Borca – Mountains, Nature and Culture in the Eastern Carpathians

Borca lies along the middle course of the Bistrița in the Eastern Carpathians. The mountain landscape around Borca includes extensive forested areas as well as vast mountain pastures and meadows. The Bistrița River crosses the municipality over a stretch of approximately 8 kilometres.

Nature

The Munții Stânișoarei near Borca are approximately 75 percent forested. Mixed forests of conifers and beech predominate, while the upper ridges are characterised by montane secondary grasslands. Budacu Peak reaches 1,859 metres and is the highest point in the municipality of Borca and in the entire Bistrița Mountains. The mountain peaks near Borca offer panoramic views of the Ceahlău Massif, the Rarău Massif, the Călimani Mountains and the Rodna Mountains.

Within the municipality there is a 357-hectare forest and fauna reserve at an altitude of approximately 1,600 metres, where the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is protected. The Pârâul Borcuța aquatic nature reserve lies at an altitude of 1,600 metres and covers 1.20 hectares. The Borcut spring is associated with the Borca Fauna Reserve; documentary and geological records mention it as far back as the 18th century.

Hiking and Activities

The Drumul Vitoriei Lipan can begin in Borca, pass through Valea Sabasei and the hamlet of Pârâul Ungurului, and cross the Munții Stânișoara via Șaua Stânișoarei. The 24-kilometre route is marked with a blue cross and is considered impassable in winter. A tourist travel programme includes a hike in the Borca Gorges and optionally a hike to Budacu Peak.

In the area around Borca, horse riding as well as trips by wagon or carriage are possible, along with opportunities for riding all-terrain bicycles on former forest roads. You can compare different route lengths and means of transport separately when planning your day.

Culture

The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Borca is considered a local destination of historical and tourist interest; it was built between 1886 and 1890. The former house of the administrator of the Royal Crown Domain in Borca was built in 1898, classified as a historical and architectural monument, and is now a student dormitory.

The “Strămoşii” Ethnographic Museum is housed in three rooms of the village’s old school. It displays traditional household textiles, local traditional costume, products made by craftsmen and folk artists, as well as traditional festive customs. Borca also has the “Izvoarele Borcutului” folklore ensemble.

The “Jocul caprei” and the masked performers from Borca are considered a centuries-old tradition; they are accompanied by bells, the bucium, signal horns, drums and flutes. A tourist travel programme in Neamț County includes participation in a gathering with the folklore ensemble from Borca. In Borca, the birthplace of the poet Aurel Dumitrașcu has been converted into a memorial house.

The Drumul Talienilor is over 100 years old; beside it, at the end of the Ocolului Silvic Borca, stands a stone monument to the heroes who fell in the war. The municipality’s territory also contains the Piatra Scrisă rock on Mount Goia, near the sources of Sabasa.

More destinations

Durau, Săvinești, Văratec, Bodești, Piatra Neamţ, Tupilaţi, Hangu, Pipirig

To the higher-level travel overview: Neamt.