A Secret 'Tunnel of Love'

The Tunnel of Love. Ionel Barbalau (Atlas Obscura User)

This gorgeous botanic tunnel is an abandoned railway section within in a secluded forest in western Romania. It’s a magical, romantic place to discover. Glittering light filters through the trees, streaking the air and dappling the earth, giving the railway a mesmerizing photographic charm.

Despite its recently acquired official European recognition, the tunnel remains relatively unknown among the public. The “Tunnel of Love” (Romania’s version of the famously beautiful Ukrainian tunnel) feels like an open secret shared among soon-to-be-married couples and photographers with a keen sense for scoping out special spots.

The railway is a secondary non-electrified railway that was inaugurated between 1908 and 1909. After it was abandoned, nature began reclaiming the space. Trees and shrubs began stretching skyward, eventually forming a tunnel above the old metal tracks.

Reaching the tunnel is part of the allure. Excitement builds as you reach the small commune of Obreja, which you’ll quickly pass through only to leave the quaint houses and old church behind to drive into the sprawling countryside. Only when you spot the dirt path along the side of the road will you know you’re on the right path to discovering the tunnel, which has been hiding in plain sight all along.

Know Before You Go

As you leave western Romanian city of Caransebes, go east along the country road No. 68 (DN68). You need to be on look out for a crossroad with an old railway, which is quietly touching the outskirts of the village only to dissolve itself into the forest nearby which seems to follow, almost unseen, the house lines on the horizon. Take the dirt path toward the distant forest on your right. You will eventually discover the rusty rails that will lead you to the Tunnel of Love, just laying there waiting to be photographed!

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