waterfall
Bâlea Waterfall
Romania's largest cascade waterfall, dropping 60 m below the Bâlea lake on the northern ramp of the Transfăgărășan.
10 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeRomaniaSibiu County
Cârţişoara
Sibiu County, Romania · Europe
About Cârţişoara
Cârţişoara works well as a base: 15 minutes from Cârţa, 13km from Transfagarasan (DN7C).
Cârţişoara is in Sibiu County, Romania, with about 1,100 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Cârţa, about 8 km away.
Cârțișoara (also Cârța Românească; German: Oberkerz; Hungarian: Kercisóra) is a commune in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Cârțișoara. Bâlea Lake is located on the territory of Cârțișoara.
The commune is located in the southeastern part of the county, 48 km (30 mi) from theRead more
county seat, Sibiu, and 38 km (24 mi) from Făgăraș. Cârțișoara is situated at the western edge of Țara Făgărașului, on the northern side of the Southern Carpathians, at the foot of the Făgăraș Mountains; it lies on the border with Argeș County and near the borders with Vâlcea and Brașov counties. The commune sits on the left bank of the river Cârțișoara, which flows south to north, discharging into the Olt River.
At the 2011 census, Cârțișoara had a population of 1,243 inhabitants, of which 96.3% were ethnic Romanians. At the 2021 census, the commune had 1,260 inhabitants, of which 90.87% were Romanians.
Where to Stay in Cârţişoara
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Cârţişoara.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Cârţişoara.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Cârţişoara?
Within an hour or so of Cârţişoara: Bâlea Waterfall (10 km), Balea Lac Mountain Cafe (13 km), Transfagarasan Viewpoint (13 km), Transfăgărășan Highway (13 km).
Are there any good drives near Cârţişoara?
The nearest famous roads are Transfagarasan (DN7C), Transfăgărășan Highway and Rucăr–Bran Pass.
Where is Cârţişoara?
Cârţişoara is in Sibiu County, Romania, about 8 km from Cârţa.
Road trip
Drive to Cârţişoara
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Cârţişoara. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 1,133
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Romania
- Region
- Sibiu County
- Timezone
- Europe/Bucharest
- Coordinates
- 45.7167, 24.5833
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Romania
Rovinieta (road tax sticker) required for all national roads.
Full driving guide for RomaniaTags
Worth the detour from Cârţişoara
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cafe
Balea Lac Mountain Cafe
A remote alpine cafe at the summit of Romania's Transfagarasan Highway beside Balea Lake, atop what Jeremy Clarkson called 'the best road in the world.'
13 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Transfagarasan Viewpoint
The summit of Romania's spectacular mountain highway, called 'the best road in the world' by Top Gear, with views of Balea Lake and the Fagaras range.
13 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Transfăgărășan Highway
Romania's spectacular mountain road crossing the Carpathians - 'best road in the world' per Top Gear
13 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Bâlea Lake
A glacial lake at 2,034m crowning the Transfăgărășan, reached by car in summer or cable car in winter.
13 km · about 25 min drive
tunnel
Bâlea Tunnel (Transfăgărășan)
At 2,040 m the highest road tunnel in Romania, cutting through the ridge at the top of the Transfăgărășan.
13 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Transfagarasan (DN7C)
Ceausescu's road over the Fagaras mountains to 2,042m at Balea Lac, with stacked hairpins, a tunnel and a waterfall. Open only in summer.
13 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Sibiu
A beautifully preserved medieval Saxon city with pastel-colored houses featuring distinctive eye-shaped roof windows overlooking grand squares.
35 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Cârţişoara
- Right hereTransfagarasan ViewpointThe summit of Romania's spectacular mountain highway, called 'the best road in the world' by Top Gear, with views of Balea Lake and the Fagaras range.
- Right hereTransfăgărășan HighwayRomania's spectacular mountain road crossing the Carpathians - 'best road in the world' per Top Gear
- Right hereBâlea LakeA glacial lake at 2,034m crowning the Transfăgărășan, reached by car in summer or cable car in winter.
- Right hereBâlea Tunnel (Transfăgărășan)At 2,040 m the highest road tunnel in Romania, cutting through the ridge at the top of the Transfăgărășan.
- Right hereTransfagarasan (DN7C)Ceausescu's road over the Fagaras mountains to 2,042m at Balea Lac, with stacked hairpins, a tunnel and a waterfall. Open only in summer.
- 62 kmRucăr–Bran PassHistoric corridor road (DN73) between Brașov and Câmpulung, cresting at Fundata (~1,290 m) with pastoral villages, limestone ridges and views of the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului massifs.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Cârţişoara.
Plan a trip around Cârţişoara
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Cârţişoara.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.