- Bihor
- Aleșd
Aleșd
A town on the Crișul Repede, 43 km east of Oradea, near the mouth of the Șuncuiuș–Vadu Crișului gorge, with a church built by a Wallachian prince and a medieval fortress on the hill.
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Where to stay in Aleșd
Places to sleep well, picked for comfort and location.
- 1Four-star hotel
Bonavilla Complex
Hotel with a restaurant, terrace, outdoor pool and event hall, on the DN1 national road at the Cluj end of Aleșd.
Tinăud (oraș Aleșd), pe DN1€€ - 2Holiday villas
La Grotta Resort
Nine villas and studios in a gated compound in Vadu Crișului, with a heated pool, a sauna and a restaurant for guests.
sat Vadu Crișului, com. Vadu Crișului, la 17 km€€ - 3Village resort
Due Fratelli Village Resort
Twelve old houses from Maramureș, moved and restored on a hill in Șinteu, with a spa, a restaurant and an adventure park.
sat Șinteu, com. Șinteu, la 17 km€€€ - 4Farm guesthouse
Rose Hip Hill
Three-star guesthouse with a farm, in a 4-hectare orchard at the edge of the forest in Valea Târnei village.
sat Valea Târnei, com. Șinteu, la 24 km€€€ - 5Guesthouse
Pensiunea Tarina
Guesthouse with a garden and terrace in Șuncuiuș, the village at the upper end of the Crișul Repede gorge.
sat Șuncuiuș, com. Șuncuiuș, la 25 km€
Where to eat in Aleșd
Meals worth the trip.
- 1Italian and Romanian restaurant
Olives Restaurant
Small restaurant in a well-kept courtyard in the centre, with Italian and Romanian dishes and a daily set menu.
Centru€€ - 2Italian restaurant
Noblesse
New restaurant serving pizza, Italian dishes and a daily set menu, with a courtyard full of plants and an old olive tree.
Centru, pe DN1€€ - 3Café and bistro
SNZ Bistro
Café-bistro in the town centre, known for its specialty coffee.
Centru€ - 4Café
Old Friends Caffe
Neighbourhood café with an indoor room and a terrace, on the ground floor of a block in the Șoimul district.
Cartierul Șoimul€
What to see in Aleșd
Things to see, picked to fill a whole day.
1Show cavePeștera Vadu Crișului
A 1,510 m cave in the Crișul Repede gorge, open to visitors since 1905 and toured with a guide along a lit section.
Defileul Crișului Repede, com. Vadu Crișului, la 17 km€
2Waterfall and trailCascada Vadu Crișului și defileul Crișului Repede
A waterfall of about 10 m on the stream that comes out of the Vadu Crișului Cave, at the end of a short trail through the limestone gorge.
Defileul Crișului Repede, com. Vadu Crișului, la 17 kmFree- 3Castle ruins
Cetatea Piatra Șoimului
Ruins of a 13th-century fortress on a wooded rock above Peștiș village, within the town of Aleșd.
Peștiș (oraș Aleșd), pe dealFree 
417th-century Orthodox churchBiserica Sfântul Dumitru din Tinăud
Stone church built in 1658–1659 by Constantin Șerban, a former prince of Wallachia, on the site of an older monastery.
Tinăud (oraș Aleșd), pe DN1Free
5Wooden churchBiserica de lemn din Peștiș
Wooden church of the Annunciation, rebuilt in 1797, with a porch on posts and a tall shingled tower.
Peștiș (oraș Aleșd)Free
Frequently asked questions
Where to stay in Aleșd?
We recommend Bonavilla Complex (four-star hotel, Tinăud (oraș Aleșd), pe DN1): It has the best scores of the hotels in town: 8.9 on Booking from 93 reviews and 4.5 on Google from 558. Other picks: La Grotta Resort, Due Fratelli Village Resort, Rose Hip Hill and Pensiunea Tarina.
Where to eat in Aleșd?
We recommend Olives Restaurant (italian and romanian restaurant, Centru): It scores 4.9 on Google from 121 reviews, with praise for the food, the staff and the vegetarian options. Other picks: Noblesse, SNZ Bistro and Old Friends Caffe.
What to see in Aleșd?
We recommend Peștera Vadu Crișului (show cave, Defileul Crișului Repede, com. Vadu Crișului, la 17 km): It is one of Romania's earliest show caves and makes a short guided visit of 30–45 minutes. Other picks: Cascada Vadu Crișului și defileul Crișului Repede, Cetatea Piatra Șoimului, Biserica Sfântul Dumitru din Tinăud and Biserica de lemn din Peștiș.
How far is Aleșd from Oradea?
About 43 km by road from Oradea.
How do you choose the places?
For each category we pick at most five places and check them: they exist, they are open and they are worth the trip. We take no money to list a place.