Bihor county provides a splash of color thanks to its grand Art Nouveau buildings. You walk through Oradea where the Black Eagle Palace features a stunning glass ceiling with a bird motif. The city center feels like a giant art gallery with pastel pink and blue facades. It is a fresh and lively place with many outdoor cafes along the Crișul Repede river. You can feel the western energy in the renovated Union Square.
Relax your muscles in the hot pools of Băile Felix. Steam rises from the water even when the weather is cool because the springs are naturally 40 degrees. Rare thermal lotus flowers grow in the warm ponds nearby. It is a top choice for a day of rest on your road trip. The water comes from deep underground and is famous for healing tired joints.
The landscape turns rocky as you head toward the mountains. You find deep caves like the Bears' Cave, which holds the skeletons of cave bears that died 15,000 years ago. The path inside is easy to walk and features giant pillars of stone. It is a wild world that stays hidden from the sun. The silence inside is only broken by the sound of ancient water.
Bihor (county) highlights
- Bears Cave Step into a dark underworld where the skeletons of giant ice age bears have rested for thousands of years in the stone. The massive halls are filled with glowing formations that look like frozen waterfalls made of pure crystal. It is a cool and mysterious world that offers a fascinating look at the deep and hidden history of the earth.
- Băile Felix Springs Soak away your travel fatigue in natural thermal pools where the water stays warm even during the winter snows. Rare water lilies grow in the surrounding ponds and give the whole area a lush and tropical feel for a rest. This is the ultimate stop for a day of relaxation and health on your long western road trip.
- Apuseni Nature Park Navigate a landscape of deep canyons and hidden rivers that flow through the rocky heart of the southern mountains. This park is a playground for adventure seekers who love to explore secret caves and high limestone cliffs. The roads are winding and offer a new and dramatic view at every single turn of the path.
- Scărița Belioara Hike to a high stone plateau that rises from the green forest like a giant fortress sitting in the bright sky. The views from the summit are among the most epic in the region and show the vast scale of the mountain range. You can see tiny wooden villages tucked into the green valleys miles below your feet.
- Stâna de Vale Reach for the clouds at this high altitude resort famous for its pure air and cold mountain springs. The steep climb up the mountain provides a fun drive with great views of the dark pine covered slopes and peaks. It is a quiet sanctuary where you can truly escape the heat and noise of the busy lowlands.
- Crișul Repede Gorge Watch the river cut a narrow path through towering rock walls on this very scenic and popular driving route. You can often see trains disappear into stone tunnels right across the moving water of the deep canyon. This gorge shows the raw power of nature to shape the landscape over millions of years of time.
- Padiș Plateau Enter a wild world of sinkholes and hidden rivers that disappear into the earth beneath vast green meadows. This rugged route leads you to the most remote and silent parts of the entire northern mountain range. You will find sheep grazing near small wooden huts that look like they belong to a different century.
- Meziad Cave Marvel at one of the largest caverns in the land where the halls are big enough to hold a stone cathedral. This ancient site has provided shelter for both humans and wild animals since the dawn of the old world. The air inside is still and cool and offers a sense of absolute peace and deep mystery.
- Oradea Fortress Explore a massive stone star with thick walls and high gates that once guarded the important western frontier. The interior has been beautifully restored and now hosts many festivals and quiet gardens for a long walk. It is a great place to stretch your legs and learn about the many empires of the past.
- Leșu Lake Find a cool retreat at this quiet mountain lake where the blue water meets the deep green of the pine forest. The surrounding woods offer plenty of shade for a relaxing afternoon picnic or a slow nature walk. It is a peaceful spot that feels very far away from the busy pace of the modern world.
The local Four
History of Bihor (county)
Bihor is the western star of the land and a gateway to the spectacular underground world of the Apuseni. The region has been a melting pot of cultures since the Romans first built their stone forts to guard the passage into the Transylvanian plateau. The city of Oradea flourished under the Austro-Hungarian Empire becoming a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture with colorful palaces that rival those of Budapest or Prague. This historical wealth was fueled by the fertile plains and the strategic trade routes that connected Central Europe to the eastern markets.
The history of the county is literally etched into the limestone beneath the surface. It holds the highest concentration of caves in the country including the Bear’s Cave where the skeletal remains of prehistoric cave bears were found perfectly preserved for thousands of years. The local rivers like the Crișul Repede have carved deep and dramatic gorges that served as natural barriers for the medieval citadels. You can explore the ruins of the Oradea Fortress which was a five-pointed star designed to survive the most advanced artillery sieges of the 17th century.
Driving through the county takes you from the elegant urban boulevards to the steaming thermal springs of Felix and 1 Mai. These waters have been used for healing since the medieval period and are powered by a unique geothermal energy that keeps the local lilies blooming even in winter. The local villages in the Beiuș area are famous for their traditional wooden houses and the white-on-white embroidery that is unique to the region. Bihor is a journey through the luxury of the Belle Époque and the raw primordial power of the hidden mountain chambers.