Vâlcea is well placed for day trips into the surrounding region. The Drăgășani Wine Country, about 50km south, is one of Romania's oldest wine regions, where native varieties such as Crâmpoșie and Tămâioasă Românească are made on rolling hills above the Olt. A handful of estates now welcome visitors for tastings, and the drive back in the late afternoon light is a pleasure in itself.
West across the mountains, the Transalpina Road (DN67C) crosses the Southern Carpathians at over 2,100 metres, offering views from the Transylvanian plateau to the Wallachian plain. Access is from Novaci, about 80km from Râmnicu Vâlcea; the road is open from June to October. It is one of the most spectacular drives in Romania and worth the journey for the scenery alone.
Sibiu is about 110km north through the Olt gorge and over the Red Tower Pass — one of Romania's finest cities at the far end of one of its best drives. The Transylvanian Saxon old town, with its coloured facades, three interlocking squares, and the Brukenthal National Museum, rewards a full day. Allow around two hours each way; the road is well-surfaced and the journey through the gorge and over the pass is as good as the destination.
