Bacău

Bacău County stretches from the plain along the Siret River to the forested Eastern Carpathians. If you travel to Bacău, you'll find healing springs in Slănic Moldova, Csángó villages with their own folk culture, and sites commemorating one of the world's most famous gymnasts.

Bacău and the Trotuș Valley

The county seat, Bacău, lies at the confluence of the Bistrița and Siret rivers and is an industrial and commercial center with parks and a modern planetarium. The airport is named after the composer George Enescu, who spent several summers composing at the nearby Tescani manor house; the estate is now a cultural center. To the south lies the Trotuș Valley with Onești, where Nadia Comăneci grew up and trained before becoming the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in Montreal in 1976. Moinești is one of Europe's oldest oil towns, and derricks still stand among the hills.

Sights in Bacău: Spa Towns and Monasteries

Slănic Moldova, tucked away in a narrow mountain valley, became known as a spa resort in the 19th century. Its mineral springs, numbered one after another, bubble up in wooden pavilions and are used to treat stomach and respiratory ailments; hiking trails lead to waterfalls and viewpoints. In Târgu Ocna you can tour a salt mine with an underground church and sports fields, and the Măgura Ocnei Monastery stands in the valley. The churches of Stephen the Great in Borzești and Bacău recall the Moldavian prince who ruled here in the 15th century. If you're looking for nature, head to the Nemira Mountains on the border with Szeklerland or to the Bistrița reservoirs near Bacău, where waterfowl gather in winter. Runc Monastery and the wooden churches of the mountain villages make quiet side trips away from the main roads.

Food, Getting There, and the Best Time to Visit

Moldavian cuisine dominates: chicken soup with sour cream, sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls), polenta with cheese, and plăcinte, stuffed flatbread pastries. In the Csángó villages around Bacău, whose residents speak an archaic Hungarian dialect, customs and songs live on that have long since disappeared elsewhere. Bacău Airport is served by several German cities, and the Bucharest–Suceava rail line runs through the city. May through September is the best time for spa stays and hiking.