”Trei căldări” Rock

The Pietricica Monastery bears the titular saint "Transfiguration in the Face of God" and is a monastery of monks founded in 1994. The community consists of 6 believers, the abbot being Father Neofit Amariea.

The radio-television relay on the top of Pietricica Mountain was built in the 50s and serves as a signal for the eastern part of Neamț county. It cannot be visited, but it is worth getting here especially for the view.

The Pietricica mountain, a solitary height that characterizes the entire area of ​​the city, is a huge geological relic, a remnant of a salted and overturned fold that dates back to the Paleogene of the flysch, accumulates all the formations specific to this region, including Oligocene layers with rich fossil deposits. Its maximum altitude is 590m. "... the peak of Pietricica, this imposing massif of rock which, according to some, gave the name of the settlement where we are. Pietricica does not really encourage the locals, nor the foreigners of this settlement, to visit it, because of the roughness of the slopes, the bareness of the rocks and the lack of greenery - as it appears to those who look at it from the city." described the writer Victor Nămolaru in the book "Small tourist guide to Piatra-Neamț", published in 1969, at a time when vegetation was quite absent. But things have changed in the meantime! The same author continued: "Tourists who still want to get to know it better and visit it, have nothing to regret. The panorama that opens before the eyes includes, from the top, the imposing creation of nature - the Ceahlău mountain, the Bistriței valley, the surrounding hills, all the way to the plain. We point out to the visitors, on the Bistrița side of the hill, the existence of a small cave – The cell of of the Monk, as well as the Pit of Stephen the Great, from where the soldiers of the great voivode announced, with lit fires, the approach of danger."  Indeed, the peak and plateau of Mount Pietricica, a symbol of the city, are not to be missed. Access is easy, by car, and the view is truly impressive, especially at sunset. We say it one more time in capital letters: IT IS NOT TO BE MISSED!

The Central Park in Piatra-Neamț is also known as the "Youth Park" and that is because of the Theater located here, one of the monumental buildings in the city. It is also called "Stephan the Great Park" thanks to the statue located in the heart of the park, but also to the Royal Court built nearby during the reign of the famous medieval ruler. The park is the place where various events are organized. On certain weekends, the street next to the park connecting the Theater and Hotel Ceahlău is closed, the entire area becoming pedestrian.

St. Paisie Hermitage, also known as Bahrin Hermitage, is located in the heart of the Neamt mountains, in a sublime natural setting. This small place of worship was built after 1990 by the Russian-Lipovan Community of Piatra-Neamţ, once very numerous. The hermitage is of the old orthodox rite. And if you get here, pay close attention to your clothing because the monks are demanding in this regard. Men should be dressed in a pair of long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and for women the headscarf is a must-have accessory. To reach the Bahrin Hermitage, access is from DN15 via Piatra Neamţ - Căprioara Bridge - Bâtca Doamnei Village - Axial forest road (DF) Pârâul Doamnei - DF Bahrin - DF Bahrin Hermitage. You can go up with a car with a slightly higher ground clearance right up to the gate, or leave it about 1 km below at the barrier that limits access to the continuation of DF Bahrin. Bahrin hermitage is really a special place. It's energy is special, and the priest's grace is definitely divine.

The Bâtca Doamnei Lake in Piatra-Neamț, to which are also added those from Pângărați and Vaduri (towards Bicaz), have over time become main weekend attractions both for tourists visiting the area and for locals alike, thanks to its beauty species of birds that can be found here: the mute swan or the red-billed swan, to which are also added the mallard, the corcodella and other migratory birds. The mentioned lakes are located on the middle course of the Bistrița river and offer, along with the favorable climate and rich trophic resources, favorable wintering conditions for these migratory waterfowl species of the eastern Carpathian corridor. The migration of swans on the lakes in the area begins in October and ends in March at the latest, but some specimens choose not to leave, being able to be admired throughout the year.

"LA CAIACE" is definitely an unmissable tourist activity! Opened on the shore of Bâtca Doamnei lake, La Caiace is a relatively new concept that put Piatra-Neamț on the list of cities that have unconventional spaces for relaxation and self-discovery. La Caiace is an outdoor space, arranged in the style of "nature friendly" spaces. It's that place where the locals, tourists, artists, athletes, photographers gather on beautiful days to spend some precious time away from the city. The concept itself proposes sports programs and unique events designed as an alternative for spending free time, educational, cultural, sports and relaxation activities. Once the heat sets in fully and the sun begins to show itself in all its glory, the watchword becomes outdoor. The "La Caiace" project is initiated by Maia Outdoor and the FII ACTIV Association, supporters of fun programs for children and parents, for those who want to conquer the park in front of the block, but also for those who aim for the highest peaks.

The lakes within the Piatra-Neamţ municipality are the Bâtca Doamnei reservoir (with an area of 255 ha and a volume of about 10 million cubic meters, formed by the dam with the same name) and Reconstrucţia lake (10 ha and 250 thousand cubic meters, out of which the hydrotechnical channel of Bistriţa), both of them being reservoirs on the Bistriţa river. Formed in 1962 by damming Bistriţa and damming on the left side of a perimeter from the main bed of this river, Bâtca Doamnei Lake soon became a refuge for the city's residents. It is mainly supplied with water from the Izvoru Muntelui lake (Bicaz), through the adduction channel of the Stejaru Hydropower Plant, to which is added the old course of the Bistriţa river, with a very low flow, as well as the Doamnă stream, a tributary right of the lake. The lake has an area of 240 hectares, a maximum width of 1050 meters, a length of 3200 meters and a maximum depth of 15 meters. It is good to know that the drinking water that the locals consume is largely supplied by the water of Bâtca Doamnei Lake.

The Bistriţa River springs from the Rodnei mountains, located in Maramureș, and crosses Neamţ county for a length of 118 km, with a hydrographic basin area of 3678 km2. The average altitude of the hydrographic basin is about 920 m, and the relief is characterized by massiveness and higher altitudes in the west and in the upper part of the hydrographic basin, then decreasing towards the east and southeast. After 1960, the middle and lower reaches of the Bistrita River were developed for hydropower by building a number of 9 reservoirs and 13 hydropower plants. The largest reservoir is Izvorul Muntelui, with a volume of 1.12 billion cubic meters. Bistrița is still a river known to the general public, especially due to the history and tradition of rafters. "Any tourist who comes to see the delightful positions of Neamț should not leave this region until he has taken a raft excursion. It's an excursion from Dorna to Piatra." described Victor Nămolaru in the book "Small tourist guide to Piatra-Neamț (year 1969)". The author described this means of transportation, but also of leisure, as follows: "The raft is a meeting of beams, masts, cabinets placed next to each other and tied by straps. For excursions, you will only go on locker rafts, the others being more dangerous. It is driven by two very rudimentary shovels, called pens. The raftman in front is called the helmsman, and almost all the management depends on him, the other is called the helmsman support and sits at the other end of the raft." Photo credit: Ciprian Ionuț