← The city

What to see in Craiova

The 1901 suspension bridge in Nicolae Romanescu Park, Craiova, looking along the timber deck to its stone tower

One great park, a walkable old centre, and a library worth an afternoon. Craiova is a city to live in more than a city to tour.

A stepped travertine water channel on Calea București in Craiova, jets running down a green-tiled bed towards the orange-and-grey Habitat building behindlandmark

The water steps on Calea București

A stepped water channel set into the planted strip on Calea București, running away from the pavement towards the orange-and-grey Habitat block behind it.

See more …Dry grass on a hilltop above hairpin bends with guard rails, Craiova spread across the horizon with its white stadiumviewpoint

Craiova from the Bucovăț hairpins

The county road DJ552 climbs out of Bucovăț, south-west of Craiova, in a run of tight hairpin bends marked with red-and-white chevrons.

See more …A large detached villa on a residential street in Craiova — columned porch, round gable window and gilded balcony ironworkgallery

Random sights

A running gallery of things photographed around Craiova in daylight — buildings, corners and details that caught the eye without being sights in their own right.

See more …A brick and stone church behind its walled yard in Craiova at night, lit by a street lampnight walk

Craiova by night

A running gallery of the city after dark — buildings, corners and streets caught on night walks, added to as they are found.

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The old centre — Calea Unirii & Piața Mihai Viteazul

The pedestrian heart of the city: terraces, the main square, the theatre, and most of the evening life within ten minutes' walk.

See more …The lake in Nicolae Romanescu Park seen through chestnut treespark

Nicolae Romanescu Park

The one genuinely great thing in Craiova — 90 hectares of designed parkland with lakes, bridges and long walks.

See more …Biserica Eroii Neamului in Craiova seen from Calea București — rendered walls, red-tiled towers, the street sign on the fencechurch

Biserica Eroii Neamului

An Orthodox church on Calea București, on the airport side of town — a plain rendered building with a red-tiled bell tower over the entrance, a second tower over the nave and a half-dome at the apse.

See more …Wolf sculptures at the fence of Zoo Craiova, inside Nicolae Romanescu Parkzoo

Zoo Craiova

Free to enter, inside Romanescu Park.

See more …Castelul Fermecat, the mock castle in Nicolae Romanescu Park, Craiovalandmark

Castelul Fermecat

The mock castle in the park — a ruin by design, built that way.

See more …A white An-2 biplane parked on the concrete apron at Balta Verde airfield, Craiovaairfield

Balta Verde airfield

The Aeroclubul României grass field south-west of the city.

See more …The Jean Mihail Palace in Craiova, home of the art museum — a French-baroque façade with a columned central bay and slate mansard roofs, a wedding party on the forecourt in low afternoon sunmuseum

Jean Mihail Palace — Craiova Art Museum

The grandest building in the city and the one to see if you see nothing else.

See more …Casa Puiu Pleșia in Craiova — a turn-of-the-century villa with a slate mansard roof, columned loggia and stucco garlands, behind iron railingslandmark

Casa Puiu Pleșia

A private villa from the turn of the last century, set back behind its original wrought-iron railings on Strada Frații Buzești, a few minutes south of the square.

See more …Piața Frații Buzești in Craiova at dusk — paved square, terraces with parasols on both sides, a domed building closing the viewsquare

Piața Frații Buzești

The wide paved square at the eastern end of the pedestrian run, and the part of the old centre that fills up in the evening.

See more …A reading room at the Aman County Library in Craiova — carved walnut bookcases floor to ceiling, screens and armchairs in front of themlibrary

Biblioteca Județeană Alexandru și Aristia Aman

The county library, and the reading rooms are the reason to go in.

See more …The main building of the University of Craiova on Strada Alexandru Ioan Cuza — white neoclassical facade with columnslandmark

University of Craiova — main building

Neoclassical palace on Alexandru Ioan Cuza, built 1894–1912 as the Palace of Justice, the university’s seat since 1966.

See more …The curved aluminium shell of the Ion Oblemenco Stadium in Craiova seen from the forecourtlandmark

Ion Oblemenco Stadium

The city football ground, west of the centre on Bulevardul Ilie Balaci, rebuilt and opened in 2017 on the site of the old stadium.

See more …Marin Sorescu National Theatre in Craiova — travertine modernist building with a wide flat roof and plazalandmark

Marin Sorescu National Theatre

The national theatre, a 1970s modernist block in travertine with a deep flat roof over a glass front, on a wide stepped plaza across from the university.

See more …The fountain in English Park, Craiova, with the green roofs of the Palatul Administrativ behind itpark

English Park (Grădina Unirii)

Formal garden off Alexandru Ioan Cuza, five minutes from the main square.

See more …park

Fantasy Park

Modern playground park in Craiovița Nouă.

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