Tourist Attractions & Monuments Romania

Located to the north of the Sulina Arm, it's one of the delta's largest lakes, covering an area of almost 1,000 ha. Spelled Fortuna or Furtuna (meaning "storm" in Romanian), its name derives from the fact that, in bad weather, its waters become very turbulent, making the area potentially dangerous. It's one of the most spectacular spots for birdwatching: swans, pelicans, eagles, egrets, cormorants... Many boat excursions pass through here. It's also a popular fishing spot.

It is located in the former princely palace, built in the 16th century and retaining elements of Gothic style from the end of the 15th century. It served as a customs house for the salt mines, but also as a temporary residence for the Princes of Transylvania during their visits. The museum exhibits many archaeological remains found in the area: Neolithic ceramics, medieval tools, weapons and coins. Objects from the Roman period make up the bulk of the collection. The museum also has art and ethnography sections.

It is organized around piața Libertății. This small, long pedestrian square is bordered by the large Elisabeta Park. Nearby are a number of interesting buildings, such as the Hungarian National Theatre, in a corner of the square, or the arcaded house(Casa cu arcade, 1821), located strada Libertății. Just behind it lies the Sfântul Gheorghe Orthodox Cathedral, built in 1802. To the north of the city, in strada Cetății, you can visit the ^14th-century fortified Reformed church, surrounded by ramparts flanked by a massive bell tower.

Here you'll find some 16,000 decorated eggs of great diversity: painted eggs from Bucovina and other regions of Romania, some fifty to one hundred years old, but also a large international collection, with eggs from over 82 countries (embroidered, wooden, porcelain, transformed into music boxes...), not forgetting the creations of Romanian artist Letiția Orșivschi, the museum's owner. An audioguide in French is available at reception. Demonstrations are available for groups (minimum 20), on reservation.

The museum boasts a fine collection of 3,000 painted eggs, some of them over a hundred years old, belonging to Dr. Anton Setnic, a physician in Botoșani and then Vatra Dornei in the second half of the ^20th century. Fascinated by the art of painted eggs, this collector collected them from all the villages of Bucovina, thanks to his patients. Most of them are still full, making them fragile and difficult to preserve. Grouped by zone, they are presented in small wooden display cases, pyrographed by the doctor himself. The collection reveals the full diversity of this folk art: some eggs feature floral motifs that you won't see elsewhere, others display astonishing yellow and pink colors, while still others play on two-tone sobriety, with wax-drawn motifs... Ciocănești's, meanwhile, are recognizable by their black background and geometric motifs in yellow, red and white tones, similar to those adorning the village's houses. These eggs are sealed with a very specific technique, using beeswax and a tool called a "chişiță": it's a complex process that requires a great deal of meticulousness. You can also admire the works of the winners of the painted egg competition, held every year at the time of the dedicated festival - over 6,000 eggs in all. The museum also has a small store selling painted eggs made by local craftsmen.

It will delight lovers of hiking and mountain flora. The Rarău refuge, accessible by car in summer or on foot (4h), is the starting point for many hikes. The Pietrele Doamnei, a pretty rock formation, is within easy reach, as are two nature reserves: the Todirescu reserve protects numerous mountain flowers (tulips, chrysanthemums...). Further on, the Slătioara reserve is a primary forest of beech and fir, considered Europe's oldest coniferous forest, with 50 m-high, five-hundred-year-old spruces.

A well-designed, highly interesting ethnographic museum housed in a building dating back to Austrian times. The museography is original: it presents the customs of the region, following the calendar of events that marked and still mark the rhythm of the farming year. Each event is the subject of a reconstruction, supported by a rich collection of objects, tools and costumes, as well as beautiful black-and-white photographs. You'll be immersed in the customs and beliefs of the people, a blend of religiosity, pagan rites and observation of natural cycles: st. Andrew's Eve, when evil spirits came back to haunt the living and young girls could catch a glimpse of their husbands; St. Elias, on July 20, when shepherds could begin to descend from the mountains; St. Alexis, on March 9, when insects came back to life and beehives were put out... not forgetting, of course, the rich traditions of Christmas and Easter. The room dedicated to the New Year is particularly interesting: from the reconstructed porch of a typical Bucovine house, you can observe the various masked characters who roam the villages, from house to house, to sing the New Year and chase away evil spirits: the bears, the gypsy, the drunkard, the emperor, and so on.

