Transrarău (DN17B)

The Transrarău (DN17B) is the road that cuts through the Rarău massif between Câmpulung Moldovenesc and Chiril on the Bistrița valley, and one of the most beautiful drives in Bukovina. It climbs in tight hairpins through spruce, emerges above the treeline in a broad saddle at roughly 1400 m, then drops down the far side with views that open abruptly at every bend over the soft crests of the Obcine hills.

The highlight is not the asphalt but what stands beside it: Pietrele Doamnei, limestone towers rising from the ridge like fangs, a short walk from Cabana Rarău. The road folds naturally into a loop with the painted monasteries of Bukovina and with Vatra Dornei, and the rest of the Bukovina–Rarău region deserves at least two days.

Good to know The carriageway is narrow, patchy in places and without guardrail on several sections — drive calmly, and leave caravans and low cars at home. In winter and early spring access can be closed or difficult because of snow and ice; check the state of the mountain roads and the weather before setting off. The best light is early morning, when mist still fills the valleys and only the ridges stand above it.