What to see on a weekend in Curtea de Argeș: a two-day guide
Two days are enough to see the town and the road to the mountains properly, without rushing. The plan below starts from Casa Sima, but works from anywhere in Curtea de Argeș.
Before you go: check the season
The plan changes with the season. The mountain section of the Transfăgărășan, towards Bâlea Lake, is only open in the warm season, usually from June or July to the end of October, from 07:00 to 21:00. In 2026 it opened on 12 June. Poenari and Vidraru are lower down and can be visited outside the season too, with care on winter roads.
The opening hours below are those published by each site. They do change, so it’s worth checking the day before.
Day 1: Curtea de Argeș, on foot and unhurried
Morning: Curtea de Argeș Monastery
Start where most people come for: Curtea de Argeș Monastery, built by Neagoe Basarab between 1515 and 1517. Look at the carved stone facade and the twisted towers, then step into the narthex, where Carol I and Elisabeth, Ferdinand and Marie are buried. From Casa Sima it’s about 600 metres, roughly a 7-minute walk. Published hours are 8:00–20:00 in summer and 9:00–17:00 in winter.
Towards midday: the Princely Court
About 2.5 km away, in the Princely Court, is St Nicholas Princely Church, from the 14th century, when the town was the capital of Wallachia. It’s a few minutes by car, or a longer walk through town.
Afternoon and evening
Keep the afternoon free: a walk through the centre, a coffee, some rest before the mountain day. In the evening, if you’re staying with us, there’s the brick barbecue and the gazebo in the courtyard.
Day 2: up the Transfăgărășan to Poenari and Vidraru
Early morning: Poenari Fortress
Set off early on the DN7C heading north. Poenari Fortress is about 23 km away, around 35 minutes. You climb 1,480 steps through beech forest, on a path fenced with an electric fence because of bears. Published hours are daily 10:00–18:00, last climb at 17:00, and in 2025 an adult ticket cost 30 lei. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water.
Late morning: Vidraru Dam
A few kilometres further up is Vidraru Dam: 166 metres of curved concrete, built between 1960 and 1966, with the lake, about 14 km long, behind it. Walk across the crest and look for the statue of Prometheus on the rock above.
Afternoon: two options
If the Transfăgărășan is open and you have the whole day: carry on along the lake, then up the hairpin bends after Piscu Negru to Bâlea Lake, at 2,034 m. From Casa Sima it’s about 75 km and roughly two hours one way without stops, so plan to be back down before 21:00. Details on the Transfăgărășan page.
If the mountain road is closed or you want an easier day: after Vidraru, head back to Curtea de Argeș for lunch and keep the afternoon free.
Practical tips
- The car: leave town with a full tank, and expect the hairpin bends to take longer, especially on summer weekends.
- Clothes: it’s much colder at Bâlea than in Curtea de Argeș, and the weather changes quickly. A warm layer in the boot helps even in August.
- Bears: they’re often seen along the Transfăgărășan. Don’t feed them and stay in your car near them.
- The order: Poenari in the morning, before the heat and the crowds, then Vidraru.
Where to stay
A weekend like this needs a base in Curtea de Argeș, close to the Monastery and on the road to the mountains. At Casa Sima there are five double rooms, each with its own bathroom, parking in the courtyard and, in the evening, the barbecue and the gazebo. Day one you do on foot; on day two you head straight for the Transfăgărășan.