Moneasa: warm mesothermal waters in the Codru-Moma Mountains

Moneasa is a small mountain spa in Arad County in western Romania, in the valley of the Moneasa River at the foot of the Codru-Moma Mountains (the western part of the Apuseni Mountains). The village lies at about 280 m among beech forests, roughly 100 km from the city of Arad and 20 km from the town of Sebiș. Its warm mineral springs have been used since 1866, and buildings of the old baths from the late 19th and early 20th centuries survive in the valley. The other local claim to fame is black and red marble, still quarried above the village. Moneasa is not a large balneological centre: it is a quiet resort for rest with moderately warm water, pools and a few treatment rooms.

Natural healing factors

• Mesothermal mineral waters at 25–32 °C – bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium and sodium waters, hypotonic and oligomineral (low mineralisation).
• Climate – the calming climate of a forested mid-mountain valley, described as particularly beneficial for the nervous system.

What is treated

According to the description of the resort in Romanian reference sources, the indications for treatment are:

• diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, asthenic neurosis;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system and rheumatic diseases;
• some gynaecological conditions;
• associated metabolic and nutritional disorders – diabetes mellitus, obesity.

This information is for reference only and is not medical advice: the course and procedures are prescribed by a doctor after a consultation.

Procedures and pools

The treatment base with an official list of procedures is in the Hotel Parc in the centre of the resort: medical services there are provided by the private medical company Terapeutica SA under a contract with the hotel. Procedures include shortwave therapy, diadynamic currents, ionisation, Träbert currents, electrostimulation, interferential currents, laser and ultrasound therapy, magnetotherapy, galvanic baths, paraffin, massage and kinesitherapy. The doctor's services and procedures are paid directly to the medical company. The hotel has a pool with mesothermal water, a sauna and a jacuzzi (for hotel guests). In summer an outdoor lido (ștrand) operates in the village. We found no pump rooms with drinking mineral water in official sources.

Practical information

As of November 2026 (Hotel Parc website): a doctor's consultation costs 100 lei and a single balneological procedure 30–80 lei depending on its type and length. The treatment base's hours are not given on the website – arrange by phone in advance. Moneasa lies on the county road DJ792B; the nearest railway station is in Sebiș. In summer 2025 the Agerpres agency reported that the resort park would be modernised with EU funds, so part of the park may be under reconstruction. Around the village there are forest paths, caves and marble quarries, and in winter there is quiet and snow when most holidaymakers have left.

Getting there from Ukraine

From Uzhhorod it is 358 km, about 6 h 46 min, via the Diakove – Halmeu crossing; from Rakhiv 341 km, about 6 h 41 min, via the Solotvyno – Sighetu Marmației crossing; from Chernivtsi 536 km, about 10 h 08 min (via Solotvyno). Times are given without border queues. Romanian national roads require the electronic vignette rovinieta (sold online).

Nearby

East of the resort, on the other side of the Codru-Moma Mountains, lies the Crișul Negru valley with the village of Criștioru de Sus, from where roads lead into the Bihor Mountains towards the highest summit of the Apuseni, Cucurbăta Mare. Near Moneasa itself, see the Bat Cave (Peștera Liliecilor), the Moneasa hermitage and the old marble quarries.

Official website: hotelparcmoneasa.ro

Photos: Claudiu Moga, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Cosmin Cornea, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons; RobertCodescu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; DR. Konecsny Károly, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.