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Tourist Attractions in Oradea: The Romanian Hidden Gem

Last Updated on November 27, 2024 by Ingrid

Oradea is a cosmopolitan city home to various ethnicities and religions. As Alex’s birthplace, we often visit this central European architectural gem. Given its thousand-year history, there are many tourist attractions in Oradea.

Moreover, Oradea and the nearby Baile Felix are famous for their thermal spas. So, if you like relaxing in healing waters, this is the place to be.

The city is 8-10 hours away by car or train from Bucharest, the Romanian capital. At the same time, Oradea is directly connected to the European highway and rail network, so one can be in Budapest in 2.5 hours and Vienna in 5 hours.

When I think of it, the chances for a Bucharest girl to marry an Oradea boy were not very high a decade or two ago. Still, we were lucky:).

Nowadays, the new Oradea International Airport is connected to hubs like London, Milano, Warsaw, Munich, and Bucharest. So it is accessible from anywhere in the world.

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Table of Contents
  1. Oradea tourist attractions
    1. Unirii Square
    2. Black Eagle Palace
    3. The City Hall Tower
    4. The Fortress of Oradea
    5. The Baroque Palace and the Roman Catholic Diocese Complex
    6. Other Beautiful Churches
    7. Republicii Street 
    8. Nymphaea Aquapark
  2. Where to stay in Oradea?
  3. Other travel resources for when you visit Romania

Oradea tourist attractions

Unirii Square

The square is the center of the city and has a unique blend of architectural styles. Here, you will see buildings in at least seven distinct styles.

If you visit the city during the holidays (both Easter and Christmas), this is the main place to be since, in the past few years, Oradea has become one of the most beautiful locations in Romania based on its decorations.

Tourist attractions in Oradea
Oradea tourist attractions

Black Eagle Palace

Located on the corner across the street from the city hall, this sumptuous building overlooks Unirii Square and the Crisul Repede River.

Built between 1907 and 1908, the building financed by 2 Jewish lawyers once hosted a theater, ballrooms, a casino, and offices.

Today, the beautiful Galleria, with its well-known eagle-stained glass, hosts the city’s most popular bars, coffee shops, and pubs. Stop here for a night out full of fun until early morning!

Pasajul Vulturul Negru
Tourist attractions in Oradea

The City Hall Tower

Also, in Unirii Square, the City Hall Tower, at about 50 m, is one of the main attraction points, with observation decks on three out of its four levels.

The climb up to the top is not too hard, and you won’t even know when you will reach the top because you will be too busy reading about the city’s history and landmarks.

View from Oradea's Town hall

The Fortress of Oradea

It is one of the most important late medieval architectural monuments in Transylvania. The fortress, with a history of more than 1000 years, has been recently restored. It even hosts a hotel where you will feel like royalty. 

Throughout history, the fortress has been governed by various administrations, from Hungarians to Ottomans and even Habsburgs. Another fun fact is that the Oradea Fortress was the Prime Meridian for the making of maps for 203 years.

The moat around the historical citadel was filled with hot thermal water that didn’t freeze during winter. This outer area has now been transformed into a flower-filled park.

Oradea Citadel
Tourist attractions in Oradea

The Fortress Park

The Baroque Palace and the Roman Catholic Diocese Complex

Beautifully surrounded by a lovely park, these landmarks are hard to miss.

Built between 1750 and 1875, the complex is the largest of its kind in Romania.

The Baroque Palace, designed by an Austrian architect, is a smaller replica of the Belvedere Palace in Vienna. It has 282 windows on the three floors.

Other Beautiful Churches

Each with its unique architecture, these religious buildings mirror the truly cosmopolitan history of this magnificent city.

Christians of every denomination and ethnicity worship next to Hebrews in harmony and good understanding.

The Canons’ Row

Republicii Street

The city’s main pedestrian street is an incredible exhibition of Art Nouveau architecture.

Stop here and enjoy a delicious coffee or, better yet, a spicy Hungarian goulash soup while observing the Secession, Baroque, Classic, and Eclectic buildings with their intense colors.

On your walk, you will also want to stop by and visit the beautiful Darvas La Roche House, with its stained-glass-decorated rooms, and the State Theater, also built by two Viennese entrepreneurs and home to the Szigligeti Theater and Queen Mary Theater.

Tourist attractions in Oradea

Nymphaea Aquapark

It is one of my favorite places to pamper myself.

Since the city is sitting on a large pocket of thermal waters, they know how to make the best of it and built this fantastic aquapark where both young and old will feel incredible.

Have fun on the water slides (I have to admit I never tried them, but my boyfriend swears they are really fun) or in the wave pools, or better yet, opt for the dry sauna area, where you can choose from various temperature rooms (from very hot in the Russian and Finnish saunas to the cold room and the salt room; just make sure you also try the very cold pool in this area).

I have to admit that my all-time favorite area is the hammam, with its five pools of thermal water of different temperatures and steamy sauna room. One full day can be easily spent here, with or without kids.

Check out their website here.

Where to stay in Oradea?

  • Continental Forum Oradea is an affordable 4-star hotel in the heart of the city. On the banks of the Crisul Repede River, the hotel offers access to an outdoor geothermal water pool and a lovely view over the city.

Book your stay here!

  • DoubleTree by Hilton Oradea is a little more expensive. Located right next to the Continental Hotel, this hotel offers a fabulous spa, an indoor swimming pool, and a Cafe lounge and bar that, they say, offers the best coffee in town. Something worth trying, right?

Check out prices here!

  • Hotel Ramada. Ramada is not as beautifully set as the first two hotels, but it compensates with its rare Riserva Wine Spa. Yes, you read that correctly—we are talking about SPA and wine! All their treatments are based on grapes or wine. How cool is that? And even more remarkable is the rooftop bar and jacuzzi overlooking the city from above. Have I said enough?

Book your stay and wine therapy here!

  • Astoria Grand Hotel is filled with history. Built between 1902 and 1906 as Sztarill Palace, it was designed by the same architect who designed the Black Eagle Palace. The hotel offers an incredible city view, sitting beside the theatre. You will have the chance to stay for a few nights in an old, eclectic-style building.

See their rooms here!

  • Hotel Cetate Oradea. You can choose to stay in a place full of history and feel like a true royalty, and you’ll also get access to one of the fanciest spas and massage centers in Baile Felix.

Other travel resources for when you visit Romania

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