A day trip idea from Braşov through Cheia

I love the road to Cheia! It’s like a back door getting you closer to mountains, nature, and the Great Outdoors!

While I rode it in summer a few times and in autumn once (those serpentines and the colourful foliage make it dreamy), I never saw it in winter!

It has its charm. Plus, as you arrive in the centre of Cheia, there’s a market with regional and local products.  

P.S. There’s a cute cat around the market; bring treats if you like.

 

Next in line was Măneciu-Ungureni, a village I went through several times, yet I never found the time to stop at its reservoir, accessible from its centre via a road that’s in good condition. The lake was frozen, but I’d love to return there to swim/kayak.

P.S. There are several friendly dogs ‘guarding’ the reservoir; bring treats if you like.

 

Impromptuishly, we decided to head to Slănic Prahova. We had found a café that seemed inviting. I then remembered my primary school experience when the Slănic Prahova Salt Mine went pitch black during a storm; it lingered in my mind. Was it time to turn it around?

Marcel and my Dad had never visited it, so Marcel proposed we’d go. [You see, we were supposed to be on a journey for my Dad’s birthday, but issues with the cat family prevented us from going.] Despite the high entrance fee, we loved it! There is a Moria energy that can easily make you fall for this place! Ultimately, you’re at 210 metres underground, with 4 km of asphalt connecting you to the surface.

P.S. There’s an interesting store selling bath salts and salts with spices inside the salt mine. If you wish to buy salt without anticaking agents (recommended), ask in the market to your left as you leave the salt mine bus stop.

We went to the café, too. Atelierul de Cafea is a place I’d recommend. They use locally-roasted coffee; the welcome is so friendly! Plus, we got the recommendation below.

We were on our way to Schiuleşti Village, a very authentic mountain settlement by the Crasna River, which was also frozen. I am an ovo-lacto-vegetarian, as some of you may know, but Marcel loves fish, so we ended up at Păstrăvăria Crasna Bogiri. The people at the trout farm were very friendly; while Marcel went to get his fish, my Dad and I walked around the courtyard. While Linu didn’t want to get his feet wet (but eventually did), Pi enjoyed the snowy view.

We love taking members of our cat family on our adventures. And we loved this one! It provided a breather just when we needed one!