Scărișoara Ice Cave
Peștera Ghețarul de la Scărișoara
A sinkhole ice cave in the Apuseni Mountains that holds one of Europe's largest underground glaciers. The ice is thousands of years old, and the cave stays close to 0°C year-round.
The cave entrance is a sinkhole about 60 m in diameter and 48 m deep. Visitors descend a metal staircase into the cave's 'Great Hall,' where a mass of ice more than 20 m thick and roughly 100,000 cubic meters in volume awaits. The ice is estimated to be over 3,000 years old, and in spring and summer, ice stalactites and stalagmites can be seen. A visit takes about 30–45 minutes, and tickets cost about 20–30 lei. The cave stays close to 0°C and the steps are slippery, so bring a down jacket and non-slip shoes even in summer. Located in Apuseni Natural Park, the cave is about 150 km by road from Cluj-Napoca (about 65 km as the crow flies). The mountain roads take 2.5–3 hours, so plan for a full day and combine the trip with a visit to the Apuseni mountain villages.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Rimetea
- Hoia-Baciu Forest
- Romulus Vuia Ethnographic Park
- Cluj Central Park
- Cetățuia Hill
- Alexandru Borza Botanical Garden
- Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania
- National History Museum of Transylvania