Cheile Cibului is designated as a nature reserve and lies 1.4 kilometres downstream from Cib. At the same time, a marked hiking route crosses the entire village and continues along a road that is more than four kilometres long and partly paved to the village of Cheile Cibului. These are different points of reference for planning: the nature reserve and a route that passes through Cib and continues to the village.
Hiking and how to get there
The Zlatna–Cheile Cibului–Ardeu–Cheile Măzii route is marked with a red cross. It is 17.8 kilometres long, has an elevation gain of 506 metres and is of moderate difficulty. The stated duration is eight hours. This makes it a longer day hike; the distance, elevation gain and difficulty provide additional specific details alongside the time estimate.
Another marked route crosses Cib and then continues along a road that is more than four kilometres long and partly paved to the village of Cheile Cibului. Its description highlights the route through the village and the stretch of road. The eight-hour hike, by contrast, is described by its duration, length, elevation gain and difficulty. These different details help you consider the routes according to your planning needs.
From the Ampoi Valley, the drive to Cheile Cibului follows the DN74 between Alba Iulia and Zlatna, then the Zlatna–Almaşu Mare road, and continues through Nădăştie and Cib. This sequence of roads situates Cib along the way to the gorge. The nature reserve lies downstream from the village; the marked route also continues to the village, which is likewise called Cheile Cibului.
Church and house history
The masonry Sf. Nicolae Church in Cib is documented as dating to 1786. Traces of an older wooden church can also be seen in the cemetery around the church. They are located on a small plateau above the masonry church. Thus, this site brings together a church with a documented date and visible traces of an older wooden building—two distinct architectural points of reference for Cib’s history.
A thatched-roof house in Cib had been inhabited by more than five generations since 1857 and was saved from disappearing. Even 160 years later, the interior of the house was still in use. The house therefore offers a different perspective on the village’s history than the church: here, the focus is on a home, its use across generations and its preservation.
Planning your stay in Cib
When choosing a holiday apartment in Cib, the different focuses of your stay can help guide you: the eight-hour route and its stated hiking details, the marked route through the village, or the history of the church and house. Anyone planning to spend most of their time on the long hike will have a different focus for the day than someone who wants to explore the village’s historical points of reference.
It also makes sense to consider the nature reserve and the village’s history as separate topics: Cheile Cibului is designated as a nature reserve, while the church, cemetery and thatched-roof house are specific historical points of reference in Cib. Together with the stated directions, they provide a clear picture of the different reasons to stay, without combining them into a single excursion.
Discover more destinations: Peștișu Mare, Simeria, Topliţa, Sarmizegetusa, Petroșani, Vața De Jos, Deva, Şoimuş
For the main travel overview: Deva.
