Guidebook for Cluj-Napoca
Food Scene
Nice surroundings, good menu, well-cooked food, nice staff, also cheap! You can eat in the restaurant or courtyard , or in the bar.
Roata Faget
Drumul Sfântul IoanNice surroundings, good menu, well-cooked food, nice staff, also cheap! You can eat in the restaurant or courtyard , or in the bar.
Traditional Romanian food in a very local local! Nothing fancy, but good food and very cheap. No loud music!
17 místní doporučují
Vărzărie
37 Bulevardul EroilorTraditional Romanian food in a very local local! Nothing fancy, but good food and very cheap. No loud music!
This place serves traditional Romanian food. It doesn't look like anything special at first glance but the chef really knows his stuff, the waiter is the old-school courteous type who could be working somewhere posher, the portions are HUGE and they give you a doggie bag if you can only manage half of it!
6 místní doporučují
Fair Play
22 Piața 14 IulieThis place serves traditional Romanian food. It doesn't look like anything special at first glance but the chef really knows his stuff, the waiter is the old-school courteous type who could be working somewhere posher, the portions are HUGE and they give you a doggie bag if you can only manage half of it!
Great menu, gorgeous food, inexpensive, lovely outside terrace and nice traditionally-decorated interior. Super-friendly waiting staff in traditional dress.
Restaurant Valahia
27 Strada GovoraGreat menu, gorgeous food, inexpensive, lovely outside terrace and nice traditionally-decorated interior. Super-friendly waiting staff in traditional dress.
This is the narrow street where all the students hang out! Cluj has a very famous university with over 50000 students, many from overseas. There are many restaurants and bars along this steep and winding road and the atmosphere is great!
21 místní doporučují
Strada Piezișă
Strada PiezișăThis is the narrow street where all the students hang out! Cluj has a very famous university with over 50000 students, many from overseas. There are many restaurants and bars along this steep and winding road and the atmosphere is great!
This is actually a whole resort which has been built in the forest just above Cluj. It has a superb restaurant with panoramic views over the town, not cheap, can be over £20 per person for food alone, but the chef really knows what he is doing, the restaurant is beautiful, and it's a "special" place to eat. There are also facilities for hot air balloon rides, horse riding, a spa, a hotel, etc.
9 místní doporučují
Wonderland Cluj Resort
This is actually a whole resort which has been built in the forest just above Cluj. It has a superb restaurant with panoramic views over the town, not cheap, can be over £20 per person for food alone, but the chef really knows what he is doing, the restaurant is beautiful, and it's a "special" place to eat. There are also facilities for hot air balloon rides, horse riding, a spa, a hotel, etc.
Nice restaurant on the banks of the Somes river. Not the cheapest, but good food and good atmosphere.
Sinaia Restaurant
110 Bulevardul 1 Decembrie 1918Nice restaurant on the banks of the Somes river. Not the cheapest, but good food and good atmosphere.
This place is decorated in "Steampunk" style. It's quite amazing! Excellent food and drink, very reasonable prices.
28 místní doporučují
Joben Bistro
29 Strada Avram IancuThis place is decorated in "Steampunk" style. It's quite amazing! Excellent food and drink, very reasonable prices.
Lovely terrace in a beautiful area by the central park. Imaginative menu, good for beer fans but also has good wines. Inside it is lively at night.
21 místní doporučují
Euphoria Biergarten
25 Strada Cardinal Iuliu HossuLovely terrace in a beautiful area by the central park. Imaginative menu, good for beer fans but also has good wines. Inside it is lively at night.
Very successful veggie/vegan restaurant. Good for sushi, pizza, all sorts! Huge and very creative menu. Just moved into new premises, a beautiful restaurant with a stylish terrace. It even has a real ancient olive tree growing through the floor! It's popular, so best to book beforehand. I love this place! Please note it is now on Strada Cardinal Iuliu Hossu. Nr 3.
69 místní doporučují
Samsara Foodhouse
Very successful veggie/vegan restaurant. Good for sushi, pizza, all sorts! Huge and very creative menu. Just moved into new premises, a beautiful restaurant with a stylish terrace. It even has a real ancient olive tree growing through the floor! It's popular, so best to book beforehand. I love this place! Please note it is now on Strada Cardinal Iuliu Hossu. Nr 3.
It's a restaurant you dress up for. Elegance. Posh food and drink! Attentive waiting staff.
