📆 Day 12 | 8 August

📍Route: Băile Herculane → Eșelnița

🚴‍♀️ Distance cycled: 40 km

🏰 Places visited: Roman Thermal Baths, Local antique store, Băile Herculane Train Station, Hercules Square   

After our usual morning routine, we headed out to explore the town. The day started with a lovely surprise — a stop at a small local antique store, where we met Sebastian, the owner. He welcomed us with the most aromatic Persian tea we’ve ever tasted. While we enjoyed it, he shared a few of his own life adventures, and we told him about our bike tour. It was one of those easy, warm conversations that make traveling so special.

From there, we made our way to Hercules Square, the historic heart of Băile Herculane. The square is laid out in baroque style and surrounded by beautiful old buildings from the Habsburg era, like the former Imperial Border Guards’ barracks and the elegant Decebal Hotel, which still carries the aristocratic charm of another time. In the middle stands the statue of Hercules, cast in 1847 from metal once meant for cannons, a gift from Archduke Crown Prince Karl to thank the spa for healing his soldiers. It replaced a marble fountain built in 1826, which had been fed by the Munk spring.

While in the square, we visited the Roman-Catholic Church, built between 1836 and 1838 during the reign of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria. It stands on the site of an older chapel destroyed by the Turks in 1788. In 1887, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi, attended Easter services here during her stay in the town — a detail that adds even more charm to the place.

Following Sebastian’s advice, we headed to the Roman thermal baths. He told us it would do wonders after all the cycling, and he was right. Andreea and Bela were brave enough to go in despite the strong smell, and it was absolutely worth it. The warm mineral water seemed to melt away the tiredness from our legs.

The waters here have a history as deep as their heat. Known in Roman times as Aqua Herculis, they were said to be favored by Hercules himself. An inscription from 153 AD — Ad Aquas Herculis Sacras, “To the sacred waters of Hercules” — still tells the story. Even in ancient times, the Roman elite came here for their healing power. Today, Băile Herculane has 16 different thermal springs, each with its own mineral properties, once nicknamed things like “The Spring for Injuries” or “The Spring for Cold.” Whether in the public pools or the spa hotels like Afrodita or Diana, the waters still offer the same promise: to relax, to heal, and to let you forget the outside world for a while.

After the baths, we decided it was time to continue our journey. We first biked to the train station to admire its beautiful old building, with its ornate details that, sadly, are slowly decaying and in need of restoration. By then, the afternoon sun was blazing, but we kept pedaling toward our target. We didn’t really stop along the way, heading straight to Eșelnița. At the exit of the town, we finally found a spot to camp — not an easy task, as so much of the lakeshore is now under construction or marked as private property. This time, luck was on our side. We pitched our tent right by the lake and just stood for a moment, soaking in the view. It turned out to be one of the hottest evenings of our trip, so our sleeping bags were not really needed — the warm night air wrapped around us instead.