Brief description – A rebellious, multicultural, cosmopolitan, charming and creative city
The International Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers, FIJET, will present the „Golden Apple” trophy to the city of Timișoara, European Capital of Culture 2023. The event scheduled for Friday, March 24, in Timișoara, will be attended by FIJET Executive Committee members and members of FIJET Romania Tourism Press Club.
In the perspective of the awarding ceremony of the „Golden Apple” trophy, the executive director of the Association for the Promotion of Timișoara, Simion Giurcă, emphasized the significance of this event: „It’s a recognition of the fact that Timisoara is a destination in full development, that the city wants to do more, to mean more for its guests and of course, for all those involved in industrial hospitality. It’s an international recognition that helps us to be more visible and not be able to promote better, more effectively in the coming period, to attract as many visitors from the country and outside the country as possible.„
Timisoara, a city with more than 320 thousands inhabitants, is the fourth city in Romania in terms of population. The city was a royal residence, regional capital, the host of 3 emperors and dozens of kings. Timisoara looks back with pride, at the centuries that marked its transformation, development, becoming and progress. The long thread of the city’s historical development is marked by the will and power to fight for the conquest of its freedom. The last time it happened was în December 1989 when Timișoara dared to protest against communist government. Its good to know that Timișoara is the city where, on December 15, 1989, the anti-communist Romanian Revolution broke out. On December 20, 1989, Timișoara became the first free city in Romania, succeeding through its courage to face the dictatorship, to open the way, which led to the fall of communism. The revolutionaries announced, from the balcony of the Opera building, that Timișoara is a city freed from communism. The State Opera from Timisoara is on top of touristic objectives in Timisoara. Also attractive is the Baroque Palace who hosts today the National Art Museum.
The vocation that characterized the City of Bega was creativity, the desire to be at the forefront, to be the first. This explains the multitude of national and international premieres in Timisoara (starting with the first brewery, Bega – the first navigable canal, the first horse-drawn tram in the country, the first electrically lit city in Europe, etc.), but also the multitude of personalities born and/or trained in Timisoara. When compared to the other inhabitants of Romania, the people from this region, the Banat, have an expression to show that they were the first in terms of achievements. They say: „The Banat is everytime the forefront”
At the beginning of the 20th century, Timișoara was considered the third most important city in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, after Vienna and Budapest, and at the beginning of the Second World War, Timișoara was one of the most developed cities in Romania. Timișoara is a modern, multicultural city, characterized by its multitude of Baroque and Secession/Art Nouveau buildings. Timisoara is also called „little Vienna”, due to its construction structure and the multitude of heritage buildings, as well as the charm of the city and the mentality of its inhabitants. But Timișoara equally enjoys the fact that it is nicknamed: „The city of roses and parks” because the 37 parks and squares of the city occupy an area of about 120 hectares. The pedestrian zone in the historic center of the city is the largest in Romania and includes 33 streets and 5 squares.
Timisoara’s brand is tolerance, its close cohesion and the good coexistence of different minorities, cultures and religions with full respect and understanding towards others. The city on the Bega is the only city în Romania with three state theaters that perform in three different languages (Romanian, German and Hungarian).
The city of Timișoara joins the Danube Delta, Bucovina, Oradea, Mărginimea Sibiului and Târgu Jiu, destinations in Romania that received the „Golden Apple” trophy. In relation to the close membership of the Romanian gallery of FIJET trophies, the executive director of the Association for the Promotion of Timișoara, Simion Giurcă, emphasized: „It is a joy for us to be recognized, to be received in this category of destinations that are already accepted as major, important for the tourist market in the country and abroad. And we are happy that it is confirmed that Timișoara is not only a business travel destination, but a destination that is equally interested in and meets the requirements of those who I come for leisure. And I am convinced of this! Starting from the momentum that this distinction, this trophy gives us, we will develop this destination further so that it becomes and remains a top destination not only for our country, but also for the part of Europe we are in!”
But what is the best season to visit Timisoara?
Beloved and attractive both for visitors and for those who travel for business, Timisoara offers the opportunity to experience the city immersively throughout the year. Regardless of the season in which you choose to visit „Little Vienna”, as the city is also called, its relaxed lifestyle and vibrant nightlife will make your stay pleasant. The cultural offer, which in 2023 will be as rich and diverse as it is surprising and omnipresent in the daily life of the city, offering you many opportunities to interact with the local population and temporary residents in the spirit of multiculturalism and tolerance that characterizes the great cosmopolitan city in Western Romania. Whether you come in the spring, to enjoy with us the true blossoming of the city and the celebration of the great Easter holiday, or in the summer when the chained multitude of our parks will protect you from the heat and a multitude of terraces will compete to cool you down, Timisoara will seriously strive to receive you well. If you choose autumn, when the city dresses in the pastel colors of autumn and invites you to taste the new wines in the vineyards of Timisoara or in winter, to live with us the emotion of the winter holidays in our Christmas markets, the specific gastronomic offer and the rich agenda of events cultural-artistic will contribute to achieving a high degree of satisfaction and experiencing pleasant experiences. But maybe it would be advisable to come in each of the four seasons, to taste the whole range of offers, experiences and experiences.
Why is Timisoara a city of premieres?
Timisoara has always been a creative city. This explains why, throughout its history, the city has managed to be the first in various fields. Among the premieres from Timisoara, it is worth mentioning the first brewery on the current territory of Romania was put into operation in 1718 in Timișoara. In 1760, Timisoara became the first city of the Habsburg monarchy with streets lit with lamps, and in 1855, the first city with gas-lit streets, on November 12, 1884, Timisoara would become the first European city lit entirely with electricity. A total of 731 lamps, spread over an area of more than 10 square kilometers, brought the city an absolute first.
Finally, what to do în Timisoara?
Follow the advices of the Association for the Promotion of Timișoara!
1. Boat ride on the Bega;
2. Admire the street art works in the city on a bicycle tour;
3. Experience gastronomy (try the flambé pancakes from Banat) and local wines;
4. Charge your batteries at one of the many terraces in the „pedestrian city” in the historic Centre;
5. A taste of the city’s rich cultural endowment (Opera / Philharmonic / sacred places, etc.);
6. Discover the untold stories, hidden places and secrets of the city with the best guides;
7. Make yourself happy, in a shopping tour, buying for yourself and/or for someone you love;
8. Drink the popular „Timisoreana” beer at her home;
9. Pay tribute to our heroes from ’89. The victorious flame of the revolution was lit in Timisoara;
10. Relax at the very new and modern Aquapark.