Harghita

Harghita is a county in Transylvania, Romania, part of the Szeklerland. The county is renowned for its spa resorts and mineral waters.

Cities

• 1 Băile Tuşnad — a small resort best known for its mineral springs
• 2 Bălan — a former copper mining town
• 3 Borsec — famous for its mineral water and its location in the Carpathian mountains
• 4 Corund — the village famous for pottery
• 5 Cristuru Secuiesc (Székelykeresztúr) — a Hungarian community with a 15th-century Gothic church
• 6 Dârjiu — has a fortified church built by the Székely Hungarian community
• 7 Miercurea Ciuc (in Hungarian: Csíkszereda) — has an 18th-century fortified castle
• 8 Odorheiu Secuiesc (Székelyudvarhely) — its Haáz Rezső Museum features exhibits dedicated to Szekler village life, Szekler arts and crafts, and the history of the region
• 9 Gheorgheni (Gyergyószentmiklós) — near the Red Lake and Cheile Bicazului canyon
• Tușnad Băi (Tusnádfürdő) — a health resort with the Ciucaş Lake (Szent Anna tó)
• 10 Vlăhița — the highest town in Harghita County

Other destinations

Ski resorts:

• Harghita Bai (Hargitafürdő)
• Izvoru Muresului (Marosfő)
• Toplița (Maroshévíz)

Understand

Harghita consists primarily of mountains, connected to the Eastern Carpathians, such as the Ciuc and Harghita Mountains; volcanic plateaux, foothills, and the more densely populated river valleys.

The mountains are volcanic in origin, and the region is known for its excellent hot mineral springs. Harghita is known as one of the coldest regions in Romania, although summers can be quite warm.

It is in this county that two of the most important rivers in Romania, the Mureș and the Olt, originate. These rivers' origins, near the villages of Izvoru Mureșului and Sândominic, are only a few miles apart; yet the Mureș flows west to the Tisza, while the Olt flows south to the Danube. In the western part of the county the two Târnava rivers (Târnava Mare and Târnava Mică) flow to the Târnava Plateau, which is part of the Transylvanian Plateau.

Harghita's spectacular natural scenery includes Sfânta Ana Lake, a volcanic crater lake near the town of Băile Tușnad; Lacul Roșu a mountain lake in the northeast near the town of Gheorgheni, and Cheile Bicazului, a dramatic, narrow canyon formed by the Bicaz stream.

Get in

For information on Odorheiu Secuiesc visit their Tourinfo site.

The Bicaz Pass (Cheile Bicaz, Békási szoros) in the north of the county is a scenic sinuous highway connecting Transylvania with its eastern neighbouring province, Moldavia.

See

• Miko fortress near Miercurea Ciuc.
• 1 Praid Salt Mine (Salina Praid), strada Gării nr. 44 (Praid village, 20 minutes south-east of Sovata), ☏ +40266240200, fax: +40266240688, office@salinapraid.ro. One of the largest salt mines in Europe, has impressive health facilities, cafes, playgrounds, a chapel etc., all located underground 
• 2 Red Lake (Lacul Roșu).  

Do

Ski

• 1 Havas Bucsin. (updated Mar 2015)