Iaşi's Botanical Gardens are Romania’s first (1856) and largest (100 hectares). They sprawl across Parcul Exposiţiei's western side and offer 21km of shady lanes, 800 rose varieties and orchid gardens, plus greenhouses with tropical flowers and carnivorous plants. Kids will enjoy the lawns and small lake. The gardens are about 3km northwest of the centre, so take a taxi (8 lei) or walk (20 minutes) up on B-dul Carol I.
Botanical Gardens
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.38 MILES
Iaşi's premier attraction and symbol of the city is the grandiose Gothic-revival Palace of Culture that dominates the horizon at the southern end of B-dul…
2.06 MILES
This beautiful late Renaissance–style monastery is guarded by thick walls and the 30m-high Golia tower, which you can climb (120 steps) for views out over…
2.36 MILES
The art museum occupies much of the Palace of Culture's 1st floor, with some 24 chambers of paintings organised according to category: Romanian modern art…
Moldavian Metropolitan Cathedral
2.01 MILES
This cavernous cathedral, built between 1833 and 1839, was designed by architect Alexandru Orascu and decorated by painter Gheorghe Tattarescu. Since 1889…
2.17 MILES
Built by Prince Vasile Lupu between 1637 and 1639, and restored between 1882 and 1904, this is one of Iaşi's most beautiful churches. Its exterior stone…
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
1.01 MILES
This is the impressive headquarters of Romania's first university, founded in 1860. The building dates from around the turn of the 20th century and the…
Mihai Eminescu Museum of Literature
0.64 MILES
This museum documents the writings, life and loves of Eminescu (1850–89), Romania’s favourite writer and poet. The great love of the married poet,…
2.36 MILES
Located on the western side of the Palace of Culture, the history museum tells the story of Moldavia over the centuries. From the earliest evidence of…
Nearby attractions
1. Mihai Eminescu Museum of Literature
0.64 MILES
This museum documents the writings, life and loves of Eminescu (1850–89), Romania’s favourite writer and poet. The great love of the married poet,…
0.65 MILES
Designed between 1834 and 1848 under Prince Mihail Sturza, this 10-hectare park is allegedly where poet Mihai Eminescu wrote beneath a linden tree. The…
3. Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
1.01 MILES
This is the impressive headquarters of Romania's first university, founded in 1860. The building dates from around the turn of the 20th century and the…
1.02 MILES
Jewish victims of the fascist Iron Guard’s pogroms are buried in four concrete bunkers at this cemetery on Mountain Hill (Dealul Munteni), 5km west of…
5. Pogor House Literary Museum
1.31 MILES
This museum was originally Vasile Pogor's 1850s mansion, hosting literary society meetings from 1871. On its grounds stand rows of busts of literary…
1.4 MILES
A statue of Romanian writer Mihai Eminescu greets arriving students (and everyone else) from atop a very visible perch at the start of B-dul Carol I.
1.59 MILES
This impressive neoclassical palace was Alexandru Cuza's home for three years (1859–62) and later housed King Ferdinand during his WWI retreat from…
1.66 MILES
This monastery contains the headless body of Grigore Ghica III, killed in 1777 for opposing the Turks. The present structure dates from 1807, after an…