|
0845 3000 247 +44 (0)1539 531258 |
|
HIGHLIGHTS |
|
Piata Unirii Serbian Metroplitanate Catholic Cathedral Baroque Palace Dicasterial Palace Piata Libertatii Piata Victoriei Orthodox Cathedral Tökes Reformed Church 1989 Revolution Museum Banat Museum Village Museum Piata Plevnei Fabric District Secessionist Architecture Tramway Museum |
|
SURROUNDINGS |
|
Recas Wine Cellars Buzias Spa Arad Zarand Hills & Vineyards (Paulis, Minis, Ghioroc) Ghioroc Tramway Maria Radna Monastery Soimos Fortress Mures Wetlands Reserve Oradea |
|
TRAVEL |
|
NEW Stansted - Timisoara flight with Carpatair - see below Scheduled services with Malev from Heathrow and Stansted, with Tarom, Austrian, Lufthansa or Alitalia from Heathrow, Connections from Manchester and Birmingham with Alitalia and Lufthansa. Low-cost flights to Budapest by Easyjet from London or Newcastle, or Jet2 from Manchester ( 5 hour connections by minibus direct from the airport) Regular domestic flights from Bucharest Otopeni with Tarom. or Sibiu, Cluj, Oradea, Bacau and Iasi with Carpatair; Interregional flights with Carpatair to Düsseldorf, Munich,Stuttgart, Bergamo, Turin, Verona, Ancona, Florence, Rome Treviso and Chisinau International rail services from Budapest and Belgrade, and connections via Arad to Vienna & Prague. There are several daily 'intercity' or 'Rapid' services to Bucharest and Craiova including an overnight service, and very convenient 'Blue Arrow' (Sageata Albastra) intercity services to Cluj, Arad, Oradea, Deva and Sibiu. Local express services also connect Arad, Oradea, Cluj, Suceava, Iasi, Sibiu, Brasov, Resita and Satu Mare. Transfers, city tours, rail tickets and even short breaks can be reserved in advance. |
Timisoara "Little Vienna" & the Banat
City breaks from £ 327.00 for 3 days
in its proud independence, beautiful architecture and its lively shopping and nightlife.
ACCOMMODATION LOCATION MAP TIMISOARA GALLERY ORADEA GALLERY FLIGHTS GETTING ABOUT CAR HIRE
CONTACT US
0845 3000 247
+44 (0)1539 531258
Timisoara ('Temesvar') has always been a progressive, cosmopolitan city,facing West rather than East, so it was no surprise that the spark of the1989 Revolution was ignited here. Other claims include the first city with trams, the first in continental Europe with electric street lighting and the oldest hydro-electric station in Europe. It is also a very beautiful city with open squares, parks and gardens, elegant boutiques,cafes and and restaurants, and a wide variety of architecture, principally baroque, neo-classical and art nouveau, making it ideal for a short break or as a base for a longer holiday in western Romania. The focal point is the tall orthodox cathedral (1936-46 combining neo-byzantine and Moldavian elements) standing at the end of the main square, Piata Victoriei, overlooking the Bega Canal. The square is lined with impressive late secessionist apartment 'palaces'(see separate section - link below).
SEE BELOW FOR SHORT BREAKS IN TIMISOARA
STOP PRESS ... NEW direct flight from LONDON STANSTED to TIMISOARA
Carpatair are proposing to commence operating a service from London Stansted to Timisoara during 2007.
Connections to Bucharest, Cluj, Constanta, Iasi, Sibiu, and Suceava. International connections to Lviv (Ukraine) and Chisinau (Moldova).
London - Timisoara service operated by Fokker 100 aircraft.
UPDATE: No confirmation of the service as of February 2007 - watch this space
Best UK - Timisoara fares are currently with Austrian Airlines (if booked minimum 14 days in advance)
Carpatair are proposing to commence operating a service from London Stansted to Timisoara during 2007.
Connections to Bucharest, Cluj, Constanta, Iasi, Sibiu, and Suceava. International connections to Lviv (Ukraine) and Chisinau (Moldova).
London - Timisoara service operated by Fokker 100 aircraft.
