positions 5 to 1
5. Culoarul Rucar – Bran
The national road 73 is perhaps the least popular variant for weekend rides chosen by motorcyclists, although it may be the most spectacular. The road crosses the Carpathians first between the Leaota and Iezer-Păpușa Mountains, then between Bucegi and Piatra Craiului. The most spectacular segment is the one between Podul Dâmboviței and Moeciu. In this area we find hundreds of curves of all kinds and about 10-20 hair pins that go up and down like a roller-coaster, sometimes exceeding the altitude of 1254m.
If we cross this road we must not miss the Dambovicioara cave and the gorge of Dambovicioara with access from the village of Podul Dâmboviței, Bran Castle or Rasnov Fortress. The road is also a good way to bypass the agglomeration on DN1, the Comarnic – Brașov segment.
4. Rasnov – Brasov
This route consists of the two access roads to the resort Poiana Brașov from Brașov respectively from Râșnov. The road is very spectacular because in a relatively short distance (10 km) we reach from an altitude of 550m to almost 1100m in the center of the resort Poiana Brașov. On the uphill section from Brasov there are also many viewpoints from where we can admire the city of Brasov and especially its old center.
The asphalt is almost perfect and can also be climbed in winter without any problems, the road being frequently cleaned of snow to facilitate access to the ski slopes.
This route is also special because we have many attractions along the way: Râșnov Fortress, Valea Cetății Cave, Poiana Brașov ski resort and the old center of Brașov.
3. Clisura Dunarii
This is the top 10 route with the lowest altitude. Although the road only climbs up to 200 m altitude, the landscape has a mountainous aspect. The route of this road follows the Danube from its entry into the country, near the city of Moldova Nouă to the Iron Gates 1 dam, between Orșova and Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
We have almost 100 km of wide curves, several tunnels, viaducts and a beautiful landscape. The road is not very crowded even on weekends.
On the route we have some tourist objectives that should not be missed: Iron Gate 1 Dam, Decebal’s statue near Dubova, Large Boilers and Small Boilers, as well as some flooded caves.
2. Cheile Bicazului
This route has them all: perhaps the most spectacular gorge in Romania, serpentine climbs, wide speed curves, and many belvedere areas.
The road connects the city of Gheorgheni with the city of Bicaz near Piatra Neamț. Starting from Gheorgheni, after a short relatively straight area, there is a steep climb with many tight curves and hair pins. Arriving at the peak at 1250 m we can admire the landscape towards Gheorgheni then after a stop at Lacul Roșu (the only natural dam lake in Romania) we enter the Bicaz Gorges where an impressive view awaits us: rock walls with heights of almost 100 m on both sides of the road with the distance between the stone faces, sometimes under 10 meters.
1. Trans Rarău
After Transfagărășan and Transalpina, probably the most spectacular mountain pass road in Romania is Trans Rarău. And I say this because from the point of view of the pleasure of driving we have all you can wish for: a first part of a very narrow road and twisted through the woods, through cliffs and green pastures and then on the north side we have a part of a road true with wide curves, with hairpins interspersed with curves of all kinds and all in a beautiful landscape.
The ascent is rewarded by the magnificent view offered by the natural monument “Pietrele Doamnei” at an altitude of about 1500m.
The road was paved in 2014 and the asphalt is excellent. Unfortunately, there are still no stopping points where you can eat something and the access road to TransRarău coming from Bicaz is very bad.
