CLUJ-NAPOCA, The Treasure City of Transylvania, Romania

The various cultural and material influences, which left their mark on Transylvania’s history, made up an important cultural and historic legacy of monuments, ancient vestiges or medieval churches and cathedrals at the side of modern masterpieces, as well as museums, memorial houses and architecture monuments.

With its variegated landscape and privileged geographical setting in the heart of Transylvania, Cluj displays a wide range of tourist and leisure activities;moreover, Cluj-Napoca enjoys the favorable positioning at the crossroads of two important tourist routes: E60, which crosses southwest of Cluj County, an important artery for transit tourism, and the route to Maramures County. Cluj County is the only one in Romania whose every town has a health resort inside or in the vicinity.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS. Cluj-Napoca City Hall has initiated an important project aiming to value the local tourism potential, intending to set up a tourist office and to identify opportunities for development.
The most important tourist attractions in Cluj County are the Turzii Gorges, the Apuseni Mountains, the Vladeasa Massif area, Baita Spa, Gilau region, Tarnita-Belis-Fantanele Lakes, Padis and Cetatile Ponorului, with very beautiful caves. Many of these places are suitable for paragliding, mountain biking, nautical sports, alpinism and the whole range of winter sports.

ACCOMODATION. In order to meet the increasing demand for high standard accommodation, in the latest years many hotels were inaugurated in Cluj-Napoca, and others are being built. More than 7 hotels were open in 2004, the accommodation capacity of the county amounting to 4.606 places. Business people and foreign tourists are the main clients of Cluj hotels (30%).

BUSINESS TOURISM. Cluj-Napoca benefited last year from numerous industrial development projects and continues to attract businesses. In order to meet the demands for business facilities, many business centers have been or are being inaugurated, offering conference rooms, parking places, financial services, wellness centers, and other facilities for launching and developing a business project. Within a few kilometers from Cluj-Napoca Airport, Expo Transilvania, the second largest fair center in Romania, has an intense commercial activity.

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. The transportation routes for the tourist areas are being upgraded, as well as the railway infrastructure. Cluj-Napoca has its own airport, which offers domestic and international flights to many destinations, especially with Italy. The Brasov-Bors motorway is expected to improve substantially the tourist flow to entire Transylvania.

SERVICES. Cluj-Napoca is the center of the tourist offer of facilities and services and departure point for tourist areas. Many travel offices are based in Cluj or have subsidiaries here, offering domestic and international travels, as well as domestic tourist circuits, and rent-a-car agencies, hotels, restaurants with traditional and international menus, pizza restaurants, cafes and pubs.

EVENTS. The main towns in Cluj County, especially Cluj-Napoca, host many festivals and other socio-cultural events, to mention “Lucian Blaga” International Festival, “Toamna muzicala clujeana” Festival, The Men’s Dance Festival, The “Transylvania” International Film Festival, The Puck-Animafest International Marionettes Festival, Zilele municipiului Cluj-Napoca, Zilele portilor deschise, Ziua Europei, Beer Festivals, The Wine Festival, Man.In.Fest Theatre Festival, the fairs and exhibitions of Expo Transilvania, Delahoya Rave Festival.