Romania – April 2025

One will be surprised to discover that we are still in Cluj-Napoca, let me briefly explain! Last week, I pulled ones shoulder whilst working out and, essentially, made it a whole lot worse when visiting Turda Salt Mine thus a change of plans were in order for today.

When it comes to mountain ranges, Romania is famous for the Carpathians which form a ring around the country. Said mountain range has always been of interest, perhaps because of its name association with the Titanic? After a quick Google, it appeared that the Western Carpathians run approximately 90 minute drive from Cluj-Napoca within the Apuseni Natural Park hence becoming our new destination.

As I mentioned, one has been hiring a Renault Austral, perfect for storing luggage and a manual wheelchair…

Driving around Romania and, indeed, Cluj-Napoca, it is clear to see that the choice to join the European Union in 2007 has created a sense of pride in addition to the numerous infrastructure projects being funded.

The scenery changed drastically as one headed into the Apuseni Natural Park from flat rolling hills and plains to winding roads producing spectacular vistas…

There are many restaurants dotted around the area, however, it seemed appropriate to choose one located on the banks of one of the lakes, tranquillity at it’s finest…

Tomorrow, the plan is to roll around the Old Town which has yet to be explored on foot before heading back to the UK via Cluj International Airport and to Superbunny!

One of the highlights of the Transylvania region that has gain attention recently is the Turda Salt Mine (Salina Turda). This attraction has been born out of a former salt mine and contains fairground rides and shops.

During research, the website stated that the salt mine is partially accessible for wheelchair users, however, the ticket office simply looked at ones wheelchair and said ‘not possible due to steps’. Disabled individuals can enter for FREE providing that they can provide evidence of disability.

Indeed, there is an elevator to access the main area of the mine, however to get to said elevator, one must first descend a series of staircases, some easier than others…

To add to this, steps are present when exiting the elevator, however, the sight once at the bottom is spectacular…

It must be said that the majority of surfaces are on the rocky side meaning a bumpy ride for wheelchair users. In order to access the very bottom and the lake, it is necessary to descend another elevator. From here, one can hire boats. Now, when one says boats, I mean paddle boats. Although there are no assistance features, seeing the salt mine from the water is a surreal experience…

Tomorrow, one leaves Cluj-Napoca and heads down to Brasov through the Carpathian Mountains to visit the famous Bran Castle the following day.

After a short 2.5 hour flight from London Luton and a rather precarious ramp into the Ambulift, one exited Cluj-Napoca International Airport. As mentioned previously, this trip is slightly different as one has decided to hire a car for the duration rather than wheelchair accessible transportation. More details on that to follow.

For the next two nights, one is staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cluj-Napoca located around a 20 minute walk from the Old Town. As the hotel is a new development, accessible rooms contain ample space for wheelchair users plus a spacious wet room…

Tomorrow, we head out of Cluj-Napoca to Salina Turda, an underground salt mine turned tourist attraction. The website states that it is only partly accessible for wheelchair users, let’s find out!

Romania, especially the region of Transylvania has been full of myth and magic for centuries. It has also been on ones bucket list, however, as of 2025, the Transylvania region has some way to go in terms of accessible infrastructure.

Of course, when one thinks of Transylvania, it is probable that images of Bran Castle come to mind due to its association with Count Dracula. Unfortunately, a large proportion of this famous attraction i.e. the castle itself is off limits to most wheelchair users due to an unfathomable amount of steps. The region, surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains is also home to the Turda Salt Mine just located outside of Cluj-Napoca.

When planning this trip, one toyed with various ideas as to how to best explore Northern Romania including driving the WAV down from the UK! However, as Superbunny would be unable to access Bran Castle and a proportion of the Turda Salt Mine regardless, it seemed appropriate to leave said wheelchair in the UK and hire a car for the duration.

For the first two days, one is staying in Romanias second largest city, Cluj-Napoca to visit the Turda Salt Mine before heading down south to Bran Castle which is around a 4 hour drive. One has then booked a (cheap) hotel nearby before heading back to the airport in Cluj-Napoca.

Let’s go roadtripping!