Best places to run in Romania

Mushroom-shaped wind-eroded rocks on the high Bucegi plateau, an easy and iconic walk from the cable car top station.

A 60 m multi-step waterfall, the tallest of its kind in Romania, reached by an hour-long streamside trail below the Transfăgărășan.

A unique moss-draped waterfall where water fans over a rounded travertine dome, beside an easy roadside path in the Nera-Beușnița gorges.

At about 90 m one of Romania's tallest waterfalls, reached by an easy path or chairlift from Borșa resort.

A tiered forest waterfall on the northern Ceahlău, reached on the route up toward the high plateau.

A popular roadside-then-forest waterfall reached by a gentle hour walk through beech woods at the foot of the Bucegi.

The famous clifftop 'Dracula' castle, with walkable surrounding paths and a park, set against the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului foothills.

An ornate royal castle in the wooded hills above Sinaia, set among forest paths that connect to Bucegi trailheads.

A hilltop medieval citadel above Râșnov town, reached by a short steep walk with views across the surrounding Transylvanian valleys.

A UNESCO-listed medieval walled citadel, a cobbled hilltop town you explore on foot past towers and a covered wooden staircase.

A dramatic limestone gorge with towering walls beside the Bicaz River, walkable along the valley road and short trails.

Romania's longest limestone gorge, a long wild trail along the turquoise Nera River past tunnels, pools and the Beușnița falls.

A 300 m-deep limestone canyon with a well-marked valley-floor trail past caves and cliffs popular with climbers and nesting raptors.

A jagged volcanic 'Rooster's Ridge', a moderate loop from Gutâi Pass with views over the Maramureș highlands.

A 28 m iron WWI memorial cross on a 2,384 m peak, a moderate plateau hike to a clifftop monument visible across the whole valley.

A famous glacial lake at 2,034 m beside the Transfăgărășan, with a lakeshore loop and access to high Făgăraș ridge trails like Capra Saddle.

Romania's largest glacial lake at 2,040 m, reached by a steady 4-hour forest-and-juniper climb and a popular high-altitude camping base.

A natural dam lake with submerged tree stumps below sharp peaks, with an easy lakeshore loop near the Bicaz Gorge.

The only volcanic crater lake in Romania, ringed by forested slopes with an easy lakeshore and crater-rim walk.

The forested hill rising right above Brașov's old town, a roughly one-hour switchback climb to a panoramic viewpoint over the city.

A vivid emerald karst spring-lake on the Beușnița trail, a scenic stop on an easy-to-moderate forest walk.

Romania's oldest nature reserve, a flat forest trail through ancient oak and liana groves where wild horses roam.

Cluj's historic central park around Chios Lake, a flat tree-lined loop popular for walking and jogging.

The oldest public park in central Bucharest, a leafy lake garden with shaded paths for an easy city stroll.

Bucharest's largest park around Herăstrău Lake, with a flat lakeside promenade ideal for long walks and runs.

An underground glacier cave with one of Europe's largest cave-ice blocks, reached by a short steep staircase descent.

Striking limestone crags in the Rarău Mountains, a scenic climb through spruce forest to dramatic rock towers and panoramas.

A vast wild beach where the Danube meets the Black Sea, a long flat sandy walk far from any road in the heart of the delta.

A natural rock formation at 2,216 m resembling a human face, a short plateau walk that is among Romania's most photographed sights.

Romania's highest paved road over Urdele Pass at 2,145 m, with adjoining alpine ridge walks across open grassy summits.

Romania's highest peak at 2,544 m, a tough multi-day ridge ascent with exposed cabled sections rewarded by sweeping Carpathian panoramas.

The 2,514 m roof of the Bucegi, a long full-day plateau traverse to a summit shelter with vast views over the Prahova Valley.

The highest peak of the Eastern Carpathians at 2,303 m, a 4-5 hour climb past the Romania-shaped Iezer glacial lake.