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CarpathianStays
Curated · Carpathian · Stays
Ski in the Carpathians

Skiing here costs half — and comes with castles.

Eight resorts we know personally, from Romania’s flagship Poiana Brașov to secret Straja. Live lift and snow status in season, honest advice on where fits whom — and a curated home near every one of them.

Straja⚪ Season closed

Straja

Hunedoara

The Jiu Valley’s big secret — 26 km of pistes at half the price of the Prahova resorts.

26 km of pistes 1868 m 0–0 cm snow ~150 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Poiana Brașov⚪ Season closed

Poiana Brașov

Burzenland

Romania’s flagship resort — widest pistes, best infrastructure, 15 minutes above Brașov.

25 km of pistes 1802 m 0–0 cm snow ~260 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Sinaia⚪ Season closed

Sinaia

Burzenland

The highest lift-served skiing in Romania — open alpine bowls above 2,000 m, Peleș Castle below.

18 km of pistes 2103 m 0–0 cm snow ~240 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Transalpina Ski Resort⚪ Season closed

Transalpina Ski Resort

Hunedoara

Modern lifts on the flank of the Transalpina road — high, snow-sure, and still under the radar.

12 km of pistes 2100 m 0–0 cm snow ~190 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Predeal⚪ Season closed

Predeal

Burzenland

Romania’s highest town — compact, friendly slopes that are ideal for beginners and families.

8 km of pistes 1450 m 0–0 cm snow ~180 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Arena Platoș (Păltiniș)⚪ Season closed

Arena Platoș (Păltiniș)

Saxon Triangle

Sibiu’s home hill — Romania’s oldest mountain resort, 30 minutes from the old town.

7 km of pistes 1690 m 0–0 cm snow ~170 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Borșa⚪ Season closed

Borșa

Maramureș

Maramureș on skis — a new gondola under the Rodna ridge, wooden churches in the valley.

6 km of pistes 1600 m 0–0 cm snow ~160 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Vatra Dornei⚪ Season closed

Vatra Dornei

Bucovina

The Bucovina spa town with slopes in the middle of it — ski, then a painted monastery.

5 km of pistes 1300 m 0–0 cm snow ~130 RON day pass (approx., season 2025/26)
Every resort on the map

All the Carpathian resorts we cover, coloured by live season status. Tap a pin for snow, lifts and the full page.

Open Partially open Season closed8 resorts
What a ski day really costs

The honest comparison — same fun, half the bill. Prices are typical adult rates; we refresh them each season.

CarpathiansAlps (typical)
Adult day pass€26–52€60–80
Ski school (2h group)€20–30€45–70
Full equipment rental / day€10–18€35–55
Mountain lunch (soup + main + drink)€8–14€25–40
Family of four, one ski day€120–200€300–450

Ballpark figures for orientation, not live tariffs — check the resort links for today’s prices.

When to come

Snow statistics and crowd patterns, condensed:

Early DecUpper slopes open on snowmaking; quiet and cheap, lower runs patchy.
Mid Dec – early JanHoliday peak — book stays early, ski midweek.
Mid Jan – FebThe sweet spot: deepest snow, cold and reliable, moderate crowds outside Romanian school holidays.
MarchSpring skiing at altitude (Sinaia, Transalpina); valley resorts wind down.
AprilHigh bowls above 2,000 m often still ski well — with empty lifts.

Frequently asked

Is Carpathian skiing good enough for experienced skiers?
Poiana Brașov and Sinaia offer real vertical and long reds; the terrain is smaller than the Alps but rarely crowded. Experts come for the price, the emptiness and the non-ski days.
Do I need to book lift passes in advance?
No — passes are bought at the lift, and outside holiday weekends there are no queues to speak of.
What about non-ski days?
That is the Carpathian advantage: Bran Castle, Brașov old town, spas and bear hides are all within an hour of the slopes. We build them into the week.

Keep going

The Carpathians Nature & outdoors Road trips

Ski week, planned by a local

Tell us group, dates and level — we propose the resort, the home, the transfer, ski school and the non-ski day (a castle, a spa, a bear hide).

Plan my ski trip →Ask the concierge