A short guide to the Crișului Repede Valley

Most of the starting points are accessible by car, train, bike, and even on foot. If you’re an organized group you can also get there by coach or minibus, and depending on the town you’re coming from it’s only an hour or two depending on the area. Though here we have referred to Bihor and our neighbors from Cluj, Arad, or Alba, and if you are from the other areas beyond the Carpathians you will take a few hours to get there. For this we recommend Google Maps, Waze, www.distanta.ro or why not a map from a tourist center and a good playlist.

If you want to travel responsibly and with minimal environmental impact, the ideal option is to come by train, so you can also enjoy the beautiful scenery you’ll encounter along the way. What’s more, if you want to cycle, you can also take your bike on Interregional Călători, Transferoviar Călători or CFR Călători trains.

We recommend that before setting off you check the starting points for each circuit or route you want to take. For the starting points of the circuits on the Crișului Repede Valley you can find more helpful details here: HIKING in Crisul Repede valley

If you are planning to stwith your family or friends for several days andyou still don’t know where you will call home for a few days, we will help you here too!

For the more adventurous there’s the option of camping in specially designated camping areas.

If you still want the experience of camping but want more comfort, you can also try glamping sites. The Casa Gornicului guesthouse in Remeți, Bulz commune offers this service to tourists who come here. Dolina Village & Casa Batrana in the village of Zece Hotare, commune of Șuncuiuș also offer 4 glamping tents for their tourists.

But if you know that these options are not for you, there is also the option of staying in the area:

You can stay at Dolina Village & Casa Batrana. They also offer rooms for tourists, where the scenery and accommodations are as picturesque as in fairy tales

Another accommodation you’ll find is La Grotta Resort. They offer besides accommodation also the possibility to do a lot of activities in the resort, among which enjoying a bath in the barrel or swimming pool or relaxing in the Finnish sauna.

Hanu Brătcuței is located in the Brătcuței Valley and is not only a guesthouse but also a restaurant and trout farm.

During the spring and summer seasons the 10 cottages at Bulz are also waiting for you to enjoy peace and nature

Another option would be to stay through the Airbnb app. There you can find all kinds of accommodation in the area offered by locals.

All we can say is that whichever option you choose, the experience will be beautiful and unforgettable just because you can stay and enjoy the beauties of the area. Still talking about beauties let’s also see what you can see in the Crișului Repede Valley.

In the Criș river valley, you could say that there is always something to do, and if you come to visit us, the best thing is to come for several days. There are so many things to choose from, from hiking to running trails, horse riding, or cultural attractions, depending on your preferences and the group you’re coming with that it would take you a week to do them all. And while we’re on the subject, let’s take a look at the options:

The trails in the gorge take you along paths that lead you to caves, lookout points, places steeped in history and tradition, waterfalls, and memorable and Instagrammable karst landscapes.

In addition, there are many themed trails in the area, and for those who love adventure or want to try something new, there are dozens of climbing trails, via ferrata routes and established rafting spots. And what we think is the coolest is that the trails can be hiked regardless of the season by people who are passionate about hiking. You can find more details about hiking circuits here.

People who are passionate about a particular sport such as cycling or running they have the opportunity to do some mountain trail running (details here) or cycle touring (details here). The trails, although they can be challenging, are also spectacular as you can enjoy the beauty of the place in between. Our recommendation is to go on these trails if you have previous experience or as part of a group with someone experienced who can take you safely on these trails.

Free Horses Ranch is where you can ride and learn if you are a beginner. The resort organizes horseback riding, on trails for beginners or at liberty for advanced riders, horseback riding with a guide, on outdoor trails or on the perimeter of the ranch, 1 – 4 day camps, multi-day trips, and horseback riding.

Vadu Crișului Cave is a complex cave, crossed by a spectacular underground river that forms a waterfall of about 6 meters. You can get there both by car and by train, and you can get off at Halta Peștera if you come by regional train Cluj Napoca – Oradea. Entrances are hourly with a minimum group of 10 people and a maximum of 25 people. Be aware that it’s between 9 and 12 0C inside all year round, so dress well even in summer if you visit!

In addition to all these places in the Crișului Repede Valley there are also wooden places of worship, centuries old, which can be visited by appointment with the parish priest: the wooden church in Beznea, the wooden church in Valea Crișului and the wooden church in Josani.

And as the last point in our initiatory journey about the Crișului Repede Valley is Maria Poli’s pottery workshop, which you can visit with an appointment in advance and where white pottery from Vadu Crișului, considered unique in Europe, is made.

And I’ve told you the story of the Crișului Repede Valley, but know that this story can only work if you go and be amazed by the places, the stories, and the people who live in that area.