Tourist Timisoara
A European Capital of Culture in 2023, Timișoara, the largest city in the western part of Romania, continues to attract visitors, thanks to a well-developed tourist infrastructure and lots of cultural events
Daniel Onea, 30.01.2025, 13:22
A European Capital of Culture in 2023, Timișoara, the largest city in the western part of Romania, continues to attract visitors, thanks to a well-developed tourist infrastructure and lots of cultural events. At the Vienna Tourism Fair, which took place over January 16-19, tourists learned about the advantages of this destination.
The Vienna Travel Fair is one of the largest events in the field, attracting both leisure and business tourism professionals. Laura Boldovici, director of the organisation that manages Timisoara as a tourist destination, says that the presence at this fair was necessary to further promote a destination already preferred by many.
Laura Boldovici: “My colleagues have just returned from the Vienna Tourism Fair, a four-day event that marked a real success for our city, but not only. Visitors came in even larger numbers than in 2024, and this confirms the Austrians’ interest in unique tourist destinations. We had a common stand with Oradea and Sibiu, and the visitors showed a big interest in our city. Many of them told us that they had been to Timișoara before and would like to come back. We were prepared to welcome the public with promotional materials in German. We also had German speakers at the stand, so that we could answer all questions and present Timisoara in a professional way. And we will not stop here. The next fair we will participate in, this time with our own Timișoara stand, will take place in two weeks in Budapest.”
Austria is a key market for tourism in Timisoara. So, until spring, all travelers that pass through Vienna to the airport or to Budapest can see a 40 square meter outdoor poster with an invitation to visit Timișoara. And the promotion doesn’t stop there.
Laura Boldovici: “We promote the city through everything it means, be it education, investments, jobs. We will work on several levels, just like last year. We also have the tourism fairs that we attend. I mentioned earlier the one in Budapest in February, but besides that we will also go to Berlin, London, Barcelona, Rimini, Frankfurt. This year, we also want to open an interactive children’s museum, which will be unique in the region. Thus, we want to develop the Timisoara destination as a friendly destination for families with children.”
In 2023 Timisoara was a European Capital of Culture, proof of the very efervescent cultural life of the city, says Laura Boldovici.
Laura Boldovici: “For all those interested in events, but also in unique and interesting places, Timișoara is the destination we recommend. The center of Timisoara has a very large pedestrian area, probably the largest in the country. We also have the largest number of historical monument buildings in Romania. We will start this walk from the center, from Victory Square, which leads to Liberty Square, and then to the most beautiful, in my opinion, which is the Union Square. So, we have three squares linked by pedestrian streets, terraces, places where you can stop and admire the surroundings. Then, if one has the time and wants to continue, Timișoara not only has the center, but also has historical districts, which are definitely worth visiting. We also have vineyards for those interested. At a not very long distance, if you have a means of transport, there are other cities that can be visited: Oradea, Sibiu. But Timișoara deserves at least one weekend and I promise you won’t get bored.”
The city impresses with a diverse architecture, in Viennese Baroque, Neo-Byzantine and Art Nouveau styles. Of the 15 thousand buildings in the city, 13 thousand are declared historical monuments. It is also the only city in Europe where there are three theaters, with performances in three languages – Romanian, Hungarian and German. There is an opera, a philharmonic, a youth and puppet theater. A city richly endowed with cultural institutions.
Architecture is not the only strong point of the city. There are several museums, which present the past of Timisoara. Tourists can visit the Museum of Banat, which holds its exhibitions within the Teresia bastion, which is part of the old fortifications of the city. Among the museums preferred by tourists is the Banat Village Museum, located on the outskirts of the city. Original houses, brought from Banat villages, are exhibited here, representing the way of life of the different ethnic groups that live in Banat. There are traditional Romanian, German, Hungarian, Serbian, Slovak and other ethnic houses and items present here. We can continue with the Art Museum, with exhibitions of European art, the Corneliu Baba permanent exhibition, but also many other temporary exhibitions.
Laura Boldovici: “Right now we have an exhibition at the National Art Museum. It is an exhibition of paintings by Caravaggio and his disciples, so we recommend it. It will be available until the end of February in Timisoara. Then, we have the festivals that are already an objective in themselves, which you can also find on our website visit-timișoara.com. We also take care of the tourist Info-Centre, and, more recently, we have opened a souvenir shop wherefrom tourists can get a piece of Timișoara and the creations of Timișoara artists. We interact with tourists. Those who arrive here tell us that they are surprised by Timișoara, by the atmosphere encountered on the streets, by the hospitality of the people. We invite you to visit Timisoara. We promise not to disappoint. It is a city full of charm, where the past intertwines with the present and with the future. In 2023, we were the European Capital of Culture, but Timișoara still remains a vibrant destination, ready to offer memorable experiences. So, come and feel the energy of Timisoara and we promise you will want to come back.”
Timișoara is crossed by the Bega River, on which one can travel by boat, as a public transport. There is also a tourist tram that departs from Liberty Square on weekends and makes a circuit through the entire city. (MI)