Oradea in a day. Tourist attractions, activities and unique locations

Today we are in Oradea, a city in the northwestern part of Romania that is famous for its beauty and architectural richness. The numerous buildings representative of the Art Nouveau style make this location an unmissable Romanian destination. If you arrive in this region and manage to book a single day to explore the city, we offer you support in terms of tourist attractions. You will tick most of the attractions that have earned this city an international reputation, being integrated in the same register with cities such as Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, and Vienna:

Itinerary suggestion

Start your day with a good coffee from Street Coffee Roasters. A perfect tourist experience can be had only when we have your batteries fully charged.

You are in 1 Decembrie Park, which in the past, in 1950 to be more precise, was the city’s Great Square. The House of Culture of the Trade Unions and the Statue of the Romanian Soldier can be found here. This monument is meant to commemorate the memory of the worthy Romanian army.

Centru Oradea, Romania
Great Square

Next, you will see an architectural gem that was made in 1913 – Ullman Palace. The next objective is located on Mihai Viteazu Street: another emblematic monument, decorated with floral elements – Fuchsi Palace.

palatul-fuchsl Oradea
Fuchsi Palace

Going towards Independenței Street, you will cross a special place in Oradea, bathed in light and truly impressive – the Black Eagle passage. Once you have crossed the passage, you will reach Vasile Alecsandri Street where there are other buildings which you can not pass without admiring them: Roth House and Moskovits Palace. Then, you will be able to see, in all its splendour, one of the most beautiful constructions in Oradea: the Black Eagle Palace. In this area you will also find other attractions worthy of pictures: the City Hall, the Greek-Catholic Episcopal Palace, the Church with the Moon, the Greek-Catholic Church “St. Hierarch Nicolae ”and the St. Ladislau Church.

Galerii in stilul Art Nouveau din Oradea
The Black Eagle passage

Tourist attractions

What you may have seen so far is just the beginning of our proposed incursion into the architectural landscape of the city. In addition to these monuments, we suggest you check the following objectives and locations:

Oradea Fortress

The walls of the fortress speak of legends that date back to the 11th century. This place witnessed the Mongol invasions and the Turkish sieges, being under the rule of the latter for a period of thirty years.

The fortress is characteristic of the Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles and is an emblem not only for Oradea, but for the entire western Romanian area. The complex is also unique in Eastern Europe.

Cetatea Oradea
Oradea Fortress

The baroque complex

It is the most imposing ensemble of this kind in Romania. The complex dates from the 18th century and has in its composition three elements: the Baroque Palace, the Roman Catholic Basilica, the Row of Canons. The palace is a grand building with 100 rooms. The basilica whose patron saint is St. Mary, is the largest in Romania. The Row of Canons is an architectural site that includes ten impressive buildings.

Complexul Baroc Oradea
The baroque complex

Sion Synagogue

The Zionist Neolog Synagogue is a representation of the eclectic style designed by architect Rimánoczy Kálmán. The building was erected in 1878 and is an illustrative monument of the mosaic cult.

Sinagoga Sion, Oradea
Sion Synagogue

Dealul-Ciupercă (Mushroom Hill)

This is an idyllic space in Oradea from where you can admire the whole city. The landscape is arranged so that it is conducive to relaxation. There is a generous green space and you can enjoy it all on one of the benches or you can go to the Ciuperca restaurant, where you can serve food with a unique view.

Dealul Ciuperca Oradea
Dealul-Ciupercă (Mushroom Hill)

Calea Republicii

A pedestrian street that runs between Central Station and the city centre. This area houses, as you will have already become accustomed to, buildings that steal your gaze: the Central Station Building, the Wöber Hotel, the Darvassy Palace, the Stern House.

On Calea Republicii you will also find restaurants, terraces and cafes where you can try traditional dishes, sweeten yourself with a dessert or enjoy a specialty coffee.

Palatul Moskovits din Oradea
Palace Moskovits, Oradea

Activities:

  1. Explore the buildings in Unirii Square – the historic centre of Oradea.
  2. Admire the city from the City Hall Tower. This place provides a remarkable view over the city, so that you can have a perspective on the tourist attractions in the central area of ​​the city. In order for the experience to be flawless, there is a telescope so that tourists do not miss anything from the tourist landscape of Oradea.
Oradea Center

Visiting hours:

April 1 – October 30: Tuesday – Sunday: 12.00 – 19.00

November 1 – March 30: Tuesday – Sunday: 12.00 – 17.00

Ticket price:

Adults: 5 lei

Pupils, students, pensioners: 3 lei

Children up to 7 years old are exempt from paying the ticket.

3. Visit the museum of the Land of the Criș, the Museum of the City of Oradea, the Military Museum.

The Criș Country Museum includes a rich collection of 450,000 exhibits in the fields of art, ethnography and science.

Visiting hours:

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 10.00-15.00

Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: 10.00-18.00

Ticket price:

Adults: 8 lei

Children> 4 years, pupils, students, pensioners: 4 lei

Guide: 5 lei / group

Secții noi de istorie și artă la Muzeul Țării Crișurilor - Consiliul  Județean Bihor Foto: https://www.cjbihor.ro/

The Oradea City Museum is the place where you can find unique information about the history of the city and, at the same time, of the Oradea Citadel.

Visiting hours:

Tuesday – Sunday: 9:00 to 17:00

Ticket price:

Adults: 20 lei

Pupils, students, pensioners: 15 lei

Muzeul orașului Oradea (MoO) - Comoara Culturală a României |  DescoperimRomania.ro
Oradea City Museum

The Military Museum is the only one of its kind in the Transylvanian region and it hosts exhibits that speak of the national history.

Visiting hours:

Monday-Friday: 10: 00-16: 00

Ticket price:

Bring: 6 lei

Children, pupils, students and pensioners: 1.5 lei

Pe urmele Armatei Române – Muzeul Militar Oradea Foto: https://zigzagprinromania.com/
The Military Museum

4. Experience traditional cuisine. Among the restaurants serving authentic dishes, we can mention: Taverna Oradea, Butoiul de Aur, Căsuța cu nuci.

5. Enjoy the parks of Oradea. You have the following options:  the Cetate Dendrological Park, Libertății Park, Ion Brătianu Park

Parcul dendrologic din Cetate | Oradea in imagini
The Cetate Dendrological Park,

6. Walk on the banks of the Cris River.

Noua promenadă de pe malul Crișului, iluminată ambiental - Foto: https://www.bihon.ro/
Cris River

7. Take a break on Calea Republicii.

City Center