Natural Attraction

The Cornet Waterfall is located on the Cornet Creek, just 5 km upstream from Nădrag in Timiş County. The water level difference between the top and the bottom of the waterfall is about 5 m. The waterfall is little known, but year after year it is visited by a growing number of tourists.

Located within the Fârdea village, the dam that led to the formation of Surduc Lake began to be built in 1972. Surduc water storage reached nearly 25 million cubic meters of water in 1977, but it was designed to store a water volume of 51 million cubic meters. Surduc Lake has the main purpose of providing drinking water to the Timişoara area, defending against floods and, of course, also has a tourist purpose, being a place where lovers of fishing and other leisure activities can enjoy themselves freely. With an area of ​​460 hectares, the Surduc Lake is the largest lake in Timis County. The lake water does not freeze, and this is how it is created the necessary conditions for the winter survival of thousands of aquatic birds.

It is a natural reserve of paleontological type located in the hills of Lipovei, on the administrative territory of Bara commune, 10 km from Lugoj. The reserve has a total area of ​​4 hectares. In the area in its perimeter the scientist T. Fuchs identified 52 species of molluscs. The fossil place Rădămăneşti is considered one of the most interesting deposits in the whole Black Sea basin, being rich in fossil fauna. Text and photo source: http://www.turismlugoj.ro/

The Pogăniş Meadow is a natural reserve located 27 km from Timişoara, in the area of ​​Sacoşu Turcesc, but also of nearby villages such as Berini, Blajova, Cadar, Niţchidorf. The purpose of the reservation is to protect the habitat of the motley tulip (Fritillaria meleagris), a species protected by the Berne Convention. The motley tulip grows on an area of ​​75.5 hectares in the Pogăniş Meadow, in a rare oak forest (Querqus robur), with ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and maple (Acer campestre) as main species in the mixture of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), elm (Ulmus foliacea), wild pear (Pirus piraster ), cherry (Cerasus avium), wild apple (Malus silvestris). In addition Pogănişului Meadow in Romania variegated tulip can be seen in Turzii Keys, Tuşnad, on the bank of the Olt, Hărman, the Reserve Domogled-Cerna Valley.

On the territory of Murani village, Pişchia commune, on a surface of 200 hectares, stretch out the Murani Swamps, a place that provides nesting and feeding conditions for many species of migratory or sedentary birds. Here the egrets and the wild ducks from northern Russia and the Baltic States find a place for hibernation, in their way to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Satchinez Swamps is a natural ornithological reserve that stretches over 242 hectares on the territory of Satchinez. This natural habitat is a reminiscence of the old swamps that covered these lands until the 8th century. The reservation was founded in 1942 at the proposal of ornithologist Dionisie Lintia, including the marshy lands downstream of Satchinez. The lush vegetation represents a very good camouflage during the nesting season, and the reservation is home to large numbers of protected birds including the pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), the little egret (Egretta garzetta), the great egret (Egretta alba), the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the grey heron (Ardea cinerea), the squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides), the little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), the purple heron (Ardea purpurea) and the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). Andrei Kiss, PhD in biological sciences and head of the Nature Sciences Section of the Banat Museum of Timișoara identified in the reservation area five sedentary bird species, 55 species of birds that settle here as summer visitors, 36 passage bird species and 17 winter visitor species. This reservation has been declared a protected area and since 1991 its unique value has been recognized by international forums for bird protection such as Bird Life International. The reservation can be visited between 15 April and 15 September. Information and photo sources: http://turism-satchinez.ro/rezervatia-ornitologica-mlastinile-satchinez/; https://www.facebook.com/POIM-Mlastinile-Satchinez-1176366682509114/