The museographers can guide you on your visit in English. A brochure is also available in French at reception.

From its success during the Austro-Hungarian period, the spa has retained some fine ^19th-century houses and attractive buildings, such as the Vieux Palais des Bains (1898), the Palais Unirea and the casino (both 1896), the railway station (1902) and a beautiful Moorish-style synagogue. Its vast park, laid out in 1862, is planted with beech and fir trees, amid which gushes a mineral spring, marked by a castle-like building. Finally, the town boasts an interesting ethnographic museum (strada Eminescu 17, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

A visit to the saltworks is well worth the effort: you have to climb more than 280 steps to reach the bottom! Along the long corridors, you'll see a chapel, a saltwater basin and an astonishing ballroom with parquet flooring and chandeliers. Period documents and photos tell the story of the mine. In operation since 1791, the saltworks is still in use. At a depth of some 90 meters, beneath the part that can be visited, miners continue to extract salt. The result is a pervasive odor, which may bother certain sensitive organisms.

Houtsoul artist Lucia Condrea has some 30,000 eggs on display in her museum. Most of them are her creations, but there is also a section of antique eggs and an international collection. In addition to the traditional batik technique, Lucia Condrea uses fourteen techniques that she has invented herself: lace, crochet, cubism... Her sources of inspiration are many, but she draws in particular on traditional Romanian motifs. An original work of great finesse.

This is one of the longest caves in the country (over 4 km), formed in the karst of the Apuseni Mountains. Traces of Palaeolithic and Neolithic occupation have been found here, as well as the skeleton of a cave bear. Today, it's renowned for its rich cave fauna, including a large colony of bats, butterflies and spiders. It is a protected nature reserve. It also features some particularly impressive concretions. Visits are made in the presence of a guide.

From room to room, the history museum will take you through the ages, from the Paleolithic to the Communist period. In particular, you'll see precious artifacts from the Dacian-Roman city of Porolissum. A visit to the museum, before or after touring the ruins, will help you understand the history of this city. The art gallery (strada Gheorghe Doja, 6), featuring works bequeathed by local painter Ioan Sima (1898-1985), is closed to the public for an indefinite period.

The Vadu Cave Crișului, arranged for tourists, is crossed by a stream which, at the exit, falls in cascade. It can be reached by a nice 30-minute walk from the village of Vadu Crișului, following a forest path (marked with a red circle) that runs along the river. Not far, in the village of Șuncuiuș, the wind cave (peștera vântului) is the longest in the country (almost 52 km of galleries!). Crossed by an underground river, it undergoes permanent erosion. It lends itself to caving (e.g. with Aventura Trekking).

At the very end of the long Rue Lungă (hence the name!), heading towards Bran and Râșnov, you'll see the evangelical church of St. Bartholomew(biserica evanghelică Sfântul Bartolomeu). Built in 1223 by Saxon settlers, this Romanesque church is the town's oldest. Its Gothic elements are later additions. Today, it is used by a small community of Saxon parishioners. In July, organ concerts are held here.

It occupies two prestigious neighboring buildings in the city center: the Babylon building, erected in 1851, and the Union Hall, built in 1900. It was here that the Grand National Assembly proclaimed the union of Transylvania with Romania on December¹, 1918. The various sections cover prehistory, the Middle Ages, battles against the Turks, the revolution of 1848, the unification of the Danubian principalities in 1859 and, of course, the joining of Transylvania.

They are about twenty kilometers southwest of Hațeg, in the direction of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, past the villages of Râu de Mori and Suseni. The ^15th-century church is interesting for its exterior architecture. A few minutes' walk further on, you can visit the ruins of the citadel, dating from the ^14th century, which dominate the Râușor valley and the Retezat mountains. They are said to have inspired Jules Verne to write his novel Le Château des Carpates.

