Fundata – 7 Reasons Why You Should Visit the Highest-Located Village in Romania

It is said that Transylvania resembles a fortress protected by the Carpathian Mountains. Its southeastern part in the vicinity of Brașov is also surrounded by mountains with dense forests. The roads are full of turns; each new turn brings a new view of the idyllic scenery here.

Even in September, all shades of green still dominated here, piles of hay towered over the meadows (those true high piles, not hay pressed into bales in plastic packaging!), rosehips ripened and sheep and cows were still grazing here.

After 40 kilometers from Brașov, a winding road will lead you to the small village of Fundata, which is located at an altitude of 1360 m, actually the highest-located village in Romania. It consists of three villages: Fundata, Fundatica and Sirnea. In 2023, it was declared number 1 among the top tourist destinations in Romania. So what are the reasons why you, too, should visit this place?

(1) The cleanest air

The inhabitants of this highest-located village say that heaven meets earth here. According to the Environment Agency, it has the cleanest air in all of Romania, and this makes this location an ideal place for relaxation for those who want to escape from the polluted city environment and breathe healthy mountain air. The place is also sought after by people with breathing problems.

In the same way, the water here is considered to be very clean, it can be drunk directly from the tap, which is not to be taken for granted even today, not only in Romania. As a special bonus, you will experience the healing silence as well…

(2) Beautiful scenery

Landscape like a postcard, beautiful green meadows bordered by strips of spruce and fir forests and the high mountains of Piatra Craiului, Bucegi and Leaota. Even now, a few meadow flowers are blooming here but I think it must be even more beautiful in the spring.

You walk around and keep discovering new and new themes for the lens of your camera or mobile.

The beautiful scenery invites you to take a walk, you can choose one of the three ecotourism routes, just wander around or go on a longer, more challenging hike to the nearby mountains and discover other hidden treasures – caves, lakes, gorges, etc.

(3) Authentic architecture

The well-known British film producer, presenter and director Charlie Ottley, author of the travel documentaries Wild Carpathia and Flavours of Romania (Netflix), has also found his new home here.

During my visit to Fundata, I had the opportunity to meet him personally and he even invited us to his home.

As Charlie says, every house here is unique, each one is like a little castle with turrets.

Several houses are concentrated together in the center of the village, but otherwise, the houses are scattered on the surrounding slopes at fairly large distances. As the mayor of the village, Marian Florin Patea told us, houses with a wooden structure and typical architecture have priority when obtaining a building permit. This is how they manage to preserve the character of the area and the spirit of the past in the houses.

On the hills of the village of Fundata, there are approximately 350 permanently inhabited, mostly traditional houses, but also 400 guest and holiday houses, which we will talk about later. Interestingly, many of their owners are not local. They first came here as tourists, fell in love with this picturesque corner of Romania and, just like Charlie, they decided to stay here and invest in the development of tourism.

What fascinated me the most in Charlie’s house was the bedroom, where there was a bathtub right next to the beds. However, I noticed the same at other houses that I had the opportunity to visit. Interesting tradition, what do you say?

(4) Historical traces

The first mention of Fundata comes from 1732, the village of Sirnea even three years earlier. But the territory has a much longer history, dating back to the Thracians and Romans.

There is also the story of Officer Gheorghe Poenaru-Bordea, the first Romanian to die in World War I – in August 1916 – near the former Austro-Hungarian customs office in Fundata. In October, heavy fighting took place here as part of the German counter-offensive. The hero Gheorghe has his monument here, and every year a “living history hour” takes place here, when enthusiasts of historical reconstructions meet and bring the events of 1916 closer to the audience.

You can learn more about history in the Ethnographic Museum in the village of Sirnea in the premises of the former school. However, do not forget to take an interpreter or translator with you as the labels on the exhibited objects are only in Romanian.

(5) Outdoor activities

In addition to walks and mountain hiking, Fundata offers other activities: horse riding, mountain and electric bikes, scooters and driving all-terrain vehicles. Horse therapy is available as well.

The main center is the three-star Olympic-sized sports complex Cheile Gradistei Resort.

Sirnea is also the only place in Romania where the International Olympic Day is celebrated, where the Olympic flame is lit in the presence of former Romanian Olympic champions.

One of the biggest attractions of the resort is the new, 1 km long Alpine coaster. It is also suitable for children (accompanied by parents).

