Colibita - best travel guide
This Colibita travel guide will answer questions like, where is Colibita located, how to get there, where to stay, what to do there and other useful tips. I’m sure that after you read this article, you will reconsider this on your Romania bucket list and make room for another location on your itinerary.
When I discovered the existence of Colibita I was impressed to find out that this gorgeous place was located in Romania. In Romania there are a lot of famous and touristic regions to visit, but Colibita is not on the “classic” list of things you will find on the Internet as “must-see” landmarks (well, to be honest, a lot of great places aren’t on that list). I think that after you see the pictures you will understand why I was so awe-struck by this place.
Colibita is an oasis that charmingly combines the beauty and grandeur of the mountains with the soothing scenery of the lake. If you ignore all the cottages and construction (more about that later) and admire the raw landscape, Colibita looks like a hidden fairyland.
For me Colibita was love at the first sight (well, to be more specific, at the first picture I saw on the Internet).
Along the shore of Colibita lake you can find accommodation with a proper view of the lake, but keep in mind that the prices can be high. No worries on that tho, because in this article I will share a great place to book at a smaller price and with a spectacular view as well. Read till the end 😄.
💡Fun fact: Lake Colibița is also known as “the Mountain’s Sea”.
Where is Colibita located?
Colibita is located in Bistrița-Năsăud county, Transylvania.
The main landmark of Colibita is Lake Colibita, surrounded by mountains and wooded hills.
How to get to Colibita?
You can get there by car and, depending on your location, here are some time estimations:
🚙Bucharest-Colibița : 7-8 hours
🚙Cluj-Colibița : 2.5 hours
🚙Suceava-Colibița :3 hours
🚙Brașov-Colibița : 4-5 hours
Why should you visit Colibita?
I think that the pictures speak for themselves, but I would also add the following reasons:
- It is a unique place with a gorgeous view that you can stare at for hours (not kidding); in my opinion it’s a bucket list kind of thing;
- it is very close to other landmarks, so it’s convenient to include it in your itinerary if you already plan to travel to this area;
- It’s a cheap location (if you do a little research and pick places with reasonable prices);
- Colibita is an interesting place with a creepy legend behind it (if hunting for creepy locations is your thing);
👻Creepy story time (disclaimer: maybe don’t read this to your kids):
I love reading scary stories about the places that I visit (or in general), they fascinate me, I don’t know why. Maybe you’ll find this strange, but I love feeling the energy of a place.
I know that people either believe in ghosts and spirits or they don’t (there’s no in between). I don’t know if these things exist or not, but what I personally believe is that different places have different energies stored within them over the years, decades or sometimes even centuries.
I read about some legends surrounding Colibita and I thought I’d share them with you, because I find them so interesting.
Colibita isn’t a natural lake, it’s man-made by flooding the old village after evacuating its inhabitants.
Local legends say that all the old houses swallowed by water lie at the bottom of the lake, including the old church. Furthermore, it’s said that when the water levels drop, you can see the cross from the old church’s steeple (creepy, right?!). The villagers say that the lake is cursed and demands a yearly tribute paid with human life.
Another legend about the lake says that it was created using a curse. The fish that live in its waters are very large and the bodies of those drowned in these waters can never be found. In fact, it’s said that the lake is so deep that its bottom hasn’t even been discovered.
What can you do in Colibita?
Like any serious travel guide, I made a list with the things you can do in Colibita:
🏞 Stare at the lake
This doesn’t sound like a complex activity, but trust me, you will feel detached and relaxed after spending some hours gazing at the peaceful lake and breathing the clean air. For me, this was the thing I was looking forward to the most. We included Colibita on our honeymoon trip (which was initially planned in Zanzibar, but what do you know, the pandemic had other intentions). After the stressful wedding planning and the party itself, the serenity of Colibita was what we needed. My only regret is that we stayed only 2 days, because we wanted to spend most of our honeymoon in Bucovina.
🏞 Hikes: Tăul Zânelor Natural Reservation
🏞 Visit close landmarks, like Dracula Castle and Tihuța Pass
These landmarks are very close to Colibita and to Bucovina region, as well. Tihuta Pass is a beautiful mountain trip that can be done by car. I wrote more about it in my Bucovina article.
