of eye-wateringly pretty Carpathian mountain range, which – yep – is slap-bang in the middle of nowhere.
Nothing beats the open road, windows down, music blaring, and good company.
Some of my most treasured moments come from road trips that I’ve taken around the world.
Being solo on the road is a perfect time for reflection and self-discovery.
Road tripping with a friend is the perfect way to determine if your friendship can stand the test of time, because you’re trapped in a motorized box for hours on end.
Check out The ULTIMATE Road Trips Guide!
(And no, that’s not a Google image at the top of my post. I took that with my iPhone. Yes, my iPhone. This place is stunning. Transylvania is gorgeous.)
So…what is the Transfagarasan Highway?
The Transfagarasan Highway is a strip of road that winds through the Carpathian mountain range, connecting Sibiu County with Arges County, about 150 miles northwest of Bucharest, Romania.
Balea Lake lies near the summit of the Highway, 6,673 feet above sea level and originally was created by melted glacier water. Brr! Even in the summertime, temperatures at the tippy top can be a little chilly.
The Transfagarasan Highway is not an out-and-back type of road: you can drive north-to-south or south-to-north, with either direction providing breathtaking views of valleys, forest, snow-capped mountain peaks, and plenty of opportunities to pull off and take pictures.
The section of the Carpathian mountains that the Transfagarasan Highway cuts through is sometimes called the “Transylvanian Alps,” and unsurprisingly isn’t open year-round. Winter snows and icy conditions prompt the highway closure surrounding Balea Lake and the summit between the months of October and June. Although there are accommodations and restaurants at the summit, visitors can take ski lifts to reach their destinations.
History of the Transfagarasan Highway
Construction began on the Transfagarasan Highway in the early 1970s during the rule of the evil Nicolae Ceaușescu. In 1968, the Soviet Union invaded what was then Czechoslovakia, which freaked out Ceaușescu. He ordered the building of the Transfagarasan Highway as a means to ensure swift military access across the Carpathian mountain range, should an invasion become inevitable.
If you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of the Carpathian mountains and are up for an epic adventure, here are my tips on how to drive the Transfagarasan Highway!
#1: Pick the Right Vehicle
Unlike cruising through the rice fields of Southeast Asia, driving the Transfagarsan Highway is not a leisurely activity. You need a car that you feel comfortable behind the wheel, and has a heating system. Although you can ride a motorbike to the top, the wind funnels through the range and glacial waters cool the air.
If you’re visiting the area and renting a vehicle, be aware that most European car rental agencies stock primarily manual transmission vehicles.
If you are not confident handling a manual transmission vehicle, don’t drive this highway!
There’s nothing comforting about being nervous as you serpentine through the mountain ranges, trying not to gaze out at the vertical drops a few feet away.
#2: Pack Appropriately
Like mentioned above, when you reach the summit and get out to explore Balea Lake (trust me, you’ll want to), it’s going to be cold. The summit experiences morning/early afternoon mists, even during the middle of summer. Bring a coat, jacket, hat, whatever keeps you warm. Better to overpack a little than be freezing and not have a fantastic time exploring.
There are a few restaurants and lodges at the summit on the banks of Balea Lake, but it’s always a good idea to pack some snacks and water. There are often vendors surrounding the parking lots at the summit, and we happened to find a gentleman making chimney cakes (I can’t remember the official Hungarian name for them…or the Romanian version for that matter).
Also make sure that your vehicle is full of petrol. We didn’t really pass a lot of petrol stations, so err on the side of caution. If you choose to drive the Transfagarasan Highway, keep in mind that there will be long stretches of the road without anything aside from lush vegetation.
#3: Choosing Your Direction
Your bags are packed, your vehicle is ready to go, your cameras are itching to capture the sweeping views along the Transfagarasan Highway…you’re ready to go!
But before you head out on the open road, ask yourself this question: which way do you want to go? The top picture depicts the most popular section of the highway and faces north, leading towards the town of Pitești. The “backside” of the Transfagarasan Highway faces south and leads towards the village of Arefu, close to Poenari Castle – former residence of Vlad the Impaler (spoiler alert: not Bran Castle).
Whichever direction you choose to drive, or even if you want to drive to Balea Lake and back the same direction, one thing is clear: you’re going to have an amazing time!
#4: Drive and Enjoy!
There’s nothing more thrilling than serpentining around hairpin curves, each bend tighter than the previous one, the straightaways opening up to show off how high you’ve climbed. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you drive the Transfagarasan Highway:
- General speed limit is about 25mph during most of the drive.
- If there are other vehicles around and you’re feeling nervous about the speed, pull over on one of the numerous turnouts and allow them to pass.
- There are precious few barricades between the lanes and the steep drops. Be cautious when making your turns.
- It is tempting for the driver to gaze out at the view during the drive. Since the hairpin turns are so close together, it can be dangerous to take your eyes off of the road. If you need to look at the view, pull over and park.
- Use your parking/emergency brake when parked on the side of the highway.
- In my experience, Romanian and other Eastern European drivers don’t always fully pull off the side of the road when they park, so exercise caution when passing a parked vehicle if there is oncoming traffic.
And now to throw all of the cliche sayings out there, remember: life is a highway and it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Don’t drive the Transfagarasan Highway to make good time: drive it to have a good time.
Check out How to Survive Driving in Romania!
And if you’re not sure if you’ll enjoy the drive, here are a few pictures to hopefully convince you to head out to Romania, or at least put “Drive the Transfagarasan Highway” on your bucket list!
Have you ever driven the Transfagarasan Highway before? Is it on your bucket list now?
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