Polovragi Monastery and Oltăț Gorge

Polovragi monastery stands at the mouth of the Oltăț gorge, backed by the wooded wall of the Căpățânii mountains, with a church founded in the sixteenth century and rebuilt in the Brâncovenesc period, when its porch and painting were added. Beyond the monastery the road ends and the gorge begins: a limestone cleft a couple of kilometres long, narrow enough in places that the sky is a slot overhead, with a track running through it beside the stream. A few hundred metres in, the Women's Cave of Polovragi opens in the cliff, a show cave that carries a heavy load of legend, including a persistent local story linking it to the Dacian king Zalmoxis. The gorge is popular with climbers, and walkers continue up the valley into the mountains. The combination of monastery, gorge and cave within a kilometre makes it one of the better half-days in Oltenia.

What you actually see

• The monastery - a Brâncovenesc church and courtyard under the cliff.
• The gorge track - a narrow limestone cleft walked beside the stream.
• Polovragi cave - a show cave with guided visits and a wealth of legend.
• Climbing routes - bolted lines on the gorge walls.

When to go

April to October; the gorge is cold and slippery in winter and the cave has reduced hours. Summer weekends are busy with local visitors. The gorge holds shade all day, which makes it a good hot-weather option.

Honest expectations

The cave tour is short, the lighting basic and the commentary usually Romanian only. The gorge track is unsurfaced, muddy after rain and shared with occasional vehicles. Facilities are limited to a couple of stalls near the monastery. Monastery etiquette applies: quiet, modest dress, no photography inside the church.

Nearby

Tismana monastery lies west; the Transalpina road climbs north from Novaci.