Easy hikes and walks in Brașov

Just an hour's drive from Brașov lies the country's most beautiful volcanic crater. But even most Romanians don't know about it. Only in recent years has the beauty of the Racoș crater been widely publicized in digital media, with spectacular drone footage of the circular crater, in particular, bringing this geological wonder, formed some two million years ago, to public attention.

Just an hour's drive from Brașov lies the country's most beautiful volcanic crater. But even most Romanians don't know about it. Only in recent years has the beauty of the Racoș crater been widely publicized in digital media, with spectacular drone footage of the circular crater, in particular, bringing this geological wonder, formed some two million years ago, to public attention.

A former basalt quarry left behind this deep pit with steep sides, which filled with water due to rain. Initially, the resulting lake was called Lacul Brazi (Fir Lake), but its intense green-blue color soon led to its now familiar name: Emerald Lake (Lacul de Smarald). The finely pulverized mineral rocks left behind by basalt mining predominantly reflect the blue-green spectrum of sunlight. Emerald Lake is a celestial pond, the name given to lakes filled exclusively by rain from clouds.

The Racoș basalt columns are at least two million years old. Such geometrically shaped rock formations form under specific conditions during a volcanic eruption, with the slow cooling of the lava. The columns are always perpendicular to the cooling surface. Most of these basalt columns are hexagonal.

From this parking lot, the three highlights of the Racos Volcano Park are easily accessible via a signposted circular route. Entrance to the geological park costs 25 lei per person.

Bran Castle's current appearance, with its dramatic location and ominous atmosphere, has been created through numerous additions and modifications to the medieval fortifications. It provides the perfect backdrop for tourists who want to imagine Dracula's castle here.

In September 1940, Princess Ileana of Romania had the coffin containing the heart of her mother, Queen Maria, who died in 1938, brought to Bran. The queen had used the castle here as a beloved summer residence. The previous burial site, the Stella Maris Chapel in Balchik on the Black Sea, had recently been ceded from Romania to Bulgaria as part of the Southern Dobruja region. In this small crypt at the edge of the forest overlooking Bran Castle, the queen's heart (her body was interred in the cathedral church of Curtea de Argeș) was "temporarily stored" until the copy of the Stella Maris Chapel in the valley was completed.

The origins of Bran Castle (German: Törzburg) date back to the early 13th century, when it was initially built as a wooden fortress called Dietrichstein by the Teutonic Knights under the patronage of King Andrew II of Hungary to defend the strategically important pass between Transylvania and Wallachia against invading troops. In 1377, the Transylvanian Saxons of Kronstadt (Brașov) were granted the privilege of building a stone castle. This example of medieval architecture underwent numerous alterations and expansions over the centuries. In the 1920s, the castle became the residence of Queen Marie of Romania, who significantly altered and modernized its interior. Bran Castle's connection to the Dracula legend is a fascinating blend of history, literature, and folklore. Largely a product of the 20th century, this connection owes much to the atmospheric descriptions in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula." Although Stoker never visited Romania, his depiction of Dracula's castle was inspired by descriptions of Eastern European castles—and Bran Castle, with its dramatic location and menacing appearance, fits this vision remarkably well.