Cluj-Napoca city – Complete Guide for First-Time visitors

Have you heard of Cluj-Napoca city in Romania, but don´t know if it´s worth visiting? Planning a trip to a new country or city can be quite overwhelming, especially if you don´t speak the language or don´t know anyone who´s already been there.

As a former local who has lived 3 years in Cluj-Napoca city and still travels every year to Cluj to visit my family, I have experienced everything this city has to offer.

Cluj-Napoca has a beautiful old town and is also full of culture and unique museums, green spaces to relax, great restaurants and cafes to enjoy the best Romanian food.

In this travel guide I will cover the best attractions, hotels and restaurants in Cluj-Napoca as well as key advice on planning your trip such as Cluj-Napoca neighborhoods, public transportation and best time to visit.

As someone who keeps returning every year to this destination (last visit in spring 2025), I would say Cluj-Napoca is a great city for a vacation and definitely worth visiting.

So let´s start planning your visit to Cluj-Napoca!

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Located in northwestern Romania in the heart of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca is the second largest city in the country, an economic and academic hub. The city is divided into 21 neighbourhoods and is actually constantly growing.

Depending on what you want to do in Cluj-Napoca and in the region of Transylvania, choosing your hotel in the right neighbourhood is crucial for accessing the main attractions, infrastructure with restaurants and shopping opportunities or choosing tours outside the city.

The neighbourhoods Centru (Center) or Andrei Muresanu are generally the best choice for first-time visitors, as they are close to museums and old town attractions. These 2 neighbourhoods are well connected to public transportation and also packed with great places to stay, eat and drink. The airport in Cluj-Napoca is also a 30-minutes taxi or bus ride away.

However if you prefer staying outside the crowded city, I recommend choosing Floresti, which is about a half-hour away from city center. Floresti is preferred by young families working in Cluj-Napoca and has 2 nice and affordable hotels.

Below, I´ll give specific hotel recommendations for each of the above mentioned neighbourhoods. But first, I´ll help you decide on when to visit Cluj-Napoca city and provide you with the necessary information on climate and wheater.

The best time to visit Cluj-Napoca city is from May to September due to nearly constant sunny weather.

The months July and August can be quite hot with temperatures around 30 degrees, so be sure to book a hotel with air conditioning when visiting in summer. During these months 2 major music festivals take place: UNTOLD and Electric Castle, resulting in overcrowded hotels, restaurants and traffic. If you are not planning on visiting these events, make sure to avoid these tourist peaks.

Now that you know when to visit, let´s take a look at flights to Cluj-Napoca to help you plan your trip.

The airport in Cluj-Napoca city offers flight connections to 41 international destinations and has a well-established infrastructure. Once arrived at the airport in Cluj-Napoca, you can take the bus A1E to the Mihai Viteazu Square in the center of the city or one of the many taxis waiting outside the airport.

Be sure to ask your taxi driver if you can pay with credit card or exchange some money in the local currency RON at the airport (beware: exchange taxes are higher here!).

Cluj-Napoca city has several interesting museums, architectural gems and green spaces that make a city trip here a fulfilling experience. Here are my top 10 recommendations for the best things to do in Cluj-Napoca, including prices and available guided tours to help you plan your trip.

The Steampunk Transylvania museum combines fantasy, science and mechanics in a unique way. The highlights of the guided tour includes a time machine, alchemy, experiments with electricity and mechanics, scientific curiosities, sound machine and many more. Tickets cost 12 € for adults and 10 € for children and a visit takes about an hour. The museum is located on the Stefan Octavian Iosif Street Nr. 4, not far from the center of Cluj-Napoca city.

Let the friendly guides take you step by step through this unique museum in Europe!

Make the most of your trip and book a combined tour to Steampunk, MINA Museum and Turda Salt Mine!

In this history museum ancient artifacts, Roman stone monuments, and medieval treasures bring the region’s cultural heritage to life. A true highlight is the rare Egyptian collection, featuring a painted mummy in its original wooden sarcophagus – a unique find in Central Europe.

This museum holds another highlight you will not want to miss: the greatest gold treasure discovered in Romania called “The hatching hen with the golden chicken” (Closca cu puii de aur) currently including 12 pieces of massive gold jewelry.

The museum is located at Constantin Daicoviciu Street Nr. 2, about 5 minutes away from Unirii Square in the center of Cluj-Napoca. We paid 10 € for a family ticket and recommend the museum for school children. You can either get a digital audio guide or scan the code at the entrance of the museum to find out more about the artefacts.

The St. Michael´s gothic cathedral situated in the center of Cluj-Napoca is a must-see for first-time visitors due to its intricate details: the 1390 altar, the Baroque pulpit adorned with golden sculptures, and the restored 15th-century frescoes in the Schleunig Chapel . The west portal showcases three coats of arms representing Emperor Sigismund’s reign over Hungary, Bohemia, and the Holy Roman Empire.

In 2024, St. Michael’s Church was honored with the prestigious Europa Nostra Award, recognizing its meticulous restoration and significance as a European cultural monument.

We visited the church in April 2025 and loved especially the architecture, the beautiful painted windows and the calming atmosphere inside it. Take your time when visiting!

