Travel Guide Timişoara

Nicknamed the "little Vienna", Timișoara will charm you with its elegance and dynamism. Located in the heart of the fertile Banat plain and crossed by the Bega river, Timișoara is the major metropolis of the West and the fourth largest city in the country. An important economic, scientific and cultural center, its geographical location and historical links with the rest of the continent have made it Romania's gateway to Western Europe. Timișoara's history, punctuated by invasions, explains the attractive diversity of its architectural styles, a heterogeneity that also characterizes its population. Although it has become less so, the city retains a strong multi-ethnic tradition, as evidenced by the random sight of a German or Hungarian school, a synagogue or a Serbian church. If you're coming from Hungary, you won't find much in the way of colorful 19th-century architecture. On the other hand, if you're coming from Bucharest, you'll find a very different, more European atmosphere here. Reserved largely for pedestrians, the city center is structured around three large squares: Piața Victoriei, facing the cathedral; the more intimate Piața Libertății, the main tramway station; and, finally, the superb Piața Unirii and its square surrounded by 18th-century buildings, a meeting place for locals. In fine weather, terraces colonize the pleasantly lively pedestrian streets. Outside the city center, the Iosefin and Fabric districts, to the south and east, are ideal for pleasant strolls. The city is also known for its beautiful flower-filled parks along the Bega. Designated European Capital of Culture in 2021 (a program finally postponed to 2023 due to the pandemic), Timișoara is undergoing a major transformation. Many historic buildings have been restored to their former glory, or are in the process of being, while the hotel and cultural offer abounds.