10 Reasons To Visit Timioara

With its rich history, vibrant cultural scene, lively terraces and cafés and robust student population, Timișoara, the 2021 European Capital of Culture is Romania’s must-visit city right now. Here are our 10 reasons why you should add Timișoara to your destination list on your next visit to Romania.

Fascinating history

Timișoara has been inhabited since ancient times, by Dacians and later the Romans, who named it Castrum Temesiense. First mentioned in 1212 as a citadel, by the 14th century it became an important outpost in the fight between Christendom and the Muslim Ottoman Turks. It was here that Hungarian and French crusaders gathered before the Battle of Nicopolis (1396), one of the last large scale crusades. From the 18th century, it developed around the fortified nucleus and later transitioned towards becoming an important economic and industrial centre. The city flourished between the interwar period and the Communist period, when its population tripled.

On 22 December 1989, following a popular uprising, Timișoara became the first Romanian city free of communism, starting the Romanian Revolution which toppled Ceaușescu’s regime.

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University center

Ever since King Ferdinand I awarded Timișoara the status of University centre in 1920, the city has attracted the brightest minds in the country and beyond.

Timișoara now has four public universities and as many private ones. The student population of the city, totalling around 60,000 students, lends the city a fresh, youthful vibe.

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2021 European Capital of Culture

In September 2016, Timișoara was elected 2021 European Capital of Culture, a title it shares with Novi Sad in Serbia and Eleusis, Greece. For one calendar year, the city will host a series of cultural events with a European dimension, such as exhibitions, concerts, plays and many more.

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Mild weather

Timișoara has mild weather all year round, thanks to its Marine West Coast Climate. This means that usually, at the height of summer, the city is spared the hot and dry days Bucharest and other cities in the Romanian Plain are known for. In winter, temperatures do not drop sharply, making the city an enjoyable destination to be explored by day and by night.

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