Discover Kudsir: CugiRace, Nature and History

Activity

CugiRace comprises five competitions. The main race is 69.4 km long and includes 2,730 metres of elevation gain. The programme also includes a race for children. As a mountain running competition, CugiRace starts and finishes in Poiana cu Goruni. Its routes lead through the Șureanu Mountains. A hiking trail marked with a yellow triangle leads from Cugir via Valea Grușerii, Călene, Vîrful Grușerița, Dealul Piatra Pleșii and Valea Ghișag to Poiana Pochia.

Nature

Poiana cu Goruni near Vinerea is considered a centuries-old oak forest with a protected habitat for the stag beetle. The Wasserlinner water pipeline runs for over 5 km from the reservoir on the Râul Mic to the water tower of Cugir. At that time, the reservoir was called Taul lui Nila. Locals use the water pipeline for walks in the forest. Țara Vântului is a viewpoint overlooking Cugir. Burial mounds and traces of Dacian and Roman settlement are associated with this viewpoint. Among other things, porcini mushrooms and chanterelles grow in the forests around Cugir.

History

The iron and steel factory in Cugir was founded in 1799. Today, it is known as Uzina Mecanică Cugir. The water tower of Cugir is also called Castelul de Apă. It was built between 1909 and 1911 and renovated in 2011. The fortification near Cugir was part of the Dacian defence system. This system was built to protect the centre of power at Sarmizegusa Regia. Traces of Dacian settlement at the fortress near Cugir date from the 5th to 4th century BC. The actual fortress complex was built in the 3rd to 2nd century BC. The Dacian fortress near Cugir is presumed to be identified with Singidava. According to Ptolemy, Singidava was described as the largest and richest fortress in the Mureș Valley.

Culture

The folklore festival in Poiana cu Goruni began in 2009. From 2012 onwards, it was held as the national festival of dances and folk traditions Cugir–Vinerea. It continued annually until 2019.

Leisure and Cuisine

Hiking with the family is offered as a leisure activity in Cugir. Cycling tours are also offered as a leisure activity in Cugir. The Casa Cugireană restaurant offers traditional recipes from 1957. Contemporary recipes are also part of the menu.

You can find more places to discover at Poiana Aiudului, Brăzești, Albac, Ighiu, Săliștea, Răchita, Tău Bistra and Sohodol.

Practical Information

Under the regulation approved on 27 May 2026, picnicking in Poiana cu Goruni near Vinerea is permitted only in areas set up for this purpose or designated by the local administration. The regulation specifies the daily hours as 08:00 to 22:00.

The requirement therefore concerns both the location and the time of the picnic: only areas set up for this purpose or designated by the local administration are permitted, and the daily period runs from 08:00 to 22:00. The basis is the regulation approved on 27 May 2026.

To the higher-level travel overview: Alba.