Lake Noua in Brașov: Park, Walks, Picnic/Barbecue & Zoo

Lake Noua is a lovely place in Brașov, Romania, and ideal for a picnic, relaxation or adventure. There are lots of things to see or do at the lake, including having a barbecue or a picnic. The site is also home to Brașov Zoo and Adventureland, an outdoor activity centre. There are options for refreshments, including a few bars and food vendors near the lake.

Lake Noua in Brașov

Lacul Noua is a popular park for people to visit and spend time in. The park at Lake Noua has a lake with an island, a few bars and a huge picnic area. This area is popular with families in the warmer months for barbecues or picnics.

During the cold winter months, it is often frozen solid, and there is lots of snow on the ground. It is still a nice place to visit for a walk or hike or to have a cold-weather barbecue.

Activities

There are lots of fun activities to do while visiting Lake Noua. This ranges from hiring a boat to going for a pleasant walk. There is also a selection of pedal cars you can hire for children to ride around the area.

The path around the water is perfect for walking; others use roller skates or bikes to go around. You could also take a Lime scooter for a spin on the path, too.

Bars & Restaurants

There are two bars at the lakeside where you can enjoy a beer or food. The bigger of the two is Pescăruș; the other small bar has a few seats next to the refreshment shops.

Pescăruș has both an inside dining room and a covered terrace for sitting out. The terrace has lots of benches and views across the lake.

Inside is an interesting dining area and bar with some interesting decor. This is the location of the only toilet on the site; however, it is for Pescăruș customers only.

They are a dog-friendly place and even have a few of their own off the lead. So if your dog is nervous, you might need to keep your eyes peeled. Pescăruș has an excellent selection of beers and provides at-the-table service.

There is also a fast-food grill and a sweet shop near the other bar. You can buy many things, like sausages and mici, ready to eat.

Picnic & Barbecue Area

There is a free-to-use barbecue and picnic area. This gets rather busy at the weekends in the summer and on warm evenings.

The area has lots of seating, most of which has a covered table. These are ideal for bigger groups and protect from rain or sun depending on the weather. Many have hooks or nails, which are ideal for hanging barbecue utensils.

They have lots of fire pits with grills that are great for barbecues. People either bring charcoal or use dry wood from the forest to fuel the barbecues. You could also bring a disposable barbecue and place it on one of the fire pits if you don’t need a big one.

Walks & Hiking at Lake Noua

This is also a pleasant area for a walk in some nice woodland in the winter and a great place for summer barbecues.

Walk From Lake Noua to Brasov Zoo

The first part of the walk to Brasov Zoo from Lake Noua is to climb one of the narrow trails from the picnic site. These can be quite challenging after rain or when the ground is frozen, so ensure you have suitable footwear.

Eventually you reach a wide forest road; here you need to turn right, and the trail takes you to the zoo. During the winter months, you can see through the trees to the bear enclosures at the zoo.

Walking Route Uphill From The Lake

One of many walking routes in this part of the Brașov countryside. Komoot has many options for the area, or you could create your own circular walk.

This walking route is uphill all the way until you double back and return to the start. The forest opened up many times to give some fantastic views of the area. The mountain views of the nearby peaks were special; these include those that were home to Seven Ladders Canyon.

There are lots of small trails off the route; many of these are more experienced hikers and get quite slippery when wet or when it has snowed. We enjoyed the remote nature of the trails and thankfully didn’t have a bear encounter.

Visit Brașov Zoo

In the Noua district, set in a forest setting, is Brașov Zoo. Brașov Zoo is home to over 380 animals and 110 species for the public to see, learn more about and support conservation. Entrance to the zoo costs 20 lei for adults, which is about £4, and it is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

Species to see at Brașov Zoo include both local species and some more exotic species. The zoo has some big cats, including the jaguar, a white lion, and the snow leopard. Other species you can expect to see include bears, the cute red pandas and a variety of snakes.

One of the special local species to see is the Carpathian brown bear. These are native to Romania, and I’ve been lucky enough to see one in the wild on Mount Tampa.

Another species on the warning signs in the local mountain ranges is the elusive Eurasian lynx. The Eurasian lynx lives in many places in Europe, including in Romania. These are rare to spot in the wild; however, it was nice to see one up close.

The zoo also has a planetarium where you can learn about the planets, the solar system and the rest of the universe.

Parc Adventura

Nearby is an adventure park with zip lines and rope courses. The Romanian version of Go Ape, from my observations, is some fun for another day, methinks. According to their website, this is the largest adventure park in Eastern Europe.