Vanatori Natural Park from Neamt County has many touristic routes that will guide the tourist to some of the best known monasteries from Neamt. These routes go through the forests of Neamt County, on trails used by the old monks for many years. Located in places of rare beauty these old monasteries offer to tourists and pilgrims a personal and spiritual experience unmatched.

Our path starts in front of Agapia Monastery and goes through Agapia village until it reaches the forest where you’ll also see a touristic indicator with Agapia Veche Hermitage. From here follow the trail through the forest on a red dot with white background marking: this trail will take you to Secu Monastery. At first the path goes through the pine tree forest. The earth is marked by thousands of footsteps made by pilgrims that come to this small hermitage. It doesn’t take long and you reach Agapia Veche Hermitage.

The route on Google Maps

This religious settlement from the second half of the XIV century has its name from the monk Agapie that was the builder of this hermitage. The touristic trail goes through the hermitage: one thing that you must take into account when planning this hike is that the access is forbidden into the hermitage after sunset. You’ll exit the hermitage in a plane called “Livada Parintilor” (“The Orchard of the Fathers”) from where the trail goes through the forest. Soon you’ll reach a small hill ridge where the trail splits. To the right it continues on red dot marking towards Secu Monastery and to the left on a red cross marking you’ll reach Sihla Monastery (a shorter version of this route).

We follow the trail that descents to Secu Monastery. The autumn forced the leaves to fell on the ground forming a thick natural carpet. The beauty of the forest, the birds singing in the trees make you forget about time: soon we see the towers of Secu Monastery. After a short visit of this old monastery we continue our trail towards Sihastria Monastery.

Path of the Monasteries in Vanatori Natural Park, Neamt County

We’re now walking on a 3 km asphalted road to Sihastria Monastery. From time to time we stop to read the touristic signs near the road. After about 30 minutes we see the towers of Sihastria Monastery. This monastery is well known to pilgrims that come here to see the tombs of fathers Cleopa Ilie and Paisie Olaru.

After this point the path enters the forest and continues on blue cross marking towards Sihla Hermitage. The path is not difficult to make. Before you reach the hermitage you’ll pass near the cave of St Teodora: this is the place where she prayed and lived for almost 40 years. Continue to walk the path that will take you near a small church made of the wood of a single tree, before finally reaching Sihla Hermitage where the monks will invite you to a hot meal.

After a final stop you’ll start the final section of this route that will take you to Agapia Monastery on an 8 km dirt road. Right before Agapia Monastery we pass the bakery of the monastery and buy some delicious cheese and apple pies made by the nuns.

The path of the monasteries represents more than an outdoor walk that will challenge your physical abilities: it’s a journey of your soul that will make you realize that it’s in our power to do something for our culture and our traditions and also that these churches and monasteries are much more than stone buildings. The distance of this touristic route is about 22 km and the time necessary to make it is between 7h 30 minutes and 10h, depending on how physically fit you are.