UPDATE: No confirmation of the service as of February 2007 - watch this space
Best UK - Timisoara fares are currently with Austrian Airlines (if booked minimum 14 days in advance)
Other attractions in the city centre include the Mediaeval 'Maria Teresa' Bastion (1730-33, part of Timisoara's formerly extensive defences), the massive Dicasterial Palace (1860), the Deschan Palace, and the Sezessionist National Bank (undergoing renovation in 2005) and Post Office buildings, and the Banat Museum which is housed in the 14th century Hunyadi Castle, heavily rebuilt over the following centuries and most recently in neo-gothic style in 1856.
Piata Unirii with the Catholic Cathedral ('Dom')
and Plague Column, Timisoara
and Plague Column, Timisoara
South and east of the canal are the districts of Josefin, Elisabetin and Fabric, constructed mainly in the late 19th century, and with some gems of 'Jugendstil' or art nouveau architecture. Check out the peaceful Piata Plevnei for example, a quiet niche where couples stroll hand-in-hand in the shade of the lime trees, and time seems to stand still. The park has recently been relaid. Or take the tram into Fabric past the former Neptun baths and along a boulevard of facades reminiscent of Prague, with an abundance of sculpted stucco ornamentation - vegetal and floral motifs, owls, elegant figures and masks. Peep inside and you will find sinuous wrought iron and even stained glass. Most of all Timisoara is a city for strolling - everybody has their favourite corner, or time of year - there is no hurry. If you need to rest your feet, a tram will be along in a moment - the system is fast, frequent and efficient. We can even arrange a tour with a nostalgic tram from the museum. For details about the system including route map click: www.ratt.ro
SPECIAL: Click here to read about Timisoara & it's Secessionist / Art Nouveau architecture
SPECIAL: Click here for our photo galleries: TIMISOARA, ORADEA
Timisoara offers a wide selection of entertainment - restaurants (Romanian, Hungarian, Serbian, Italian, Chinese, etc) cafes, clubs, bars and of course, theatre, music concerts and opera. This is a very lively city with a substantial university campus. For an interesting comparison try reading 'Land of Green Plums', by Herta Müller, a book written about the hopelessness and horror of the Ceausescu era, and centred around the university campus. There is a wine festival and a beer festival, wine tasting in the cellars at nearby Recas, and a beer garden at the Timisoreana Brewery. Timisoara is also an excellent city for buying Italian fashions; indeed it is something of a shoppers' paradise. There are open-air bazaars, and vivid flower, fruit and vegetable markets - try those at Piata 700 in the centre, or at Piata Badea Cartan (formerly the haymarket) in Fabric. With regards to restaurants some of the best include the 'Mackintosh-style' Lloyd on the corner of Piata Victoriei, Maestro near Piata Libertatii, Mioriticfor excellent traditional cuisine (close to the student campus), Da Toni, the best Italian restaurant also serving freshly made pizza and calzone (Strada Daliei, student campus), and Casa cu Flori (local Banat cuisine - on the pedestrian way between Piata Victoriei and Piata Libertatii). For a quick and tasty takeaway including a local 'Serbian' Pleskavita try the Java Coffee House just south of Piata Unirii on Strada A. Pacha.
NATIONAL THEATRE (Teatrul National Timisoara)
The National Theatre and Opera at the top of Piata Victoriei, is an excellent, inexpensive venue for
a night out. The ticket office is located at the side of the building opposite Hotel Timisoara.
Forthcoming events are normally advertised on posters at the front of the the theatre.
The quality of performances is excellent and the actual theatre richly decorated and very beautiful.
The current theatre with its simple, but imposing white facade featuring a neo-byzantine arch
over a balcony, was desined by Duliu Marcu in 1920 to replace Fellmer & Hellmer's original building
which was destroyed by fire. Recent performances have included La Traviata and a Strauss concert
by the Timisoara Orchestra of Strauss. There is also a music festival during October
with performances on most evenings. To the east side are the entrances to the separate
German and Hungarian language theatres. Information including forthcoming programmes
(Romanian language website):
Teatrul Nationala Timisoara and Opera Nationala Timisoara
Info Central Turistic Timisoara, Strada Alba Iulia; Tel. 0256 437973; email: [email protected]
The old cities of Timisoara, Arad and Oradea, formerly part of the 'Banat of Temesvár' are natural gateways to Transylvania, which may be approached either via the Iron Gate of Transylvania, the Crisul Repede Valley or the Mures Valley.
