Any old edifice properly restored brings joy and fulfillment, but the satisfaction is even greater when the building in question keeps the memory of the community alive and Rica Villa is such an emblem for Slanic-Moldova resort.
Perched on a rock since the 1930s, it looks out over the city's central park with the benevolent pride of an ancestor who lived a long interesting life. On August 21-22, 1944, Marshal Ion Antonescu, commander of the Romanian army, was in Slanic-Moldova for talks with Hans Friessner, commander of the "Southern Ukraine" Army Group. The talks took place at Rica Villa, the German's headquarters, the topic of the day being the entry of Soviet troops into the front line *. Those from Slănic-Moldova have not forgotten this.
The property has an imposing allure warmed up by its bright walls and size- it is a small and intimate castle with slender towers inhabited by tourists delighted to gaze over the resort’s park and its famous casino and further up to the mountains in the distance. The generous terraces on different levels attract tourists to lazy cafes during the day, while at night, richly illuminated, they transform the property into a focal point of the city.
The architecture combines elements of Western medieval with neo-Romanian and allows for a reconversion of the current tourist unit into a private/ holiday home, if desired. The villa was built as a private residence in the 1930s and underwent an impeccable renovation in 2018. There are 5 apartments and 4 double rooms on two floors and an attic. This guarantees a comfortable stay for an extended family or many friends. Honoring their past, the rooms welcome their guests with the surprise of a classic carved solid wood furniture, with arched legs, satin upholstery and delicate inlays. The Arad-based furniture manufacturer is the same one previously chosen by Ceausescu’s family for their homes. The bathrooms are modern and comfortable and some of the walls bear the optimistic handwriting of motivational writing. Situated on the Slanic River, a tributary of the Trotus, Slanic-Moldova resort is located in a depression packed with fir and beech forests. This and the 530m altitude in the Nemira massif in the Eastern Carpathians make the town enjoy clean, ozonated air as well as beneficial natural springs. Over 20 sources of carbonated, chlorinated, sodium, hyper or hypotonic, sulphurous or oligomineral waters, the benefits of which have been discovered since the 19th century, are the subject of exceptional spa operations. Saline microclimate and mofeta gas complete the broad spectrum of health procedures that can be performed in the area. Winter sports add to the area’s charm - the most recent development in the area being the Nemira slope with a length of 1414m at 724m altitude (240m level difference), in other words a light slope with a high degree of attractiveness. Obviously, all of them place Slanic-Moldova on pole position as the flagship resort of Moldova. In addition, Bacau city is only 84 km away, which puts Rica Villa in the range of easily accessible holiday homes for the weekend. Area attractions: • the 2022-launched Nemira slope • mountain trails and hikes - Three hundred steps, Uzea Valley, Nemira Mare, etc. • Târgu Ocna salt mine • Măgura Ocnei monastery • Valea Uzului dam * Source: "August 23, 1944. The end of the Romanian-German" comrades-in-arms“ in the Yearbook of the Cluj-Napoca Institute of History, Cluj-Napoca, 2006, 45, pp. 179–224 Photo: Tudor Prisecaru