Iași

Moldavia's historic capital and Romania's cultural capital, where the Gothic Revival Palace of Culture, the carved stone of the Three Hierarchs Church and historic university buildings make it the academic hub of northeastern Romania.

Iași lies in northeastern Romania near the border with Moldova, built on seven hills. It is Romania's second- or third-largest city, was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia from 1564 to 1859, and served as Romania's temporary capital during World War I. Known as Romania's cultural capital, it was the birthplace of the country's first modern university, first national theater and first Romanian-language newspaper, and the poet Mihai Eminescu and writer Ion Creangă left their mark all over town. The main sights are close together: from the Palace of Culture, walk north along Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard past the St. Nicholas Princely Church, the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Theatre to Union Square, then take a tram or walk up to the Copou district to the north to see the Hall of Lost Steps at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Copou Park and the Botanical Garden. On the hills south of the city, the fortified monasteries of Cetățuia, Galata and Frumoasa make a good half-day taxi circuit. Within about 60 km are the Cuza Palace at Ruginoasa, Miclăușeni Castle and the Cotnari wine region, all easy day trips by car; the painted monasteries of Bucovina and the Neamț monasteries farther afield are best planned as a separate overnight trip. The climate is temperate continental: Apr–Oct is the best time to visit, summers can exceed 30°C, and winters are cold and snowy. The St. Parascheva pilgrimage around Oct 14 is the city's busiest time, so book hotels early. Iași International Airport, about 8 km from the center, has flights to many European cities; from Bucharest it is about 6–7 hours by train or about 1 hour by air. The tram network is extensive, and the center is walkable. Plan on 2 days. Most museums close on Mondays; dress modestly in Orthodox churches, and note that photography is forbidden inside some of them.

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Itineraries