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Situated on 664 m altitude it has a very mild climate, cold in the evenings. The main attractions are the two spas with thermal water and the surrounding mountains. The old downtown was demolished, but few of old buildings are still worth to visit.<\/p>\n
The Our Lady\u2019s Monastery<\/strong> The St Elias (Ilie) Monastery<\/strong> The Urmanczy Castle<\/strong> The Banffy Baths<\/strong> Mountains Skiing, the stud at Baciu\u2019s guesthouse<\/strong> The mountains surrounding Toplita Tarnita or Banffy\u2019s Vineyard<\/strong> Lake Iezer, Rachitis and\u00a0Pietros peak and the\u00a0Millenary Border<\/strong>
\nSome research suggests that the construction begun at 1658, by the request of Lady Safta, wife of the Voivode (Prince) Gheorghe Stefan (1653-1658) of Moldavia. However, the epigraph above the entrance mentions that it was built in 1710.<\/p>\n
\nThe wooden church was made in Stanceni in 1847 and brought to Toplita in 1910. The first orthodox patriarch of Romania Miron Cristea was born here in 1847. In time the monastery developed and today is a great resort visited by thousands of Christians. Inside the monastery there is a museum of painted icons from the 18.century, old remains of the old church, a rich collection of icons painted on glass and ancient orthodox religious books and bibles.<\/p>\n
\nThe Urm\u00e1nczy castle was built between 1903-1906 at the request of Jeromos Urm\u00e1nczy, after a project made by the Italian architect Vigilio ( Virgilio ) Giacomuzzi . The style of castle, secessionist, is for this architectural typology, unique in Transylvania https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/castelulUrmanczykastely<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nFrom the end of the 19 century was the main attraction of the town. The baths are situated on the left side of the Mures River, once the dominium of Banffy family. After the anticommunist revolution the resort lost its fame. Its rehabilitation has begun; the old swimming pool with similar water like the Urmanczy Baths was renovated. Recently a year-round indoor spa was build. The little spa with many saunas and a fitness room is not using the local water sources.<\/p>\n
\nThe\u00a0waterfall\u00a0with thermal water<\/strong>
\nNear downtown on left side of Mures River right beside the rail tracks we got the single thermal waterfall in Transylvania. The Banffy Baths\u2019s water flows here in the Mures River. The lime-stone waterfall has a special flora. The delivered of the waterfall depends on the spa\u2019s schedule.<\/p>\n
\nOn the plateau above the resort Banffy, few kilometers away from the city, at 850 meters above see level, you will find Baciu\u2019s guesthouse with an impressive view on the Calimani Mountains and the city Toplita. In the summer you can ride a horse; in the winter ski slopes await you http:\/\/pensiuneabaciu.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nThe Stone Mushrooms<\/strong>
\nUpstream on the Magherus valley after a four hours walking, or less cycling we can see these fantastic volcanic rock formations.<\/p>\n
\nYou can take a short walk on Tarnita Mountain which is visible from the Urmanczy Baths. There is an andesine mine. The Urmanczy Castle (among other buildings) was built of this rock. The Banffy\u2019s Vineyard title covers a local legend. It is well known that grapes can\u2019t be harvested in this region, so the people hooked the clusters on fir-trees in order to celebrate the grapes harvest.<\/p>\n
\nThe Calimani are the best preserved mountains in\u00a0Transylvania. There are just a few buildings so we can admire the basalt colonnades or the smelly sulfurous springs in their original state. The picturesque Iezer lake lies just under the Rachitis peak (2021 m). This place is the most beautiful at June\u2019s and when the rhododendron\u00a0flowers give a\u00a0cyclamen color to the landscape. \u00a0\u201cThe Millenary Border\u201d of the Austro Hungarian monarchy was here, and goes toward between the Negoiul Romanesc and Negoiul Unguresc Peaks.\u00a0From here we can see the whole volcanic crater. The Negoiul became a victim of surface-sulphur-mining. From far it appears as a floating orange pyramid. We can reach the Pietros peak (2100 m) by climbing the Negoiul Unguresc and from here all is just a pleasant walk.<\/p>\n