Tourist attractions in Cluj-Napoca: top six

Cluj-Napoca is Romania’s second largest city – a young-hearted city, always-up-to-something, with a vibrant personality. Cluj is a major cultural and university hub, full of creative energy and good vibes. These are just some of the main tourist attractions in Cluj-Napoca, but we recommend you visit the official tourist information center on Eroilor Boulevard nr.6, for a proper, complex list of attractions.

1. Union Square – St. Michael’s Church

The Union Square is situated in the heart of the city, around St. Michael’ Church. This is the second largest church in the geographical region of Transylvania and the most representative monument of Gothic architecture in Transylvania.

Many vivid colors can be seen inside the church, due to its stunning stained-glass windows. As you wander through this remarkable site of historical and religious importance, you will see statues and reliefs depicting the numerous religions that ruled the church during the time they were built.

St. Michael’s Church, which is currently functioning as a Catholic Church, enjoys a large number of tourists annually and is considered to be one of the top tourist attractions in the whole region of Transylvania.

Where? – Piața Unirii

Source: Hola Romania

2. Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography

If you are a history lover you must visit the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography, first and one of the greatest of its kind in Romania. The museum has 2 sections: the first one is found in downtown Reduta Palace, and the second one is in the open-air Romulus Vuia Park.

Founded in 1922 by Professor Romulus Vuia, the museum holds more than 40,000 traditional exhibitions displayed. The wooden gates, churches, old photos and books are capturing the Transylvanian village perfectly.

The open-air museum is structurated into two thematical sections . These are called “Technical installations and craft workshops” and “Types of households and monuments of folk architecture”. The outdoor section gives you the opportunity to better transport yourself to the past. You will have an immersive experience!

Source: Ediția de dimineață

Source: Cluj AM   

Where? – Reduta Palace, Memorandumului Street, nr. 21  & “Romulus Vuia” Ethnographic Park, Aleea Muzeului Etnografic Street

3. „Simion Bărnuțiu” Central Park

Simion Barnutiu Central Park was opened in 1830 and was initially called „People’s Park”. However, nowdays, residents of Cluj call it „The Great Park”. After all these years, the park still remains one of the main recreation places in Cluj-Napoca.

You can spend a whole day in the park without getting bored. If you are an active person, you can play basketball on the specially arranged court (day and night, the court is equipped with nocturnal lights). You could also take a ride on lake Chios with a pedal-operated bicycle. However, if you are just looking for a relaxing evening, you can stroll around the park admiring the nature and the statues of Liviu Rebreanu and George Cosbuc. Why not have a picnic dinner or a fancy dinner at the Chios Social Lounge restaurant, overlooking the marvelous lake?

The park is also known for hosting the biggest music festival in Romania, Untold, plus other smaller festivals, such as Jazz in the Park, Cluj Days, Wine Festival, Street Food and so on.

No matter the season, the park is the ideal place for a relaxing retreat surrounded by nature, right in the middle of the city, a few steps away from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Source: Casa Dives

4. Cetățuia Hill

As part of the Habsburg’s control over the city, the fortress was built between 1715 and 1735. Later on, it was used as a prison for two hundred years and mostly used after the Revolution of 1848.

Situated on a hill at an altitude of 405m, tourists visit the place not only for its history, but for the breathtaking landscape. The panorama, the astounding sunsets or sunrises admired from here really transform this place into a “must-see” attraction. This is most certainly why there are always people (tourists or residents) wandering around the stony steps of this old fortress. So, if you are traveling with your loved one and what a romantic evening walk, the Cetățuie Hill is the perfect location.

Source: Romania Mama

Where? – Emil Racoviță Street nr.60a

5. „Alexandru Borza” Botanical Garden

Located on an area of 14ha, the Botanical Garden is a scientific, didactic and educational institution, part of Babes-Bolyai University. Approximately 10,000 species are cultivated on a land with a diverse configuration, providing a suitable environment for plants from different continents.

The Botanical Garden it’s divided into several sections:

• Ornamental– depending on the season, there are different species of decorative plants like tulips, roses, garden flowers;
• Phytogeographical – in this section, the beauty and essence of the Orient is represented by the Japanese garden, arranged in the traditional „gyo-no-niwa” style;
• Systematic – this section is one of the most important, covering an area of 4ha and including the most important plant families;
• Economical – the plants are grouped according to their use (food, technical, fodder, etc.).

Even if you are not really a plant lover, this Botanical Garden should be added to your list of top tourist attractions. Enjoying the assorted fragrances, the vivid colours and the overall atmosphere will definitely boost your mood and help you unwind.

Source: Știri de Cluj

Where? – Republicii nr. 42

6. Steampunk Transylvania

Tired of this reality? We are, too, sometimes. So let’s dive into a new one!

Steampunk Transylvania is the first museum in Europe dedicated to the steampunk genre. You can discover the secrets of some worlds that so far you’ve only read about in Jules Verne’s books. This genre is unique because it combines elements of science fiction with 19th century elements and technology.

Once you have taken the first step in this museum, it’s like you’ve teleported yourself into another world. You can explore the alchemist’s laboratory in search of “The elixir of life”, spot the time machine, and if you’re lucky, you can get a glimpse on Professor Sylvester’s new work.

Source: Steampunk Transylvania

Where? – Ștefan Octavian Iosif Street nr. 4

These are top 6 attractions in Cluj-Napoca that should be on your tourist attractions list. For visiting hours, prices and other useful information, visit the official tourist information center on Eroilor Boulevard nr.6 or check out this link.  Of course, keep reading our blog articles for more useful content.

If you need a place to stay while in Cluj, our apartments are located just a few km away from these tourist attractions (two locations available at the moment – Scala Apartments and Meteor Apartments – and a third one will be launched very soon). Since finding a public place to park your car in the city (especially in the city centre) can be an exhausting task, most of the time, we strongly advise you to use public transport. There are buses and trams all around the city on every possible route and our two locations are located very close to several bus stops.

P.S. Stay tuned! We will post a blog article on public transport options, soon. Let’s be friends on Facebook and Instagram! We keep our users engaged with news, updates, contests and, of course, pretty pictures taken in our pretty apartments. Be the first one to see them!