Bucegi Mountains are one of the most exciting mountain groups in the Southern Carpathians. They offer many natural and architectural tourist attractions, being explored by many visitors every year, whether they are Romanian or foreign visitors, no matter if it is the hot season or the winter season. Bucegi Mountains represent a true natural treasure, surprising its visitors every year with imposing castles, spectacular waterfalls, beautiful landscapes, but also with a lot of local legends.
In the rows below, we will discuss the main tourist attractions you can visit when you go to the Bucegi Mountains. Let’s begin!
Peles Castle
Peles Castle is the former summer residence of the kings of Romania. It was included in most of the most beautiful castles in Europe, representing one of the biggest attractions in Romania.
Peles Castle was built in 1873, at the request of King Carol I, in Sinaia resort, 45 km from Brasov. This is not only a major architectural edifice but also a historical objective of colossal importance. Also, in the 20th century, some of the most important political decisions of the country were made in Bran Castle.
Today, Peles Castle serves as a museum for visitors, being open throughout the year. Visitors can admire pieces of furniture, weapons, armor, Turkish vessels, as well as collections of rare books used by former kings who lived in Bran Castle, entering the most important rooms of the magnificent construction.
Babele and the Sphinx
Another attraction of the Bucegi Mountains is represented by Babele and the Sphinx. These are located on the Bucegi plateau and are said to be enveloped in mysterious energy. They are considered to be one of the most important symbols of Romania and are visited annually by a lot of tourists from all over the world.
One of the attractions of this area that gathers tourists from all over the world is the legends of this place. One of the legends talks about the Babe, considered to be Baba Dochia, along with her sheep, who stayed in the cold for seven days and were hardened.
A second legend is related to the Sphinx. It is known that both the Sphinx in Bucegi and the one in Egypt have the same length, and it is said that the Sphinx in Bucegi was an inspiration for the Egyptians when they created their sphinx. The legend related to the Sphinx in Bucegi was not substantiated by the researchers.
Omu Peak
Bucegi mountains have an altitude of 2505 meters, reaching the maximum peak in Omu Peak, being the highest peak in the Romanian Carpathians. You can reach it by a relatively easy route, but the specialized equipment is obligatory, and it must necessarily contain rain jacket and mountain boots. At the top is the weather station Omu Peak and a hut too. Also, when you reach the top, you will have a pleasant shock when you see the spectacular view.
It seems that Omu Peak has also got a legend Many years ago, probably thousands of years ago, as the legend says, a shepherd looks for his sheep. Because of a powerful storm that had flooded over him, he got lost, then became angry because he couldn’t find the road and cursed the place. Thus, God was disappointed by the shepherd’s behavior and turned him into a rock.
Urlatoarea Waterfall
Also, besides clean rivers like tears and rich forests, the Bucegi Mountains also host waterfalls, one of the most spectacular being the Urlatoarea Waterfall. It produces a deafening noise, with a water drop of only 15 meters.
Can we escape without a legend? No, we can’t. There is a legend that says that the loud noise produced by the waterfall, where its name comes from, is made by an extremely beautiful shepherdess, who was run by two shepherds who had fallen in love with her. At one point, the girl fell off the slope and turned into a silver waterfall.
The Ialomita Cave
The Ialomita Cave is located on the right side of the Ialomita Gorges, at an altitude of 1,500 meters. It is not an extraordinary large cave, but it is a spectacular one. At the entrance to the Ialomita Cave is the Monastery of Ialomita, which was built in the 16th century by Mihnea the Bad. The cave has a length of 480 meters, but can only be visited just 400 meters because the area of the Altar cannot be visited.
But what can we find inside this wonderful cave? Inside the cave, there have been found, over time, bones and skeletons from Ursus Spelacus Blum and it is believed that the Ialomita Cave represents the last hiding place of the cave bears.
Also, inside this cave, we can find numerous galleries and grottos, of which we can mention the Grotto of Saint Mary, which is said to resemble the statue of the Virgin Mary, created by the play of lights and shadows inside.
Above, I told you that you could visit just 400 meters of the 480 meters that has the Ialomita Cave, because the Altar Stone cannot be visited, which is 200 meters deep in the cave. Legends say that the Altar Stone is the place where the settlers committed the holy ones hundreds of years ago.
If you have the opportunity to go to the Bucegi Mountains, make an effort and visit the Ialomita Cave. It is a unique experience, one that really deserves to be tried.