Poiana Marului is a beautiful village located in Tarcu Mountains, not far from the city of Caransebes, Romania. If you plan to visit this place than you will have to drive from Caransebes toward Hateg and after the small town of Otelul Rosu you will have to take a right turn toward the village of Maru. Once you will leave the village, the road runs alongside a smaller river, coming from a dam nearby. It’s a scenic route, with green hills and trees all around.
The landscape next to the dam
Before continuing your journey to the village, you can make a short stop at the dam and admire the beautiful scenery. After you will leave the dam, the road continues next to the lake until you will reach the village. The dam has a height of 130 meters and it was constructed between 1984 and 1992.
Poiana Marului village
Once you arrived in the village and after you crossed the small bridge over the Sucu river, you will have two options:
- If you make a left turn you can drive down to the lake Poiana Marului. As you drive on the road down to the lake, you will pass next to a beautiful orthodox hermitage called Maru. You can make a short stop and check it out. When you will reach a larger abandoned hotel, you will have to make a left turn and drive down to the lake. Also from the main road you can spot a couple of hotels and restaurants in case you decide to eat or drink something.
- If you take a right turn, you’ll find yourself driving on a dirt road that runs alongside the Sucu River. This scenic route offers the chance to visit two stunning waterfalls: Ropote and Sucului. However, be aware that this road is not really suitable for regular cars; it’s best navigated with a 4×4 vehicle. For those who love adventure, you can continue driving on this dirt road until you reach the main road that leads up to the Muntele Mic Winter Resort.
Poiana Marului Hermitage
As you follow the main road down to the lake, on the right side you gonna see the Poiana Marului Hermitage.
Abandoned hotel
A couple hundred meters away from the hermitage and after you cross the small bridge over the Bistra Marului River mountain stream, you will find an abandoned hotel. Right in front of the hotel, you will have to make a left turn if you plan to explore the beautiful scenery near the lake.
Near the lake
Below I’ve shared a couple of pictures of the amazing scenery near the lake. On the left side of the lake, between the forest, is the main road that comes from the dam and on the right side you will gonna see a larger bleach forest.