There are no fees required to visit the church.

Whether you’re a plant lover, a photographer, or simply in search of a quiet green place to relax from the city, the Alexandru Borza botanical garden in Cluj-Napoca is a gem you will not want to miss. Explore unique highlights such as the serene Japanese Garden with its tea house, waterfalls, and cherry blossoms, or wander through the Roman Garden, where ancient artifacts meet Mediterranean flora.

My all time favorite things to explore in the garden are the greenhouses with the largest water lilies in the world (Victoria cruziana) and impressive palm trees reaching up to 16 meters in height. You can also get an amazing view of the garden if you climb up the water tower.

Tickets cost 3 € for adults and 1,5 € for children. The Botanical Garden is a 15 minute walk away for Cluj-Napoca center (about 1 km) in the family-friendly neighborhood called Zorilor.

This 16-hectare park draws its visitors into a forgotten world of traditional village life in Romania. Established in 1929, as the first open-air museum in Romania the ethnographic park over 90 authentic wooden such as farmhouses, workshops, and three historic wooden churches, each meticulously relocated from various ethnographic regions of Transylvania. These buildings, dating from the 17th to 20th centuries, are furnished with original household items, providing a vivid portrayal of the daily lives of rural communities.

The park is thoughtfully organized into thematic sectors: one showcasing traditional households from distinct ethnographic areas, and another dedicated to rural technical installations and workshops. Here, visitors can explore traditional techniques for processing wood, iron, wool, clay, stone, grain, and edible oils, with installations dating from the 18th to 20th centuries.

We visited the museum on a sunny day in spring 2025 and were impressed from the 3 wooden churches, which are extremely well preserved. These types of churches can only be seen in Romania in the region of Maramures. We spent 2 hours strolling around the old houses.

Tickets cost 12 € for adults and 6 € for children. The museum is situated about 3 km from the center of Cluj-Napoca in the neighborhood Grigorescu. I recommend getting a taxi or an Uber to get there.

The Museum of Immersive New Art is a unique space with projections and interactive installations, labyrinths, mirror rooms and other sensorial experiences. On a total space of 4.000 square meters visitors can experience arts, technology and elements like water, light and earth in an unusual way. Children from 3 to 12 have access to a creative space featuring 15 interactive, educational, and fun installations.

During our visit of the museum we saw the show “”Dinosaurs – An Immersive Journey into the Prehistoric World”, which was truly an unusual experience of getting to know dinosaurs. I totally recommend visiting this museum with your kids.

Tickets cost 12 € for adults and 10 € for kids, which you can buy online. The museum is situated at the Strada Orăștiei 10, which is in the neighborhood of Someseni about 40 minutes by car from the center of Cluj. Take a taxi or Uber to reach the  museum.

Booking a guided tour of the National Theater is a must for anyone interested in art and history, but also if you are interested in finding out more about what happens behind the curtain in this magical world. The tour allows you to step behind the scenes of Romania’s first lyric institution, learn about the building’s fascinating history and unique architecture, visit the elegant main foyer, exclusive first-tier boxes, and balcony foyer. You even get the chance to admire the spectacular auditorium and peek into the artists’ dressing rooms.

The Romanian National Opera is situated about 600 meters away from the center of Cluj-Napoca city and you can reach it by foot. Make sure to buy a 6 € ticket for a guided tour online.

A guided walking tour through Cluj-Napoca’s Old Town is the best way to experience the city’s history and charm, filled with stunning architecture, lively squares, and centuries-old landmarks. Even after spending 3 years in Cluj-Napoca, I did not learn about the city as much as in the 2,5 hours tour I took in spring 2025.

The absolute highlights include the St. Michael’s Church on Union Square, the impressive Orthodox Cathedral, and the beautiful Banffy Palace. I also discovered secrets and learned so much about the Matthias Corvinus Monument and the historic City Hall.

A local guide brings the city’s history to life, sharing insider tips and hidden gems you might miss on your own. If you are interested in medieval legends, architectural treasures, or the best local spots to eat and relax, a guided tour of Cluj-Napoca’s Old Town is the perfect introduction to your trip.

If you want to check out one of the most mysterious forests in Europe, also known as Bermuda Triangle of Romania you should definitely plan a hike in the Hoia Baciu Forest. This place is surrounded by rumors about paranormal activity, strange lights, disappearances and feeling of anxiety when visiting the forest with strange looking trees. In the middle of the forest called Poiana Rotunda do not grow any trees, electronic devices may not work and the place literally looks like an UFO landing place.

I went hiking here in spring and even though I don´t believe in paranormal occurrences, the experience surprised me. Check out my Instagram Reel on this visit.

Hoia Baciu Forest is located about 17 minutes by car from the center of Cluj-Napoca and the best way to reach it is with a taxi or Uber.

Book this top-rated tour by night with an experienced guide to find out if the legends of Hoia Baciu are real!

