Official Name

Oradea in Romanian, Nagyvárad in Hungarian and Grosswardein in German (the latter is just a translation of the Hungarian name). Since Oradea and the area around was Hungarian territory for a long time and many Hungarians still live in the city, you can see the Hungarian name quite often.

Location

	Oradea

Oradea, more than 400 km (as the crow flies) north-west of →Bucharest, is only around 10 km away from the border to →Hungary. It marks the northern centre of the historic district Crişana and Banat (Banat is the southern part, Crişana the area around Oradea). The town lies in a fertile plain, which gradually develops into the Puszta in the north and the west. The small river Crişul Repede flows through the centre of town. Oradea is the administrative centre of Bihor district.

Population

About 210,000. Oradea is the 11th largest town in Romania. Every fourth citizen is Hungarian.

Orientation

Oradea belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire for quite a long time, and this is evident in the old centre of town. Almost all buildings display Habsburg-style architecture, making the town looking completely different to other towns in Romania. The river Repede crosses the town from east to west. There are two squares facing each other at the riverside - one is called Piaţa Ferdinand , the other Piaţa Unirii (Union Square). South of the river and east of a large park, there's the old citadel of Oradea. The train station is about 2 km away from the centre in the northern part of town. Str. Republicii leads to the station. Around 10 km to the north-west there's the border crossing. Several crumbling factories, some new shops, petrol stations and more line up along the road to the crossing.

Getting there / transportation

There are some direct trains from →Budapest to Oradea. However, it's much cheaper to take the local train to Biharkeresztes and then to Püspökladany on the Hungarian side. But only very few local trains cross the border. The only option to get to and from the border crossing is by taxi, which costs around € 10 from the crossing to the centre of Oradea (I guess we've paid too much, but we hadn't had a choice - it was the only taxi).

There are some daily trains to →Satu Mare north-east of Oradea and to →Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg) in the east. The local train to the latter needs a gruelling 5 hours (for 130 km!) and costs 8.30 Lei (euro; 2) per person. The accelerat needs half of the time for twice the money. There's also a direct train to the capital →Bucharest.

Several thousand years ago, first tribes settled in the area around present-day Oradea. But a town was not mentioned before the year 1113. The place was known as Varadinum (see the Hungarian and German name above!). At that time, the area was part of the Hungarian Kingdom and became an important Catholic stronghold. From 1660 to 1692, Ottomans occupied the town, but the town continued to grow. Since 1692, Oradea was part of the Habsburg-ruled Austrian empire, which shouldn't change until the defeat of Austria in the year 1918. Ever since, Oradea marked the western border of the Romanian kingdom. In 1940, Hungary invaded the town, and so it remained under Hungarian control until 1944. Again it became a part of Romania, with a strong Hungarian minority, which was about to play an important role in the 1989 revolution. At the beginning of the 20th century, Oradea was also called 'Petit Paris'. When you walk around the old town you will understand why.

	View over Crişul Repede to the Hotel Vulturul Negru

The area around Piaţa Unirii and Piaţa Ferdinand is particularly interesting. The two squares are joined by a bridge spanning the river Repede. Among the buildings facing Piaţa Ferdinand, there's the National theatre and other magnificent buildings.

	Viteazul Statue on Piaţa Unirii

At Piaţa Unirii, there's the large Hotel Vulturul Negru, which is under reconstruction (as of summer 2004). There's an old and beautiful shopping arcade inside the hotel. Within sight, there's the crumbling synagogue, which doesn't seem to be used at the moment. In the middle of Union Square, there's a statue of Mihail Viteazul - a Wallachian prince from the 16th century. Another highlight at Union Square is the Orthodox Moon Church with a clock adjusted to the moon's orbit, which is quite unusual. Unfortunately it's not possible to see the clockwork. Furthermore, the city hall as well as the library are worth a closer look.

	The somehow morbidly fascinating citadel of Oradea

Walk eastwards from Piaţa Unirii for a few minutes and you will get to the Central Park with the Palace of Culture standing in the middle of it. Within spitting distance of the park, there's the large Cetatea Oradiei (Oradea Citadel), which was already built in the 11th and 12th century. The red-brick fortress shows the typical jagged ground plan. It is surrounded by a wide and deep moat and has countless cellars and underground passages. Since the fortress is not restored at all, it's possible to walk around freely and have a closer look at the remainings. A fascinating place. Some of the buildings inside are more or less intact and used by the Academy of Arts, which is obvious when you see all the artworks installed in the courtyard. As of May 2004, parts of the citadel were under reconstruction. However, it's a very large citadel and it will take many years if not decades to accomplish the task.

	Great but dilapidated buildings on Str. Republicii

The main pedestrian zone in town is called Str. Republicii, starts at Piaţa Ferdinand and runs direction north-east. Many hotels, restaurants, cafés, boutiques etc line up along the street making it a popular shopping street. There are also some magnificent houses built around the year 1900 during Oradea's heyday. Unfortunately, many of the buildings are in a very bad condition, but some of them have been already restored. Especially the buildings around the corner of Str. Republicii and Str. Eminescu are particularly beautiful. If you want to see a well-preserved Habsburg town, Oradea is the place to go. You won't see something similar in Hungary or Austria.

