Tihuța Pass

Jonathan Harker climbs towards the Borgo Pass in a carriage, on an evening in May, and everyone knows the rest of the story. Bram Stoker never saw the place; he read it on a map and chose it because it was the edge of the known world.

The Tihuța Pass rises to 1,201 metres, between the Bârgău and Călimani mountains, and holds the border between Bistrița-Năsăud and Suceava counties. DN17, European route E58, crosses it — the only direct link between north-eastern Transylvania and Bukovina.

Why it is a gate, not just a pass

The border here is older than the counties. For centuries this watershed separated Transylvania from Moldavia, and the customs post stood below, in the clearing in the valley — the one that would be called Poiana Stampei, after the stamp pressed on the merchants' papers.

You come down the hairpins from Tiha Bârgăului and, within minutes, the landscape changes: the spruce thickens, the valley widens, and the first commune of Bukovina opens in front of you, scattered across its hayfields. You have crossed from one historical land into another without stopping.

What you see from the top

From the summit, eastwards, the Dorna basin lies below with the Călimani ridge behind it; westwards, the smooth backs of the Bârgău mountains. The place is wind-swept and changes quickly — fog in the morning, sun at noon, heavy cloud towards evening.

In winter the road stays open but asks for care: this is blizzard country, with stretches where the snow settles overnight. In summer it is a route for motorcyclists and cyclists, with a long climb and a descent that pays for it.

Getting there

From Vatra Dornei it is about 40 kilometres west on DN17, through Poiana Stampei. From Bistrița, the climb begins at Prundu Bârgăului. There is parking at the top, and a few hundred metres on foot give you the full panorama.