Short description: Bâlea Lake is 360 m long, 46,508 m2 in surface and 11.35 m deep, formed in the Bâlea Glacial Caldera in the Făgăraș Mountains and is located at elevation 2034 on the Transfăgărășan road. 1993 is the year in which the lake and 180 hectares around it are declared a scientific reserve.

County: Sibiu
Images: red_frog | yourguideintransylvania

The name Bâlea comes from a brave shepherd who bore this name, who in ancient times helped the emperor defeat his opponent. Thus the great face of the emperor was deeply impressed and wants him to become her husband. After the marriage, while they were on the mountain, the two spouses had to take shelter from the fury of the snow on the rocks because a big storm had arisen, but unfortunately the falling snow pushed the two newlyweds into the lake, from here the lake is named after the shepherd Bâlea.

The landscape is different and surprising with each passing season, but winter has a very special beauty when the first rich snow falls and the clouds become one with the white blankets of the high ridges.

Access to Bâlea Lac can be done in 2 easy ways: by car on the Transfăgărășan road in the summer and in winter you can go up with the cable car up to the 1200 level where Cabană Bâlea Cascada is located.

No matter where you come from, you must enter Transfăgărășan, the road offers a wonderful view of the Făgărăș mountains.

Only 77 km away is the city of Sibiu, 68 km from Făgăraș to the Bâlea Glacier, 85 km from Curtea de Argeș.

In 2006, the first ice hotel in Europe in the form of an igloo with a capacity of 16 was built here.