Oravița, Anina and Cheile Nerei
The Old Theatre in Oravița, the train to Anina and Ochiul Beiului, in three good days and with the kids.
Route for families with children (approx. 5 years and up), suitable from April to October, with the best months between May and September. You'll need a car, especially on the third day, for the drive to Cheile Nerei. Total driving is about 3 and a half hours, with no strenuous days. You'll sleep at Oravița and Sasca Montană, close to each day's stops.
Mountain Banat doesn't start with spectacular landscapes at the first turn, but with a small town that had a theater, pharmacy, and a capital-class train station long before many big cities did. Oravița is the starting point of this route: from here the train departs to Anina, among viaducts and tunnels, and after two days of city and railway you reach the green-blue waters of Nera Gorge. It's an itinerary that works well with children, because it has rhythm, movement, and many things to touch and see up close.
Oravița: the theater, pharmacy and train station. Start your morning in the center of Oravița, where everything is visible on foot, within a few hundred meters. The Old Theater "Mihai Eminescu" is the oldest stone theater in Romania, built in 1817, with a horseshoe-shaped hall and wooden boxes. Children usually look up at the ceiling and the narrow boxes, so a 40-60 minute visit is enough. Check the visiting schedule in advance, as it changes depending on the season and events. From there, you walk to Knobloch Pharmacy, one of the oldest pharmacies in the country, preserved with period furniture and jars. It's a small place, but full of details: drawers labeled in Latin, old scales, porcelain containers. Tell the children how medicines looked before pills and blister packs—it's a history lesson without effort. In the afternoon, go to Oravița train station, where the train to Anina departs. Even if no train leaves on your day, the station building and platforms are worth an hour of walking, and here you can plan for the second day. Buy tickets in advance or ask at the ticket office about the train schedule.
Stops: Old Theater "Mihai Eminescu" in Oravița, Knobloch Pharmacy, Oravița Station.
Where to eat: Eat at a restaurant in the center of Oravița, where you'll find tripe soup, cabbage rolls, polenta with cheese and sour cream, or meatball soup—simple Banat dishes. For children, any local place in the center has pasta or fried potatoes.
If it rains: The theater and pharmacy are indoors, so the day goes almost unchanged. If the rain is serious, add a short walk through the center of town, among the old buildings, with a coffee or ice cream break.
The Banat Semmering and mining Anina. Day two is all about the train. The Oravița–Anina train travels through a section of Romania's oldest mountain railway, also called the Banate Semmering, with high viaducts, short tunnels and curves climbing through forests. The journey takes a few hours and lets you gaze out the window without having to drive. For kids it's the highlight of the day: the viaducts look even better from the carriage, and the tunnels suddenly plunge you into darkness. At Anina, after you get off the train, head to the Mining Museum. Here you'll see machinery, miners' lamps, maps of the galleries and the story of a town that lived off coal. The town is small, so the museum takes about an hour to walk through. If you have older children, ask if a guide is available, because explanations make the visit much more interesting. The return to Oravița is by train in the afternoon. From there you drive to Sasca Montană, about 40 minutes away, where you'll sleep. Before you board, check the exact schedule, because the train doesn't run daily or in all months.
Stops: Oravița–Anina Train (Banat's Semmering), Anina Mining Museum, Anina, Mining Town.
Where to eat: In Anina you'll find small local eateries where you can eat tocăniță, beans with pork knuckle or paprikash. If you're taking the train, bring sandwiches and water for the journey, because there's nothing to buy on the train.
If it rains: The train runs in the rain too, and the view through the mist between viaducts is beautiful in its own way. The museum is indoors, so the day doesn't change much. Bring umbrellas for the walk from the station to the museum.
Nera Gorge and Ochiul Beiului. In the morning you leave Sasca Montană heading to Nera Gorge, an area with limestone cliffs, dense forests and clear water. The main goal is Ochiul Beiului, a small lake of a blue-green hue, fed by a spring that emerges from the rock. From the access point to the lake is a short walk, suitable even for small children, but the path can be wet, so wear shoes with good grip. At Ochiul Beiului stay as long as you like: the kids will watch the fish in the water, the moss on the stones and the small waterfalls. There are areas with slippery rocks, so keep them close. The water is cold even in summer, and photos from here turn out best early in the morning, when the light is soft. After the lake, you can make another stop on the banks of the Nera, in a place with easy access to the water, for a picnic. Then head home. From the area you have between 3 and 5 hours of driving, depending on your destination, so leave in time if you have far to go.
Stops: Ochiul Beiului, Cheile Nerei.
Where to eat: Bring snacks and water from Sasca Montană, because there aren't many eateries in the lake area. On the way back, stop in a village for lunch with sour soup, grilled meat or polenta, dishes you'll find in any guesthouse in the area.
If it rains: In the rain, the path to Ochiul Beiului becomes very slippery and isn't suitable for small children. If it rains heavily, postpone the walk and stay at the guesthouse in Sasca Montană, then try again early the next morning.
The Oravița–Anina train doesn't run daily or in all months; check the schedule and book tickets before you set off.
The Old Theatre in Oravița and the pharmacy have visiting hours that may change; call ahead, especially outside the season.
For Ochiul Beiului you'll need good footwear with proper grip; the stones near the water are slippery.
For the Sasca Montană area, book your accommodation in advance, especially on weekends and during the summer months.
Get a car: public transport doesn't cover the route between Oravița, Anina and Cheile Nerei well.
Is this itinerary suitable for small children? Yes, especially for children over 5 years old. The walk to Ochiul Beiului is short, and the train keeps kids entertained. For very small ones, keep them close by the lake.
Do we need a car? Yes, at least for day three, towards Cheile Nerei. For the first two days you can manage on foot and by train.
When is the best time for this route? Between May and September, when the train runs more frequently and the trails are dry. Spring and autumn are beautiful, but check the schedules.
How much driving is there in total? Approximately 3 and a half hours over the entire route, spread across short daily drives.