Borsec – Mineral Springs, Nature and Historic Architecture
Accommodation in Borsec
File:Romania, Transylvania, Borsec Fortepan 62378.jpg
Photo: FOTO:Fortepan — ID 62378 : Adományozó/Donor: A R. archive copy at the Wayback Machine via Source, CC BY-SA 3.0
Borsec’s most important mineral springs include Izvorul nr. 3 Boldizsár, Izvorul nr. 5 László, Izvorul nr. 6 Lázár, Izvorul nr. 10 Kossuth, Izvorul nr. 11 Petőfi and Izvorul Pierre Curie. The townscape is complemented by karst landscapes, historic buildings and seasonal activities.
Wellness
Poiana Zânelor is a complex of mineral springs set up as open-air pools with changing rooms and rest areas intended primarily for external treatments. The site also includes viewing points and areas for picnicking or sunbathing.
The mofetta in Borsec was rebuilt in 2010; the building can accommodate treatments and therapies for up to ten people at the same time. The path from Round Chair to the mofetta is equipped with benches, tables, waste bins, fire pits and toilets.
Nature
The Hărmasliget botanical reserve is a wet meadow of approximately two hectares in the area of the Borsec spa resort. It is home to rare species, including the dwarf birch (Betula humilis), a glacial relict.
Peștera de Gheață is located in the karst area of Dealul Scaunul Rotund, which is considered Romania’s most significant travertine deposit. A short marked forest path begins at the edge of the spa resort and leads via the Mofeta, also known as Izvorul Străvechi, to the Ice Cave.
Grota Urșilor is a karst formation with deep, narrow passages created by the natural erosion of limestone by percolating water. It belongs to the Scaunul Rotund karst complex, a geological and botanical nature reserve covering an area of 40 hectares.
A geotourist walk in Borsec leads to Kerekszék, where the Ice Cave and the Bear Cave can be seen.
Culture
Villa 53 Doru is one of Borsec’s villas that have been included on the list of historic monuments. Emil Villa is a historic building in Borsec characteristic of the town’s spa architecture; it was built in 1938.
The Borsec Mineral Water Museum presents the history of the region in connection with the extraction and use of mineral water. Visitors can see more than 100 objects and photographs there, including historic labels from mineral water bottles and containers used to transport water 200 years ago. The oldest exhibit is a bottle used to store mineral water at the end of the 19th century.
Borsec’s cultural centre is located in the former Vaitsuk Villa, built in 1902–1903. Its architecture features elements made of wrought iron and carved wood characteristic of historic mountain spa resorts in the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.
The Schimbarea la Față wooden church in Borsec was built between 1844 and 1847 on the site of a church dating from 1718. The former Ó-Sáros spa building dates from the 19th century.
Routes and Activities
Borsec is crossed by the DN15, a road connecting Transylvania with Moldavia. Route 19MN33 is a short semi-circular route on Borsec’s bypass road and is suitable for cycling tourism.
Access to Baia de Soare is free; a path of approximately two minutes leads there from the road. Borsec’s alpine coaster is just under 1,500 metres long and uses the existing ski lift to transport passengers to the top of the track. It operates between spring and autumn.
To the higher-level travel overview: Harghita.
