Taken a few meters down from Balea Lake, on the northern part of the road. It shows the curvy lanes going down through the glacier’s valley. Luckily the clouds were on their way to Sibiu so the view was clear. A section from what Top Gear called the greatest road in the world. Wikipedia
If you are looking for a driving road in Europe that is quiet and where you can let your Italian supercar loose, then we suggest finding an old military road. Last time, we featured the A93 in Scotland which as an old military road. Now, we are featuring another old military access road that has been dubbed by a popular car show as the best driving road in the world.
If you find yourself in Romania in early summer or late winter, we suggest that you visit an isolated stretch of highway called the Transfagarasan.
It has been called by Jeremy Clarkson, formerly of the popular motoring show Top Gear, as the best driving road in the world. In his drive along this mountain pass, he used a Ferrari California and absolutely loved the road.
Panoramic view of Făgăraș Mountains, Romania. Wikipedia
The Transfagarasan is an old military road built in the historic region of Transylvania. It is also known as Ceausescu’s Folly as it was commissioned during the term of Nicolae Ceausescu who is the Secretary General of the Romanian Communist Party. Ceausescu had the road commissioned in response to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. The idea behind the road was to give the military access to a highway in case the Soviets decide to invade the country. The highway was carved into the mountainside using six million kilogrammes of dynamite.
The result is absolutely stunning.
The Transfagarasan is just 60 miles long but is one stretch that drivers will surely enjoy.
Transfagarasan, the northern part. Wikipedia
Jeremy Clarkson describes the highway as the combination of the best turns from the best racing circuits in the world combined into one long highway. The hairpin turns, S-curves and steep descents will challenge any car and driver. The view at the top of the road is pretty spectacular as you can see the twists and turns of the highway. The top of the road is at an elevation of 6,699ft which makes the downhill and uphill drives pretty interesting.
A viaduct is seen from the highway. Wikipedia
The Transfagarasan area is also notable if you are a fan of vampires. Located at the southern end of the highway is the Poenari Castle which is the home of Vlad the Impaler. Count Vlad is the inspiration for the fictional vampire Dracula. The other attractions along the highway are the Balea Lake and Balea Waterfalls.
The Poenari Castle ruins. Wikipedia
The Balea Lake. Wikipedia
The Transfagarasan is a highway that will be a test for any car. Before tackling the highway, we recommend that you have your car checked. It is important that your car’s brakes and tires are in top shape as there are steep descents that need both grip and stopping power. It is a pretty challenging road and we suggest that you drive cautiously. The road is open from summer to early winter and the best time to drive it is the early daylight hours or just before the sun sets as there is little traffic. Early summer when the roads open and just before it closes for the winter are the best days to drive the roads. Tourists in the peak of summer can cause some traffic. Finally, do check the local bulletins for road closure and hazards. Drive safe and have fun!
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