If you decide to visit Romania, inevitably, you will not want to go through Cluj, the city that is located in the heart of Transylvania, the place where the stories with Count Dracula took birth, stories that inspired a lot of American films and not only. It does not matter the season in which you decide to visit Cluj, as it can offer you many, regardless of whether it is autumn, winter, spring, or summer.
Another reason why Cluj should be visited is represented by the prices, which are very affordable, compared to other cities in Europe. There are chances that, after you have planned your budget for the trip, you want to go outside Romania, to an extravagant European city, and to wake up that you cannot stay more than four days due to your budget. However, due to the prices in Romania, if you decide to visit Cluj, you could stay twice more in this city, with the same budget, than in any other European town.
First of all, you should know that it is also called the City of Events – the Heart of Transylvania, being a multicultural city and full of diversity. It seems that, according to the Center for Culture Consulting and Research, it is also the city with the highest urban cultural vitality in Romania. In addition, it is a vibrant city, with an intense nightlife, boasting a multitude of events, from the most varied areas.
Famous festivals take place every year in Cluj, such as Untold and Electric Castle, festivals that have received international recognition and have become real brands of the city in time. In addition to this, Cluj is also known as the Silicon Valley of Europe, due to the large number of successful programmers working here, being also an essential hub of digital nomads on the continent, as there are numerous coffee shops where you can work, events, but also a wide range of accommodations for all your pockets.
Now, let’s see what could you visit in Cluj!
Tailors’ Tower
The tower is part of the old defense wall of the city, which has long surrounded an area of 45 hectares (the surface that the fortress had) and is one of the few that have remained in excellent condition to this day.
In front of the Tailors’ Tower is the statue of Baba Novac, the general of Michael the Brave, who was shot in 1601 and whose body was exposed near the bastion.
Botanical Garden
It was founded in 1872, and it is considered a national museum in our days. The Botanical Garden is one of the first and largest such gardens in south-east Europe, with a surface of 14 hectares.
It has as main attractions the Japanese garden, the Roman garden and, also, the greenhouses with tropical and equatorial plants. It’s a place where you can walk or relax on a bench in the shade. At the entrance, you can find a jukebox that makes fresh fruit juice.
Union square
Like the Museum Square, the Unirii Square prides itself on some of the most important Gothic, Baroque and Neo-Baroque architectural ensembles in Transylvania: the statue of Matia Corvin, the Art Museum, the St. Michael’s Roman-Catholic Church, the Mirror Street, the Pharmacy Museum and the old noble palaces.
Museum Square
The Museum Square is the oldest square in Cluj-Napoca. It is made up of buildings with Baroque and Gothic architecture, but also from Roman archaeological sites and transformed into a pedestrian area.
If you are going to visit it, you can see the Franciscan Church and the Franciscan Monastery, the Carolina Obelisk, the city’s first secular monument, the National History Museum of Transylvania and the Matia Corvin House.
Cetatuia Park
Cetatuia Park is located at an altitude of 405 meters, and it has small dimensions. What is cool at Cetatuia Park is that it has a spectacular view of Cluj, so it is not to be missed.
If you arrive in the Cetatuia Park area, you visit the Samsara Tea Shop, which, in summer, opens a lovely terrace and also has a great interior. Something below is the Samsara restaurant, where vegetarian food is served, which is recommended by many people.
Reformed Church
The Reformed Church is one of the most massive Gothic buildings in the whole of Transylvania, which, according to many people, looks like a fortress. This is the place where are organized all kinds of concerts and events periodically.
Hoia-Baciu forest
The Hoia-Baciu forest is located on the outskirts of Cluj-Napoca. Many people say that the Hoia-Baciu forest is one of the most exciting places in the world, with twisted trees and other weird things. In the middle of the forest, there is a perfectly round meadow, where nothing grows, not even a tree.
Also, the forest is also known as the Bermuda Triangle in Romania. It seems that the forest appears to have taken the name of Hoia-Baciu from a shepherd, who lost 200 sheep in this place. The legend tells us that while he was looking for them, he managed to advance to the Round Glade when he disappeared. About the trees, people are saying that they are the souls of those who lost their lives in the Hoia-Baciu forest.
If you want to explore the forest, you can go on the path that leads to the Round Meadow. If you set your location on GPS, Google Maps will take you directly there, so you have little chances of getting lost.