LOCATION
  The town of Deva is situated at the junction of the Transylvania and Banat historical provinces. "The town at the foot of the fortress" lies at the heart of Hunedoara County, at an altitude of 187m , along the middle course of Mures River, on its left bank. The surrounding hills (Deva's Hills) are the final extensions of the Poiana Rusca Mountains (andesits) and reach a max. of 697m.
  The town is surrounded by the Poiana Rusca and Zarand Mountains to the west, by the Apuseni to the north, by the Uroi Hill and Sebes Mountains to the east, while to the south you can catch a glimpse of the Parang and Retezat Mountains. Located in a small depression at a low altitude, Deva enjoys the most favorable temperate continental conditions in all of Ardeal.

  The first written proof of its existence mentions the year 1269. The archeological scavenging proves the inhabitance of the area from Paleolithic times. On the Fortress hill's terraces there were discoveries of domestic and religious objects. The traces are thought to belong to the Turdas-Vinca culture and to the Cotofeni culture that thrived here during the second half of the III millennium B.C.

  A later esential historical phase in the evolution of Deva involved the Roman conquest and colonization. It was followed by a rich cultural and economical activity demonstrated by the abundant pieces of vestiges: sculptures, burial monuments, shrines, coins, constructions, aqueducts, ceramics and ruins of buildings such as villa rustica which possessed the hypocaust heating system (hot air circulated through a double brick floor).

  Even the road that crosses Deva today, was the very same the Romans used in ancient times. During the Middle Ages, Deva was conquered by the Turks in 1557 but their leader handed the rule to Queen Isabella of Hungary. Later in the XVIIIth century, the people of Deva joined the popular uprising of Horea, Closca and Crisan.

  From 1968, following the country's new administrative organization, Deva became the county's residence and initiated its general development. The 1989 events marked a new stage in the town's evolution.

  The area of Hateg is a starting point towards the sites of the Dacian fortresses in Orăştiei Mountains (Blidaru and Costeşti) and towards the Geoagiu-Băi resort, anciently famous for its spas. However, the gemstone of Hateg Country is Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa, bulit during 106-271 B.C. under the Roman rule. It was the most important religious and cultural metropolis of the Dacia Province. It still preserves the foundations, a series of walls, columns and the amphitheatre.

• the Castle at Santamarie Orlea, built in baroque style in 1782 and then transformed in the XIXth century
• The Stronghold at Nalatvad
• The Orthodox Church at Santamarie Orlea, built in Gothic style at the turn of the XIIIth century
• Prislop Monastery
• Retezat National Park
• The European bisons Natural Sanctuary in Slivut Forest

Densuş
  You're about to discover a unique and weird, yet beautiful piece of architecture. The small village of Densuş, close to the town of Hateg, can easily go by unnoticed. Still, it hosts a very old orthodox church, built in the 13th century on the place of an even older one (10-11th centuries). The unique and somewhat strange architecture reminds of the Romanesque style, but the construction is almost certainly the work of a local builder, without too much experience in style.
  What's unique about this church is the building material. The builders used tiles, tombstones and columns, and even small statues and a stone-carved figure of a lion! These were undoubtedly brought here from the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, only a few kilometers away. Thus, the glory of the ancient times was "recycled" more than a thousand years later!
  The surprises are not over yet. Step inside the church and you will find remnants of Byzantine frescoes painted in 1443.

DEVA - a panoramic view from inside the Stronghold
  The Stronghold - the authorities have tried to make it accessible for every category of visitors, either through the alleys or taking the funicular, or simply by climbing. Any of the way you choose to take to reach the top, it is well worth it, because the view revealing the town and its surroundings is breathtaking.

• The Fortress' Park
• Bethlen Castle or "Magna Curia" (The Large Court) - was built during the XVIth century; initially in the Rennaisance style, but the following restorations added Baroque elements. Today it hosts the County Museum of Hunedoara-Deva.
  
• The special gym hall of the Sports School in Deva is the place where Octavian Bellu trained some of the greatest names in gymnastics - Nadia Comaneci.
• The old town centre, still preserving the most important institutions of the town.

The town of Hateg
  The tourist potential of Hateg is given by its favorable natural conditions, historical and cultural which has developed continuously on this territory. The picturesque of the area, the mineral and thermal springs, renowned for their miraculous effects, the hunting resources, as well as the richness and variety of the architectural and folkloric elements make up a tourist paradise. Lying at the foot of the mountains, at an average altitude of 300-400 m, the ancient settlement of Hateg represents a great opportunity of developing the practice of mountain tourism. Access is ensured through a modern network of roads which lead to all the most important winter resorts.

Sacaramb
  It has been a continuous source of fascination and research for over two centuries. During the XIXth century, mining specialists from all over the world came here to study the peculiar mosaic of chemical elements. It appears to be a unique mineral laboratory in the world: on a surface of only 1sqkm, more than 100 types of minerals have been identified. Two of them, the "silvanit" and the "sacaramb" have no other equivalent, but in a remote place somewhere in South Africa.
  Some even say that considering the composition of the soil and subsoil, this might be one of the greatest magnetic fields on Earth and that the air quality is similar to that found only at altitudes exceeding 3000 m.

Geoagiu
  Situated at mouth of the Geoagiu River, it is the historical site of the Germisara Roman fortress, later known as Thermae Dodonae. The Geoagiu-Bai resort is part of this town.

Hunedoara

• Corvini Castle
• Cincis Lake
• Prislop Monastery
• Poiana Rusca Mountains
• The Zoo

Simeria
  Situated 16 km from Orastie and 10 km from Deva, it is an important railway hub. Those passing through Simeria must pay a visit at the Arboretum - the Dendrologic Park in Simeria, ranked as third of its kind in Europe and eleventh in the world.

Retezat National Park
  Slightly lower than the Fagaras, these superb mountains lie in the Western part of Romania, close to the cities of Petrosani and Deva. They are the site of Romania's only national park, covering more than 140,000 acres (56,000 hectares). The spectacular mountain scenery and countless crystal-clear glacier ponds are a must see for any mountain hiker coming to Romania.
  Retezat can best be accessed from the North. The trail will lead you right up to the chalet Pietrele ("The Rocks"). After that, a strenuous hike reaches the great lake at Bucura. This is the true center of the massif and a favorite camp site. Around this vast caldera, one sees the whole beauty of these mountains - on one side, there is the highest local peak (Peleaga - 2509 meters), while on the other side lies the perfect cone of the Retezat peak. All around, hundreds of small ponds scattered among fields of huge boulders reflect the summer sky.
  Starting at the lake, one can reach all the important attractions of these mountains in one-day hikes. A trip to the East, past the Peleaga peak, will take you toward the magnificent pond at Galesu ("The luring one") and the sharp, spectacular passage at Portile Inchise ("The Closed Gates"). On the other side of the huge valley, you can enter the National Park, with its untamed wilderness. This trip will require a special pass, but the hike is definitely worth it, as you can take a peek at the wildlife - among others, the rare mountain goat or chamois as well as unique species of mountain flowers.
  If you are a rock climber, Retezat will not disappoint you, with many trails spanning all levels of difficulty, with the extra twist of unforgettable views.