Driving the Transfagarasan Highway, a spectacular experience!

The Transfagarasan Highway is one of the most scenic drives in Romania, and I was really looking forward to experience it.

However, first thing first; make sure you head for the right road, first E68 and then 7C. Next; make sure that you actually are on the correct road. Then; double-check your route along the way to make sure you are still on the correct route. If you take the wrong turn approximately 15 km outside Sibiu, Google maps (aka Vladina) will not tell you that you are on the wrong way until you have driven about 30 minutes. Trust me….

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side so we started the drive in thick fog. But luckily, as we entered the area with the hairpins road, the fog lifted its veil just in time for us to see the bending road. Stopping at a viewpoint almost at the top gave us the chance to step out of the car and look back at the twisted road we just drove up. As far as we could see, the view from the very top was not as spectacular but then again we didn’t we give it much of a try so don’t take my word for it.

The rest of the road takes you through stunning landscape (if you are lucky enough to escape the fog), green forest and steep hills. There are also several places to stop along the way, including Poienari Fortress. This is the ruin of the real Dracula Castle, where Vlad Tepes actually lived. As we were running out of time, climbing up the 1500 steep steps was not an option. But according to the commercial posters, it seems they have a new lift to take you there without the effort as well.

Even though we were mainly driving in fog, it was still a magical experience when we could actually see something. And the rest was up to us (and now you) to imagine…

Just a little advice on the way; the drive will probably take longer than you plan, so make sure to calculate extra time…