# Along the Bistrița: Bicaz, the Bicaz Gorge and Ceahlău

A journey through the eastern Carpathians, along the Bistrița river and beneath Mount Ceahlău, the sacred mountain of the Dacians. From the Bicaz dam and boat trips across the mountain reservoir, the road slices between the limestone walls of the Bicaz Gorge, then follows the lake shore up to Durău, where the monastery church keeps Nicolae Tonitza's encaustic murals.

- **Duration:** 1–2 days (about 7 hours on the road)
- **Distance:** 100 km
- **Best time:** June – October
- **Page:** https://neamt.tesseramo.com/trasee/pe-bistrita-bicaz-ceahlau?lang=en

1. [History Museum Bicaz](https://neamt.tesseramo.com/obiective/muzeul-de-istorie-bicaz?lang=en) (45 min): Housed in the 1912 Royal Domain administration building, presenting records and photographs documenting the relocation of over twenty villages to create Lake Bicaz.
2. [Izvorul Muntelui Dam (Bicaz Dam)](https://neamt.tesseramo.com/obiective/barajul-izvorul-muntelui-bicaz?lang=en) (40 min): A monumental 127-meter-high concrete gravity dam, offering expansive views down the Bistrița gorge and across the vast reservoir.
3. [Izvorul Muntelui Lake (Lake Bicaz)](https://neamt.tesseramo.com/obiective/lacul-izvorul-muntelui?lang=en) (60 min): Scenic boat cruise across Moldavia's inland sea, taking in the dramatic reflections of Mount Ceahlău upon the deep mountain waters.
4. [Bicaz Gorge (Cheile Bicazului–Hășmaș National Park)](https://neamt.tesseramo.com/obiective/cheile-bicazului?lang=en) (45 min): A dramatic karst canyon carved into Jurassic limestone, featuring sheer 300-meter cliffs through Hell's Throat and the towering Altar Stone monolith.
5. [Durău Monastery](https://neamt.tesseramo.com/obiective/manastirea-durau?lang=en) (75 min): Mountain resort at the base of Mount Ceahlău; the monastery church houses unique warm-wax encaustic murals painted by modern master Nicolae Tonitza.