‌Visited Barcelona, Paris and Amsterdam? If you’re looking for a new holiday destination, there’s a gorgeous city in Romania that might be just the place.

Timișoara is Romania’s third largest city and arguably its most beautiful. Located in the west of the country, it’s a fantastic option for an affordable city break.

Often described as Europe’s ‘Little Vienna’, Timișoara’s elegant buildings echo the Austrian capital but Brits will find coffee is much cheaper in the Romanian city.

A cultural hub, the city was a European Capital of Culture in 2023 and its calendar is packed with music, art and theatre.

Even better, Britons can grab direct flights to Timișoara for less than £100 return on Wizz Air and accommodation is also a bargain.

Start your visit at Victory Square, the city’s major gathering point. It holds a special place in Romanian history as it’s the site where Timișoara was declared the first city free of communism in 1989.

While there, pop into the Romanian National Opera House or the Metropolitan Cathedral, Romania’s largest historic Orthodox Church.

Romania’s 1989 revolution began in Timișoara and the difficult road to independence is documented at the Memorialul Revolutiei museum.

Timișoara is known as the ‘City of Flowers’ and there are plenty of green spaces to unwind. Visit the Parcul Rozelor to sit by the Bega Canal.

The city’s Botanical Park is lit in the evening, perfect for a pre-dinner stroll. If you’d like to sample some local cuisine, don’t miss sarmale, a stuffed cabbage roll.

Timișoara was the site of Romania’s first brewery and the city has plenty of local craft beers to sample.