As the Sibiu county area offers lots of options to stay outdoors and active and as all our family members are, starting this year, bike aficionados, here is one of our first bike weekends of 2024.
We planned this trip with a starting and ending point in Sibiu and we took the train towards our destination as to make it simple to move around. We chose a trail that fits 7-8 year old children who are used to bike a bit and who enjoy doing it. We planned our biking days as to have time to enjoy nature, to stop in villages for a quick beer and ice cream and to get to our accommodations in daylight, allowing us time to relax and recover.
We tried to avoid as much as possible the main national roads (and we succeeded except a couple of kilometers) and where possible we chose unpaved and unmarked roads through the fields. Traveling with kids, we also chose trails that don’t include too many ascends and descends, as to not overburden them.
Here are the details of our trip:
Day 1 – Friday: Sibiu – Făgăraș – Copăcel
On Friday afternoon we took a direct train from Sibiu to Făgăraș. In some trains in Romania you can now book tickets and get your bike onboard as well, which makes things a bit more simple if you don’t have a car.
From the train station in Făgăraș, we rode approximately 12 kilometers to arrive to our first accommodation in Copăcel. We stayed in Vila Grecu for the night, a nice guesthouse with everything you need to self-cater.
Day 2 – Saturday: Copăcel – Arpașu de Sus
Saturday was the main day of our trip with the longest distance to ride. We started the day early and left Copăcel around 9.30 with our final destination being Arpașu de Sus. We rode 45 kilometers in total and it took us around 10 hours, with lots of pit-stops, including a longer lunch break on the banks of a river, in the shade. It was a full day of outdoors and the kids managed very well to bike the whole distance.
We spent the night at Cabana Casa lui Baciu in Arpașu de Sus. We chose this place as it is walkable distance to Albota Trout Farm – a place we visit quite often for their fresh trout. And after a full day of being active, it is the perfect place to have a nice dinner.
Day 3 – Sunday: Arpașu de Sus – Avrig
On Sunday we planned to get back to Sibiu and we rode approximately 30 kilometers to Avrig where we took the afternoon train back to Sibiu. We left again in the morning from Arpașu de Sus as to have enough time to get to the train station and not be in a crazy rush. We still had time to stop in villages and wonder around a bit.
Some considerations about riding a bike in Romania
Maybe just a few things to mention when planning a bike trip in Romania. First of all, outside of the main cities, we don’t really have any bike lanes, so you have to follow the main roads, with cars. Drivers may and may not be paying to much attention or respect to people riding bikes so better be extra careful.
If you take unpaved roads through forests and fields, watch out for dogs – they might come out of nowhere and try to attack or bark at you. If this happens, get of the bike and talk nicely to them and try to keep your distance and move in an opposite direction. Do not threaten them or throw stones at them, they will get angry and might become aggressive.
Otherwise, enjoy the villages, the locals and nature, you will for sure enjoy everything around!
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