In the middle of Colibita resort, surrounded by mountains and fir forests, there is a lake of a spectacular beauty. It is the Colibita Lake, covering a surface of 270 hectares - a reservoir located within the old village confines. It is said that around 1850 there was a settlement here of only 14 inhabitants, who lived in the huts they built - since the name Colibita (small hut).
In 1869 a church was erected in the village and a road was built, connecting it to the Muresenii Bargaului village. The curative properties of the ozone-rich air of the area had been known since 1883, when a young local woman, who had lived for a longer time in the village, healed from tuberculosis.
In 1918, a German carpenter named W. Ianitchi, having divined the potential of the area, built a few holiday homes, for the Saxons living in Bistrita to have a place for leisure and healthcare.
In 1979, the villagers were moved to Mita village and a reservoir was created within the confines of the old village - Colibita Lake. Legend has it that some of the houses are still on the bottom of the lake and when the water level drops, the cross on top of the old church may still be seen.
On the road to Colibita Lake you are met by a grand wild landscape and when you reach the lake, the beauty before your eyes takes your breath away. The resort has now counts 400 holiday homes, stylish villas and guest houses, yet the accommodation capacity is no match for the ever-growing tourism demand.
Besides the outstanding landscape, the fresh therapeutic air and the perfect silence, which boost your energy and vitality, you may enjoy mountain hiking or various sports: mountain biking, kayaking, mountain climbing, fishing, swimming or go boating on the lake.
In addition, you may visit the surrounding attractions: Taul Zanelor (Fairies’ Tarn), Borcut Spring (mineral spring), Dracula Castle in Tihuta Pass (at an altitude of 1100 meters), Bistricioru Peak, the landscape-type nature reserve Stancile Tatarului (Tartar’s Cliffs) and the Cheile Bistritei Ardelene (Gorges) with Cascada Diavolului (Devil's Cascade).
Colibita is a story of birth, death and rebirth. The village, once covered by the waters, resurges in the middle of a paradise, and the tourists coming here avidly enjoy all the gifts provided by nature.
Sources:
http://www.dozadebine.ro/bistrita-nasaud-colibita-perla-neslefuita-a-turismului-bistritean/
Elena Radu
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