What to see around Curtea de Argeș
Casa Sima is in Curtea de Argeș, a few minutes’ walk from the Monastery. From here the Transfăgărășan heads north, with Poenari Fortress, Vidraru Dam and, in summer, Bâlea Lake. Below are the distances from us and a guide for each.
Close to the Transfăgărășan, Vidraru Dam and Poenari Fortress
Curtea de Argeș is the southern gateway to the Transfăgărășan, which makes it an easy base for the mountains. The sights sit along one road: head up to Poenari and Vidraru in the morning, back to the barbecue by evening. Distances are by road, from our gate.
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Curtea de Argeș Monastery
About a 7-minute walk. The church built by Neagoe Basarab between 1515 and 1517, the one in the legend of Master Manole. Romania’s first kings are buried here.
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St Nicholas Princely Church
In the old Princely Court, from the 14th century, when the town was the capital of Wallachia. A few minutes by car.
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Poenari Fortress
The fortress tied to Vlad the Impaler, on a cliff above the Argeș. About 35 minutes by car, then 1,480 steps to the top.
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Vidraru Dam
A 166-metre wall between the mountains, with the lake stretching out behind it. About 45 minutes by car.
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Bâlea Lake, on the Transfăgărășan
At 2,034 metres. Around two hours of hairpin bends. The mountain section is only open in the warm season, usually from June or July to the end of October.
Approximate road distances and times, calculated with OpenStreetMap. Mountain roads and summer weekends take longer. Our guide to the area
Our guides
In town, on foot or a few minutes’ drive
Curtea de Argeș was one of the first capitals of Wallachia. From that time comes the Princely Court, with St Nicholas Princely Church, from the 14th century, about 2.5 km from Casa Sima. Together with the Monastery, it’s an easy morning.
If you have two days, we’ve written a concrete plan: what to see on a weekend in Curtea de Argeș.