Discover Oradea, the Art Nouveau capital of Romania 7 places you "must" visit in the city

Oradea is certainly one of the most beautiful cities in Romania. It's not just us who say it, but also the tourists who spent at least one city break here and were convinced of the beauty of the places and historical buildings, the quality of the services and the hospitality of the locals.

Located in a continuous economic and social development, but also preserving an impressive architectural treasure, the residence of Bihor is an unmissable tourist destination. That's why we set out to help those who want to spend a few days of vacation in the city, and we've compiled a list of (at least) seven places that you "must" 😊 visit in Oradea.

Union square

It is the heart of the city of Oradea, the place with the most historical buildings, of particular beauty, most rehabilitated in recent years. In Unirii Square there are three places of worship - the Church of the Moon (Orthodox), the "St. Nicholas" Church (Greek-Catholic) and the "St. Ladislaus" Church (Roman-Catholic). A short distance away, on Independence Street, is the Neolog Synagogue Sion, the third largest in Europe.
The presence in the center of Oradea of the four places of worship, belonging to different religions and cults, shows the multiculturalism of the city and the tolerance shown by the locals.
Also in Unirii Square is the Vulturul Negru Palace, an emblematic building of the city, as well as the Greek-Catholic Episcopal Palace and the impressive building of the Oradea City Hall. In the case of the latter, the amazing panorama of the city that the Town Hall Tower offers to those who make the effort to climb the stairs to a height of over 40 meters should not be missed. In this tower, at the highest level, a clock has been working for more than 100 years, playing "Iancu's March" at fixed times.
An extremely popular place for its many restaurants and bars is Vasile Alecsandri Street, which connects Piața Unirii and 1 Decembrie Park.

Ferdinand square

Completely renovated in recent years, Ferdinand Square is a few steps away from Unirii Square and offers tourists the opportunity to admire and photograph buildings with an impressive history and architecture.
In the area is the "Regina Maria" Theater, which operates in one of the most important heritage buildings in Oradea. The project was drawn up by a firm of architects from Vienna, and the construction was erected in just 15 months, being completed on October 15, 1900.
Also in Piața Ferdinand, you can admire the buildings of the Grand Hotel Astoria and the Pannonia Hotel (the current Transilvania restaurant) - erected at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the Poynar House, built in the Secession style in the same period.

The way of the Republic

It is certainly the most beautiful pedestrian thoroughfare in Oradea, which connects Piața Ferdinand with the area of the Crișul store, then continuing by road to the main train station in the city. In the promenade area, tourists can admire Secession-style buildings, which have been restored and impress with their architecture. Among them are Moskovits Miksa Palace, Apollo Palace, Stern Palace or Rimanóczy Kálmán-senior Palace.

Art Nouveau Museum – Darvas House – La Roche

The Darvas-La Roche house was built at the beginning of the 20th century, in the Viennese Secession style, according to the projects of Oradean architects József Vágó and László Vágó. In addition to the paintings and decorative pieces that adorned the bourgeois interiors, the lifestyle of the original owners was reflected in the period furniture in the neo-rococo style, carved from paltin wood painted white and now kept in the upstairs bedroom.
The house has a double orientation, both towards Iosif Vulcan Street and towards Crișul Repede. Tourists can stop in the building's gorgeous garden, from where they can admire the promenade on Liberty Street and the Zion Synagogue.

Oradea Citadel

Reopened to the public in 2015, after a thorough restoration process, the Oradea Citadel presents itself as one of the most important late medieval architectural monuments in the country. The fortress houses museums, craft workshops or restaurants and is the host of events, concerts and festivals.
A lake with water lilies was set up in the moat of the fortress.

Baroque complex

The Baroque Palace in Oradea is a smaller scale copy of the Belvedere Palace in Vienna and was built over 15 years, between 1762 and 1777. As an interesting detail: the building has no less than 365 windows, one for each day of the year. In 2006, it returned to the Roman-Catholic Diocese of Oradea, after housing, for 35 years, the Museum of the Country of Crișurilor.
Along with the palace, the Oradean Baroque Complex also includes the Roman Catholic Basilica and the Canons' Row. The cathedral has an organ, still functional today, dating from 1780, as well as the relics of Saint Ladislaus I - the Taumaturge.

Mushroom Hill

It is the most important viewpoint in Oradea, being a symbol of the city. Those who come to the area to admire a superb panorama of the municipality have at their disposal relaxation areas, an open-air amphitheater, a restaurant and five viewpoints.
We recognize that the most beautiful image of Oradea, viewed from the Ciuperca hill, can be admired in the evening, when the lights of the city create a fascinating show.

Tourists can choose accommodation in Oradea at Hotel Caro. Located right in the central area of the city, it offers personalized services to its customers. From the hotel you have easy and quick access to all the important places to visit. Choose Caro Boutique Hotel for an unforgettable experience.