Snail’s Hill Geological Reserve

Rák Lake is located 2 km North of Porumbenii Mari at an altitude of 600 m. It formed due to a landslide at the end of the glacial period. The relief consists of Neogene sedimentary rocks, Sarmatian clay marble and sandstone. The circumference of the lake is 800 m, its length 250 m, width 150 m, the maximum depth is 7 m and the surface is 28.000 sq m, 10 ha with the adjacent land. The area is a natural reserve protected by the Law 5/2000. The lake and its surroundings are home to many rare species of plant, including the common bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris), a carnivorous plant, which feeds on small aquatic insects, crabs and mosquito larvae.

Poiana Narciselor is located in the Southern area of Vlăhiţa/Szentegyháza, near Pokol-láz, a protected area of approximately 20 hectares, one of the largest daffodil meadows in Romania, where 180-200 daffodils (Narcissus stellaris) could grow on a square meter. "Laz" in the local dialect means field and is the geological form typical of the volcanic plateau in the Harghita mountains. The daffodil is a protected plant, the most spectacular of this area, which is easy to recognize due to its star-shaped flower. It blooms from the end of April until the beginning of May. Apart from daffodils, we can also find other rare plant species such as Lady's-slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica) and globeflower (Trollius europaeus). Every year since 1976, the Daffodil Festival has been held next to the meadow.

Geologically, the Harghita-Mădăraș mountains are part of the Neogene volcanic chain Călimani-Gurghiu-Harghita mountains, with a relief consisting mostly of andesite rocks (lava and pyroclastic flows), with an altitude between 1,500 and 1,800 m. The highest peak is Mădăraş Peak (1,801 m). It is also called the Holy Mountain of the Szeklers. From the peak we have an extraordinary view of the volcanic chain: when the weather is good, we can see almost all the Transylvanian depression, the Harghita Plateau, Blatul Libanului, Gurghiu mountains, Gheorgheni mountains, Făgăraș mountains. The Harghita-Mădăraș area has been designated a Natura 2000 site in order to protect their biodiversity and maintain a favorable conservation status of their wild flora and fauna, as well as the habitats of community interest.  It is also a popular ski area. The slopes (4.5 km) are at approx. 1,500 m and 1,760 m. The ski season begins in December and could last until mid-April.

Near the Round Seat/"Scaunul Rotund" Nature Reserve there are many tourist attractions, such as: the Ice Cave, the Bear Cave, the amphitheatres of the travertine structures with special panoramic view points, the Fortress of Owls with casemates from World War II. A walk through the forest provides a true pharmacy of nature: medicinal herbs, forests fruits, mushrooms, fresh air.

Szőcs Lajos, whose family has three generations of straw hat makers, has decided to set up the first Straw Hat Museum in the country at Crişeni. The museum was established in a traditional renovated farmhouse. In the first room displays the straw hat models in the country, the middle room displays different objects of use and decoration, and the last room presents the hatter technique, all the way from straw harvesting to the finished hat. It is also possible to see and even try the largest hat in the country, with a diameter of two meters and a weight of 2.65 kg. 500 m of straw and 1.5 km of thread were used for its manufacture. In the courtyard of the Museum, the visitor can admire an extraordinary collection. More than 600 stones sculptured by nature, with special shapes such as duck, dove, cap, etc. There is also a five-meter hat in the yard. The museum can be visited daily. If it's closed, ask at the bar.

Tinovul Mohoş is located in the eastern corner of the Ciomatu Mare Massif, at the southern foot of Mohoş Peak (1177 m) at an altitude of 1050 m. It has a diameter of 800 m, an area of 80 ha and a depth of 10 m. Tinovul Mohoş is actually an alpine peat bog. From the ancient lake, only 13 puddles of water remained. The view of the pine trees growing on the peat layer, as well as the thick bilberry bushes, offer a great sight. Among the rare species of the reserve are the carnivorous plants of the quaternary era such as the round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), Drosera obovata, the english sundew (Drosera anglica) and the bog cranberry (Vacccinium oxicoccos). There are also species from the last ice age: the bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), the black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and the hare's-tail cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum). Photo source: http://www.greenharghita.ro

The lake St. Ana, located in the crater of Ciomatul Mare, is the only volcanic lake in Central and Eastern Europe, being the most visited travel destination of the Szeklerland.  The steep walls of Ciomatul Mare’s volcanic cone surround it, with a few higher peaks: Ciomatul Mare (1301 m), Ciomatul Mic (1238 m), Tata hill (1174 m) or Pietros peak (1125 m). Unique in Europe, the lake is at 946 m altitude, with a diameter of 1737 m and a maximum depth of 7 m. From the edge of the crater, 13 temporary brooks, which form during heavy rains, bring water and gravel into the lake.  The lake is fed by rainwater and snow melt. The process of sedimentation began on the northern and western edges, an increasingly thick layer of sludge covering the bottom of the lake. When the weather is fine, especially without wind, you can see bubbles of gas rising from the bottom of the lake, which are actually manifestations of post-volcanic activity. In the north and northeast of the lake, one can see a layer of floating peat about one meter thick. Cover photo: Fodor István

Lázár Castle, built close to the center of Lăzarea/Gyergyószárhegy village, is one of the most beautiful examples of Transylvanian Renaissance architecture. The castle with battlements was one of the most attractive 17th-century noble residences in Transylvania. There are Gothic letter inscriptions from the year 1532 in the lobby, which has an ogive vault. The enclosing wall has four bastions. The entrance to the castle’s courtyard is through the gate tower on the southern side. The castle was built during the time of István Lázár, Gabriel Bethlen's playmate, later a trusted man of the Prince and the supreme royal judge of Giurgeu, Ciuc and Caşin areas. His coat of arms from 1632 is located on the wall of the bastion in the left corner, inside the courtyard. The same year marks the date when the castle was completed. In 1707, the Imperial Army burned the castle during a campaign of retaliation against the "Kuruc", who opposed the Habsburgs, as was the case of the castle's lord, Ferenc Lázár. His name is linked to the construction and reconstruction of the Knights' House. Among the outstanding personalities who visited the castle is Prince Gabriel Bethlen, whose mother was a member of the Lázár family. Mihnea Voda of Muntenia hid in Lázár Castle for a year after the Turks banished him, and Petru Rares of Moldavia spent 11 years here, between 1527 and 1538. Lázár Castle has been repeatedly burned, and in 1842 it fell into ruin, following another fire. Since 1967, the castle has undergone renovation and restoration, which is still ongoing. The ultimate goal is to recreate the former splendor of the building, as it is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Transylvania. During the renovation, it was designated as an archaeological site. In 2013, the state returned it to the descendants of the Lázár family, which is why the fortune of the castle is still undecided. Visits on Sundays by prior arrangement! +40 745 295 925 ENTRY • adult: 35 RON • groups over 25 people: 30 RON • senior citizens: 30 RON • students: 20 RON • residents of Lăzarea/Gyergyószárhegy: 20 RON • children under 7 years: free of charge • Professional filming/photography fee: 200 RON