Timişoara
is an elegant home of performing arts
Welcome to Timişoara
Romania’s third-largest city (after Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca) is also one of the country's most attractive urban areas, built around a series of beautifully restored public squares and lavish parks and gardens. It's known as Primul Oraş Liber (The First Free City), for it was here that anti-Ceauşescu protests first exceeded the Securitate’s capacity for violent suppression in 1989, eventually sending Ceauşescu and his wife to their deaths. With western Romania's nicest hotels and finest restaurants, it makes a perfect base for exploring the Banat region.
Top experiences in Timişoara
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Recent articles
Timişoara activities
Private Day Trip to Timisoara from Belgrade
Meet your driver at your accommodation in Belgrade and settle into your private vehicle for the 2.5-hour journey to Timisoara. On arrival, greet your local guide and set off on a comprehensive 2.5-hour city tour. This walking tour of Timisoara starts with the downtown quarter of Cetate, to see the essential image of Timisoara – many old buildings in the styles of Art Nouveau or Baroque, large pedestrianized squares touched by European history, as well as the multicultural character of the city and of the Banat region.Begin with a visit of Victory Square, known also as Opera Square, to visit the impressive Orthodox Cathedral, the Opera and Theatre House. Next is Liberty Square, which is hosting the Old City Hall with the Turkish inscription and shows the mixture of cultures, religions, and civilization.Union Square is dominated by the Catholic dome-church, the Serbian-orthodox Cathedral and by the President’s Palace – the Arts Museum. Be delighted by a walk through the ruins of the old fortress, constructed in the Vauban Style. Highlights of this walking tour are Victory Square, the Opera building, the Orthodox Cathedral, the Bastion, the Liberty Square, the Old City Hall, The Synagogue, the Union Square, the Catholic Cathedral, the Serbian-Orthodox Church, the President’s Palace, the statue of the Holy Trinity, the Bastion, and more.For lunch (own expense), enjoy some traditional Romanian cuisine at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, enjoy around three hours of free time to wander around the city independently or hit the shops. At approximately 5pm, meet up with your guide for the return trip to Belgrade and finish your tour with drop-off at your hotel.
Full-Day Private Day Tour to Danube Gorges from Timisoara
Where: Danube Gorge Highlights: May-October: Boat ride, Tabula Traiana, Decebal’s face(the tallest rock sculpture in Europe), Ponicova cave, hiking on Ciucaru Mare peak above Danube Gorge.October-May: Bigar waterfall, Car ride along the Danube Gorge, Decebal’s face(the tallest rock sculpture in Europe), hiking on Ciucaru Mare peak above Danube Gorge, outside bath in hot thermal spring water. Available: all year round. Please see the two options of the tour depending on the season. Included: transport by private car, boat ride (May-October), entry fees, guide services Not included: meals, other personal expenses We’ll spend our day at the most beautiful part of the Danube, The Danube Gorge. (Cazanele Dunarii). The old Danube will mesmerize us with the stories, the impressive history, and the stunning landscapes with the trail carved through the mountains. May-October:We’ll drive to the heart of the cauldrons by car. Soon we will start hiking above Danube Gorge, on Ciucaru Mare Peak which reveals an amazing view over the big river surrounded by big and impressive rock walls. We also have in plan to visit the beautiful and wild Ponicova cave, which is a great and surprising experience. Don't forget about our boat ride on the Danube, which we'll take us in the heart of the cauldrons and also the tallest and impressive rock sculpture, Decebal's face. October-May: We’ll drive to the heart of the cauldrons by car. On our way we'll stop at one of the most beautiful waterfalls, Bigar waterfall. Later on, we'll drive along the Danube Gorge and admire its wild beauty. Soon we will start hiking above Danube Gorge, on Ciucaru Mare Peak which reveals an amazing view over the big river surrounded by big and impressive rock walls. Later, we will stop also at the tallest and impressive rock sculpture, Decebal's face. We will end our day with an outside bath in hot thermal water, near Baile Herculane resort.The program can be altered on the spot, depending on weather conditions and other relevant aspects such as the physical condition of the participants.This is a 12 hours trip.
