Camping Gradina cu Flori

Bring your boots along – you’ll need them for all the scenic trails around Cozia National Park and up into the Căpățâni mountains. Of course, you could choose to tour by bike instead if you prefer, either by bringing your own mountain bikes along or by hiring electric bikes nearby to give you a bit of extra oomph on the hills. For a more leisurely time, there’s fishing along the Lotru river or in nearby Brădișor Lake (15 minutes’ drive) and Mălaia Lake (25 minutes) – or you might choose to soak in the thermal waters of Căciulata and Călimănești (both 20 minutes). Alternatively, your hosts can give you other ideas nearby such as helping you organise horse riding in Nedeea Vâlceană or pointing you towards places to find traditional local meals. Dip into the area’s culture and history with visits to Cozia Monastery (15 minutes) and Turnu Monastery (20 minutes), the ethnographic museum Muzeul Satului Vâlcean (35 minutes) and the intriguing Ocnele Mari Salt Mine (50 minutes), converted into a space for wellbeing events and activities. A trip to Sibiu (an hour) is a fine plan too, as it’s got lots of fantastic historic buildings to visit.