The Cerna valley in southwestern Romania is a deep limestone gorge between the Mehedinți and Cerna mountains, with cliffs, caves and forests rising steeply on both sides. The Domogled–Valea Cernei National Park protects this wild landscape, and its beech forests, some of them untouched for centuries, became part of the UNESCO listing of Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe in 2017. The park is also home to a rare variety of black pine that grows on the steep limestone slopes, and to bears, wolves, lynx and chamois, as well as horned vipers and a remarkable variety of butterflies.
At the southern end of the valley lies Băile Herculane, one of the oldest spa towns in Europe. The Romans knew its hot springs as Ad Aquas Herculi and built baths here, and in the nineteenth century the Habsburgs turned it into an elegant resort, with grand bathhouses, hotels and a casino. Today, many of the old buildings are crumbling, but they still have a faded grandeur, and the hot springs still flow, with pools by the river where locals bathe for free.
The road up the Cerna valley from Herculane is one of the most scenic in Romania, following the river through the gorge, past cliffs, waterfalls and caves, with tight curves and views. Further north, the road continues over the mountains toward Baia de Aramă, but the surface deteriorates, and some sections may be gravel or broken tarmac, so check conditions before you go. Traffic is light, but watch for rockfalls, potholes and animals on the road. The weather is milder than in much of Romania, thanks to Mediterranean influences, but storms can be sudden and violent.
Services are limited in the valley. Băile Herculane, at the southern end, has fuel, shops and accommodation, and Tismana, about twenty-four kilometres away on the other side of the mountains, is a small town with a famous monastery and basic services. Fill up before heading into the mountains. Try local dishes such as sarmale, stuffed cabbage rolls, or grilled trout from the mountain streams, and finish with a glass of local plum brandy.