Vatra Dornei

Vatra Dornei sits where the Dorna joins the Bistrița, ringed by the Călimani, Rarău and Suhard mountains, and it was developed as a spa under Austrian rule in the nineteenth century around springs of carbonated mineral water. The buildings from that period give the town its character: the old casino, a large timber and stucco building in the central park, the bath house, and a scatter of villas, some restored and some waiting. Mofettes, carbon dioxide emissions used for circulatory treatment, are part of the spa offer alongside the mineral water. In winter a ski area works the slopes of Dealul Negru directly above the town with a gondola from the centre, which makes Vatra Dornei one of the few Romanian resorts where you can ski and take the waters in the same afternoon. The surrounding Dornelor basin is pastoral, with wooden villages and hay meadows.

What you actually see

• The wooden casino - the Habsburg-era pavilion in the central park.
• Mineral springs and mofettes - the spa facilities and drinking fountains.
• The ski area - a gondola and pistes on Dealul Negru above the town.
• The Dornelor basin - pastoral villages and meadows around.

When to go

Winter for skiing and steam over the springs, summer for walking in the Călimani and Rarău. Spring and autumn are quiet, with the spa working and the mountains at their best for hiking. The town works year-round, which is unusual in Romania.

Honest expectations

The casino has stood derelict for years and restoration has been slow, so the town's emblem is fenced and shabby. The ski area is small by alpine standards with limited snow reliability. Spa hotels are a mixed bag, ranging from renovated to institutional. The town centre is workaday.

Nearby

The Călimani and Rarău mountains rise around; Bucovina monasteries lie east.