Only a few kilometres south of the town, there are two spas called Băile Felix and Băile 1 Mai. Both of them have several swimming pools and thermal springs. Buses run between the town and the spas.

	Continental Hotel
	Rating: 4 Room amenities: bathrobes, hair dryer, internet access, in room safe, television, mini bar >>Check availability

>>Description

With its central location, Continental Hotel is within easy reach of most tourist attractions and business addresses in Oradea. All 141 at this 4-star property offers well-furnished rooms and attentive service. Room amenities include bathrobes, hair dryer, internet access, in room safe, television. To suit guests' convenience, this Oradea accommodation offers room service 24hr, executive floor, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant, business center, poolside bar. For a more enjoyable stay, guests can take advantage of a variety of recreational facilities, including massage, sauna, pool outdoor. Modern comfort and convenience are seamlessly combined to ensure the guests' satisfaction. The hotel provides a warm and welcoming service of international standard. To reserve a room at the Continental Hotel, simply select your dates of stay and fill in our secure online booking form.

	Atrium Hotel
	Rating: 3 Price: from US$54 Price: from US$5 Room amenities: non smoking rooms, air conditioning, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, satellite/cable TV >>Check availability

>>Description

Discover all that Oradea has to offer with Atrium Hotel as a base. This 3-star hotel offers 20 comfortable guestrooms with a range of in-room facilities suitable for the modern traveler. All of the guestrooms are replete with non smoking rooms, air conditioning, television, bathtub, shower. Guests staying at this Oradea accommodation can enjoy a wide range of hotel facilities such as room service 24hr, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant. Hotel's guests can experience on-site latest leisure and sports facilities such as massage. Along with its convenient location in Oradea, the hotel also offers a wide range of services and facilities to the guests. With elegant facilities and hospitality, guests at this hotel will surely have an impressive stay. For your reservation at the Atrium Hotel, simply submit your dates and complete our secure online booking form.

	Eden Hotel
	Rating: 3 Room amenities: air conditioning, television, shower, mini bar, balcony/terrace, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

With its central location, Eden Hotel is within easy reach of most tourist attractions and business addresses in Oradea. All of the hotel's 18 guestrooms are equipped with standard in-room amenities to ensure the maximum comfort for its guests. Each guestroom has non smoking rooms, air conditioning, television, shower, mini bar, balcony/terrace. To suit guests' convenience, this Oradea accommodation offers room service 24hr, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, restaurant, room service, business center. Being one of the good quality hotels in Oradea, guests staying at this hotel will find its convenient location and tranquil atmosphere pleasurable. For your reservation at the Eden Hotel Oradea, please select your dates of stay and fill in our secure online booking form.

	Vulturul Negru Hotel
	Rating: 4 Price: from US$51 Price: from US$5 Room amenities: air conditioning, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, balcony/terrace, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

The Vulturul Negru Hotel is located in Oradea making it one of the best hotels to stay at while in town. All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences expected in a hotel in its class to suit guests' utmost comforts. Each guestroom is fully equipped with non smoking rooms, air conditioning, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar. This beautiful Oradea accommodation provides room service 24hr, executive floor, elevator, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant, room service to suit all guests' utmost convenience. For guests to unwind, the hotel offers a variety of facilities and services including massage. Modern comfort and convenience are seamlessly combined to ensure the guests' satisfaction. To proceed with your reservation at the Vulturul Negru Hotel via our secure online booking form, please enter your period of stay.

	Continental Forum Oradea
	Rating: 4 Price: from US$58 Price: from US$5 Room amenities: air conditioning, daily newspaper, hair dryer, television, shower, separate shower and tub, mini bar, satellite/cable TV, jacuzzi bathtub, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

Discover all that Oradea has to offer with Continental Forum Oradea as a base. All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences expected in a hotel in its class to suit guests' utmost comforts. The guestrooms are equipped with non smoking rooms, air conditioning, daily newspaper, hair dryer, television, shower. The amenities and services offered at this Oradea accommodation include room service 24hr, elevator, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant, room service, safety deposit boxes. To unwind, guests can enjoy the leisure facilities provided on the hotel's property, including massage, gym/fitness facilities, sauna, pool outdoor. The hotel creates a balance of rich culture and modern convinience to ensure you a memorable stay. To proceed with your reservation at the Continental Forum Oradea via our secure online booking form, please enter your period of stay.

	Hotel Impero
	Rating: 3 Room amenities: air conditioning, daily newspaper, desk, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, satellite/cable TV, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

With its central location, Hotel Impero is within easy reach of most tourist attractions and business addresses in Oradea. All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences expected in a hotel in its class to suit guests' utmost comforts. The guestrooms are equipped with non smoking rooms, air conditioning, daily newspaper, desk, television. This beautiful Oradea accommodation provides room service 24hr, elevator, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant to suit all guests' utmost convenience. Along with its convenient location in Oradea, the hotel also offers a wide range of services and facilities to the guests. For your reservation at the Hotel Impero Oradea, please choose your period of stay and fill out our secure online booking form.

