Cluj-Napoca

Romania's second most populous city, known for Baroque palaces, a Gothic church with a tall neo-Gothic tower and a busy festival calendar.

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Cluj-Napoca is a city in northwestern Romania and the seat of Cluj County, in the historic region of Transylvania. It is the country's second most populous city, with 286,598 people at the 2021 census, and locals often call it the unofficial capital of Transylvania. The city sits at about 356 m above sea level in the Someșul Mic valley, between the Apuseni Mountains and the Transylvanian Plain. Its nickname, the treasure city, dates from the late 16th century.

St Michael's Church in Unirii Square is a 14th-century Gothic church whose 19th-century neo-Gothic tower is the tallest church tower in Romania. On Avram Iancu Square, the neo-Baroque National Theatre faces the Orthodox Cathedral, completed in 1933. Habsburg rule in the early 18th century left Baroque palaces and churches across the town. The city hosts a busy music and film calendar, with beer festivals along Splaiul Independenței in summer. Snow covers the ground about 65 days per winter, and Bonțida Bánffy Castle is about 32 km from the centre.

Cluj-Napoca in five

Start at Union Square and St Michael's ChurchThe Gothic church dominates the central square and is the usual starting point. Walk the lanes behind it for cafes and courtyards, and keep the Botanical Garden for a daylight stop.
Check festival dates before you book a roomCluj hosts music and film festivals in summer, and rooms fill when they run. Check each event's official site for dates, because they vary by year, and book earlier if they match your trip.
Add Turda Salt Mine as a half-day tripTurda Salt Mine is a short drive from Cluj and works as a half-day trip. Check the official site for current hours and ticket rules before you go.Turda Salt Mine
Use Cluj as the north end of a Transylvania loopCluj, Sibiu and Brașov make a natural loop through Transylvania by train or road. A car helps for villages, but the cities themselves are well served by trains and buses.Transylvania planner
Know your airport options before you bookCluj-Napoca has its own international airport, which makes it a practical entry point for northern Transylvania. Compare prices with Bucharest and Sibiu before you book.

Things to do in Cluj-Napoca

See all attractions in Cluj-Napoca

Church · Cluj-NapocaFranciscan Temple

Church · Cluj-NapocaReformed Church

a person standing in a field next to two wooden buildings

Museum · Cluj-NapocaEthnographical Museum of Transylvania

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to Cluj-NapocaPut the places you like in Cluj-Napoca on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Cluj-Napoca International (CLJ), east of the center
Getting there: CFR trains and buses; check cfrcalatori.ro for current times
Getting around: Walkable center; buses and trams for outer districts
Best base: Around Union Square or the Old Town
Time needed: 2 days; 3 with Turda

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Days with storms
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh2°Low-4°Cold, snow
FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh5°Low-2°Cold
MarchPartly cloudy10 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh10°Low1°Cool
AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh15°Low5°Spring
MayRain14 rainy daysHigh19°Low9°Green
JuneRain15 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh24°Low14°Warm
JulyPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh26°Low16°Warm, festivals
AugustClear9 rainy daysHigh27°Low16°Warm
SeptemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Mild, quieter
OctoberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Autumn color
NovemberPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low2°Cool, gray
DecemberPartly cloudy10 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh3°Low-2°Cold, markets

Average daily high and low in Cluj-Napoca, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Jul Electric Castle Festival · Aug Untold Festival

Right now in Cluj-Napoca

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 7°
Humidity: 85%
Wind: 5 km/h
Chance of rain: 90%

Cluj-Napoca

10:47 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+2

Today9°7°90%Monday: Rain. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 90%.
Tue9°6°55%Tuesday: Rain. High 9°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 55%.
Wed10°5°3%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 3%.
Thu9°2°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
Fri9°0°0%Friday: Clear. High 9°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 0%.
Sat8°0°0%Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 8°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 0%.
Sun7°0°7%Sunday: Fog. High 7°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 7%.

Updated 07:36 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 4.782 RON

Amount

Converted to

RON · Romanian Leu

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Cluj-Napoca

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Every year

JulElectric Castle FestivalCluj-Napoca
AugUntold FestivalCluj-Napoca

Day trips by train

Turda Salt Mineshort drive eastAn underground salt mine turned visitor attraction; check the official page for current rules.
Alba Iuliaby road or trainA restored star-shaped citadel, best as a half day on the way to Sibiu.
Sibiuby road or trainThe calmer Saxon city south of Cluj, best with a night.Read the guide

Before you go to Cluj-Napoca

Hotels around Union SquareCafes and bars on footCheck availability

Day tours from ClujSalt mine and Apuseni routesCompare day trips

eSIM for Cluj-NapocaData for trains and festival ticketsRead the guide

Insurance for Cluj-NapocaFestival trips and flight delaysRead the guide

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Rules for Cluj-Napoca, checked

Non-EU visitors follow Schengen short-stay rules. Check entry requirements on the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs site before you book.Source
Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Romania.
Declare cash or goods above the legal limit at the border. Check the current amount with the Romanian Customs Authority before you travel.
Check the bill for a service charge before you add a tip.

Plan around Cluj-Napoca

Transylvania planner

Combine Cluj with Sibiu, Brașov and the Saxon villages

Read the guide Sibiu travel guide

A calmer Saxon city south of Cluj

Read the guide Brașov travel guide

The base for Bran Castle and the Carpathians

Read the guide Best eSIM for Europe

Data for festival tickets and trains

Read the guide Travel insurance

What a policy covers on a city break

Read the guide All of Romania

Entry rules, trains, bears and where to base

Read the guide

Cluj-Napoca FAQ

How many days do you need in Cluj-Napoca?

Two days cover Union Square, St Michael's Church, the cafe lanes and a park or garden. Add a third day for Turda Salt Mine or the Apuseni hills. It rewards evenings more than sights.

Is Cluj-Napoca worth visiting?

Yes if you like university cities, cafes and festivals. It has fewer headline sights than Brașov or Sibiu, so it works best as a stop on a Transylvania loop.

Is Cluj-Napoca or Sibiu better?

Sibiu is prettier and calmer. Cluj is larger, younger and better for evenings. Pick Cluj for nightlife and festivals, Sibiu for a quiet historic center.

Is Cluj-Napoca good for a city break?

Yes, with a direct airport and a compact center. Two nights are enough for a first visit, and the city is easy on foot.

When is the best time to visit Cluj-Napoca?

May to June and September to October are pleasant and quieter. Summer brings festivals and heat; winter is cold but atmospheric around Christmas.