Piatra Secuiului – Rimetea – Szeklers Rock, Alba county

There are two possibilities to approach the trail, depending on the season or the weather.The trail follows the blue cross and red stripe markings and you can approach it in a loop or ascent and descend directly on the blue cross marked path. Some people prefer to approach the trail directly on the blue cross path and come down through the woods on the red stripe marking, but, in case it rains, the path is very slippery and muddy.

The trail starts across the road from the Rimetea’s Tourist Information Centre and you can choose to follow the red stripe marking on the left that goes up through the woods or follow the direct ascent on the blue cross path that goes up to the peak. When you reach the saddle at the top, as you come out of the forest, you will see a signpost. From that signpost you can turn right on an unmarked path, reaching after a few minutes the Colții Trascăului peak (1113 m). From Colții Trascăului you can return to the marked route to continue to Piatra Secuiului (1129 m). From Piatra Secuiului you can go down the path marked with a blue cross, which will leave you right in the centre of Rimetea village. Please note that on some parts, the path is very steep, rough, with some rocky parts.

Distance: 8, 8 km
Elevation : + 650
Time: 4 hours (moving time 2, 40 minutes)

Piatra Secuiului or Szekler’s Rock is located in a very picturesque Unesco heritage village called Rimetea, situated 60 km from the city of Cluj Napoca în Transylvania. The village has a unique 19th century architecture. The white houses with green windows, unchanged for more than 100 years, are definitely an attraction for tourists from all over the world.

One of the most popular tourist attractions of the village is Piatra Secuiului or Szeklers Stone, also the most visited place of the Trascău Mountains, with 2 peaks known as Colții Trascăului (1113) on the northern side and on the south – Piatra Secuiului (1129 m) or Szekler’s stone. That is also why it is known that, here, in Rimetea, the sun rises twice as it goes behind the rock and rises again at noon.

Rimetea has always been an important destination for tourists from all over the world, due to its multicultural heritage and status of a Unesco site, so there won’t be any problems finding accommodation for large or smaller groups. It is a village where locals support themselves financially solely from tourism and there are plenty of options from which we recommend the following ones:

• • Tobias Youth Center
  • Edelweis camping site
  • Kiraly Guest house 
  • Dr. Demeter Bela Guest house

Colțești Castle Fortress

Colțești Castle Fortress is located 3 km from Rimetea in the neighbouring village of Colțești, the fortress was built in 1296 as a defence after the Tatars’ invasion in 1241. The fortress of Colțești belonged to the Toroczkay family, and today only a few ruins remain. The fortress is situated on a hill and offers a unique panoramic view.

The Students’ Cave

The Students’ Cave is a huge portal dug by wind and rain with three arches that offers some breathtaking views of the two villages Colţeşti and Rimetea. It can be accessed either as a continuation of the trail from the peak or directly from the village following the double market route with blue cross/ red triangle.