Discover Romania on bicycle

In June and September 2018 tourist bike tours are organized in the Carpathians: a 7-day loop with start and finish Slatina-Timis, twinned with Geel. The regions of Banat and Transylvania are on the program with the focus: the Transbanat, the Danube and the Transalpina with day trips up to 152km and 2540 hm (so for trained cyclists). The trips are on GPS and are checked on the spot.

The trips are organized by ADR (action villages Romania) the umbrella organisation of groups active in Romania in Flanders.
The bike trip lasts 9 days: departure on Saturday, 7-day loop and Sunday back home

The target price for this bike trip is 800€ included:  the flight to Timisoara and back, bicycle transport, shuttles in Romania Timisoara- Slatina-Timis - Timisoara, hotels / guesthouses (every day other hotel / guest house) based on double room with full board. There is a bike-riding companion and a trailer that takes care of supplies along the way. Drinks and travel back and forth from home to Belgian airport are not included in the price. Cycling tours will go on from 9 to 17 June 2018 and from 8 to 16 September 2018

more info via CONTACT

The traject:

Dag 0 België - Timisoara - Slatina-Timis

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 Day 1 Slatina-Timis  - Oravita : 152 kms - 2540 hms

Slatina-Timis is situated at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains in a valley. The first 18 km there is going up 300 to 1000m  On top of the plateau you can finf  the Bohemian German-speaking villages such as Weidenthal and Wolfsberg. Don't be afraid of the altimeters, the trip is easy, the slopes are gradual and not excessively steep. The landscape is very diverse: national parks,  the industrial city Resita, a mining town Anina, the most beautiful waterfall in the country: the Bigar.{gallery}2018_fietsen_dag1{/gallery}

Day 2 Oravita - Eselnita : 137 kms - 1640 hms

Oravita, the starting point, is known for its old mountain railway, its Austrian theater .... The Serbian border is now close. At km40 we come along the Danube which we follow 95km. On the other bank is the Serbian national park: Derdap. The Danube is here wrestling through the Carpathians and the narrow part is called: Portile de fier = Iron gate. The head of Decebal, king of the Dacians (AD 86 - 106) is carved out of the rock wall, impressive: 55m high and 25m wide.{gallery}2018_fietsen_dag2{/gallery}

Day 3 Eselnita - Pestisani : 122 kms  -  1760 hms

At km18, in Orsova, we leave the Danube and cycle north to Baile Herculane: the bath of Hercules was already known by the Romans. A large part of the buildings of this Hungarian-Austrian spa has already been restored, but there is still a lot of faded glory in this city. Besides the spas in the hotels, there is still a lot of bathing in the springs next to the Cerna river. The tour continues through the Domogled national park, highest point 900m, with hundreds of hectares of primeval forests and with beautiful views of the Retezat mountains. {gallery}2018_fietsen_dag3{/gallery}

Day 4 Pestisani - Obarsia Lotrului : 113 kms  - 2380 hms

The famous Romanian sculptor, Brancusi, came from this region. In Targu Jiu you can view several of his works: the "Gate of Kisses" is the best known. But a big challenge is waiting: the Transalpina, the highest  mountain pass in Romania: 2145m high on km93. The guesthouse is in the descent at 1350m.{gallery}2018_fietsen_dag4{/gallery}

Day 5 Obarsia Lotrului  -  Alba Iulia : 125 kms - 1520 hms

A climb to 1720m and then we are cycling 80kms downhill through the Carpathians along beautiful reservoirs to Alba Iulia. This fortified town has been beautifully restored. It was once the capital of Hungary. Villages in the area such as Barabant (Brabant) were founded by Flemish immigrants in the 12th century. Here on 1 December 1918 the country Romania was realized by unifying  Transylvania and the kingdom of Romania (Pact of Alba Iulia). {gallery}2018_fietsen_dag5{/gallery}

Dag 6 Alba Iulia - Hateg : 143 kms - 1210 hms

We are out the high mountains and driving via rural villages in a hilly landscape. The highest point is 750m on km45. We 'll pass  the Corvin castle in Hunedoara, construction started in 1446, one of the largest castles in Europe and one of the 7 wonders of Romania. The Roma here are building  gaudy houses. The view on the high Carpathians is impressive. {gallery}2018_fietsen_dag6{/gallery}

Day 7 Hateg- Slatina-Timis :  89 kms - 530 hms

At km17 we 'll pass Sarmizegetusa, capital of the Roman province of Dacia under Emperor Trajan, with ruins of temples and amphitheater. 8km further on we 'll reach a summit of 722m, after which we 'll go to Caransebes, a town with a beautiful center. In the garden of the medical center of Slatina-Timis we are expected for a barbecue. {gallery}2018_fietsen_dag7{/gallery}

Day 8 Slatina-Timis - Timisoara -België

The shepherd doesn't wave us goodbye  La revedere = See you again!