Free entryCraiova neighbourhood
Romanescu
Ninety-six hectares of park laid out by a Paris-medalled French architect, the zoo inside it, and the best restaurants outside the centre.
Why anyone comes here
For Nicolae Romanescu Park, which is the single best thing in Craiova and not a close contest. It was laid out between 1900 and 1903 to a design by the French landscape architect Émile Redont, and that design won a gold medal at the 1900 Paris World Exposition before a tree was planted. Ninety-six hectares, free, open at any hour: lakes, a suspension bridge, a mock ruined castle, a hippodrome, and enough shade that in July it is the only comfortable place in the city.
Zoo Park Craiova is inside the park, and Puskin Park and the Suspended Bridge are the other listed corners of it. Ten minutes' walk from the centre — or one bus, if the heat has already won.
Eating
Better than the area's size suggests. Restaurant Galaxy on Bulevardul Gheorghe Chițu and Mythos on Calea Unirii are the two with the review counts; Taverna To Petrino on Strada Eroilor and MRC House are the quieter pair. Epoca Steak House & Wine Bar is the best place in Craiova to drink a serious glass of wine sitting down, and Vicii și Capricii, Snobi and Atrium are the rest of the drinking.
Staying
Nothing, and that is worth knowing: there is no hotel inside this area. The centre is ten minutes' walk away and has fifteen, which is where you should be anyway — the park is a destination within the city rather than a base for it.
The July and August warning
Craiova's July averages a high of 30.0 °C and August 30.1 °C, on 358 and 338 hours of sunshine respectively — this is one of the hottest cities in Romania, and the figures are plain climate normals, not a bad year. Between about eleven and five the park is the answer, specifically the shaded paths and the lake edge rather than the open lawns. Before eleven and after six it is genuinely pleasant. Plan the day around that rather than against it.
🏰 Attractions
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🍺 Pubs, craft beer & wine bars
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4.5(1,504)out of 5 on Google€€€€
Closed · opens 11:30
🍽️ Restaurants
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Where to stay in Romanescu
Live prices and availability on a map centred on this exact spot — hotels, apartments and hostels, so you can judge the walk from here rather than guess from an address.
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Tours & tickets nearby
Skip-the-line tickets, tours and experiences bookable ahead — free cancellation on most.
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Frequently asked
Where is Romanescu, and how do I get there?
South of the centre. Far enough that walking both ways costs you an hour you would rather spend in the park, so take a short ride out and walk back if the weather suits. Ninety-six hectares, and the zoo is inside it.
What is worth seeing in Romanescu?
The best-known sights here are Nicolae Romanescu Park, Târgul de Paște and Suspended Bridge. The full list, with opening hours and a map, is further up this page.
Where should I eat in Romanescu?
Among the best-rated restaurants in the area are Taverna to Petrino, Restaurant MRC House and Mythos. The ratings come from Google and are refreshed periodically — they are not paid placements.
Where can I get a beer or a glass of wine in Romanescu?
Start with Epoca Steak House & Wine Bar Restaurant and Snobi. Romanian wine (Fetească Neagră, Fetească Albă, Tămâioasă) is poured by the glass in the good wine bars, and local craft beer has grown fast in recent years.
Nearest areas
Straight-line distance from the centre of this area. Inside Craiova most of these are a walk or one bus; out in Oltenia the road is always a good deal longer than the line, so use the measured drive times on the Oltenia page instead.
Before you go
Brâncuși day tripsThe Art Museum here holds his early work; the ensemble he laid out in 1937–38 is 110 km north at Târgu Jiu, on the UNESCO list since 2024. With a driver it is one day; by public transport it is two.Compare day trips →Monasteries of OlteniaHurezi has been on the UNESCO list since 1993 and Tismana is the oldest monastic foundation in Wallachia. Neither has useful public transport from Craiova, and neither publishes reliable visiting hours.See monastery tours →Castle ticketsFor the Art Museum and the Oltenia Museum, an entry booked ahead skips the desk — and matters most on a wet winter afternoon, when everyone has the same idea.Check tickets →Old Town walking toursGuided walks along Calea Unirii and through the Old Town lanes — the Belle Epoque facades carry a century of the city's history and almost none of it is written on them.Browse walking tours →
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