Since 2016, it has been housed in the superb Villa Haberstumpf, a long yellow building erected in 1900 in eclectic German style as a summer residence for members of the Haberstumpf family. It is a museum of ethnography, local history, art and natural sciences, focusing on the Odorheiu Secuiesc area, populated mainly by Sicules. A visit to the museum provides a better understanding of the peculiarities of the "Hungarians of Romania" through ancient objects, costumes and descriptions of specific traditions.

Some thirty kilometers south of the city, the Orăștie mountains are home to a complex of Dacian fortresses, erected between the ^1st century BC and the ^1st century AD around the kingdom's capital, Sarmizegetusa Regia, to protect it from Roman invasions. This complex of six fortresses, listed by Unesco since 1999, bears witness to the power and wealth of this civilization, then at its height. Built on valleys, hills and terraces at altitudes of between 500 and 1,200 m, they also have the advantage of being set in superb natural landscapes, making them even more attractive to visit.

Sarmizegetusa Regia, the ancient political, military, religious and cultural capital of the Dacians, is the most remarkable (and most accessible) site. Not to be confused with the Dacian-Roman city of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, founded by the Roman emperor Trajan (see below). Located on the Grădiștea de Munte hill, at an altitude of 1,200 m, the site extends over 17 ha and several terraces. It comprises a fortress, a sacred area and a civilian quarter. The sacred zone, reached by a paved road, includes several rectangular and circular sanctuaries (where sacrifices were performed). These remains give an idea of the monumental appearance of the site before it was destroyed by the Romans. The civil quarter, which extended over more than a hundred artificial terraces, only a handful of which have been excavated, included houses and workshops (metalworking, pottery, glass, coinage, etc.). The Dacian capital was finally conquered in 106 by Trajan, marking the beginning of the Roman occupation of the territory. Sarmizegetusa Regia was sacked by the new masters of the territory, as were the other fortresses.

Other fortresses that were part of the Dacian capital's defensive system include Luncani-Piatra Roșie, in the village of Boșorod, and Blidaru, in Costești, whose ruins can be visited. These are a little way off the road linking Orăștie to Grădiștea. The Blidaru fortress was conquered in 102 by the Romans, rebuilt by King Decebalus, before falling again in 106. The other fortresses are: Costești-Cetățuie, Bănița and Căpâlna. The latter, a little further away, is located south of the town of Sebeș.

Around 18 km west of Câmpeni, in the village of Nemeși, this 25-meter-high waterfall dominates the valley. It's in spring that you'll find the most impressive spectacle, when the rivers that feed the waterfall are at their highest. Nearby is the Snail Hill (deal cu Melci), a stretch of mountain that is home to over 35 species of fossilized molluscs. In the nearby village of Incești, you can visit the birthplace of national hero Avram Iancu, who played a major role in the 1848 revolution.

This superb library was opened in 1802 by Count Sámuel Teleki (1739-1822), whose ambition was to collect and preserve all the knowledge published at the time and make it accessible to the public. Throughout his life, this bibliophile collected and purchased books in the twenty-five European cities he travelled to. It was one of the largest libraries on the continent, with its 40,000 books. Today it has more than 200,000 volumes, including a 14th-century Codex and some 70 incunabula, books from the earliest days of printing.

This place is well worth a visit. One of the churches of this Franciscan monastery was built by the famous voivode János Hunyadi in 1448. Demolished in 1802, it was rebuilt in neoclassical style with a Baroque influence. The church is famous for its statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from limewood to a height of 2.30 meters and reputed to perform miracles. On Whitsun Sunday, Mount Somlyó (1,035 meters) hosts the Pilgrimage of the Siculi, which attracts huge crowds.

On Trandafirilor Square, between Secession houses and 1970s buildings, the Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art is housed in a superb ^18th-century Baroque building, the Toldalagi Palace. It features interesting collections of objects reflecting the ethnic diversity of the region: folk costumes, textiles, wooden objects, ceramics, icons painted on wood and glass, etc. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the annual fairs held in and around the town in the first half of the ^20th century.

