Route description
Start in the centre of Cluj-Napoca
The starting point of your bike tour is near the Gheorgheni Lake, where you will drive towards the DN1 at the junction. Turn left and follow the road through the city centre. Since Cluj-Napoca is the second largest city in Romania after Bucharest, it is also very diverse and has some sights and cultural sites to offer. Therefore you should take some time at this initial part of the tour to be able to stop at one or the other place. Afterwards you cross the district Mănăstur and leave the inhabited city area step by step. Here you keep yourself always on the DN1.
Follow valleys and mountains to your destination
You now follow the course of the river Someșul Mic a bit, before the DN1 forks and you choose the left branch and change to the smaller street with the number DJ107M. Continue in the direction of Săvădisla and then drive to the larger town of Băișoara. The town is still known today for its iron ore mining, so you'll also reach an economic hub on your bike tour here. You now leave the main road and turn right into the small side valley which is completely lined with forests. Since the cycle path to this point has always been very flat, this last stage now provides the balance and you ride up the mountain on a very steep path. When you reach the top you continue your way over the ridge and reach the destination of your tour. The way back is in the opposite direction down the mountain.
Where to eat
Since you tend to cross smaller landscapes on the tour, you should stop at one of the many restaurants in Cluj-Napoca before and after your tour or take your own food with you.
Interesting facts
- You're traveling a distance of 55 km on this moderate trail. This makes it a relatively long bike trail. The average length of all bike Trails in Romania is 73 km.
- You're facing an uphill climb of 1381 vertical meters on this bike trail. This makes the bike trail one of the 3 bike Trails with the most ascent in Romania. The high point of the bike trail is located at an elevation of 1,374 m.
- There are places to buy beverages and food along the track. However it’s always recommended to bring enough water and food along with you.
Highlights of the tour
At the beginning of your tour you will already find some highlights, because Cluj-Napoca is full of cultural treasures. There are many historical cathedrals and other religious buildings, which are impressive both from the inside and from the outside. But also the visual arts are well represented in the city, because here is the Romanian National Museum of Art as well as the Gallery of the Union of Plastic Artists, which exhibits especially many pieces of well-known Romanian artists such as Nicolae Grigorescu. In addition, Cluj-Napoca is often the venue of many festivals and celebrations, so there is always something going on here and you should never let the city pass by unseen.
Videos
Getting here
By car
From Oradea
You leave the city on the E60 in the direction of Alesd. Then you drive via Huedin and Floreşti directly to the center of Cluj-Napoca.
From Târgu Mureș
You first take the DN15E, which will take you to the fork in the DN16 road and keep left here. Then switch to DN1C, which takes you directly to the starting point in Cluj-Napoca.
From Turda
You drive over the E60 in the direction of Copăceni out of the city and reach on this federal road also the starting point in Cluj-Napoca.