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Cheile Nera-Beușnița Cheile Nerei National Park - Beușnița hides a treasure: "Acapulco Beach Nera", probably the only beach on the Nera River, an unexpectedly beautiful place. From the Beiului Bridge, go through La Tunele, until you pass the sixth tunnel and follow a path to the left towards Nera (approx. 30 minutes from the Beiului Bridge). As you descend the path and reach Nera, suddenly this oasis appears, as if torn from the movies. In the middle of nature we find a sandy beach, the Nera river and on the opposite bank a steep rock that perfectly complements the landscape. A very interesting tourist attraction and for the fact that you go through the tunnels to get there, which perfectly completes the experience. Text & photo source

Prisaca Lake is located in Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park, about 6 km from Băile Herculane and it has about 4 km long. It was formed by building of the dam at Băile Herculane with the purpose of producing electric power, but also to maintain the balance of the underground waters in the perimeter of the resort. The lake is an important recreation area.

Avenul is located halfway between Secu and Văliug, Caraş-Severin county. More precisely, we find it on the southwestern slope of the Piatra Albă Hill, a short distance from Talva Sodol, in Poiana Gropii. Also, the entrance is known by the locals as "Groapa Mare". Photo source: banateanul.ro, Speologie.org

Cantonul Damian is a landmark and a stopover for any tourist in the Cheile Nerei (Nera Gorges). This is a wonderful camping spot for tents. From here, climbers set out for the limestone pyramid of Turnul Mare al Begului, where they climb the wall over 200 meters high. Turnul Mare al Begului is continued by Turnul Mic al Begului downstream from the forestry lodge. From Cantonul Damian, downstream, the trail follows the forest road passing under Cârşia Rolului, imposing with its stone towers at the summit, with a height of 270 meters. At the base of the cliff is Peștera Rolului (20 meters above the Nera waters), where the Caraseni haiducs took refuge from the Turkish and Austrian gates. The cave is famous as the refuge of Adam Duma, also known as Adam Neamțu, the last great Banat haiduc, and according to legend, the treasures of the haiducs are also hidden in this cave. The forest road then passes by the ruins of the former medieval fortification "Turnul Mare a lui Alibeg," which "is linked to the legend of a young Banat girl who was kidnapped by the Turkish bey and imprisoned in the tower. However, the girl escaped at night, descending the rock with the help of a rope she braided from her own dress. Out of sorrow, for he was in love with the beautiful girl, Ali Beg cried so much that the Bei River formed from his tears." [Bizerea M., 1971]. Indeed, after 4 km from Cantonul Damian, on the forest road, you reach the confluence of Beiul and Nera, at Podul Beiului. Source: text & photo

The route to the Beuşnita Waterfall is very easy and will not take you more than 2 hours from the Bei Bridge, it is a route on a forest road, easily accessible for children as well. Along the entire route you can admire the small travertine waterfalls formed along the course of the Bei River. The Beușnița waterfall breaks off from the height in an impressive fall, forming a wave of steam and a fine mist that will envelop you, especially now, after the heavy rains of the last weeks. source

The Bigăr waterfall is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the country. Made famous after appearing in first place in a ranking of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, this monument of nature has become a popular tourist attraction for tourists everywhere. The waterfall belongs to the Cheile Nerei - Beușnița National Park in the Anina Mountains and is part of a nature reserve protected by law. The primary element that distinguishes it from other attractions of this kind is the calcareous water that flows in streams from a calcareous tuff and which sometimes has shades of blue. It is recommended to visit these in the spring months, when the water fall is the richest. Photo source: https://www.facebook.com

If you arrive at Cheile Minișului, make a stop at the Cârșa waterfall, located just 14 km from Anina, over the Miniș river, on the left side. The waterfall is fed by rainfall, which is why it can sometimes dry up temporarily during the summer. However, it has an impressive waterfall of about 30 meters, which spills over the limestone rocks that hide one of the many caves that can be found on the Minișului Gorge. Here, you can enjoy the beauty of the waterfall and the fresh forest air that surrounds it. Road access is on the road that connects the Anina - Bozovici localities.