The Retezat mountains are famous for their alpine meadows, cirques and numerous glacial lakes (over forty), making them one of the country's most beautiful massifs and a favorite with hikers. They are also known as "the fortress", due to the number of peaks over 2,200 m (over sixty). The highest peak is Mount Peleaga (2,519 m), followed by Mount Păpușa. Created in 1935, Retezat National Park was the country's first national park. It includes the Retezat, Godeanu and Țarcu mountains. Around 2% of the plant species present are endemic. The park is also home to numerous animal species, including 1,000 species of butterfly, chamois, deer, otter, bear, lynx, etc

The main access points to the park are Gura Zlata, Cârnic and Câmpu lui Neag. The Gura Zlata cabana is accessible from Hațeg by a road, in poor condition in places. You can even drive as far as the artificial lake of Gura Apelor. The Gura Zlata cabana is the starting point for hikes to Lake Zănoaga (5h, red triangle), from where you can continue to Lake Bucura (3h more, red dot), bypassing the protected area, or to Gura Apelor (2h more, blue cross). Other hikes are possible from Gura Apelor, for example to Poiana Pelegii (5h, blue dot, easy), then to Cabana Buta (4h more, difficult). Numerous trails, of varying difficulty, start from Cabana Pietrele, south of Nucșoara (road to Cârnic 4 km away). A few trails also start from Râușor, a resort accessible by car.

The city center is fortunately not too badly damaged by the inevitable concrete buildings of the 1960s-1980s, concentrated in Centru civic, along Strada Gării. Piața Centrală is the city's finest architectural ensemble. At its center stands the Evangelical Church of St. Mary, whose 75-meter-high bell tower is emblematic of the city. Built in the ^13th century by the town's Saxon community, and rebuilt in Gothic style in the ^14th-15th centuries, it houses a fine collection of medieval guild flags. To the west of the church, you'll notice the Passage des Colonnades (Șugălete), a group of houses, stores and guild workshops linked by a long arcaded passageway. It dates back to the ^15th and ^16th centuries. In the vicinity of the square, you'll pass beautiful, colorful ^15th- and ^16th-century mansions such as Casa Mercur (strada Berger, 4), Casa Ion Zidarul (strada Rebreanu) and Casa Argintarului (the Argentier's house). The latter (strada Dornei, 5) stands out for its Renaissance style and sculpted portal. From the square, you can easily walk to other points of interest in the city.

Take Liviu Rebreanu pedestrian street, with its typical houses, and you'll reach piața Unirii. At the center of the square, the Orthodox church, built in 1280, has a very colorful interior. Its wall fresco fragments date back to the ^14th century. A little further on, on boulevard Grigore Bălan, you'll come across a late ^19th-century synagogue, a blend of neo-Gothic and Oriental styles. It's a reminder that the city was once home to a large Jewish community. A little further on, you'll find the Musée du județ (open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm in summer, 9am to 5pm in winter). Housed in a former barracks, it features ethnographic, historical, natural science and contemporary art collections.

Immediately south of piața Centrală, following strada Gheorghe Șincai, you come to the ^17th-century Catholic church, in Baroque style.

To the east of the square, following strada Albert Berger, you reach the pleasant municipal park and the remains of the ancient ^13th-century city walls. These walls, rebuilt over the following centuries, were repeatedly attacked by Turks and Tatars. Of the eighteen towers built by the various trade guilds, the all-white Cooper's Tower stands out. This is the best-preserved part of the ramparts, which were severely damaged by fire in the ^19th century.

They stretch to the southeast of the center, along the Bega river. Some are dedicated to leisure activities, with swimming pools and tennis courts. The most beautiful is the Rose Park(Rozelor), where you can sit on a bench and admire the multicolored flowers. Nearby, the open-air theater regularly hosts cultural events. The Children's Park(Copiilor) has plenty of games for the little ones. On the other side of the river, you'll find the large university campus, a veritable city within the city, with a lively nightlife.

Located behind the town hall, the main park hugs the outside of the Mureș curve. A pedestrian bridge takes you to the area around the citadel, which features several leisure facilities, including a gigantic swimming pool, sports fields, restaurants and bars. On the other side of the Palace of Culture is the Children's Park(parcul Copiilor) with games for young and old alike: this is where chess and rummy enthusiasts meet in a specially landscaped area.