24 místní doporučují
Via Restaurant
6 Strada Inocențiu Micu KleinIt's a restaurant you dress up for. Elegance. Posh food and drink! Attentive waiting staff.
Hungarian restaurant, with traditional Hungarian food and decor and staff in Hungarian costumes. Excellent food, including goulash served in a cauldron. The staff are lovely. It's about 20 minutes out of Cluj, in a village, but worth it. It's a pensiune too, so you can stay the night if your driver wants a drink. Best to book a table.
TB Tamas Bistro S.R.L.
Hungarian restaurant, with traditional Hungarian food and decor and staff in Hungarian costumes. Excellent food, including goulash served in a cauldron. The staff are lovely. It's about 20 minutes out of Cluj, in a village, but worth it. It's a pensiune too, so you can stay the night if your driver wants a drink. Best to book a table.
I think this is the best pizza in Cluj. It's a tiny restaurant but if you can get in, it's really worth it. They have some very imaginative pizzas.
Pizza Acrobatica
22 Strada PiezișăI think this is the best pizza in Cluj. It's a tiny restaurant but if you can get in, it's really worth it. They have some very imaginative pizzas.
It's only about 15 minutes walk from the apartment. You can sit on the terrace by the river. The staff are really friendly and courteous. It's a short menu but very well cooked, with veggie options. Very spacious interior with leather chairs and a grand piano! Open until late.
6 místní doporučují
Restaurace a hospoda Rochelle
2-4 Strada TraianIt's only about 15 minutes walk from the apartment. You can sit on the terrace by the river. The staff are really friendly and courteous. It's a short menu but very well cooked, with veggie options. Very spacious interior with leather chairs and a grand piano! Open until late.
It's only 15 minutes walk from the apartment. Open until midnight, or until 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. It's a chain, and the interior is a bit like any chain, but they have a huge and varied menu, lots of "healthy" food, veggie and vegan options and interesting drinks and cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
17 místní doporučují
Marty Boulevard
5 Strada HoreaIt's only 15 minutes walk from the apartment. Open until midnight, or until 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. It's a chain, and the interior is a bit like any chain, but they have a huge and varied menu, lots of "healthy" food, veggie and vegan options and interesting drinks and cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
The best breads you can find. Plus cakes, coffee, soup, salads and sandwiches. Eat in or out.
45 místní doporučují
Panemar
48 Bulevardul EroilorThe best breads you can find. Plus cakes, coffee, soup, salads and sandwiches. Eat in or out.
Shopping
It's the central market. Mostly indoors so you don't get wet if it rains! Lots of country people sell their produce here. You can also buy flowers, dairy produce, meat, hand carved wooden items and there's a supermarket and car park below it. It's a good atmosphere in the market.
15 místní doporučují
Piața Mihai Viteazu
Piața Mihai ViteazuIt's the central market. Mostly indoors so you don't get wet if it rains! Lots of country people sell their produce here. You can also buy flowers, dairy produce, meat, hand carved wooden items and there's a supermarket and car park below it. It's a good atmosphere in the market.
It's big and glitzy, has a huge Carrefour supermarket and just about everything you need. Easy parking.
91 místní doporučují
VIVO Cluj Napoca
Strada Avram IancuIt's big and glitzy, has a huge Carrefour supermarket and just about everything you need. Easy parking.
Auchan is a great supermarket. I particularly like the speciality bread section! Underground car parking.
36 místní doporučují
Iulius Mall Vest station
Strada Alexandru Vaida VoevodAuchan is a great supermarket. I particularly like the speciality bread section! Underground car parking.
Arts & Culture
Filarmonica De Stat Transilvania
First class classical concerts.
It's a beautiful theatre. It has an amazing range of plays, operas, ballets etc. Tickets are very cheap by western standards.
21 místní doporučují
Cluj-Napoca Romanian National Opera
2-4 Piața Ștefan cel MareIt's a beautiful theatre. It has an amazing range of plays, operas, ballets etc. Tickets are very cheap by western standards.
Fascinating and well laid-out museum. Lots to learn about local history and traditions. Nice little shop selling icons, embroidery and other hand crafts.
28 místní doporučují
Transylvánské muzeum etnografie
21 Strada MemorandumuluiFascinating and well laid-out museum. Lots to learn about local history and traditions. Nice little shop selling icons, embroidery and other hand crafts.
