Global Staci

Hoping a flight from Amsterdam to Cluj-Napoca on LOT through Warsaw, I continued to make my way east, the furthest east I’d ever been on the European continent. I had no idea what to expect, only what I’d read and heard from others visiting Romania’s second largest city, the unofficial capital of the Dracula-famed Transylvania. A pre-Roman settlement, its history long pre-dates what we might remember of its Soviet occupation and the cult of personality of Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena.

The reason for my visit was to help build houses for those in need of decent, affordable shelter with the Fuller Center for Housing’s Global Builders program. Before I get to all that, let me tell you a bit about Cluj. It’s marvelous. I quite unexpectedly fell in love with the city and the people. With so much to see and do in this university town, it claims a decidedly youthful vibe.

The city has a number of renowned facilities for performing arts, such as the National Opera, and smaller independent theatres such as Puck Puppet Theater. Construction began on the Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral in 1923. An unmistakable site, this most impressive Romanian Orthodox Church lies on the Avram Iancu Square, opposite the National Theatre & Opera House. Art galleries abound. The city hosts many cultural and music festivals throughout the year. Great hotels, food and drink are around every corner, and it’s fun to explore on foot as well as using public transport.

I arrived a bit early choosing The Square Hotel [Strada Émile Zola 2] as my home base mostly because it was on a pedestrian only street in the Old City, a short walk to interesting places, namely Union Square or Piata Unirii, the heart of the Old City. One of the largest squares in the country it showcases a wide range of architectural styles. It’s a great place to stroll, grab a coffee and people-watch.

Around the corner from the hotel was this funny sight, and a beautiful old church.

St. Michael’s Church, a 15th-century Roman Catholic church (the Catholic churches are predominately Hungarian) dominates Piata Unirii. It is considered the finest example of Gothic architecture in Romania. Completed in the 1440s, most of the building is still original, though the clock tower was rebuilt in the 19th century. It’s free to enter but to climb the tower is a small fee.

A few of us opted to visit the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania on our own, slowly taking in more of the culture and history of the region. The museum is home to over 50,000 objects from the 17th-20th centuries, showcasing peasant rural life.

Although it’s a bit of a drive, I also recommend visiting the Alexandru Borza Botanic Gardens. This massive botanical garden has rolling green hills, an observation tower, a rose garden, greenhouses, ponds and even a Japanese garden. Founded in 1872, the 35-acre garden is home to over 10,000 plants from Romania and around the world. Check out the Roman Garden with archaeological statues and sarcophagi, from the ancient Roman colony of Napoca.

As far as food and drink, there is no shortage of all types of cuisine to tempt your palate. My friends and I enjoyed Roata [Strada Alexandru Ciurea 6] to indulge in some traditional Romanian food (PRO TIP: don’t miss sarmale, stuffed cabbage rolls, and mămăligă, polenta and be SURE to try papanasi for dessert) and the famed rakia, a fruit-based distilled spirit popular in the Balkans. We also enjoyed meals at Casa Veche (traditional Romanian), Bistro 1568 (Hungarian), Samsara (vegan) and Ghadhi (Indian). Check out happy hour at Che Guevara Social Pub [Piata Unirii 10].

Next Stop: Jucu de Sus with the Fuller Center Romania