National road DN67 [ro] connects it to Târgu Jiu and Drobeta-Turnu Severin to the west and to Râmnicu Vâlcea to the east.

Polovragi is situated in a hilly area at the foot of the Southern Carpathians, at an altitude of 546 m (1,791 ft).

It lies on the banks of the river Olteț, which has its source in the Căpățână Mountains [ro], and carves a 3 km (1.9 mi)-long gorge just to the north of Polovragi village.

In the gorge, some 20 m (66 ft) above the river, is the Polovragi Cave [ro], where about 300 horseshoe bats roost.

[3] The Polovragi Monastery [ro] was built in 1505 by ktitors Radu Comisul and Pătru Spătaru, the sons of boyar Danciu Zamona.