This travel guide is full of up-to-date tourist and general travel information and travel inspiration for first-time visitors to Timisoara in Western Romania. Come for the history and architecture – stay for the multicultural atmosphere.
Timisoara, the university town has a population of about 320,000. It sits at the river Bega in western Romania and is a true multicultural hub. Here live Romanians, Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks peacefully together. To Romanians, Timisoara means freedom, and the town stands for tolerance.
In 1718, after the Turkish War, Timisoara fell to Austria-Habsburg and was turned into a garrison and fortress town. Some lovingly refer to Timisoara as Little Vienna. And indeed, the magnificent architectural style of the Habsburgs and later the imperial and royal monarchy shape the cityscape to this day. The old town boasts countless beautifully restored pastel-coloured houses in baroque and art nouveau styles. In stark contrast are large unrenovated period townhouses and city palaces. They have yet to be turned into their former grandiose self. What is not to like?
Fun fact for your next trivia night. The town is the city of lights. Timisoara is the first European town that introduced electric streetlights (in 1884).