🏞 Sunbathing near the lake; swimming or fishing
I did some kind of sunbathing, but not near the lake, but from our accommodation, which was located uphill and also had a pool.
🏞 Mountain biking
If hiking is not enough for your active travel style, try mountain biking. There are some beautiful trails that you can explore.
Where to stay in Colibita?
Remember when I told you in the beginning of this travel guide about a great place to book? Well this is it.
When I did my research about Colibita, I knew that I wanted a place with a stunning view over the lake. First, I searched for something near the lake, but the places that I found were expensive and didn’t impress me so much.
Eventually, I found Turquoise House, located at the top of a hill in the middle of Colibita.
What I liked about this place:
☀️The price was good: 40 euro/night per room (available in 2020)
☀️This place offers a phenomenal view of the entire lake and its surroundings.
☀️Thee room was big and we had a lot of space to put our things. Even if the room didn’t have a view of the lake, on our floor there was a balcony, where we could stay all evening and admire the lake. Also, I want to point out that they also have rooms overlooking the lake.
☀️In front of the cottage, there is a swimming pool overlooking the lake
☀️There are a lot of sitting areas in front of the cottage where you could stay and admire in deep silence the breathtaking view
☀️Free coffee (Maybe I should have started with that, haha 😅)
What to visit near Colibita?
- Campu Cetatii
If you want to taste the best roasted trout you need to check this place out. I wrote an entire article dedicated to Campu Cetatii. Check it out here.
- Bucovina region
Bucovina is not a specific location or a city, it’s a well-known region of Romania. It’s a place where Romanian traditions, delicious food (forget about your diet) and picturesque landscapes are beautifully combined. If you want to have an authentic Romanian experience, Bucovina it’s a place you should consider. If you want to know which are the best things to do here, please go check out this article.
- Tihuta Pass and Dracula Castle
You will find more information about these two landmarks in my Bucovina guide.
Where to eat in Colibita
As I already mentioned, we only stayed two days in Colibita and we didn’t have enough time to explore places to eat. We looked for a restaurant near our accommodation and we were so lucky to find one that combines great and delicious food and a stunning view over the lake. Ariniș Guest House offers quality food with every dish done in house. I don’t know about you, but as a French-fries lover (“lover” is a mild word to describe my obsession), if you serve them homemade (not frozen and fried, as many restaurants do), you will warm my heart forever!
What you see on my plate in the picture below is my breakfast. I know, I know I eat a lot, especially when it comes to breakfast or brunch.
How to get near the shore
If there is one thing I didn’t like so much about Colibita, there are a lot of tourist houses and cottages around the lake, to the point that every centimeter of the shore is probably private property. Because of this, access to the lake can be difficult and a bit of a challenge. We were lucky to find an entrance near our accommodation, but the place is a little secluded and it is hard to find it if you don’t know it’s there.
If you want to get to the lake, search for Ariniș Guest House and you will find a narrow opening to the lake (you can find the exact location below). If you follow the path that opens through the lake, you will end up crossing an outdoor restaurant. The staff there let us spend time on the lakeside on the condition that we leave when the restaurant closed and we wouldn’t bring food or drinks from outside. The good part is that if you want to spend more time near the lake, you can search for these outdoor places and enjoy your favorite beverages while staring at the lake.
The reality of human footprint in Colibita
As I was planning and researching for my trip to Colibita I came across a lot of reviews from people saying that they were disappointed. I wanted to keep an open mind and stay impartial, mostly, because I wanted to form my own opinion.
After spending 2 days in Colibita I have to say that this place has some amazing landscapes (as I already mentioned). I could spend hours just staring at this view, but at the same time, I can understand why some people found some things a little disappointing.
There are all kinds of tourist constructions all around the lake and every inch of the lakeshore is private property. If you want to go to the lake, first of all, you need to find an entrance from the main road and second, you have to check if you can pass through private properties. We had some luck because our accommodation was close to an easy access to the lake, as I already mentioned.
If we take away all these constructions and human footprints, Colibita would be like a dream and I think that unfortunately a lot of raw and natural places are influenced by humans all the time. It’s sad because we all want to see the world and all the hidden gems, but if more and more people visit them, eventually the human impact will become prominent.
I hope you find this Colibita travel guide useful and you are already planning a visit in this area.
