So — Welcome to Cluj-Napoca!

As some of my mozfriends are in town these days, I though to share my personal favorites in this city..

So, let’s start with some sightseeing.. don’t worry, Cluj-Napoca is not that big so you won’t break your steps record so easily. I do recommend you to walk between the places or to take the public transportation — pretty cheap and reliable. Speaking about price in the transportation, I’ll break the news to you — taxis or uber is pretty affordable also but definitely less healthy and more damaging for nature.

Sightseeing & Activities

If you have just a couple of hours to spend around, I suggest you to do check these few spots..

• Cetatuia/Belvedere — Offers a great view over the city, some short walking and you can enjoy some drinks at one of the terraces there
• Unirii Square — Eroilor Boulevard — Avram Iancu Square
• Cute streets — Mirror (Iuliu Maniu) Street, Potaissa and its adjacent ones, Kogalniceanu, Tipografiei, Horea
• Muzeului Square — Full of bar & restaurant terraces pretty much all the time, you can take the city pulse there.
• Central Park — A true Oasis in the city center with a cute lake and a fancy casino building.

If you have a bit more than just a few hours, here are some more options.

• Botanical Garden — Has something special all year round and I do suggest you to climb up the tower and check the greenhouse.
• Ethnographic Museum Park — the traditional village section is more like a huge park with old houses from different parts of Romania.

Oh, you have time to go outside Cluj-Napoca, and get some of its lovely surroundings?

• Turda Salt Mine — Half hour from Cluj-Napoca, in the city of Turda, this salt mine is definitely one of the most beautiful ones in the world. Easy to travel, too, even with buses.
• Turda’s Gorges — Beautiful gorges that you can either just pass or do some hikes till up on the rocks.
• Sic Reed — after enjoying the reed take a break of walking and check out the Dance/Boots Museum that is located in a really beautiful old house.
• Marișel & Tarnița Lake — The Mărișel village is spread over the hills with cute little houses. This is a good place do to some hiking and rest after maybe at Cabana Moților for some delicious traditional food. You will have to cross the Tarnița dam to get there which is lovely even on its own.

If you are an active person I strongly recommend you to bring some running/cycling gear/clothes with you. The region is amazing for such activities:

• Run in the Central Park — Trail example and connect it to the Somes riverside near the Sports Hall.
• Run/Ride in Făget forest — Run Trail, Ride Track
• Ride around the city center
• Do other sports in the new park Gheorgheni

And because you need fuel for these explorations, I could not leave you without some food and drinks recommendation. What kind of host would I have been?

Coffee Shops:

• Narcoffee — both the shops and the kiosks. (Shop, Kiosk but there are some more)
• Roots — they have two places — one small and intimate on Eroilor Street and the second, bigger, brighter near the Iulius Mall.
• Sisters — pretty central, with a great view of the Unirii’s Square Cathedral.

Bars:

• Sisters — one of the most alive place I can name in the city
• The Soviet — lots of cocktails with a bitter sweet soviet look
• Hemingway — good atmosphere, great cocktails.
• Charlie — fancy cocktails and nice atmosphere

Food:

• Zama — Delicious Romanian meals with a modern look. The design of the place is made in the same way.. I would recommend
• Cimbru Meat & Flame — small but tasty place with a new short menu each week. Delicious food.
• Samsara Foodhouse — by far the best vegan/vegetarian place in town
• Fabrica de bere —In the old brewery building, it keeps its style. Definitely check it for the design.

Breakfasts & brunches:

• DOTs — new cool place in town — delicious toasts and good coffee!
• Eggcetera — breakfast options all.day.long.
• Olivo — delicious coffee and great food options. Also check the kiosk if you wanna just grab coffee.

If you have specific culinary desires feel free to ping me online for more specific suggestions.

Find more pictures about this places and some more on Instagram #cisincluj or #viataincluj.