Discover Alba Iulia

The beautiful city of Alba Iulia is located in the Transylvania region and is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe due to its numerous sights and recreational opportunities. The fortress complex (Cetatea Alba Iulia) is absolutely worth seeing and one of the city’s landmarks that you should have seen. Inside the fortress there are churches, historical buildings as well as museums, gastronomy and art. The Cathedral of the Reunion (Catedrala Reîntregirii Neamului), for example, is one of the most magnificent churches in Romania. And the Cathedral of St. Michael (Catedrala Romano-Catolică Sfântul Mihail) will also impress you. The entire fortress complex is large, so bring time. It’s worth it. Finally, on the area of the fortress complex there are numerous other sights. The Obelisk (Obeliscul lui Horea, Cloșca şi Crișan) and the Monument (Monumentul Unirii) are two of them. The Great Hall of Unification (Sala Unirii) and the Roman Ruins (Roman Castrum Ruins) are also among them. And the National Museum (Muzeul Național) of the city is also located inside the fortress. Even if it costs a few lei, you should walk the path of the three fortresses (Traseul Celor Trei Fortificatii). The individual city gates are also imposing. The most beautiful is the 1st gate (Poarta I a Cetății), located on Mihai Viteazul Street, as well as the 3rd gate (Poarta a III-a a Cetății). Interesting and informative is also the Museum Complex (Complexul Muzeal Bistriţa-Năsăud), located outside the fortress on Bulevardul General Grigore Bălan, where you can find exhibits related to art, ethnography, history and natural sciences. Alba Iulia is also known for its events and the annual celebrations of December 1, the Romanian national holiday, when a parade is held.

There are so many interesting and beautiful places you can visit in the city of Alba Iulia, as well as inside the fortress complex, that I cannot list them all. If you are good on foot explore the city on your own. But there is also the possibility to see the fortress with small electric vehicles (Titicar). You need a break, then take a seat in one of the restaurants of the city. And to get away from the city, you can take a relaxing walk in the park (Parcul Dendrologic Doctor Ioan Vlad), among others, surrounded by nature. Besides its historical importance, Alba Iulia also has a modern side, with many stores, restaurants and bars. You can also get much more information about the city of Alba Iulia at the Information Center (Centrul Național de Informare și Promovare Turistică), located at Aleea Sfântul Capistrano 28 inside the fortress complex.

Alba Iulia is not only worth seeing, but also a good starting point to explore the sights, attractions and natural beauty of the surrounding area. You should not miss the Transalpina pass road, one of the highest roads in Romania, which leads through the Carpathians and offers spectacular views of the landscape. If you want to go hiking, you will find pure nature in numerous nature parks nearby. Among them are the Parcul National Apuseni (100Km), Parcul Natural Grădiștea Muncelului – Cioclovina (80Km) or the Cheile Caprei (40Km). The red colored rocks in Parcul Râpa Roşie are also magnificent. Other attractions include the salt mine (Salina Turda) 70 kilometers away, as well as the monastery (Mănăstirea Dumbrava ) (70Km) and the beautiful Corvin Castle in the town of Hunedoara, where Vlad Tepes III alias Dracula was imprisoned in dungeons.