The Fecioara Maria waterfall has a special beauty, urging you to stay as much as possible in this place. The waterfall is located approximately 12 km from the Băile Herculane resort, right next to the Prisaca reservoir. The route to the waterfall is easy and starts from Podul Vânturatorii, from the place where the route to Cascada Vânturatorărea also starts. text source

The Gârliște waterfall is located on the Garlistei Gorges, perhaps the wildest gorges in Romania, of rare beauty and with an easy route. The waterfall pleasantly impresses any hiker, being in a special natural setting. The gorges have very wild sections, with limestone walls that rise right out of the water of the Garliste river. source

La Văioaga waterfall is the first waterfall that greets you upon entering the Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park, from Sasca Română. About 6 m high, the waterfall is special, and at high flows, it can be compared to a bride's veil. The limestone formations are covered with moss and ivy, and the flowers and the turquoise eye that forms at the base of the waterfall complete the picture perfectly.

The Moceris Waterfall is located about 4 km from the Moceris village and it is a spectacular waterfall in two steps. High about 10 m, at high flow rates this is impressive in the wild landscape.

Modavita Waterfall - is considered to be the little sister of Bigar Waterfall. Located in the heart of the Locvei Mountains, near the village of Padina Matei, the waterfall amazes any tourist who visits it with its splendor in any season of the year. Modavita Waterfall is easily accessible, about 8.4 km from Moldova Noua towards Padina Matei on an asphalt road. It can be seen from the road, being approximately 40 meters from the highway. Source

Located on a deep and hard-to-reach valley between Coronini and the Czech village of Sfânta Elena, Izvorul Mânzului is one of the most special places in the Danube Gorge. The area is dotted with waterfalls and grottoes, small waterholes or natural stone constructions and populated by salamanders that, according to the stories of the elders, if they cry, they will deafen you. Also here, under Isânoca hill, it seems that there is a dragon's lair that has been sleeping for millennia and that, moving during sleep, always changes the shape of the hill. Text & photo source

The Țucu waterfall in Caraş Severin county is located in Poiana Mărului, at an altitude of 700 meters, between the Țarcu Mountains and the Mic Mountain. It is located on the river of the same name, just before its overflow into Lake Poiana Mărului. Several waterfalls are formed on the Șucu river, the most impressive of which is by far the Șucu waterfall. It is also said that the air in the area of ​​the Șucu Waterfall is the purest on the planet, due to the very high ionization. text source: informatii-romania.ro

The Şuşara waterfall is located on the Şuşarei Gorge, and the access is at the exit from Sasca Montană towards Cărbunari. At the end of the keys is the waterfall, which has a height of 15 meters and a water fall in two steps.

Located in the Cernei Mountains, 15 km from Băile Herculane, the Vânturătoarea Waterfall can be found near the Prisaca lake. The Vânturatorea waterfall is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Cernei Valley. Photo Source: viziteaza-romania.com

The "Cazanele" (The Cauldrons) is a section in the Danube Gorge as it passes through the Carpathian Mountains, spanning approximately 9 km. In certain areas, the Danube narrows down to 230 meters, making navigation challenging. The river is bordered by vertical, rocky walls with maximum depths of around 75 meters. In the Cazanele section, the water flow velocity exceeds 5 m/s. The "Cazanele Mari" (Great Cauldrons) have a length of about 4 km, situated between the Ciucarul Mare massif (on the Romanian territory) and Veliki Strbac (Serbia). At the base of the limestone wall flanking this portion of the Great Cauldrons, there are two cavities: the Gura Ponicovei Cave and Veterani Cave. The "Cazanele Mici" (Small Cauldrons) stretch over approximately 3 km, positioned between the Ciucarul Mic massif (Romania) and Mali Strbac (Serbia). The Danube Cauldrons and the Ciucarul Mare / Ciucarul Mic massifs are part of the Iron Gates Natural Park. Near the Mraconia Bay, carved into the rock, one can observe the face of Decebal, with the statue of Decebal having dimensions of 55 m in height and 25 m in width. Source: Text & Photo

It stretches over a length of about 19 km in the Anina Mountains. In this sector, the Caraş River has created some of the longest gorges in the country and a series of spectacular caves. This karst area has been declared a natural reserve.

