Much of the mountain is a protected nature reserve, home to rare plants, a great variety of butterflies and animals such as bears, lynx and wolves. A medieval fortress once stood near the summit, and in the 1950s, when Brașov was renamed Orașul Stalin, the dictator’s name was spelled out in trees on the slope facing the city. Today the hillside carries a friendlier message: giant white BRAȘOV letters in the style of the Hollywood sign, lit up at night.
A cable car runs from the promenade at the foot of the mountain to just below the summit in a few minutes, though it closes from time to time for maintenance, so check before you go. Alternatively, hike up the zigzag path or the historic Knights’ Road; the climb takes around an hour. From the top, a short walk leads to the letters and to rocky viewpoints with sweeping views over the old town and, on clear days, the whole Burzenland plain.
Go in the late afternoon to watch the rooftops of Brașov glow as the sun goes down.
