A Romantic escapade: going through the Tunnel of Love

South Western Romania is home to a recently discovered and less-traveled site with photographic potential and dreamy atmosphere. Getting there requires dedication as it is not formally signalized but the photos of it that emerged so far look like it is worth taking the time to do it.

The Tunnel of Love, as it was called for its resemblance with the similarly-named Ukrainian one in Klevan, was accidentally discovered by two amateur photographers from Otelu Rosu city, in Caras Severin county. Florin Avramescu and Mihai Tamasila stumbled upon the place while looking for an area to shoot a sunset. They saw the location, realized the photographic potential and decided to return in spring-summer, when the green nature would add more color and personality to the setting.

The site is located in between Obreja and Glimboca villages in the South-Western Romanian county Caras-Severin, on the railroad linking Otelu Rosu to Caransebes. The ‘tunnel’ denomination comes from the overgrown foliage on both sides of the tracks meeting and forming a natural corridor. It can be reached by getting on the road that connects Obreja and Glimboca and then going out on the left hand road (coming from Glimboca), although it is best to use a GPS and ask around once there.

The photographers posted the images online but didn’t mention where they were taken, which led most to believe they were shot in Ukraine. An explanation and further images followed and the site was included in 2014 on a list of off-the-beaten-path gems of the European Union, put together by the European Parliament.

As far as the accessibility of the area is concerned, the place is not signalized and until rising to online fame the inhabitants of the area didn’t identify it as more than a less-traveled railway portion.  Representatives of the Romanian Railroads have even argued that the overgrown foliage should be cut in order to make room for the train wagons to circulate properly as a safety measure. The railroad is currently circulated by several freight trains supplying the companies in the area.

If you do make it to Caras Severin county to see the local Tunnel of Love, there are several other sites worth the stop, such as the Baile Herculane and Semenic resorts, the national parks of Beusinta, Cheile Carasului and Valea Cernei or the spectacular Danube Iron Gates park (pictured).

Photo of the Tunnel of Love: Florin Avramescu