It's one of the oldest buildings in the city. The Butchers' Bastion (Bastionul Măcelarilor), which faces the market, was one of the seven defensive towers of the city wall that protected the city. It's the only one that has survived the centuries. It is circular in shape and was erected in the 16th century by the guild of butchers, at the time the most powerful in the city. It is 13 m high and its stone walls are 1.50 m thick at the base and 1 m thick at the top. The first level was used to store ammunition, the second has slots.

Next to the Ethnographic Museum, set on the picturesque Flower Hill, the Village Museum (muzeul Satului) presents, in the open air, interesting traditional houses of the region, with reconstructed interiors and exteriors: barns, pigsties, farm installations and farm machinery of the time. You will also see crosses, gates and a wooden church of 1630, brought back from the village from Chechiș. However, although this rural reconstruction is vast and exciting, it does not replace a country holiday.

Housed in an ^18th-century building close to the old town center, it exhibits over 250 works by the Nagybánya School (the Hungarian name for Baia Mare), a colony of painters founded by Simon Hollósy in 1896, at a time when the town was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Influenced by Impressionism, this movement, highly regarded in Europe, was characterized in particular by plein-air painting. The museum's collections also include fine works of Romanian and European art, presented in temporary exhibitions.

It's the symbol of the city. With a height of 50 m, the Stephen's Tower (turnul Ștefan), in Gothic style, is the former bell tower of a church destroyed in the 19th century after serious damage. Its construction dates back to the 15th century, ordered by Prince Iancu of Hunedoara to mark the victory of Ialomița over the Ottomans. It was completed during the reign of his son Matthias Corvin in 1468. Its impressive stairs will take you to the top, where you will enjoy a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding hills.

It occupies the former Mint, built in the ^18th century and now the headquarters of the Mining Department. One of its sections traces the long history of mining in Baia Mare. You can also see coins, weapons, photos, various documents and ancient objects, as well as a surprising collection of some 300 watches. On the archaeological side, a permanent exhibition is dedicated to "Bronze Age Treasures from Northern Transylvania".

Lined with pretty, colorful houses, the main street, strada Petőfi Sándor, has become partly pedestrianized and has really spruced up in recent years. It's now a real pleasure to stroll along it on a busy day, when the terraces are full. By contrast, piața Libertăţii is a sad example of the architecture put in place under Ceaușescu's systematization plan. On the other side of the central park, to the south, you'll find the Palace of Justice (1904), the Town Hall (1898) and the Mikó Castle-Museum.

It's a collection of small centers dedicated to the natural and cultural heritage of Hațeg country, spread across different parts of the territory. In Hațeg, there's an exhibition on dinosaurs and legendary creatures such as dragons and balaurs. Here you can admire the reconstruction of a balaur bondoc, a Transylvanian dinosaur species. At the General Berthelot Village Science and Arts Center, you'll see two more life-size reconstructions, and a fossil collection including three real dinosaur egg nests!

The road between Reghin and Toplița follows the river Mureș, which passes between the mountains Călimani and Gurghiu, offering beautiful scenery. The village of Răstolița, where you will see a beautiful wooden church dating back to 1800, is the most interesting gateway to the mountains Călimani on this side. The nature park covers 25,613 ha of a mountain area, the highest peak of which is the Pietrosu (2,102 m). Mountain flowers such as edelweiss and coniferous forest fauna (70% of the park area) are very well represented here.

Built in several stages on the site of a Romanesque church destroyed by the Tatars in 1241, this cathedral is representative of the major artistic trends of the Middle Ages: Romanesque (basilica, transept), Gothic (choir), Renaissance and Baroque. The funerary monuments house the remains of the city's great bishops and the sarcophagi of great princely families, including that of János Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara), famous prince of Transylvania.

If you have to visit only one, this is it! The Bear Cave(peștera Urșilor), of rare beauty and speleological richness, stretches for over 1 km in length. It houses, on two levels, three vast galleries of evocatively shaped stalactites and stalagmites, as well as traces of fossils belonging to species that became extinct over 15,000 years ago! The cave owes its name to the remains of cave bears discovered here in 1975. It lies just outside the village of Chișcău, 23 km from Beiuș.