A week through Banatul Montan
Văliug and Semenic, Oravița and the train to Anina, Cheile Nerei and Danube Gorge, in 7 days.
A busy week for anyone who wants all of Banatul Montan: a mountain lake, an old town with a theater, a mountain railway, gorges with waterfalls, and the Danube. The best months are June–September. You'll need a car: in total you'll drive around 500–600 km, with at most 2 hours of driving per day. Nights are in Văliug, Oravița, Anina, Sasca Montană (two nights), and Dubova.
Banatul Montan reveals itself in four parts, each with its own character: Lake Văliug and Semenic, cool and refreshing; Oravița, home to Romania's oldest theater, and the train that climbs to Anina on the Banatu Semmering viaducts; Cheile Nerei, with Beușnița, Ochiul Beiului, and Bigărul; then Danube Gorge, from Cetatea Ladislau to Cazane and Chipul lui Decebal. You can tie them together in a week, with short drives between them and walks within reach of anyone with proper footwear.
Văliug Lake and Semenic Plateau. You start at Văliug Lake, a reservoir surrounded by spruce and beech forests, at just over 600 m altitude. The morning is peaceful, and the lakeside path takes about an hour, with no serious climbs. If you have children or want a break, you'll find spots to sit and watch the water along the shore. In the afternoon, you head up to Semenic Plateau, in the resort area. In summer, the ski slopes turn into wide meadows, perfect for long walks on trails and forest roads, with cool air even on hot valley days. Bring a light jacket, as the weather changes quickly at altitude. In the evening you return to Văliug, where you sleep near the lake. The next day you'll drive to Oravița, so there's no need to rush.
Stops: Văliug Lake, Semenic Plateau.
Where to eat: At Văliug and on the way to Semenic you eat at guesthouses and cabins: tripe soup, pork stew with polenta, fried pastries, and if you're lucky, seasonal forest mushrooms.
If it rains: If it rains, stay at lake level for a short walk sheltered by the forest, then extend your meal at a guesthouse and save Semenic Plateau for a clearer window.
Oravița, the city with Romania's oldest theater. You descend to Oravița, about an hour and a half's drive on hill roads. The city has a rich heritage from the mining industry era in Banat, and the old center can be seen in a few hours, on foot. The Old Theater "Mihai Eminescu" is considered Romania's first stone theater and has a hall in Italian style, with boxes. Check in advance if it can be visited on your day and at what time, as the schedule varies. Near the center is Knobloch Pharmacy, an old pharmacy preserved with period furniture and containers. After visits, walk through the city center, look at the old buildings on the main streets and stop for a coffee. Sleep in Oravița, so the next day you can head straight to the station.
Stops: Old Theatre "Mihai Eminescu", Knobloch Pharmacy, Oravița, City Center.
Where to eat: In Oravița you look for a restaurant in the center with Banat food: beef tripe soup, cabbage rolls, pork stew with dumplings or lard with onions.
If it rains: The day is suitable for rain: the theater and pharmacy are indoors, and the rest of the city can be seen quickly between showers.
The Banat Semmering: the Oravița–Anina train. Today you travel by train on the Oravița–Anina line, known as the Banat Semmering, a standard gauge railway, not a narrow gauge, with viaducts and tunnels climbing through the mountains. Check the schedule and book in advance, as trains are few. The journey takes about two hours and is the most beautiful part of the day. At Anina, the former mining town, you enter the Mining Museum, where you learn how coal was worked and what it means to work in an underground mine. Then you go to Buhui Lake, a quiet reservoir surrounded by forest, good for a short walk. Sleep in Anina, as the next day you head to Bigăr and Sasca Montană.
Stops: Oravița–Anina Train (Banat's Semmering), Anina Mining Museum, Buhui Lake.
Where to eat: In Anina you eat simply, at guesthouses and small restaurants: bean soup with smoked meat, grilled meat, cheese pastries.
If it rains: The train runs in the rain too and the view from the window is just as good; the museum covers the rest of the day, and you save Buhui for a short outing between showers.
Bigăr Waterfall, Sasca Montană and Susara Waterfall. In the morning, head towards Bigăr Waterfall, about 45 minutes' drive away. After part of the waterfall collapsed in 2021, it looks different from old photographs, but the water and forested setting are worth the trip. From the parking lot, it's a short walk to the waterfall. From there, you'll descend to Sasca Montană, a village in the Nerei Gorges, where you'll stay. In the afternoon, walk to Susara Waterfall, located near the village, on a short forest trail. Check the path conditions at your guesthouse before you go, especially after rain. In the evening, Sasca Montană is peaceful and you can walk along the river bank.
Stops: Cascada Bigăr, Sasca Montană, Susara Waterfall.
Where to eat: In Sasca Montană, eat at the village guesthouses: river fish, fish soup, polenta with cheese and sour cream, potatoes roasted in embers.
If it rains: If it rains heavily, skip Susara, as the path becomes slippery; Bigăr is visible even in wet weather, and you can spend the rest of the day in the village, at a long table.