The Green Forest is located in the North-East part of Timișoara, stretching over a surface area of 724 hectares. It plays an important ecological role, helping balance the climate of the area. In the eighteenth century, the forest occupied a much larger area, but the deforestation started in early nineteenth century, in order to establish Dumbrăvița. The current forest is artificial, as it was first laid out in 1860 by the Hungarian Forestry Service. Two other developments occurred between 1894 and 1908. In 1947 the forest was organized by the Forestry Department of Arad and included in the Forest Range of Timișoara, intended for hunting. The Green Forest is crossed by a tributary of the Bega Canal, the Behela Creek, over of distance of 2.6 km, feeding the lake in Dumbrăvița, an important tourist and recreational area. The tree species found in the Green Forest include: the Austrian oak, the ash, the maple, the horn, the oak, the field maple, the Tartar maple, the field elm. Oak trees predominate and some have been here for 101 to 120 years. The Green Forest attractions are: the monument of anti-communist resistance in Banat, the Village Museum and the Zoo. Various festivals, fairs, parties, as well as picnics are organised here. The Hunters' Festival, the Harvest Fair, the Traditional, Ecological and Crafts Fair in Banat are just some of the events that bring fun lovers together in nature. Text source: http://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Daffodils' Meadow from Băteşti, also known as the Flower Garden of Banat, is a nature reserve of national interest since 1995, being the only one of its kind in Timiş county. Located between Făget and Margina, the reservation occupies an area of ​​20 hectares. Its purpose is to protect the Narcissus poeticus species. Also, here grows Iris Sibirica, a protected species of irises. In Romania there can also be seen daffodils' meadows in the nature reserves of Vad, Braşov County and Racâș-Hida, Sălaj County. Photo source: https://dumitrutoma.wordpress.com/

Timișoara's Botanical Park is located behind the Municipal Hospital, occupying an area of about 9 hectares. Architect Silvia Grumeza first designed this botanical garden in 1966. 1,650 species of plants were planted here between 1986 and 1990, based on phytogeographical and aesthetic criteria, brought from other parks in the country, from private collections or international exchanges of seeds. Just a little over 200 collection species live here nowadays, and are all grouped into several sectors and subsectors, such as: Ornamental flora Romanian flora and vegetation Mediterranean flora American flora Asian flora The systematic plant sector The medicinal plants sector The tropical flora sector The Botanical Garden of Timișoara was opened to visitors on June 29, 1986. Free admission. Text and photo source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

Bazoş Dendrological Park is located 20 km from Timişoara, in Bazoşu Nou, Bucovăţ commune, Timiş County. It occupies an area of ​​60 hectares and includes the Great Park, the American Park and several nurseries for the cultivation of exotic species. The park was arranged between 1909 and 1914 at the initiative of Count Ludovic Ambrozy, ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the United States of America. Originally populated with dozens of botanical species on the North American continent, the park now numbers more than 1100 species of trees on all continents. Bazoș Dendrological Park was declared a protected area in 1994 and is part of the International Association of Botanical Gardens. It has the most complete collection of American oak and carya in Romania. Also, here is the oldest oak in Timis county, with an age of more than 500 years, with a circumference of 6 m and a height of 30 m. Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/PARCUL.DENDROLOGIC.BAZOS/

The Buziaș Dendrological Park occupies an area of ​​20 hectares, where many species of trees can be found, the most common of which being the plane tree (Platanus). In the past, in the Dendrological Park there were many squirrels, who had become mascots of the Park, but now they can be seen rarely. In recent years, the Buziaș City Hall together with the Association for Buziaș Development are working to repopulate the park with squirrels and organize the Squirrel Festival annually. The wooden colonnade, built in Byzantine style in 1875 at the request of Emperor Franz Joseph, is another attraction of the Park. The colonnade connects the spring Josif, Phoenix Hotel, the bazaar, the spring Mihai and the Casino, having not only the role of protecting the lovers of promenades against precipitations and sun, but also a beneficial effect in the treatments, due to the strongly ionized negative air. Similar colonnades are also found in Karlovy Vary and Baden-Baden, but the impressive length of the Buziaș Colonnade (500 meters) makes it unique in Europe. Photo sources: http://buzias.ro/; https://www.facebook.com/hotelparcbuzias/

The Mureș Meadow Natural Park is located in the west of Romania, in the counties of Arad and Timiş, downstream Arad city (the city center is 4 km from the eastern boundary of the area). The Mureş Meadow Natural Park stretches from Arad to the Hungarian border, along the Mureş River. It has a surface of ​​17,455 ha and includes the area with dams of ​​Mureş; it is a floodable area, located between the dams built on either side of the river and between the high terraces of the same river. The Meadow of Inferior Mureş river is a typical wetland ecosystem with flowing and standing waters, with alluvial forests, willows and poplars galleries, as well as agricultural fields, important nesting place and passage for approx. 200 bird species, many of them being under international protection. In recent years, the beavers have reappeared, a species that has disappeared since the first half of the 19th century. The Mureş River, which separates the northeast of Timiş county from Arad County, can be crossed on float bridge in Igris, Sânpetru Mare commune. Close to the crossing place is Igriş Island, with a surface of 3 ha, a protected natural area. Info source: http://www.luncamuresului.ro/