Cheile Cernei is a protected natural area, located on the Cernei Valley, in the Poiana Ruscă Mountains. The reserve has an area of ​​2 ha, the gorges with high slopes being dug into the metamorphic rocks by the waters of the Cerna River. Tourists eager for adventure and fresh air who arrive in these areas will be able to enjoy an exceptional natural setting and dreamlike landscapes.

The Minis Gorges are a located in the Anina Mountains. They stretch between Anina town and Bozovici village and they are accessible, being crossed by the national road 57B. As tourist atractions we mention: the Bigar karst spring, The Bigar Waterfall (at the crossing of the national road with the 45th Parallel), the Carsa Waterfall and the lake from the The Minis Valley  (also known as Gura Golambului Lake). 

Between Şopotu Nou and Sasca Română, the Nera River carved the longest gorges sector in our country (22 km). For preservation, this wild place with a special beauty has been declared a natural reserve. The Nera Gorges can be visited in any season, the show of the nature being continuously supplemented by the waterfalls Beusnita, The Devil's Lake, The Ochiul Bei Lake and also by many caves.

"Fâneața cu narcise" from Zervești is a nature reserve that covers an area of ​​approximately 40 hectares, at the foot of Muntelu Mic. Here you can admire daffodils in delicate colors, in a superb natural setting that will charge you with energy and captivate your eyes.

At Gărâna there are three slopes that were inaugurated at the end of 2013. Access to Gărâna is from the E70 (DN6), between Caransebeș and Orșova, take the county road DJ582, next to the Slatina-Timiș Township, and continue to the village. There is also the possibility of access to Gărâna from Reșita (DN58), on county road 582, also to the village. The slopes of Gărâna: The slope from Village 1 - length 500m, medium difficulty The slope from Sat 2 - length 600m, medium difficulty Snowboard Park - length 650, medium difficulty All the slopes are equipped with artificial snow cannons, and the ascent is by ski lift. photo source: Facebook Wolfsberg Ski text sources: ski-si-snowboard.ro/, www.roxy-world.ro/garana

Iezerul Bistrei - Sea Eye is the place where the Bistra river originates. This is a dry and sunny place, with grassy vegetation and bushes, where the horned viper can be spotted.  Source Text & Photo: https://alpinet.org, https://muntii-nostri.ro

The Calinovăț Island nature reserve is located in the territory of the Western Carpathians, the Banat Mountains sub-region, the Locvei Mountains geomorphological unit. which are part of the group of mountains and calcareous plateaus. However, the immediately adjacent mountainous area is characterized by very low altitudes and granitic rocks. From a geological point of view, the territory is part of the Danubian domain. Vegetation - The territory of the reserve is located in the European biogeographical region, at the confluence of the Nera and the Danube, being characterized by hydrophilic and hygrophilous vegetation, specific to wet areas. The flora is represented by hydrophilic and hygrophilous species, such as Salix spp. (willow species), Phragmites spp. (cane), Carex spp. (sedge), Salvinia natans (sedge), Marsilea quadrifolia (rock clover), Typha spp. Fauna - The island is a real oasis for many species of birds during seasonal migrations or for nesting. Invertebrate fauna is poorly known in the area, but numerous species of butterflies, dragonflies, dragonflies can be found, many species having protection status. The Calinovăț Island nature reserve is part of the Iron Gates National Park. Type of reservation: avifaunistics Area: 24.0 ha Types of habitats: Habitats specific to wetlands The Calinovat Island wetland special avifaunistic protection area includes the Calinovat island located on the Danube river and the water surface bordering the island up to a depth of 2 m. It is located on the administrative territory of Pojejena commune, Caras-Severin county. Calinovăț Island is located on the Danube, approx. 8 km downstream from the river's entry into Romania, being the first Romanian Danube island encountered along its course. Access roads: Orsova-Moldova Noua-Pojejena-Bazias - DN57 up to the town of Pojejena, after which go on DJ57A, in the direction of Pojejena-Bazias. Text source Photo source

