Tourist Route Piatra Neamț – Petru Voda Monastery

Piatra Neamț – Bistrița Monastery – Pângărați Lake – Pângărați Monastery – the town of Bicaz – Bicaz Dam – Izvorul Muntelui Lake – Bicaz Harbour – Potoci Trout Farm – Poiana Largului – Piatra Teiului Rock – Petru Voda Monastery

A day trip from Piatra Neamț to Petru Voda Monastery is a real adventure for visitors keen to discover some of the beauty of Neamț County. The journey starts in the town of Piatra Neamț, following the DN 15 road from Piatra Neamț to Bicaz. At 8 km west of the town, you will find Bistrița Monastery, founded by the princes Alexander the Good, Petru Musat and Stephen the Great, which has survived for over six centuries sheltered by the surrounding forests.

Your next stop can be at the designated area on the shore of Pângărați Lake, which has been declared a Special Protection Area for birds, where you can admire birds travelling along the eastern Carpathian migration corridor and the entire Bistrița Valley. Near the Dimitrie Leonida hydroelectric power station at Stejaru, a road climbs towards Pângărați Monastery, a monastic settlement dating from the 15th century, whose old church consists of two churches built one above the other, a unique arrangement in our country's medieval architecture.

Next comes the town of Bicaz, where you can visit the Museum of History and Ethnography, which displays objects illustrating the traditions and occupations of local people and houses a permanent exhibition of work by the “Lady of Romanian Watercolour” – Iulia Halaucescu. As you leave the town, you will reach Bicaz Dam, which resembles an artificial mountain, measuring 435 m in length, 127 m in height and 119 m in width at its base. From the dam, you can admire Izvorul Muntelui Lake, the largest artificial lake created on Romania's inland rivers, with a length of 40 km.

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Next, you come to Bicaz Harbour, built on Izvorul Muntelui Lake. This is a leisure area where you can take short boat cruises on the lake or hire rowing boats, motorboats and pedalos. On the shore of Izvorul Muntelui Lake, there is a viewpoint near Potoci, where a trout farm has also been established. Here, a panoramic view opens up across the entire area and Mount Ceahlău, which is reflected in the lake's surface on sunny days.

The road winds along the lakeshore to the viaduct in Poiana Largului, where you will find Piatra Teiului Rock, declared a natural monument more than five decades ago. A remnant of erosion in this area, Piatra Dracului, as local people call it, can best be admired in all its splendour from the viaduct crossing the lake. This place, also known as Coada Lacului, is a junction where the four roads coming from Moldavia and Transylvania meet.

From here, we head towards national road DN 15 B, from Poiana Teiului towards Târgu Neamț, where a 10 km road branches off to the left at Valea Largului towards the village of Petru Voda. Here we find Petru Voda Monastery, a monastic settlement founded in the 20th century, which quickly became one of the most sought-after and frequently visited places among the faithful. All the credit for this settlement goes to Father Iustin Parvu, regarded as one of the best-known living spiritual fathers. Photo Album Click to view larger versions of the images

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