The Rose Park is located in the downtown area, next to the Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral, representing one of the tourist attractions of Timișoara. Over 10,000 red, pink, white, yellow and purple roses are grouped according to variety, and separated by hedges of buxus. The Park was landscaped in late nineteenth century by renowned landscape architects, growers and exporters of ornamental plants, Wilhelm Mühle and Wenceslas Franz Niemitz. The Park was designed in French and English style and was inaugurated on July 19, 1891 upon the Universal Industry and Agricultural Exhibition of Timișoara. On September 16, 1891, Emperor Franz Josef himself visited this Royal Rose Garden of Timișoara, which drew the town's fame as "town of roses". Over time, the Park bore different names: Franz Josef Park, the Queen Mary Rosary (Königin-Maria-Rosarium), Rose Garden (Rosengarten), the Culture and Leisure Park, Ștefan Plăvăț Park, and currently it is called the Rose Park. The Rose Park was remodelled several times, as it was completely destroyed in both world wars. In 1934, the park covered an area of 25,000 m², which made it the largest rosary in Southeast Europe at the time. The rosary comprised over 1,200 varieties and species of roses, some of which were considered rare or new worldwide. The summer theatre of Timișoara was built inside the park in the interwar period. In 1965 the catalogue of rose varieties available in the Rose Park was put together. The park underwent extensive modernization between 2011 and 2012, when new roses were planted, the number of varieties now being back at over 1,200. Currently, the park is spread over a surface of 37,000 m² and is bordered on its southern side by numerous willows on the banks of the Bega Canal. If you plan to visit Timișoara, do not miss Rose Park and the famous annual festivals taking place in the summer theatre: the Festival of the Hearts in July, the Opera and Operetta Festival in late August, the local holiday in mid-September. The Rose Day is celebrated every last Thursday in May of every year. Text source: https://timisoara.eventya.eu/

The Blue Cave, also known as the Pietroasa Cave, is located in Poiana Ruscăi Mountains, 12 km from Făget, at an altitude of 340 meters, 370 meters long. The name of the Blue Cave is due to its chromatic dominance, named by speleologists "blue of Pietroasa". Entrance to the cave is narrow, but as it advances, the space widens to discover stalagmites and stalactites bathed in the shades of an unique blue. The cave has a column of 7 m high, called "Tibia and Fibula". The locals say that archaeological excavations have revealed a warehouse of cereals, neolithic ceramics, and even skeletal remains of the cave bear. In the cave are living different species of bats.

The Românești Cave is the most famous cave in the Poiana Ruscă Mountains, also known as the Great Cave of Fereşeşti or the Water Cave. The first researches performed in The Românești Cave were made by Theodor Ortvay-Orthmayr in 1872. More complex speleological research was undertaken only in 1963, when the first cave topographic plan was drawn up. The galleries accessible to tourists stretch for a length of 340 meters. The entrance is 9.5 meters wide and 2 meters high. The main gallery is almost rectilinear, reaching the largest size in Bats Hall, called so because of the bats colony that lives here. The average temperature in the cave is between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius. The cave benefits from a special acoustics, here being organized concerts of classical music, jazz, blues, rock or electronics. The first concert hosted by the Românești Cave took place in 1984. Access to the area can be made on the road between Deva and Lugoj - DN 68A towards of Coşava, and from Coşava following the road to the Românești village. From here follows the marked yellow-crossed path that leaves the village near the cemetery and leads to the cave (1 hour walk). Information source: http://www.speotimis.ro/

The Timiș County turistic area also includes the Nădrag commune. Near the village was discovered by one of the tourist promoters of Nădrag, Nelu Balaş, a cave that bears its name. Its discoverer finds it almost as rich in stalactites as the famous Bear Cave in the Apuseni Mountains. Nelu Balaș is considered the „Man of Poiana Ruscăi Mountains”, known in Europe and even in America for the suspended chalets, where you could climb helped by pulleys, the passage between them being made by the zip-line.

A rare natural phenomenon, the muddy volcanoes, are easy to find, on the exit from Pișchia to Fibiș, being positioned in a unique crater which cannot go unnoticed. Although at first it seems as though the water and the mud are boiling, they are, in fact, very cold, and the gases emerging to the surface from the ground are also cold. The gas released in the atmosphere can cause those who are more sensitive a slight dizziness. When it rains, the crater fills with water, and the volcanoes become spectacular. The elders in the area are coming here to relieve their rheumatic pain, putting their feet in the muddy water. Text and photo source: http://turismpischia.ro/