ARAD, the first city reached by one of the principal land corridors into Romania, stands beside the Mures river, and faces a huge 18th century Austrian Vauban-style bastion, 'Cetatea Aradului' (1762-83), built in the shape of a six-pointed star and still serving as a military base. It is a city of impressive buildings and architecture, with many of the main sights located along the principal thoroughfare, the broad Bulevard Revolutiei with trams running along it through the strip of park down the centre. These include the impressive, brilliant white City Hall "Palatul Administrativ' (Derenc Pekár, 1876 - after Ödön Lechner), the Palace of Culture (Szantay, 1913) behind it in Piata Enescu, the Red Church (Szántay 1906 - neo-Ggothic and secessionist), the large, domed Roman Catholic Church (1902-4) and the neo-classicalState Theatre (1874). There are also some delightful examples of art nouveau, as with Oradea, in particular along Strada Closca and around Piata Avram Iancu, e.g. Palatul Bohus (Szantay). There is also an extensive open air market in the older part of the town, west of Piata Avram Iancu, overshadowed by the tall towers of the baroque Orthodox Cathedral (1865) and nearby the old water tower (1896) whih is being restored as a museum. At the corner with Strada Mihai Eminescu you will find the Secessionist Farmacia Grozavescu (Emil Tabakovits, formerly Földes Pharmacy) which still functions with its original interior. East of Piata Avram Iancu stands the Old Theatre (Jacob Hirschl, 1817) where Mihai Eminescu once worked. It bcame the Urania Cinema in 19o3 but is now being restored with a view to reopening as a theatre. Further south near Piatra Veche, location of teh former fish markets, lies the old Jewish quarter and a couple of synagogues. Beyond is the Serbian quarter and the attractive Serbian church of St. Petru & Pavel (1692-1702) which was rebuilt in a baroque style in 1790. Like the rest of the Banat, Arad was ruled for many years by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and during this time saw several uprisings. It still has a German-speaking minority but unlike the Saxons of Transylvania these settlers were Swabians arriving in Habsburg times. Like Timisoara, Arad is presently undergoing considerable restoration.
Arad may be visited as a day trip from Timisoara (50 minutes by train) or we can book you into a hotel such as the rather atmospheric Ardealul or the international Parc. Arad is also a good starting point for a tour, one of our 'Patrick Leigh Fermor' Trails for example, or not so far, to explore the string of wine villages extending along the foot of the Zarand Hills north from the Mures: Minis, Ghioroc, Pâncota and Ineu. Ghioroc may be reached at a relaxing snail's pace by tram, or we could even organise a tour by vintage tram. In Minis we can offer you a lovely old home and restaurant belonging to a former aristocrat. Nearby is the old abbey of Maria Radna with its baroque twin-towered pilgrimage church (1756) immortalisd by Patrick Leigh Fermor and his game of skittles with a Franciscan Monk. Trains from Timisoara or Arad to Radna. To the east the ruins of Soimos fortress mark the beginning of the Mures defile.
Downstream from Arad, near to Cenad, you will find the excellent Mures Wetlands Nature Reserve (Parcul Natural Lunca Muresului) - a fascinating region of water meadows created by the annual flooding of the Mures, with associated marshes, oxbow lakes and characteristic woodland such as the Cenad Forest. Guided tours can be organised to this wildlife paradise which is home to a wide diversity of species ranging from great cretsed newts, fire-bellied toads, otters, wild cats, wild boar and red deer to birds such as lesser-spotted eagles, osprey, marsh harriers, storks, spoonbills, glossy ibis, night herons, little bitterns and bee-eaters.
