Rucăr is a long village in the upper Dâmbovița valley, on the Wallachian side of the old pass from Bran, and for centuries it was the frontier post where merchants paid their dues before crossing into Transylvania. It sits in a broad green valley between the Piatra Craiului to the north and the hills of the Muscel to the south, and it has the feel of a mountain village that has been lived in for a long time, with old stone and timber houses, orchards and a big Orthodox church.
The area around Rucăr is wonderful for riders who like to explore. The main road from Bran comes down from the pass in a cascade of bends, and then runs along the valley with gentle bends and good views. To the north, small roads lead up into the gorges of the Dâmbovița and the Dâmbovicioara, where the river has cut deep clefts into the limestone and the road squeezes between rock walls. These side roads are narrow, sometimes broken and occasionally gravel, but the scenery is spectacular, and there are caves, villages and high pastures to see.
The culture here is rooted in shepherding. The villages of the Rucăr-Bran corridor have long made a living from sheep and cattle, moving the flocks between the high pastures in summer and the valleys in winter, and the local cheeses, smoked and fresh, are very good. Look for them at roadside stalls and in local restaurants, along with trout from the rivers and traditional soups and stews.
The weather in the valley is generally milder than on the pass, but storms can come quickly in summer, building over the mountains in the afternoon. Spring is lovely, with flowers in the meadows and snow still on the peaks, and autumn brings beautiful colours to the forests. Winter can be harsh, with snow on the pass and cold temperatures.
Rucăr has fuel, shops and places to eat, enough for a good break before or after the pass. Câmpulung, the larger town to the south, has more services. Traffic on the main road can be heavy at weekends, with people driving between Bucharest and Brașov, so weekdays are better for a relaxed ride. Watch for animals on the road, especially in the evening when the flocks come home.