For a first-time visitor to this corner of the country, the former capital of Moldavia promises a genuine journey back in time. Ia\u0219i is not only a city of poetry but also the cradle of Romania\u2019s higher education, being home to the country’s first university. Actually, in 2026, efforts to promote this heritage received international recognition when Ia\u0219i was awarded the “Golden Apple”, the highest honour bestowed by the International Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers, often referred to as the “Oscar of tourism.”<\/p>\n
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A tour of this city in north-eastern Romania can begin in the Copou area, as recommended by Anca Zota, coordinator of the Ia\u0219i Tourist Information Centre: \u201cThe visit could start at the University Museum. It is a small yet substantial museum housing an important collection related to the Cucuteni civilization, a 5,000 year old civilization which offers valuable insights into the region\u2019s history. A museum dedicated to the University of Ia\u0219i is housed by the same building on Copou Boulevard. It serves as an excellent introduction to the origins of the city\u2019s academic life. Heading down toward the city centre, we reach the main building of the University of Ia\u0219i. Within the historic 1896 wing, on Carol I Boulevard, one can visit the ‘Hall of Lost Steps’, adorned with paintings by Sabin B\u0103la\u0219a, as well as the ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ Technical University Library, which experts consider one of the most beautiful in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The journey continues in the city centre, where a pedestrian area links buildings that are significant to the history of the modern Romanian state.<\/p>\n Anca Zota: <\/strong>\u201cWe arrive at Union Square, a site of great historical significance, as it was here that the Union of the Romanian Principalities was celebrated for the first time, back in 1859. You can find, within walking distance, the so-called \u2018House of Museums\u2019. Housed in a building with a tragic history, the former police headquarters during the Ia\u0219i pogrom of June 1941, it now contains five institutions creatively designed by artist Ion Barbu: the Pogrom Museum, the Museum of the Jewish Theatre in Romania, the Poetry Museum, the Museum of Childhood under Communism, and the Museum of Romanian Literature. From here, one can walk along Stephen the Great Boulevard across what is known as the \u2018Golden Plateau\u2019. Within a very compact area, visitors will find Romania\u2019s first National Theatre, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Moldova and Bukovina, and the Ia\u0219i City Hall. One can also visit the Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery, where the first Romanian higher education institution was established in 1640, and the city\u2019s landmark, the Palace of Culture, which houses four museums.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A major historical landmark of the city, the Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery compound, is a monument with a unique exterior decoration, which was of particular political significance during the medieval period.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Florea Ioncioaia, a cultural historian and professor at the Faculty of Letters of the University of Ia\u0219i, provides further insight into the importance of the building: \u201cThis is arguably the most significant medieval historical monument preserved in Ia\u0219i, and the whole of Romania. It is architecturally spectacular while also being of great cultural and ideological importance. The Three Hierarchs Church was designed as part of a larger compound, through which ruler Vasile Lupu, in the mid-17th century, sought to materialise \u00a0a grand imperial project. Although not ethnically Romanian and not of royal lineage, Vasile Lupu viewed himself as a successor to the Byzantine emperors. His ambition was to transform Ia\u0219i into a \u2018new Byzantium.\u2019 He succeeded in establishing the first school in the Romanian lands east of the Carpathians, as well as a printing press. He attracted prominent figures and, in 1642, hosted the first Pan-Orthodox Synod to take place in the territory which is now known as Romania. Furthermore, he came very close to securing the appointment of Dosoftei as Patriarch of Jerusalem.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The rich tourist offer also includes outdoor activities available in the city\u2019s various leisure areas and the surroundings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here is Anca Zota again, with some recommendations: \u00a0\u201cTourists can start with the city\u2019s green areas: Copou Park, which is home to tha national poet Eminescu\u2019s linden tree, the Botanical Garden, or the Ciric recreation area, where they can go cycling, rent pedal boats, walk or enjoy other outdoor activities. \u00a0Not far away from Ia\u0219i, one can visit the Repedea paleontological reserve, a unique site containing remnants of the Sarmatian Sea. A trip to Cet\u0103\u021buia Monastery is also worth making. Venturing 30 kilometers from Ia\u0219i, one reaches Dobrov\u0103\u021b, the site of the last religious foundation established by Stephen the Great, in 1504. There, visitors can discover local traditions and stay in traditional houses. The Palace of Ruginoasa, which belonged to Alexandru Ioan Cuza and Micl\u0103u\u0219eni castle are also worth visiting in the county. In Micl\u0103u\u0219eni, guests can dine or attend parties and events organized in an interwar style.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Apart from its urban landmarks, Ia\u0219i county actively promotes traditional crafts. At the end of the year, the city centre hosts a Christmas Market, that brings together local artisans and producers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Anca Zota: “In the Cucuteni area, there are traditional workshops which host pottery-making and painting camps. A museum dedicated to the Cucuteni culture is also located there. Also, H\u00e2rl\u0103u is home to the Museum of Vine and Wine, which features many authentic exhibits related to winemaking. We also recommend visiting Ia\u0219i during the winter holidays. A beautifully decorated Christmas Market is organized here, stretching across nearly the entire Stephan the Great Boulevard and the Union Square, where visitors can stroll, admire the winter lights, and sample traditional products.”<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Accessibility is another key advantage of this destination. Ia\u0219i boasts an international airport with direct flights to major European cities. Moreover, the local infrastructure is well-developed, offering a diverse range of accommodation options, from modern hotels in the city centre, to traditional guesthouses and restored mansions across the county. All these transport and accommodation facilities make discovering the local heritage even easier. Thus, whether you are exploring historical and academic landmarks or attending winter events, Ia\u0219i county offers an exceptional cultural experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For a first-time visitor to this corner of the country, the former capital of Moldavia promises a genuine journey back in time. Ia\u0219i is not only a city of poetry but also the cradle of Romania\u2019s higher education, being home to the country’s first university. Actually, in 2026, efforts to promote this heritage received international […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":936239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43423],"tags":[],"coauthors":[113280],"class_list":["post-1080253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travellers-guide"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n