Argeș

Argeș County lies in south-central Romania, stretching from the Carpathian Mountains to the Romanian Plain. The Argeș River gives the county its name, and the landscape includes the snow-capped Făgăraș Mountains, the famous Transfăgărășan Highway, and the historic Wallachian plains.

Argeș is a land of royal legacy and mountain grandeur. Curtea de Argeș was the capital of medieval Wallachia, and its 16th-century monastery is one of Romania's most important religious sites. The county is dominated by the Făgăraș Mountains and the legendary Transfăgărășan road.

Best visited from May to October. Summer offers pleasant temperatures (20-28°C) for mountain hiking. July-August is the only time the Transfăgărășan is fully open. Winters are cold with heavy snow in the mountains.

Local buses and minibuses connect the main towns within the county. For rural areas, a car is recommended. Taxis are available in the county seat and larger towns.

• Pitesti
• Curtea de Arges
• Campulung
• Topoloveni
• Costesti
• Mioveni
• Rucar
• Arefu
• Piatra Craiului National Park

Argeș is known for its hearty Romanian cuisine, including bulz (polenta with sheep cheese), ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup), and fruit țuică (plum brandy). The region produces excellent berries, mushrooms, and trout from mountain streams.

Highlights include the Curtea de Argeș Monastery celebrations, medieval festivals at Poienari Fortress, and the folk traditions of the Muscel region.

1. Drive the Transfăgărășan Highway — Romania's most spectacular road climbing to 2,042 m past Bâlea Lake and waterfall
2. Visit Curtea de Argeș Monastery — the burial site of Romanian royalty with stunning Byzantine architecture
3. Hike in the Făgăraș Mountains — Romania's highest peaks including Moldoveanu (2,544 m)
4. Explore Poienari Castle — Vlad Țepeș's real fortress, reached by 1,480 steps
5. Tour the National Museum of the Carpathians in Câmpulung — ethnographic exhibits of mountain village life