The Nerei Gorges Trail: Devil's Lake and Beușniță Waterfalls. Today you'll hike the Nerei Gorges trail, the most spectacular day of the week. You'll start from the Sasca Montană area, on the marked trail through the gorges, with limestone walls, forest and clear water. Devil's Lake is one of the most photographed stops, with blue-green water nestled in the rock. Continue towards the Beușniță Waterfalls, which cascade down travertine steps and moss, and towards Ochiul Beiului, a small lake with shades of blue and green. Plan for a full day and bring food and water with you, as there's nowhere to buy supplies along the trail. In the evening, return to Sasca Montană. If you don't want to do the entire trail on foot, park at Potoc and walk only from Ochiul Beiului to the Beușniță Waterfalls.
Stops: Nerei Gorge (trail from Sasca Montană), Devil's Lake, Beușniță Waterfalls, Ochiul Beiului.
Where to eat: Pack from your guesthouse for the trail: sandwiches with cheese and bacon, fruit, water. In the evening, look for home-cooked food at a guesthouse: soup, grilled meat, pastries.
If it rains: In rainy weather, the gorge trail is slippery and risky; postpone it for a clear day and spend the morning in the village, then decide based on the weather.
Coronini, the Danube Bank and Berzasca. You leave Sasca Montană in the morning heading to Coronini, about an hour's drive through Moldova Nouă, to reach Cetatea Ladislau, a medieval fortress built on a cliff above the Danube, recently restored, with walkways and viewing terraces. You climb to the upper terrace, where you can see the wide river and the Serbian bank, and stroll along the walkways between the walls. A tip: come early, while the light is good for photos and it's not too hot. From here you head east on DN57, along the road that follows the Danube's bank. It's roughly 80 km to Dubova, but take your time: the road has natural viewpoints and places where you can pull over at the roadside, with the river right below you. At Berzasca you make a longer stop, on the cliff overlooking the Danube, for a coffee or a short walk along the bank. In the evening you move to Dubova, where you sleep near the dock at Cazane. The guesthouses here are used to tourists coming for boat rides. Book ahead in summer, especially on weekends.
Stops: Ladislau Fortress (Coronini), DN57 Road along the Danube (viewpoint towards the Serbian bank), Berzasca Danube Cliff.
Where to eat: At Berzasca or Dubova look for a restaurant or guesthouse with Danube fish: saramură, fish soup or grilled carp. Also ask for mămăligă with cheese, a good local side dish.
If it rains: If it rains, shorten your walks along the bank and spend more time inside the fortress. At Coronini you can spend more time between the fortress walls, then have fish lunch at Berzasca.
Cazane by boat, Decebal and Mraconia. In the morning you board a boat at Dubova for a ride through the Great and Small Cazane, where the Danube narrows between tall cliffs and becomes deep and calm. It takes roughly an hour and a half and takes you right under the Face of Decebal, a 40-meter sculpture carved into the cliff on the Romanian bank. See it from the water, because from the road it doesn't have the same scale. Ask at the dock about schedules and prices, as they depend on the season and group size. After the ride you go to Mraconia Monastery, near Dubova, an Orthodox monastery set on the river bank, across from a calm inlet. You enter in decent clothing, and if you're lucky enough to find a monk, you'll learn the monastery's story, with its centuries of history. Then you head home along the Danube bank, through Orșova, where you can make one last stop on the cliff. If you want to stay another night, Băile Herculane is less than an hour away.
Stops: Great and Small Cazanes (boat trip), Decebal's Face, Mraconia Monastery.
Where to eat: At Dubova you eat at the village restaurants, with grilled fish and fish soup. If you prefer meat, ask for tripe soup or meatballs with mustard, and for dessert look for cheese pastries and local doughnuts.
If it rains: If it rains hard, the boat may be cancelled or postponed, so ask at the dock in the morning. Mraconia Monastery remains a safe plan, and you can see the Face of Decebal from the road too.
Book train tickets for the Oravița–Anina line in advance: there are only a few trains a day, and it fills up in summer.
For Cheile Nerei you need mountain boots and a rain jacket; the trail passes through water in places or on slippery steps.
At Bigăr, after the collapse in 2021, the waterfall looks different from old photos; go for the frame, not the classic image.
The roads in the area are narrow and winding: allow extra time and avoid driving in the evening.
Museum and attraction hours and tickets (Oravița theatre, Anina museum) may vary: check ahead, especially on Mondays.
Mobile signal is spotty in places: download an offline map before you go.
Check the boat schedule at Cazane before you leave: during high water, trips may be cancelled.
Bring an ID for the boat ride, which runs close to the Serbian border.
Do I need a car for this itinerary? Yes. Distances between stops are long for public transport, and many places, like Bigărul or Cheile Nerei, are really only reachable by car.
How much driving in total? Around 500–600 km over the whole week, with at most two hours of driving per day; on the train day you barely drive at all.
Is the Oravița–Anina train a narrow-gauge railway? No. It's a standard-gauge railway, with viaducts and tunnels, known as the Banat's Semmering.
Can you do this itinerary with children? Yes, with older children who can walk for a few hours. The route through Cheile Nerei is the most demanding.
What's the best month to visit? Between June and September. In summer the waters are full, the trails are dry, and the Semenic plateau is cool.