For anyone in the pharmaceutical/medical/nursing field, or just interested - it's a great museum. Diagonally opposite the Catholic Cathedral on the corner, opposite the Melodie Hotel.
18 místní doporučují
Museum of Pharmacy
28 Piața UniriiFor anyone in the pharmaceutical/medical/nursing field, or just interested - it's a great museum. Diagonally opposite the Catholic Cathedral on the corner, opposite the Melodie Hotel.
Entertainment & Activities
There are lots of exhibitions, craft markets, demonstrations, all sorts of entertainments, in this square. Look also at the Roman ruins which are underneath the glass viewing windows.
23 místní doporučují
Piața Unirii
Piața UniriiThere are lots of exhibitions, craft markets, demonstrations, all sorts of entertainments, in this square. Look also at the Roman ruins which are underneath the glass viewing windows.
Romanian football matches are just enormous fun! Romanians really know how to enjoy themselves! The atmosphere is amazing...
Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu
23 Strada Romulus VuiaRomanian football matches are just enormous fun! Romanians really know how to enjoy themselves! The atmosphere is amazing...
Cluj actually has two opera houses. This is the Hungarian one. They have some first-class productions and concerts.
30 místní doporučují
Hungarian Opera
26-28 Strada Emil IsacCluj actually has two opera houses. This is the Hungarian one. They have some first-class productions and concerts.
Parks & Nature
Big, green space in the centre of the city. Boating lake is fun!
130 místní doporučují
Simion Barnukiu v Central Parku
Big, green space in the centre of the city. Boating lake is fun!
This is a very old and beautiful botanical garden, near the town centre.
118 místní doporučují
Botanical Garden
15 Strada Alexandru BorzaThis is a very old and beautiful botanical garden, near the town centre.
These mountains are where we built our house. About 1-2 hours from Cluj. It is stunningly beautiful, and geologically very interesting. There is an underground glacier which is unique, some amazing caves, a Roman gold mine, and lots of other fascinating places to visit.
Apuseni Mountains
These mountains are where we built our house. About 1-2 hours from Cluj. It is stunningly beautiful, and geologically very interesting. There is an underground glacier which is unique, some amazing caves, a Roman gold mine, and lots of other fascinating places to visit.
Essentials
INMEDIO CARREFOUR VIVO
492-500 Strada Avram IancuHuge supermarket.
Cora Cluj
142 Bulevardul 1 Decembrie 1918Particularly good supermarket for "foreign" food.
Really nice supermarket close to town centre. The closest one to the flat. Underground car parking.
Auchan Iulius
53B Strada Alexandru Vaida VoevodReally nice supermarket close to town centre. The closest one to the flat. Underground car parking.
Lidl
109 Strada RepubliciiThis is the closest Lidl to the flat. It has underground car parking.
Big supermarket, not far from the apartment. It's where I buy all my basics. Has good veggie and vegan stuff.
29 místní doporučují
Kaufland
9-19 Strada CâmpuluiBig supermarket, not far from the apartment. It's where I buy all my basics. Has good veggie and vegan stuff.
Sightseeing
This has a chapel with the most beautiful icon painting you could hope to see. We got married there! It's like a little chocolate box. It's a seminary, but if you smile sweetly at the porter, and tell him you want to go to the chapel, "capela" hopefully he'll let you in! It's well worth it! The entrance is opposite the Orthodox Cathedral, you will see a notice for the Orthodox Seminary beside the archway entrance.
Orthodox Theological Seminary Cluj-Napoca
18 Piața Avram IancuThis has a chapel with the most beautiful icon painting you could hope to see. We got married there! It's like a little chocolate box. It's a seminary, but if you smile sweetly at the porter, and tell him you want to go to the chapel, "capela" hopefully he'll let you in! It's well worth it! The entrance is opposite the Orthodox Cathedral, you will see a notice for the Orthodox Seminary beside the archway entrance.
This is a marvellous viewpoint on a hill from which you can see the whole city. The old communist hotel is not up to much but the view is just spectactular and you can have a drink up there and admire it.
18 místní doporučují
Hotel Belvedere
1 Str. CălărașilorThis is a marvellous viewpoint on a hill from which you can see the whole city. The old communist hotel is not up to much but the view is just spectactular and you can have a drink up there and admire it.
Park Cetățuia
60a Strada Emil RacovițăThe panoramic views of the town are magnificent.