The Transfagarasan: 114 kilometres of hairpin bends and views up to 2,034 metres.
Jeremy Clarkson called this the best road in the world. The Transfagarasan winds in endless bends, steep climbs and sweeping views through Romania’s Fagaras Mountains. Touren.app brings the finest sections together into one complete driving route, with viewpoints, stops and practical information.
In 2009 Top Gear sent Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to find the greatest driving road in the world. They drove it in an Aston Martin, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, and by the end of the episode (series 14, episode 1) Clarkson had made up his mind: the Transfagarasan was, in his words, the best road in the world, knocking Italy’s Stelvio off the top spot.
Ever since, this road has topped the list for every enthusiast, and rightly so. The Transfagarasan, officially the DN7C, crosses the Fagaras Mountains in the heart of Romania and climbs to 2,034 metres, past a glacial lake, through a tunnel under the ridge and down a set of hairpin bends you will recognise from countless photos.
The best part is that it is not only about those bends. On the southern side you pass the Vidraru dam and the real castle of Vlad the Impaler, the historical Dracula. On the northern side the road drops towards Sibiu, one of the loveliest towns in Transylvania. So the Transfagarasan is not a brief burst of drama but a full day’s drive to look forward to.
Touren.app worked out the best way to do it: where to start, which direction to drive, when the pass is open and which stops you should not miss. We use Clarkson and Top Gear only as a reference. We do not work with them; we simply share their appreciation of this extraordinary road.
The Transfagarasan runs from Curtea de Argeș in the south to Cârțișoara in the north. Below, choose the version that suits you: the classic crossing, or a big loop from Sibiu.
The lines on the map indicate the route between the stops, not the exact road geometry. The GPX and the Google Maps links do follow the real road.
Two ways to drive the same famous road.
The classic way: from Curtea de Argeș up past the Vidraru dam to Bâlea Lake at the top, then down the famous hairpin bends towards Sibiu. That way you finish with the most spectacular stretch right in front of you.
Basing yourself in Sibiu? Then drive a loop: over the pass to the south as far as the Vidraru dam and Poenari Castle, and back to Sibiu through the Olt valley. A long day, but you end where you began. For a shorter day, turn around at Bâlea Lake.
These are the places to stop, from the real Dracula castle to the lake at the top and the hairpin bends.
High above the road stand the ruins of Poenari Castle, the actual stronghold of Vlad the Impaler (unlike touristy Bran). You reach it by climbing more than 1,480 steps through the forest. A stiff climb, but the view and the history are worth it.
On the southern side you pass the Vidraru dam, a 166-metre arch dam, built in 1966. Behind it lies the long reservoir, with the road winding along its shores. An impressive start to the climb.
Above the tree line the landscape turns bare and rugged. At the Capra waterfall, fed by meltwater, the high-alpine section begins. This is where you really feel you are climbing a mountain pass.
The crown jewel: a glacial lake in a cirque, ringed by steep walls, with a chalet and a cable car looking out over the road. Just above it the road dives into a tunnel under the ridge. In winter the famous ice hotel stands here, but then the pass is closed.
On the northern side the road drops down the run of hairpin bends that made the Transfagarasan world famous. Below lies the Bâlea waterfall, with the cable car above it. This is the image everyone knows, and it drives best going down.
The road levels out at the village of Cârțișoara. From here it is about an hour to Sibiu, one of the finest Saxon towns in Transylvania and the logical place to stay the night.
The nearest international airport is Sibiu, about an hour from the northern end and the handiest base; Bucharest is roughly two and a half hours from the southern end. From Sibiu airport you rent a car and drive out to the road.
The high, gated section is closed by snow in winter. The pass usually opens in late June or early July and stays drivable into October, with access between 7:00 and 21:00. Exact dates depend on snow clearance.
There is no toll. Fill up before you head up the pass, as there are no fuel stations at the top. At 2,000 metres the weather can turn quickly, even in summer, so bring a jacket. Start early to beat the crowds on the bends.
The Transfagarasan is a high-mountain pass and parts are open only part of the year. Even in summer the road can close temporarily in bad weather. Always check the current opening with the Romanian road authority (CNAIR) or a recent local source just before you leave. Never drive up the mountain blind.
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Usually from late June or early July into October, with access between 7:00 and 21:00. The highest section between Bâlea Cascadă and Piscul Negru is closed in winter by snow. Always check the current status just before you go.
Pure driving is 3 to 4 hours over about 114 kilometres, but with stops at the dam, the lake and the bends you should plan a full day.
We recommend south to north: you climb past Poenari Castle and the Vidraru dam up to Bâlea Lake, and finish with the spectacular descent down the hairpin bends towards Sibiu. Start early to beat the crowds.
The Transfagarasan is the most famous and the most spectacular thanks to its hairpins. The Transalpina lies a little further west, is higher and quieter. With time to spare, the two combine well.
The road is well paved but narrow, twisty and busy in high season. Take your time, watch for descending cyclists and stray animals, and do not drive it in the dark or in fog.
Sibiu is the natural base: a beautiful Saxon town with its own airport, about an hour from the northern end of the road.