The dry ski slope in Aprilia Park in Sănătești allows skiing at any time of year without snow. For a trip to Arcani, this offers an unusual leisure activity; alongside it, wooden architecture, culture and weaving shape the character of the commune, while the nearby Sohodol Valley adds natural features.
Culture and Wooden Architecture
The Jaleș Valley Cultural Centre “Professor Grigore Pupăză” in the commune of Arcani is dedicated to preserving and promoting local cultural heritage. Its four exhibition rooms bring together written documents, inscriptions, icons and schoolbooks alongside tools used in the residents’ traditional occupations. Ceramics, traditional costumes, a mill, a fulling mill and a collection of carved posts are also part of the collection.
In the village of Stroești stands an Orthodox wooden church dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God. It is considered representative of the region’s traditional architecture and reflects local craftsmanship in woodworking. The church was built around 1710; a crucifix confirms its dating to the 18th century. Also in Stroești is the Brădiceanu wooden house, dating from the 19th century. At the “Sf. Voievozi” church in Stroești, villagers rejected the replacement of the wooden-shingle roof with sheet metal in 1871; the shingle roof was retained.
Weaving and Traditional Crafts
Liliana Arapu’s weaving workshop is located in Stroiești, in the commune of Arcani, and has been operating for more than ten years. In September 2025, numerous adults and children attended weekend courses on learning traditional crafts from Gorj, led by folk-art craftswoman Liliana Arapu. The workshop represents a longstanding focus on weaving; the courses offer a specific, dated glimpse into the teaching of traditional crafts.
Leisure at Aprilia Park
At Aprilia Park in Sănătești, in the commune of Arcani, a dry ski slope allows skiing at any time of year without snow. The park also has two straight Tubby slides. They are designed for children, but also offer adults a safe and enjoyable activity. This brings together an unusual snow-free winter sport and another leisure activity for children and adults.
Nature Destinations and Tourist Route
The nearby Sohodol Valley is a protected botanical area with a wide variety of plant species, including some that are rare in Romania’s flora. Water and wind have shaped limestone formations such as Nările, Cuptorul, Peștera Gârla Vacii and Inelul. Another nearby natural attraction is the Sohodol Gorge, an approximately 12-kilometre-long karst landscape in the Vâlcan Mountains between Runcu and Poiana Contului. The valley is known for its botanical reserve and limestone formations; the gorge is defined by its mountain karst landscape.
A tourist route from Târgu Jiu to Băile Herculane passes through Stănești, Lelești, Runcu, Arcani, Peștișani, Godinești, Tismana, Padeș and Glogova, or Băile Herculane. Arcani lies on this route between Runcu and Peștișani. The route thus provides a wider regional context, while the cultural centre, wooden buildings, weaving and Aprilia Park highlight specific aspects of the commune.
Discover more destinations: Săcelu, Țicleni, Turcineşti, Rânca, Aninişu din Deal, Tismana, Aninoasa, Polovragi
For the regional travel overview: Gorj.