If Cheile Carașului is among the promoted and well-known attractions in Banat, it must be mentioned that the place where the Caraș River originates, forming these gorges, is also extremely spectacular but not as well-known, not as promoted, and certainly not visited as much by tourists. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that access requires covering a longer distance on foot, and on the other hand, because it is not among the most promoted tourist attractions in the Banat Mountains. The place where the Caraș River originates is called Izbucul Carașului, and this is due to the fact that in karst regions, most springs are called "izbuc" due to the different way in which underground water reaches the surface. Izbucul Carașului is located in the middle of the forest, and there are several hiking trail options to reach it. The first and perhaps the most commonly used marked tourist route is the one that starts from Lake Buhui. To reach this lake, there is a trail option starting from the town of Anina, either from the Sigismund district near the cemetery or from the Orașul Nou district. Follow the blue stripe marking (from the Sigismund district – Maial, the trail also intersects with the yellow stripe marking indicating the European trail E3 coming from Ochiul Bei, in Valea Beului), and once you reach Lake Buhui, you will notice signs with a yellow triangle marking towards Izbucul Carașului (Izvoarele Carașului). While some time ago, the trail to Izbucul Carașului had no tourist marking, only a path beaten through the forest, now access to this very beautiful and extremely interesting place in the middle of the forest is much easier with the help of the yellow triangle marking. This trail to Izbucul Carașului reaches the area of Cantonul Silvic Cârneală following the forest road, and from here, it descends to Izbucul Carașului through a path in the forest. The path crosses an extremely wild forest, where human intervention is almost imperceptible, especially if you follow this trail in the spring or summer months after the vegetation has grown considerably. Being a karstic area, most of the time, Izbucul (or the spring) Carașului does not have water right at the surface water outlet, so the underground water emerges a few meters downstream from the small opening of the spring. Therefore, to catch as much water as possible at Izbucul Carașului right in the area where it springs, it is recommended to come here in the early spring months and after heavy rains. It should be noted that even if you choose a hike to Izbucul Carașului in the summer months or after periods of low precipitation, you will find water a little downstream from the spring, where due to the high calcium and other mineral content, you will notice a series of micro-dams formed from travertine, giving a special appearance to this area, similar to the travertine thresholds formed on the waterfalls on the Beușnița Valley. The duration of the hike to Izbucul Carașului depends on the starting point and the walking pace. From Lake Buhui to the spring, the estimated time is about 2 hours, and if you choose to start from Șaua Cuptoare, the estimated time for the last hike I chose this trail was about 2.5-3 hours, depending on the walking pace. Text & foto source

It is located on the Diana fault, on the right bank of the Cerna River, and has been drilled to a depth of 260 meters. The Diana III spring was drilled in 1958 and has a low flow rate. It is used for the treatment of hypochlorous gastritis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, diabetes, intoxications, constipation, urticaria, bronchitis, sinusitis, etc. Sources for internal treatment: DIANA III (near Rotunda): natural mineral water, sulfurous, chlorinated, sodic, calcic, hyperthermal, hypotonic. Indications: Conditions requiring bile therapy (biliary dyskinesias, chronic cholecystitis, postoperative sequelae of the biliary tract). Conditions requiring diuresis therapy (urinary tract infections, postoperative sequelae of the urinary tract). The water can also be used for external treatment in the following conditions: Chronic degenerative rheumatism. Non-articular rheumatism. Post-traumatic musculoskeletal sequelae. Source: text & photo