ORADEA (Nagyvárad) is located on the Crisul Repede river and offers an alternative gateway to the Apuseni and the Maramures. It is a cultural city with broad squares and some very impressive architecture - the late baroque Moon church (Eder Jakab, 1784-90) which shows the phase of the moon, the elegant baroque catholic cathedral (1752-80) and immense Bishops Palace (1762-76), both designed by Hildebrandt, and the stunning art nouveau Vulturul Negru "Black Eagle" shopping, hotel and cinema complex (Jakab Dezsö & Komor Marcel, 1907-9) which has delightful stained glass and a glass-canopied arcade, and has been fully renovated over the last couple of years are a few examples. The pedestrianised Strada Republicii is lined with extravagant secessionist apartments richly ornamented with stucco ceramics and painted in a delightful mixture of sugar-candy colours - turquoise, lemon yellow, rose pink, mint green, peach and powder blue! These include the eclectic Bazaar (1900), and the art nouveau/ secession Palatul Moskovits (1905) with a very attractive cormer balcony, Palatul Rimanóczy (1906), and the Palatul Apollo (1913), all designed by Rimanóczy Kalman Jr., the Palatul Stern (Jakab Dezsö & Komor Marcel, 1909 - Hungarian-style art noveau like Vulturaul Negru), and the Casa Poinar (Sztarill Ferenc, 1911), now the Mihai Eminescu bookshop. It is a wonderful city for wandering and offers, attractive open squares on either side of the river. The Piata Ferdinand on the northern bank is dominated by the State Theatre with a sumptuous interior (Fellner & Helmer, 1899), the art nouveau Astoria Hotel (formerly Emke Palace, 1902-6). The much larger Piata Unirii (formerly the 'small market') on the south bank includes the Vulturul Negru, the Moon Church, Greco-catholic Episcopal Palace (Rimanóczy Kalman Jr., 1903-4), City Hall (Rimanóczy Kalman Jr., 1902-3), and the baroque St. Ladislau catholic church (1723-42). Other attractions include numerous churches, the Orthodox (Bach Nandor, 1890) and Neologue (Busch David & Rimanóczy Kalman Sr., 1878), the Ady Endre Memorial Museum and the former fortress with its bastions (1569-1618). Oradea has a good selectio of quality hotels including a few atmospheric art nouveau examples (including Vulturul Negru 4* - open May 2005, Astoria 2*, and Parc 1*) and several decent restaurants, including the excellent Unicum Hungarian Restaurant, beside the Mihai Eminescu bookshop. Oradea is situated at the northern end of the Banat, a region usually referred to as "Crisana" and noted for its thermal spas such as Baile Felix, which has comprehensive facilities, which have recently been refurbished, and a selection of resort hotels. This spa is also known for its unique water-lilies.
ORADEA PHOTO GALLERY
|
>HOTEL
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
||
| >Hotel Savoy 4* |
|
319.00
|
51.00
|
23.00
|
38.00
|
| >Hotel Vila International 4* |
|
307.00
|
45.00
|
26.00
|
40.00
|
| >Hotel Continental 3* |
|
304.00
|
44.00
|
23.00
|
38.00
|
| >Hotel Victoria 3* or Timisoara 3* |
|
314.00
|
41.00
|
28.00
|
47.00
|
| >Personal guided city tour (3 - 4 hours) - excl. entrance fees |
20.00 per person
|
||||
| >Romanian Revolution city tour (3 - 4 hours) - excl. entrance fees |
20.00 per person
|
||||
| >Day trip to Ghioroc & Arad for trams (+ tips for Ghioroc museum) |
98.00 per car
|
||||
| >Trip to Recas for wine tasting and lunch (minimum 2 people) |
30.00 per person
|
||||
| >Trip to Paulis for wine tasting and dinner (minimum 2 people) |
35.00 per person
|
||||
| >Day trip to Maria Radna Abbey, Soimos & Lipova |
115.00 per car
|
||||
| >Day trip to Mures Wetlands Reserve with guide |
TBA
|
||||
| >Transfer: Budapest Airport - Timisoara (scheduled minibus) |
45.00 per person/ one way
|
||||
|
>Transfer: Budapest Airport - Timisoara (private car)
|
135.00 per car
|
||||
- Scheduled return flights from London Heathrow via Budapest to Timisoara
- Airport taxes and passenger facility charges
- Return personal transfers from airport to city
- 2 nights bed & breakfast accommodation
Adult Prices are per person in £ Sterling (GBP)
All packages MUST include a Saturday Night or minimum 3 nights stay
All prices are valid until further notice and subject to availability
These are examples only; a wide range of alternative hotels and airlines, including regional departures, are also available
Why not combine your stay in Timisoara with a few days in the elegant spa resort of Baile Herculane in the beautiful Domogled Natural Park and Cerna Mountains?