You can raise your adrenaline level on the 500-meter-long tandem zipline at a height of 50 meters. It is suitable, however, only for persons over 16 years of age. One ride takes 10-15 minutes.

Skiers will also enjoy this resort. Already in 1930, Princess Ileana, the youngest daughter of King Ferdinand I, started organizing ski courses for local children, and in the same year, cross-country skiing races were held here. Prince Nicholas attended as well. During communism, there was a selection base for cross-country skiing and biathlon.

More information: Cheile Gradistei Resort

(6) Local cuisine

Life in Fundata is not measured by the accelerated pace of big cities. The main occupation of many residents is still cattle breeding. Both domestic and foreign visitors come here not only to relax. Some take it as a return to their childhood, others as an opportunity to try things they have not experienced in the city: milking cows, collecting eggs, making cheese, cooking jam, etc. The cleanest air and clean water are prerequisites for the fact that the food provided by the local nature is also healthy. The basis of local cuisine is a porridge made from yellow corn flour – mamaliga, bread is eaten less.

The second most frequently used raw material is milk and milk products: butter, buttermilk, cream and cottage cheese which matures in fir bark. I admit that I did not like mamaliga with baked smoked cheese, as it was drowned out by the taste of the cheese. Better was the combination of porridge and cheese, but the balls they made from this mass were the size of cannonballs and it was very difficult to finish even one ball.

A lot of meat is also consumed here. A plate full of sausages, roast pork and chicken landed on our table (at the Valea Lupilor guesthouse). In addition, another plate lined with smoked meat products also appeared in front of us.

Almost every family here has a pig slaughter before Christmas. While pork is preferred in winter, it is mutton in summer.

The villagers also make schnapps from local products (plums, sour cherries…), which they then use to welcome their guests. So: Noroc! Cheers!

Throughout the year, various festivals, folklore celebrations and fairs are held here, which allow you to experience the true rural atmosphere – often with a fire blazing into the night, dance and singing performances by folklore ensembles in colorful national costumes, but also with the roasting of a pig or a lamb.

(7) Trips to the nearby area

From Fundata, you can also take interesting trips to the nearby area – to the legendary Bran Castle, to the Rasnov Fortress or to the picturesque historic city of Brașov. You will read more about these places in separate articles:

Bran Castle: https://travelpotpourri.net/2023/10/31/bran-welcome-to-one-of-the-most-visited-castles-in-romania/

Practical information

Where to stay: Sirnea, once just a shepherd’s village, was declared the first tourist village in Romania in 1973. Since then, accommodation options have expanded significantly. During my visit to Fundata, I stayed at the three-star hotel Raza Soarelui with a restaurant and a range of sports activities. I had a large room with four beds (one of which was a bunk bed) – without a bathtub 🙂 – furnished with massive wooden furniture. There was no elevator in the building.

Apart from this hotel and the sports complex Cheile Gradistei Resort with a capacity of 1000 places, this tourist destination has 400 guesthouses and holiday houses that offer another 1000 places to stay.

In addition to traditional houses, there are various types of guesthouses, a converted barn, a log cabin, an A-frame cabin, small inns, a hobbit house, a tree house, etc. You will often be surprised by the modern interior – mostly with a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape – and modern equipment that will ensure you a high level of comfort. In all these objects you will find a quiet place where you can relax and recharge your energy. Among other accommodation facilities, we can mention at least the following: Resort EuroPark Fundata, Barn, Crai Nou, Padina Ursului, Poarta Craiului, Valea Lupilor, Casa Plai cu Dor, Piatra Alba, Casa Pelinica. Pictures will tell you more:

It is best if you open the offer of several accommodation options in Fundata and choose what you like best and what suits you best.

How to get here:

As there is no railway line leading here, you cannot get here by train.

By plane: I flew to Bucharest (180 km from Fundata), but in June 2023 the international airport in Brașov was opened, which provides air connections to several cities in Europe, and the number of destinations will certainly increase in the future. From Brașov, you can then get to Fundata by direct bus.

The village of Fundata is a unique tourist destination in Romania and definitely worth a visit. It certainly has great potential, especially for the development of agritourism. It is a year-round destination, suitable for all age groups.

Text: © Copyright Ingrid, Travelpotpourri
Fotos: © Copyright Ingrid and Ovidiu Oprea, Travelpotpourri