Oradea, a cultural, spa and leisure destination

The city of Oradea, in western Romania is one of Romanias greatest cities. It is located close to the Hungarian border, and last year alone, roughly 163 thousand tourists visited Oradea in significantly growing numbers as compared to last year

Ștefan Baciu, 18.08.2016, 12:00

The early days of the city are linked to the Hungarian Kingdom which in the 11th century was expanding towards the east, to Transylvania. Back then, King Ladislaus I erected a monastery on the site of todays medieval fortress. Throughout the years, Oradea was a settlement predominantly inhabited by Romanians, Hungarians, Austrians, Italians, Slovaks and Jews. The Hungarian community was highly influential as regards the towns history, and it is here that a string of worship places was erected. One such impressive construction is the towns Roman-Catholic Cathedral, built between 1751 and 1759 in the Austrian-Baroque style. It has an impressive organ, which is still in use. It was donated by Empress Maria Theresa.

Oradeas to-visit list of tourist assets includes the Zion Synagogue. It was built in 1878 when the towns Jewish community split in Orthodox or Neologian Jews. Worth mentioning here is that before WW II, Jews accounted for as much as 35% of the population. However, most of them were deported and disappeared in Nazi camps, so today the Jewish community counts a slim 700 members.

That is why, the Zion Synagogue was no longer used for the divine service. Despite that, it has become a cultural centre, thanks to refurbishment works carried out by Oradea Municipality.

The city of Oradea stands out also because of its great number of Art Nouveau 19th and early 20th century constructions. It was also the municipality that got involved in the restoration of the Darvas-La Roche House, whose owners faced a tragic destiny. Today the building has become a museum space for the Art Nouveau trend. Another landmark, lying in the towns city centre, is the Black Eagle Palace. It was erected between 1907-1908. It is made of three separate buildings and has a Y-shaped passageway. Close by, we also have the Church with the Moon, an Orthodox worship site, for which construction works were completed in 1832. The name of the church is derived from the mechanism in the tower, indicating the phases of the moon.

Mihai Jurca is the head of the Oradea Association for the Promotion of Tourism, which is involved in a lot of projects to attract tourists. Among them, a smartphone app and a package called Oradea City Card: “Last year we launched an app with information, pictures, public transportation, integrated GPS, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, automotive repair, all the information needed by a tourist coming to town, even the ATMs in the city. If you want to get from point A to point B, the app tells you how to get there using public transportation. Oradea City Card is a package containing a 48-hour pass, a tourist map, and coupons for 45 partners such as hotels, cafes, restaurants, and a mall. We provide 50% savings for all museums and tourist spots.

The biggest investment made by the city is the Aqua-park, which opens in July. It is able to accommodate 1,500 people. The complex has pools, indoor and outdoor, water slides, areas for kids, spa and wellness centres, restaurants, bars, and athletic areas. Another objective using European funds is the medieval fortification. This has not been yet restored completely, but it is accessible to tourists. Last year it accommodated the Christmas Fair.

Oradea can also be the starting point for exploring the entire area, as Mihai Jurca told us: “Outside the city you can do lots of things, and there are several local companies that offer services such as mountain biking on the nearby hills, or fishing. There are lots of lakes near the city, perfect for fishing. We have an area about 15 minutes away by car, around Ineu, which is in the metropolitan area, a complex where you can go fishing, water cycling, even sky diving, there is a small airfield there. The Apuseni Mountains are a mere two hours away by car. There we have the Apuseni Nature Park, with lots of caves, protected areas, and the Cris River Valley. There you can go rafting or trekking, especially on the Padis plateau, the area is great for tourism.

Only a few kilometres away from Oradea we have one of the most famous spas in Romania, Baile Felix. It accommodates as much as 6,000 people, with outdoor and indoor pools, some fed by hot springs.