	Vila Opera Hotel
	Rating: 3 Room amenities: air conditioning, desk, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, satellite/cable TV >>Check availability

>>Description

With its central location, Vila Opera Hotel is within easy reach of most tourist attractions and business addresses in Oradea. All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences expected in a hotel in its class to suit guests' utmost comforts. Each guestroom is fully equipped with air conditioning, desk, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, satellite/cable TV. To suit guests' convenience, this Oradea accommodation offers room service 24hr, restaurant, safety deposit boxes, business center. For guests to unwind, the hotel offers a variety of facilities and services including garden. These top-class facilities are complemented to excellent services to meet the needs of visitors to Oradea. For your reservation at the Vila Opera Hotel Oradea, please choose your period of stay and fill out our secure online booking form.

	Hotel Nevis
	Rating: 3 Price: from US$45 Price: from US$4 Room amenities: air conditioning, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, balcony/terrace, satellite/cable TV, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

The Hotel Nevis is located in Oradea making it one of the best hotels to stay at while in town. All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences expected in a hotel in its class to suit guests' utmost comforts. Each guestroom features amenities such as air conditioning, television, shower, mini bar, balcony/terrace, satellite/cable TV. Services and amenities available for guests at this Oradea accommodation consist of room service 24hr, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant. Along with its convenient location in Oradea, the hotel also offers a wide range of services and facilities to the guests. The hotel provides a warm and welcoming service of international standard. For your reservation at the Hotel Nevis, simply submit your dates and complete our secure online booking form.

	Living In Aparthotel
	Rating: 3 Price: from US$53 Price: from US$5 Room amenities: air conditioning, bathrobes, daily newspaper, desk, hair dryer, ironing board, television, bathtub, shower, mini bar, microwave, kitchenette, balcony/terrace, satellite/cable TV, coffee/tea maker, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

The Living In Aparthotel is located in Oradea making it one of the best hotels to stay at while in town. All hotel's guestrooms have all the conveniences expected in a hotel in its class to suit guests' utmost comforts. All of the guestrooms are replete with non smoking rooms, air conditioning, bathrobes, daily newspaper, desk. The basic amenities provided at this Oradea accommodation comprise room service 24hr, laundry service/dry cleaning, room service, hotel/airport transfer, business center, pets allowed. The hotel offers garden to provide extra pleasure and relaxation for all guests. The hotel provides a warm and welcoming service of international standard. To proceed with your booking at the Living In Aparthotel, simply choose your travel dates and fill in our secure online booking form.

	Hotel Perla
	Rating: 3 Price: from US$49 Price: from US$4 Room amenities: air conditioning, bathrobes, daily newspaper, desk, hair dryer, ironing board, television, bathtub, shower, separate shower and tub, mini bar, balcony/terrace, satellite/cable TV, non smoking rooms >>Check availability

>>Description

With its central location, Hotel Perla is within easy reach of most tourist attractions and business addresses in Oradea. The Hotel Perla boasts a convenient location with modern amenities in every guestroom and superb service. All of the guestrooms are replete with non smoking rooms, air conditioning, bathrobes, daily newspaper, desk, hair dryer, ironing board. The amenities and services offered at this Oradea accommodation include room service 24hr, executive floor, bar/pub, laundry service/dry cleaning, meeting facilities , restaurant, safety deposit boxes. The hotel offers massage, pool indoor, jacuzzi, gym/fitness facilities, sauna to provide extra pleasure and relaxation for all guests. Along with its convenient location in Oradea, the hotel also offers a wide range of services and facilities to the guests. To make your reservation at the Hotel Perla quick and easy, please select your preferred dates of stay and proceed with our secure online booking form.

	Hotel Parc

There are several inexpensive hotels in the centre - among them Hotel Parc right in the centre on Str. Republicii. A nice and clean double room (shared bathroom) incl. cable TV and breakfast (coffee not included!) cost 81.6 Lei (€ 20) per night. I guess there are some cheaper places, too, but the location and the atmosphere of this time-honoured hotel are just great as you can see on the picture (showing the entrance of the hotel). Address: Str. Republicii 5-7, Tel.: (059)-411-699.

There are several cafés and restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel. Only some metres away from Hotel Parc (walk right when you get out of the hotel) there's a restaurant called Cyano (not sure if the name is correct). Cyano serves good quality Hungarian and Romanian food for around € 2.

• www.oradea.ro Official website of Oradea with summaries in English and French. Worth a look.
• mitglied.lycos.de/mazsola Several pictures of Oradea. The rest is in German.

Do you have or do you know a good website about Oradea? Don't hesitate, let me know! After checking it, I would love to add it to the link list. You can submit a link by using the →contact form. Note that commercial websites will be treated differently.