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Oradea Travel Guide, Romania

Oradea Travel Guide – City Overview

Oradea is one of the most important social, cultural and economical centers in Romania. With a population of more than 200,000 - according to the 2002 census-, it is only the 10th largest Romanian town, but one of the most significant ones. Located in the North-Western part of the country, on the banks of the “Crişul Repede” river, the capital city of Bihor County is considered the gate towards the Central- and West European World. Moreover, Oradea is one of the leading tourist destinations in Romania, with the historical atmosphere its beautiful architecture conveys, with its famous spas and the excellent hiking possibilities its surroundings permits, the city attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Oradea Travel Guide – Paris on the River Pece

Since its foundation in the 11th century, Oradea, the city of King Ladislaus (László) I. of Hungary, has always been a significant political and cultural point throughout the course of history. Its late 19th century name: “Paris on the River Pece” reflects beautifully how prosperous the city was by that time. Though the World Wars and the Communist Regime deteriorated the city image badly, in the past twenty years Oradea showed a fast paced development and a real upswing, so that now its old praising name starts to be heard again.

The fine architecture the city center can take pride in conveys an atmosphere that takes us back to the period when Oradea was part of Austria-Hungary. Similar to Arad Travel Guide or Timisoara Travel Guide, the strong historical character of the city has to be highlighted here as well. The rich Baroque architecture and the Art Nouveau buildings combine in a harmonious way, offering a splendid cityscape. The gorgeous Baroque Palace together with the Basilica, the unique “Black Eagle” Palace, the main street and numerous other sites of historical nature, no to speak of Oradea’s Fortress, will make your sightseeing tour plentiful and memorable.

Oradea Travel Guide – Recreational Possibilities

An Oradea Travel Guide would be incomplete without mentioning its famous spas. All the public baths of the city welcomes its visitors with thermal water, and the famed spa Băile Felix is a popular tourist attraction in itself. The thermal spa resort lies only 8 km from Oradea, being very easily accessible by car or bus. The thermal waters (20-48°C) of Felix, which are known for more than a millennium now, are considered to be of the best quality in Romania, being acclaimed for their effectiveness in curing rheumatic, neurological and also gynecological diseases, and the soothing action of muscular and articular aches is also well-known. Băile Felix, which is the largest permanent resort of this kind in Romania, besides its therapeutic character, offers various recreational possibilities to tourists.

Moreover, the hilly surroundings of the city, most notably the Apuseni Mountains, with scenic karst formations, are a must see. Whether you are a hiking fan or just nature lover, a trip in the surrounding mountains will certainly be worthwhile and will make a perfect ending to your visit.


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Read our members' reviews about Oradea


  • eratoOradea for high budget travelers
    review by erato posted more then 30 days ago
    Oradea – Best hotel Hotel Continental Dacia in Oradea has a total of 170 rooms, out of which 9 are apartments and its facilities include a bar, a public Internet terminal, a restaurant, a car park, an outdoor swimming pool and many other things that assure the comfort of the guests. The...
  • MadSuhA few days later in Oradea
    review by MadSuh posted more then 30 days ago
    It's been a few days since I last wrote about life here in Oradea. I had a busy week, partly due to the fact that my laptop had died on me and I was busy getting all programs running on the new machine. Anyhow, I am good now, so I am not typing anymore on my MDA. Last weekend I spent some...
  • MadSuhAnother trip to Oradea
    review by MadSuh posted more then 30 days ago
    Another trip to Romania and another trip away from good old Ravensburg. My trip was kind of weird, usually it's a no hassle quick trip as I take the airplane from Stuttgart or Munich to fly into Budapest and then a bus is waiting for me to take me to my final destination; Oradea, Romania. My...
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Read our members' travel tips about Oradea


  • AlinitaThe beauty of Oradea
    travel tip by Alinita posted more then 30 days ago
    It's a beautiful town :)
  • eratoThe baroque historical center
    travel tip by erato posted more then 30 days ago
    Also visit the historical center of Oradea with plenty of old monuments built at the begining of the 19th century. The architecture of the center is simply fascinating with it's baroque and Art Nouveau buildings.
  • eratoRoman Catholic Episcopal Cathedral - Bazilica
    travel tip by erato posted more then 30 days ago
    If you are in Oradea don't miss to visit the Roman Catholic Episcopal Cathedral, the largest baroque church in Romania - it's also one of the most beautiful ones in the country in my honest opinion. It is called 'Bazilica' in Romanian...
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Oradea City Ratings

  • Rating74%
    City Rank195
     
  • History & Culture: rated for 90%
  • Night Life & Entertainment: rated for 83%
  • Family & Fun: rated for 56%
  • Outdoors Activities: rated for 70%
  • Food: rated for 81%
  • Sightseeing: rated for 80%
  • Shopping: rated for 79%
  • Public Transportation: rated for 55%
  • Must visit this place: rated for 71%
  
 
 
 
  
 
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