Măgura

Măgura sits at around a thousand metres on a shelf between the Piatra Craiului ridge and the Bucegi, and its houses are scattered across the hillside rather than gathered into a street, each with its own hay meadow and barn. The setting is the reason to come: the whole Piatra Craiului wall stands opposite, changing through the day, and the meadows in front of it are among the richest in Europe for wildflowers and butterflies, worked by hand because tractors cannot get onto the slopes. Guesthouses have appeared over the last twenty years, most of them family-run, and the village has become a base for walkers in the national park and for people who simply want to sit and look at a mountain. Paths lead down into the Zărnești gorge, along to Peștera village, and up into the park. Bears pass through regularly, which shapes how rubbish and livestock are handled here.

The main sights

• The Piatra Craiului view - the limestone ridge filling the horizon opposite.
• Hay meadows - species-rich grassland cut by hand each summer.
• Scattered farmsteads - houses and barns spread across the hillside.
• Walking routes - paths to the gorge, to Peștera and into the national park.

When to go

May to October. June and July are the peak for wildflowers and butterflies, August for haymaking, October for colour. Winter is beautiful and cold, with limited services and a road that needs care or a four-wheel drive.

Practical notes

The road up is steep, narrow and unsurfaced in stretches, and ordinary cars struggle in wet or icy conditions. There are no shops, so guesthouse meals are the only option. Bears are genuinely present around the village at night. Mobile signal is patchy and the village has no centre to speak of.

Nearby

Zărnești and the Libearty bear sanctuary are below; Bran is a short drive east.