All packages MUST include a Saturday Night or minimum 3 nights stay
All prices are valid until further notice and subject to availability
These are examples only; a wide range of alternative hotels and airlines, including regional departures, are also available
Why not combine your stay in Timisoara with a few days in the elegant spa resort of Baile Herculane in the beautiful Domogled Natural Park and Cerna Mountains?
Hotel Residenta - exclusive, newly opened hotel in a villa surrounded by gardens south of the centre; luxurious suites on request
Hotel International - Ceausescu's modernist-style villa in gardens near the children's park; excellent value - see Accommodation page for full history
Hotel Timisoara - standard 3* hotel with excellent facilities and excellent central location
Hotel Banatul - recently renovated and upgraded standard hotel, station side of city centre - good value
Please refer to our separate ACCOMMODATION page for further information
FURTHER READING
Rough Guide Romania (4th Edition) - published September 2004
Blue Guide Romania - for more detailed cultural information
"Timisoara - the History of a European City" Iliesu (Fundatia Timisoara '89) - very nice history of the city now available in English
"Székely László" - biography of the architect Székely László with details of his buildings in Timisoara; available from Romanian bookshops
"Timisoara Timis Ghid" - comprehensive, annual booklet (and detailed atreet map) covering all sights, attractions and listings; available at Mihai Eminescu bookshop
"I Love Timisoara" Dinu Barbu, published by Editura Almanahul Banatului - pocket guide to Timisoara
"Oradea" Muzeului Tarii Crisurilor 2002 - colour album of all Oradea's sights, English text
"In Another Europe" Georgina Harding - very nice descriptions of pre-1989 Oradea
You will also find other city guides in local bookstores including an Arad Album and an historic Timisoara Monograph. "What, Where, When ... Timisoara" is a free publication often left in hotel foyers or rooms which lists services, entertainment, restaurants and events. mainly aimed at business travellers but very useful, especially for the city map. The Central Turistic Timisoara provide a wide range range of useful information and leaflets covering the Banat region.
In the city of Timisoara, on 17 November 1989, a small group of faithful followers forms outside the home of the popular Reformist pastor Laszlo Tökes. He has long been a thorn in the side of the Securitate for his criticism of the Ceausescu regime and finally the police have been called in to evict him. This intervention provokes the initial demonstration and some reports suggest that a picket continues through the following weeks.
15.12.1989"
Over the following days 97 people died and 210 were injured in fighting between the people of the Timisoara, the Military, Police and Securitate.
Click here for the full story of Ceausescu & the Revolution
Click here for information about the Memorial Museum of the Romanian Revolution
Serbian Metropolitanate, Timisoara / Moise Nicoara College, Arad / Art Nouveau architecture on Strada Closca, Arad
Serbian Metropolitanate and Cathedral with the Plague Column, Piata Unirii / Stucco in Piata Maria / Catholic Cathedral - all Timisoara
Tram with Szekely's Piarist Church / Piata Victoriei and orthodox cathedral at night / Leafy niche in Piata Plevnei - all Timisoara
Vulturul Negru complex / Art Nouveau corner balcony at Palatul Moskovits / Hildebrandt's baroque Episcopal Palace - all in Oradea
Serbian Metropolitanate and Cathedral with the Plague Column, Piata Unirii / Stucco in Piata Maria / Catholic Cathedral - all Timisoara
Tram with Szekely's Piarist Church / Piata Victoriei and orthodox cathedral at night / Leafy niche in Piata Plevnei - all Timisoara
Vulturul Negru complex / Art Nouveau corner balcony at Palatul Moskovits / Hildebrandt's baroque Episcopal Palace - all in Oradea
Visit our PHOTO GALLERIES for more pictures: TIMISOARA, ORADEA
is a Division of BCD Meetings & Incentives
1 Atkinson Court, Fell Foot, Newby Bridge, Cumbria, United Kingdom LA12 8NW
Tel. +44 (0)1539 531258 or UK local rate: 0845 3000 247; Email. [email protected]
ATOL 3319 - IATA 91267691
The air holidays and flights shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL nrmber is ATOL 3319.
ATOL protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom.
Click on the ATOL logo if you want to know more.
Copyright © 2007 Transylvania Uncovered - the Romania Travel Specialists