Iulius Mall is a must-visit destination for anyone visiting Cluj-Napoca city thanks to its unique blend of shopping, dining, and entertainment all in one place. With over 240 stores featuring both international and local brands, the mall guarantees a diverse shopping experience. The mall also houses a large Auchan hypermarket and a Cinema City multiplex with 10 screens, offering the latest movies. For families with kids Iulius Mall offers an outdoor skating rink and various family-friendly attractions. The nearby Iulius Park provides a green oasis perfect for relaxation after shopping.

I really enjoy planning a shopping day while on vacation, because I can focus much better on buying specific items and discovering new products. We spent about 2 hours in Iulius Mall the last time we visited Cluj and had some coffee and muffins at Starbucks.

Iulius Mall is situated about 15 minutes by bus from city center. Take the bus lines 24 or 25 to get there.

If you are travelling to Cluj-Napoca city for the first time, make sure to book a hotel in the center near a bus or tram station, preferably in a side street to avoid traffic noise and with climatization.

As mentioned earlier in this post the neighbourhoods Centru (Center) or Andrei Muresanu are best suited to book you accommodation when staying in Cluj-Napoca, as you can reach most museums and attractions by foot. These neighborhoods also have a good public transportation opportunities.

Cluj-Napoca is a major and overcrowded city, with dense traffic and noise on the main streets. Look for a hotel situated in a side street to have a good night rest and a quiet stay.

Retro Hostel (€)  – cozy hostel near the old town of Cluj-Napoca, with free bike rental and even a sauna

Camino Home (€€) – mid-range apartment hotel in a quiet side street, climatized and with great breakfast

Courtyard by Marriott (€€€) – luxury 4-star hotel with elegant and renovated rooms, amazing breakfast with vegan food, parking space and amazing view of the city

It´s crucial to book a hotel with climatized rooms when travelling in summer to Cluj-Napoca as the temperatures are always above 30 degrees during the day and can stay high even during the night.

Check out my in-depth guide to the best hotels in Cluj-Napoca for first-time visitors to help you find a suited stay!

Cluj-Napoca is filled with amazing restaurants serving traditional Romanian food, great coffee culture and bakeries as well as pubs and wine bars.

If you are interested in trying traditional Romanian food such as sarmale (cabbage rolls), mititei (grilled ground meat rolls) or papanasi (fried donuts served with blueberries and sour cream) you should visit the restaurants Roata or Zama.

Local coffee culture, roast techniques and coffee specialties have taken over Cluj-Napoca in the last years. At Olivo Coffee Culture near the National History Museum  we found great coffee, delicious desserts and light lunches in a quiet side street. If you are strolling through Napoca Street in the Center of Cluj, be sure to take a coffee brake at Acadeea and try their incredible homemade sweets. The place is not big, but the little delicious cakes are worth visiting this place.

Looking for a place in Cluj-Napoca to go out for drinks or try some Romanian wine? Head out to Barraca near Unirii Square in the center and enjoy wine, exquisite dishes and intimate atmosphere. Be sure to try the homemade bread or the lime ice cream, both amazing dishes.

One of the best streets to have drinks, socialize and get acquainted to young Cluj-Napoca is spending one evening on Piezișă street. This is a street where students gather in pubs and unconventional restaurants to meet new people and have fun. I remember spending some great nights here as a young student at the university in Cluj-Napoca. If you are a shy or solo traveler eager to meet new people, this is the first place to go.

Check out my post on Romanian Food to know what to eat and try out during your trip.

If you plan tours outside of Cluj-Napoca or seeing more of Transylvania, booking a rental car is the easiest and most convenient way to do this. However beware of the crowded traffic in Cluj-Napoca center, this can be quite overwhelming and confusing at first.

Cluj-Napoca city is connected through Transylvania Highway to other major cities such as Alba Iulia or Sibiu, which you can reach within a 2 hour drive. Freeways and highways around Cluj-Napoca are in very good condition and easy to drive.

Booking a car at the airport in Cluj-Napoca is the easiest way to get a rental car.

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Cluj-Napoca public transportation is well organized, very affordable and easy to use thanks to the mobile application Tranzy App. Just give your start and destination and the app will guide you on which bus, tram or trolleybus to take and from which station.

Information regarding prices for tickets are available on the website of CTP Cluj-Napoca, the public transportation provider in the city.

All bus and tram stations are equipped with purple ticket machines where you can pay cash or with card and the information is available in 5 languages.

We used the public transportation a lot to visit the museums in Cluj-Napoca. For attractions outside of Cluj-Napoca we used the Uber App or a rental car.

That wraps up my complete travel guide on visiting Cluj-Napoca city! I hope this helps you plan your first visit to the heart of Transylvania. In my opinion Cluj-Napoca is a very lively, culture and historical-filled city to visit with amazing surroundings to discover. If you plan on visiting the main attractions in the city, 3 or 4 days is the perfect amount of time to accomplish this goal.

However if you plan on travelling to the Turda Salt Mine, to the historical city of Alba Iulia or visit the medieval cities of Sibiu or Sighisoara, you should extend your trip to a week or 10 days.

Now that you know what to visit, where to stay and how to get around in Cluj-Napoca city, make sure to check out my Romania travel costs guide to help you plan your budget. For more travel advice on Romania check my post on how to plan your perfect trip to this beautiful country.