Discover Ghimeș-Făget

If you are looking for a hotel in Ghimeș-Făget, you can shape your trip around cultural history and hiking. Cultural themes include fortress construction, railway history, the everyday life of the Csángó and the history of a quarantine station. There is also a designated Via Mariae route and a mountain hiking trail. For planning, it is therefore helpful to decide on your focus first: exploring historical sites or including a specific day of hiking.

Fortress History and Border Protection

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Rákóczi Fortress was part of a complex fortification system of ramparts, moats and defensive bastions. The system served to protect the border between Transylvania and Moldavia; the ramparts, moats and bastions should therefore be understood as parts of a shared defence. The authentically reconstructed Bethlen–Rákóczi Fortress opened to visitors on 22 May 2026, the 400th anniversary of its construction in 1626. Bastions project from the line of fortifications.

Everyday Culture and Railway History

The Gyimesbükki Tájház was created by ethnographer Antalné Tankó Mária and offers a glimpse into the everyday life of the Csángó. Its ethnographic perspective differs from the military and transport history themes: here, everyday life and community take centre stage.

An exhibition in Railway Guardhouse No. 30 presents railway life of the period and the history of border protection. The building was constructed during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and was the easternmost railway guardhouse in historic Hungary. The exhibition and historical context offer two perspectives: railway life and the history of earlier border protection, as well as the guardhouse’s geographical position in historic Hungary.

The Kontumác Chapel is located on the grounds of the Kontumác quarantine station. During epidemics, it provided spiritual support to people quarantined there. Its location on the station grounds places the chapel within the history of the quarantine site.

Hiking: Via Mariae and Mountain Hiking Trail

In 2025, the Bacău County Council installed tourist orientation and information boards along the Ghimeș–Vf. Bilibok mountain hiking trail. The red Via Mariae M05 route is designated between Târgu Mureş, Miercurea Ciuc (Șumuleu Ciuc) and Ghimeș-Făget. Check the route details before setting off.

The first day of the M05 route starts at Capela Contumaț and runs via Apahavas and Pârâul Ugra to Biserica din Lunca de Sus or Colegiul Sfânta Elisabeta. This day’s stage is listed as 20.7 km. The sequence of the named stops and the day’s distance give you specific reference points for planning your stages.

The information serves different planning needs: along the mountain hiking trail, the boards provide orientation and information; for the M05, you can plan the first day based on its stops and the 20.7 km distance. Discover more destinations: Comăneşti, Tescani, Târgu Ocna, Gura Văii, Onești, Darmanesti, Moinesti, Bacău.

For the broader travel overview: Bacau.