Parcul Național Ceahlău

Ceahlău National Park protects the massif you can see from tens of kilometres away, standing alone above the Izvorul Muntelui reservoir like a citadel. Ceahlău is not the country's highest mountain, but it has something few others do: a suspended plateau rimmed by conglomerate ledges, with rock towers such as Panaghia and Piatra Lăcrimată emerging from the mist exactly when you least expect them. For Moldavians it is a holy mountain, and the summer pilgrimage brings thousands to the top.

The two classic ascents start from opposite sides: Durău–Toaca, with its long stairways below Toaca Peak and the weather station above, and Izvoru Muntelui–Dochia, wilder, through forest and scree. Both end at Cabana Dochia, in the middle of the plateau. The area completes itself with the Bicaz Gorges, an hour's drive away.

Good to know Wind blows almost constantly up there, and fog is routine even on days that look fine from the valley — do not set out without rain gear and a torch. Elevation gain is substantial on both routes, so budget a full day. Check the mountain weather and the rest of the Ceahlău and Bicaz region before you go.