Best Things to do in Timisoara – One Day in Timisoara

Timisoara is the largest city in western Romania, close to the borders of both Hungary and Serbia. You can discover this city on a short day trip, or stay in Timisoara for a couple of nights and enjoy a beautiful city and the things to do here.

About Timisoara

Timisoara has had many rulers throughout the centuries, and they all left their mark on the city. Hungarians, Ottomans, Habsburgs, even Serbians conquered it until it was incorporated in Romania in 1919. Moreover, this is the city where the Romanian Revolution started in 1989.

Getting to Timisoara

You can reach Timisoara by car from both Belgrade in Serbia and Budapest Hungary in about 3 hours, a little more from Budapest. One thing though, parking can be hard to find in the central areas.

Timisoara airport also connects the city to several European countries, especially Italy and Germany. Another option is to fly from Bucharest. Flights are usually early in the morning and late in the evening, so you can easily make Timisoara a day trip from Bucharest. I would, however, spend at least one night in the city, especially in the summer.

From Timisoara airport, you can reach the city center by bus. Express bus (E4) runs roughly every hour, and it takes about 20 minutes to get to the center. You can buy bus tickets inside the airport or at most newspaper vendors, and they cost 2.5 lei (that is a little more than 50 cents).

Things to do in Timisoara for a One Day Trip

I’m not going to make a huge checklist of things to do in Timisoara. For me, this is a city to discover slowly and enjoy so I’m just going to suggest a few places you shouldn’t miss.

The Pedestrian Area

The first thing you need to do in Timisoara on your one-day trip is to take a walk. Timisoara has the largest pedestrian area in Romania, starting at Unirii Square, all the way to the Orthodox Cathedral. Locals say they take a walk on Corso, the name this area had at the beginning of the 1900s.

There are many cafés in the four large squares of the promenade where you can rest and admire the beautiful buildings. Every one of them has its own history to discover.

Timisoara has had a lot of influences over the centuries and they reflect in the diverse architecture of the city. However, the focus is on Secession architecture, the reason why the city’s nickname was “Little Vienna”.

The Roses Park and Bega River

Close to the Orthodox Cathedral, you’ll come across Roses Park on the river banks, one of the many green spaces of the city. Besides walking, locals come to the park for concerts and outdoor movies. Every August, there is also an Opera Festival on the stage in this park.

Bega River has its own transport system with the Vaporetto. You can purchase tickets onboard and discover more of the city by water. If you’re traveling with kids, make sure to take them on the Pirates’ Boat. The boat sails every weekday afternoon and from 11 AM on weekends and the price is about 3€.

A different type of museum

On the other side of the Bega river, on a quiet street, there is the small Communist Consumer’s Museum. For those who haven’t lived in that space or time, it’s a unique opportunity to see a typical home of that time. The place is designed as an apartment and displays only things Romanians could buy in the communist era. It’s like taking a step back in time.

A walking tour

A good option to learn about the city is to take a walking tour. That will allow you to understand a bit about the city’s history while seeing the main attractions of Timisoara.

On summer nights, every square of the pedestrian area has at least one ‘street musician’. You can spend a little time listening to music and enjoying the atmosphere.

Restaurants

If you arrived on an early flight, as I did, you might want to start your day trip to Timisoara with a good breakfast. I have just the place for it, a cute place in the pedestrian area called Neata Omelette Bistro. Everything I tried was delicious, and you can choose different types of eggs, sandwiches, or pancakes. Besides, coffee is great here.

For lunch or dinner, I suggest The Scotland Yard Pub in the same area. The interior is cozy, the food is great, and they serve some interesting local wines and cold beer.

If you walk too much, and you need a slice of pure energy, stop at Tucano Coffee.

Certainly, a good ending for your day is to order a gin&tonic or a glass of wine and watch the city go by from one of the terraces in Unirii Square.

Where to Stay

If you decide to stay for at least one night, you can stay at Hotel Timisoara right in the middle of everything. If you travel with friends or family, I’d suggest one of the many apartments in the city center. I chose Sweet Home as my favorite for the design, location, and free parking options.

That’s about it. If you’re looking for a city break or even a day trip, I hope you’ll consider Timisoara after this post. One more thing, in 2021, Timisoara was the European Capital of Culture, so Timisoara is even more beautiful after preparing for it.

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