Turda Gorge (Cheile Turzii): sights and attractions

Turda Gorge (Cheile Turzii), a complex nature reserve, is one of the most beautiful and impressive gorge sections in our country, just 13 km from Turda, in the north-east of the Trascău Mountains. It is about 2 kilometres long, with walls up to 200 metres high, and covers 170 hectares.

You will certainly not regret deciding to discover natural landscapes of rare beauty, places that have developed without any need for human intervention. Turda Gorge will impress you with its majesty and richness, a place where legend blends perfectly with reality.

It formed more than 150 million years ago, through the action of the Hășdate stream, in the Jurassic limestone of the Trascău Mountains. It shelters over 60 caves, a series of stone columns, jagged rocks and over 1,000 species of plants and animals, many of them rare (among the rare species are wild garlic, buttercup, valerian and whitebeam, and among the animals most often seen are foxes, weasels, stone martens, roe deer, wild boar and others).

The caves in the Turda Gorge area impress both with the shape of the stalactites and stalagmites inside and with their history. They are renowned for the fact that the inhabitants often found shelter in them whenever the migrating peoples invaded. Researchers have found human traces dating from the Middle Palaeolithic or the Neolithic. We recommend visiting the Bat Cave (Peștera Liliecilor), the Millers’ Cave (Peștera Morarilor) and the Hidden Cave (Peștera Ascunsă).

The number of tourists who choose to discover this beautiful destination keeps growing. The oldest inscription left by a visitor dates from 1574, in a cave on the right side of the gorge, known as Binder Cave.

The vertical walls, with relatively easy access, attract thousands of climbers every year, ready for a little adrenaline. Turda Gorge has over 200 climbing routes, some for beginners and others for experienced climbers.

There are also marked hiking trails, of different levels of difficulty, a perfect chance to discover the beauty of the area up close:

• The Gorge Ridges Circuit: 5 hours
• Cheile Turzii Chalet – Buru Chalet: 5 hours
• Cheile Turzii – Izvorul Popii – Valea Arineilor – Ciucaș: 3 hours

In Turda Gorge you will find several places to stay, so you can choose the best option for you, depending on the amenities and facilities you need.

Behind this natural wonder of Transylvania lies a legend according to which Ladislaus the Saint was fleeing from the Cumans, and split the rock in two with his sword. The Cumans scattered coins to distract the Hungarian soldiers who were chasing them. In answer to Ladislaus’s prayers, the coins were turned to stone.

Do not miss a visit to one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Romania, a place with a story that successfully shapes the picture of a unique Romania.