Mereşti cave

The Ice Cave in Borsec is part of the Scaunul Rotund Hill karst area, the most important travertine deposit in the country (white-gray limestone tuff, which could be polished and used in construction, ornamentation of facades). Over time, water made several karst formations, including the Peștera de Gheață. The karst area stretches over an area of ​​70 hectares. The travertine from here was used to decorate many institutions in Romania, including the Palace of the Parliament and some Bucharest metro stations. The cave got its name due to the water infiltrations that freeze and take the form of stalactites and stalagmites. They thicken in winter, and melt in late spring or summer. In front of the cave, you could feel the cold air from inside. You can reach the cave by following a short hiking route through the forest, starting from the edge of the resort and following the red cross on a white background marking. After you pass Mofeta (The Ancient Spring), you will reach the Ice Cave. Photo Source: https://www.tripadvisor.com/

The Bears Cave is a karst formation represented by an ensemble of deep and narrow corridors, sometimes extended with niches, hollows and small caves, formed by the natural erosion of limestone under the action of waters. The cave was named after the discovery of some remains belonging to cave bears (Ursus spelaeus). Next to it, there is another similar cave, called Cerdacul Iadului (Hell's Hallway). The site is located in the southern part of the Wine Valley, the largest travertine deposit in the Borsec Depression. The site is part of the karstic ensemble of Scaunul Rotund (natural reserve of geological and botanical type). This reserve is north of Borsec City and east of Borsec resort, and covers forty hectares. You can reach the cave from the resort, next to the springs 10 (Kossuth), 11 (Petőfi), Poiana Zânelor. You need to descend a bit on a path marked with the red triangle. There are several signposts in Poiana Zânelor.

Under the southwestern foothills of the 1600 metres high Mount Siposkő, in the Giurgeu Mountains,  one can easily find the well-known Șugău/Súgó cave, a speleological wonder, a gem dug in limestone. The Șugău cave is the longest cave in the East-Carpathians' core mountain group. The cave has four levels, three overlapped entrances and a length of more than one kilometer. The name, which in Hungarian means "whisper", comes from the sounds made by the underground spring as it flows through the stones. The cave has stalactites, stalagmites, columns and strange shapes carved by water and wind in the soft limestone. The cave has many chambers, named in various ways, according to their shape, size or location. The first attempts of the speleologists to explore and map it date back to 1965, when they also began the work to open the cave to the public for guided visits. Before this time, the entrance to the cavern was extremely cumbersome, this being one of the main reasons it took the speleologists so long to explore it. Due to the climatic and biological conditions inside, the carbon dioxide concentration in the air is far above normal, so the public access area only follows 150 meters of the cave, for maximum 50 minutes. Moreover, the entry is possible only with guides, who will make sure the visitors wear a protective helmet with flashlight. The main attraction of the cave, famous for its legend, is the Lake of Lovers, in one of the chambers. It is said that those who come here and drink from the lake’s water will remain in love forever. Photo: András Zsolt