Private transfer tour to Timisoara with sightseeing
Your tour host will meet you at the address of your hotel or other location in the city of Belgrade (or in Timisoara if you choose to take vice versa trip). Depending on two sightseeing stops you can choose between two itineraries:- via village Kovačica If you enjoy arts, visiting Kovačica is highly recommended. This village is known since 1950s for its unique naive arts style, nurtured by Slovak population who lives in this place. Visit to Kovačica naive art museum, as well as to a local gallery which exhibits contemporary works are part of the experience. After visit to museum and gallery you'll have unique opportunity to see how violins are produced in workshop of master Jan Nemeček. He and his family have long tradition in violin making, so you'll be able to take a peak over his shoulder while he is doing his magic.After Jan Nemeček's workshop you can have lunch break in traditional restaurant in a village nearby (optional). From this point trip continues over border directly to Timisoara to the drop off point which you have provided.- via town Vršac and Breg hillThis option is intended for those who want to spend a day in the open. Breg hill above Vršac town is highest point in entire area and since its surrounded by a plain views are breathtaking. Landmark of the hill is notorious Vršac tower from the XV century, built by Ottomans during their occupation of the area. For wine lovers valuable information is that the hill is surrounded by vineyards, so there is an option to visit a wine cellar to taste wines and to have a lunch in the cellar.After this point of the itinerary trip continues across border straight to Timisoara to the drop off point which you have provided.Which ever option you take tour will end in Timisoara early enough so you can explore the town on your own. If needed tips and hints about Timisoara visit will be provided.This transfer tour can be done in the opposite direction, from Timisoara to Belgrade with the same sightseeing stops. If you travel on tight schedule we can customize itinerary.
Full day in Banat
You'll be picked up at your accommodation in Timisoara for a full day trip in South-Western part of Romania. We start around 8 AM and we drive straight the Danube shore. We'll visit the most spectacular part of the second largest river in Europe. The place where the Danube is crossing the Carpathian Mountains, cutting a narrow gorge, is called The Iron Gate. We'll visit the narrowest part of the gorge, the so called Cauldrons. To enjoy the best view, we'll embark a small boat (6-12 persons) and w'll cruise on the river for about 40 minutes. We'll see here the largest rock sculpture in Europe: Decebalus, the last king of Dacians. Time for lunch in a restaurant with great views over the Danube river. After lunch, we drive on picturesque back-roads towards Bigar Waterfall, considered to be the most beautiful waterfall in the world. we visit the waterfall and the surrounding area for about 1 hour. We drive back towards Timisoara and we do one more stop in Resita. Here we'll check an outdoor museum dedicated to steamed locomotives produced here almost one and a half century ago. We arrive in Timisoara around 8-9 PM and you'll be dropped of at your accommodation.
Timisoara All in One - Walking and Car Tour
We meet at your accommodations and we plan the tour. We start with a short introduction about Romania (general information) and we continue with the walking tour in the city center. We talk about Dacian Kingdom, Roman Empire, Migration period (Germanic tribes, Huns, Avars, Slavs, Hungarians and Mongols). We talk about the first fortification built in Timisoara after the Mongol invasion and about how the city was conquered and became part of the Ottoman Empire, at the half of the 16th century. We'll also see the few remains from the time when Timisoara was the capital of an Ottoman province. We continue with the Austrian conquest and occupation which lasted more than 200 years. Most of the old town of the city was built during the Austrian occupation. We'll see what's left from the fortification built in the first half of the 18th century, but also the beautiful baroque buildings from Piata Unirii. We finish the first part of the tour in Piata Victoriei, the newest square in the Old town. Here we'll talk about the golden age of the city from the beginning of the 20th century, but also about the Revolution against the Communist regime. We enter the Orthodox Mitropolitan Cathedral and we talk a bit about what Orthodox and Catholic confessions have in common and about what's different. Time for lunch in a restaurant according to your preferences. We take the car and we continue our tour in the old neighborhoods situated outside the city center. First we go to Fabrick neighborhood, one of the first places in Europe where the Industrial Revolution took place. We see here beautiful Secession (Art Nouveau) buildings, a beautiful NEologue Synagogue and an impressive Millennium Church. Next neighborhood is Iosefin - we drive here and see the most important sights. Last neighborhood is Elisabetin: we'll see here beautiful Secession architecture but also the place where the Revolution Against Communism started. We can finish the tour at Scart Loc Lejer. Here we can have a drink and see the small private museum dedicated to the Communist Consumer.
One Day in Transylvania - Departure from Timisoara
We'll pick you up around 8 AM from your accommodation in Timisoara. We talk shortly about the schedule of the day and we start driving East, towards Transylvania. We cross the Carpathian Mountains, just like Romans did 2000 years ago and we arrive in Transylvania. First, we visit Sarmizetetusa Ulpia Traiana, the the new capital city of Dacia province, built here by the Romans, right after the conquest. Then we go and visit Densus, a very old church built with "recycled" materials from the roman city. we drive some more, crossing some picturesque hills and we arrive in Hunedoara. We have lunch in a nice restaurant (not included in the price) and we enter Corvins' Castle. The visit will take us almost one hour and we'll see most of the hotel. Last visit is Deva Fortress: we can use a cable car or we can drive and then walk to the top of the 160 meters hill to see the ruins of a middle age castle. The view from the top of the hill is breathtaking. We drive back to crossing again the Carpathians and we arrive in Timisoara around 8 PM.