We both felt the need to get up into the clear fresh mountain air, and sure enough Marce found a free overnight, camper friendly parkup. Romania is so beautiful that any chance to get a better look at it never disappoints. However to get up here one has to do the one lane two-step boogie.
Just the same, it is quite lovely up here.
But wait, there’s more. Turns out we found a delightful surprise bonus waiting for us to explore.
A short but steep uphill climb led to a mountaintop UNESCO citadel called Catatea Rupea, which turns out to have been built in the 1200s. Think of it as another medieval Romanian surprise.
The citadel was built by the Transylvanian Saxons and clings to a 400 ft tall basalt cliff.
The location between Brasov and Sighisoara allowed them to control the valley below.
The night parking lot guard stretched a chain across the entrance and in the morning he collected the 15 lei (3 usd) to enter the citadel. As we finished our coffee, the morning sunrays spilled across the fields bathing the scene in a deeply textured relief. We started up the path.
It didn’t take long for dark clouds, scudding down the valley, to add a little drama to the scene.
A quick celebration at the summit, and a peaceful panoramic view of the Romanian countryside.
One last chance to enjoy this find as we head back down.