People who come to buy drinking water at Baile Herculane have 2 sources at their disposal: Domogled 1 and Domogled 2. Locals and tourists come daily to the spring, because the water has extraordinary qualities, being microbiologically pure, trace mineral, alkaline, and due to the small amount of sodium, the still water from the Herculaneum Baths is recommended for those suffering from heart and kidney diseases. source

Lake Baia Vulturilor is located in the Semenic Mountains, between the peaks of Semenic (1446 m) and Piatra Nedeii (1437 m), in a snow depression, below the Piatra Vulturilor Peak, approx. 1400 m altitude. It is a cryo-nival lake with a small surface, crystalline and very cold water. About Lake Baia Vulturilor and about its spring (limnocrene), also called Izvorul Tămăduirii, it is believed to have healing power. In the past, the miraculous powers attributed to the water of Baia Vulturilor attracted countless pilgrims.

Lake Breazova is the first reservoir in southeastern Europe. It has an area of ​​12 hectares and was built between 1907-1909, on the Bârzava river, at an altitude of 500 meters. Lake Breazova in Caraș-Severin County delights any traveler with its unique natural landscapes, surrounded by beech forests mixed with pine. photo source

It is located near the city of Anina and represents the first man-made lake in Romania, built on limestone in 1908, for the water supply of the city of Anina. Its touristic value is primarily due to the natural setting of the site. Lake Buhui is surrounded by a beautiful fir forest mixed with beech.

Devil's Lake can be found in the nature reserve of Cheile Nerei in the Locvei Mountains. This blue-green lake, which seems to be the twin of the Ochiul Beiului lake, is one of the largest karst lakes. It covers an area of ​​700 square meters and has a depth of about 12 meters. Inside the rock there is also a cave that measures around 70 meters and cannot be visited when it rains because it floods. The legend of the place has been preserved from the ancestors and the locals believe that the devil threw himself into this lake after losing a bet with a pastor. Photo source: https://www.facebook.com

The Great Lake from Dognecea is an ideal place for picnics, camping or a few hours of relaxation. From here, just 15 minutes away, hidden between the hills, there is another lake, surrounded by white and pink waterlilies, hence the name of the Lake with waterlilies from Dognecea.

The oldest hydrotechnical facilities and the first gravity dams in Romania built for washing ores on the Oravița stream, known as Lacul Mare and Lacul Mic. Among the anthropogenic lakes of the Banatul Montan, the two lakes from Oraviţa stand out. They were arranged and consolidated through special hydrotechnical works, on the middle course of the Oraviţa Valley, in the interval 1727-1733, being provided with dams to mitigate the flood wave but also to serve the newly created industries or for the leisure of the inhabitants. Text & Photo Source: banatulmontan, oravita.ro

Those who want to relax for a weekend in nature and fill their lungs with fresh mountain air can choose a fascinating but lesser-known place in this part of the country. It is about Mărghitaș Lake, located just three kilometers from the town of Anina, a natural paradise where you can recharge your batteries. Lake Mărghitaș is located in an area that seems to be torn from stories, namely the Aninei Mountains, in Caraș-Severin county, one of the picturesque places in the west of the country. This lake in Banat is a very special one, because it is the first lake in this part of Romania that was created for tourist purposes, in 1940. The Mărghitaș reservoir has the shape of an arrow, it is located on the Buhui river and runs along an area of ​​four hectares. From the plateau of this resort you can admire the fascinating landscapes of the Anina Mountains. The lake is full of aquatic vegetation, but in its particularly blue waters you can also find fish such as tench, tench or caracuda. Those who want to relax on a weekend in nature or go fishing are welcome in the Anina Mountains resort. Also, near Lake Mărghitaș there is another superb place, namely Lake Buhui, the two places being considered fishermen's paradise, at the same time being ideal for listening to the silence of nature. Source text & photo