Before you go
- Vehicle
- Sedan is fine
- Permit
- Required — Retezat National Park has visitor rules and ticket requirements; check the park administration before entering marked trails.
- Entrance fee
- Expect separate castle, fortress, museum, church and national-park fees in Romanian lei; carry backup cash for smaller stops.
- Peak altitude
- 1250 m
- Cell coverage
- Patchy
- Fuel
- Top up around Pitești/Sibiu/Deva and again before entering Hațeg or Retezat access valleys.
- Road status
- A1/DN7 approaches are paved, but Retezat access and mountain parking can be affected by storms, snowmelt or local restrictions.
About this trip
This long weekend adds a western Carpathian arc to the guide: medieval Hunedoara, Roman and early-medieval Hațeg, then the forested northern edge of Retezat National Park. It is deliberately slower than a castle-only dash because the mountain section needs daylight, weather checks and conservative walking choices.
Route
Skip map, jump to step listWhere to sleep
- Night 1 of 2Hațeg / Retezat foothills overnight baseGuesthouseMid-range
- Night 2 of 2Hațeg / Retezat foothills overnight baseGuesthouseMid-range
Budget · ~150–300 RON/night. Mid-range · ~300–650 RON. Premium · ~650+ RON.
Itinerary
Stop 1
Bucharest
Start in central Bucharest before dawn when possible. Load offline maps, confirm mountain weather, and keep food, fuel and daylight buffers conservative.
Tip: Leave before rush hour; Bucharest exits can decide whether this remains a comfortable itinerary.
Stop 2
Corvin Castle, Hunedoara
- From previous:
- 400 km · 330 min drive
- Stay:
- ~2.5 h
Tour the Gothic-Renaissance castle before the route spreads into the Deva and Hațeg valleys.
Tip: Reserve the longest daylight block here; castle queues can grow on weekends.
Stop 3
Deva Citadel
- From previous:
- 19 km · 30 min drive
- Stay:
- ~1.5 h
Use Deva as the short fortress-and-viewpoint counterpoint before turning south toward Țara Hațegului.
Tip: Check whether the lift or walking access is operating before relying on it.
Stop 4
Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa
- From previous:
- 65 km · 75 min drive
- Stay:
- ~1.5 h
Walk the Roman colony ruins to give the route an ancient Dacia layer before the mountain day.
Stop 5
Densuș Church
- From previous:
- 13 km · 20 min drive
- Stay:
- ~0.75 h
Pause at the compact stone church, then keep the afternoon flexible for Hațeg lodging and supplies.
Stop 6
Retezat National Park, Cârnic gateway
- From previous:
- 45 km · 75 min drive
- Stay:
- ~3 h
Use Cârnic/Lolaia as a conservative Retezat introduction: forest, waterfall and signed trails rather than an overambitious summit plan.
Tip: Stay on marked routes and turn around early if storms build.
Stop 7
Return to Bucharest
- From previous:
- 430 km · 360 min drive
Return to Bucharest with a full evening buffer. Mountain weather, weekend traffic and slow village sections can extend the final leg.
Tip: Avoid planning a late museum visit or paid activity on the return evening.
Night 1 of 2 · after Step 3: Deva Citadel
Hațeg / Retezat foothills overnight base
Practical guesthouse base around Hațeg or the Retezat foothills for the Hunedoara, Hațeg and Retezat route. Verify exact lodging and park access before booking.
- near route base
- parking
Use current local listings; availability changes by season and mountain-weather windows.
Night 2 of 2 · after Step 5: Densuș Church
Hațeg / Retezat foothills overnight base
Practical guesthouse base around Hațeg or the Retezat foothills for the Hunedoara, Hațeg and Retezat route. Verify exact lodging and park access before booking.
- near route base
- parking
Use current local listings; availability changes by season and mountain-weather windows.
What to bring
- Offline maps for the full route
- Romanian lei for parking, museums, and small local fees
- Water and snacks for rural stretches
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Layered clothing and rain shell
- Phone charger and power bank
- Vehicle documents and insurance
- Sunscreen and hat in summer
Sources
Researched from English and Romanian sources. Inaccuracies are mine.
- https://www.castelulcorvinilor.ro/
- https://www.gohunedoara.com/en/list/viziteaza-in-hunedoara/ecoturism/hateg/destinatia-de-ecoturism-tara-hategului-retezat/
- https://romanemperorsroute.org/colonia-ulpia-traiana-augusta-dacica-sarmizegetusa/
- https://retezat.ro/intrebari-frecvente/119/tourist-information
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