Samedru Guesthouse & Restaurant in Măgura
A hillside village in Piatra Craiului National Park
A hillside village in Piatra Craiului National Park
Built in 2015, the guesthouse combines modern comfort with the feel of a mountain house: warm wood, handmade details and a fireplace in the living room.
The village sits on a ridge between the Piatra Craiului and Bucegi mountains, surrounded by meadows and forest. The view changes with the seasons, from green summers to snowy winters.
Walking and cycling routes start right in the village. Spend the day on the trails, look out for wildlife and wild flowers, or just sit outside and enjoy the quiet.
The guesthouse and the restaurant stand next to each other, looking out over the Măgura valley. The restaurant has a spacious terrace and a lounge, and on the first floor there's a space for groups to get together, with plenty of seating, meeting equipment and games.
There are 16 double rooms, each with a king-size bed and its own bathroom, and most with a terrace and a view of the mountains. Guests also share a large living room with a fireplace.
The restaurant serves traditional Romanian food, much of it made from scratch in our kitchen. We buy dairy, vegetables and other natural produce from farmers here in the village. Breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate. Restaurantul a adoptat măsuri împotriva risipei alimentare.
What to see and do while you're here
In Romanian folk tradition, Samedru is a figure of the pastoral calendar, sometimes imagined as an elderly shepherd and closely associated with Saint Demetrius, whose feast falls on 26 October. In parts of Romania, communities light Focul lui Sâmedru on the night of 25–26 October. Folklorists interpret the burning of a tree in this ritual as a symbol of the old year’s death and renewal. The season also brings customs of remembering the dead, including Moșii de Toamnă, traditionally marked with offerings for departed ancestors.
Romanian cooking has picked up influences from Ottoman, Greek, German and Hungarian kitchens and still has a character of its own. Our restaurant cooks it the way it's made in the villages here, with natural produce from local farmers.
The walk from Măgura to the neighbouring village of Peștera and back makes a good day out for the whole family, with rolling hills, wide mountain views and traditional farmhouses along the way. Bring a camera: it's a rewarding photo walk in every season. Spring brings lush green meadows and wild flowers, autumn turns the hillsides gold and red, and in winter snowy peaks surround the village.
Our favourite thing to do here is watching for wildlife in the mountains around the village. Closer to home, you'll probably meet sheep and cows on the paths. They're part of village life, and used to walkers.
