# Alba Iulia

Alba Iulia is a city in Western Transylvania, Romania. It is the capital of Alba county and has one of the most beautiful Habsburg citadels of Europe.

## Get in
### By train

There are direct international trains from Vienna (11 hours travel time) and Budapest (seven hours).
Alba Iulia is connected with all cities in Transylvania, including Cluj, Sibiu, Brașov and Sighișoara. There are also 1-2 daily direct trains from Bucharest and Timisoara. Check timetables on infofer.ro

## Get around

All sights within the historic fortress are within walking distance from the train station.

## See

* 46.06912223.5674551 Alba Carolina Fortress (Cetatea Alba Carolina). A massive baroque fortification built in the 18th century, one of the largest of this kind in Eastern Europe. The citadel is filled with historical sights, including medieval catholic cathedral, national unification museum and (rather unimpressive) remains of the Roman castrum.
* 46.06844823.5698212 Reunification Cathedral (Catedrala Reîntregirii).
* 46.06761923.569953 St. Michael's Cathedral (Catedrala Sfântul Mihail).
* 46.06826423.5708244 Museum of the Union (Muzeul Unirii). The museum exhibits over 130,000 pieces of artworks, organized chronologically. The Unification Hall retains historical significance from having hosted, on 1 December 1918, the rally of the 1228 Romanian delegations from Transylvania who determined the province's union with the Kingdom of Romania.
* 46.069923.56045 Transylvania Boulevard. The huge boulevard was extended greatly in 1987, when an 100m apartment building was split in half and moved (with people still inside) in 6h.
* 46.06991223.569556 Icon Museum (Museikon), Alba Iulia street Unirii nr. 3 (In the western part of the Alba Carolina Fortress), ☏ +40 258 819 462, turism@apulum.ro. Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 -17:00. Museikon houses the most valuable collection of Romanian icons in Transylvania, old books, as well as other religious objects. Its structures include the western wall of the Roman fort, significant portions of some constructions from the 16th-17th centuries, and its current form is the result of the arrangements in the first half of the 18th century, when it was used as a military hospital. In addition to the permanent exhibition of religious art collections from Romania, temporary exhibitions with specific themes are periodically organized here, as well as those promoting contemporary artistic creation, painting and restoration workshops, conferences, and scientific symposia. 10 lei – adults; 5 lei – students, pensioners; 2.5 lei – pupils. (updated Nov 2024)

## Do
### Outdoor swimming pools

* 46.067623.56981 Ștrandul Zlatna, Zlatna, Str. Băilor Nr. 2. 10:00 - 21:00. 1 pool (38m x 18m x 0.8m-2m), 1 pool (18m x 8m); 10 lei/day/adult, 5 lei/day/child < 6 years.
* 46.0808423.568192 Vila "Steaua Nordului" (pensiune), Alba Iulia, Bulevardul Republicii, nr. 5A, ☏ +40 754 604 900, +40 744 789 465, vila_steauanordului@yahoo.com. 09:00 - 19:00. 20 lei/day/adult, 10 lei/day/child < 14 years, free access for children < 6 years.
* 46.070123.572623 Winner`s Club Ţălnar, Alba Iulia, Str. Gabriel Bethlen. 1 pool (~12m x ~10m x 1.6m), 1 pool (~10m x ~2m x 0.7m); 1 volleyball court; 25 lei/day/person. Free access for children < 3 years; 15 lei for sunbed;.

## Eat

* Pub 13, Aleea Sfantul Capistrano Nr.1, ☏ +40 728 444 415. noon-midnight. Stardard-fare Romanian restaurant in an unusual setting. The main dining hall lies inside the city wall in a large brick dome-shaped room with a broad pillar in the middle and various medieval weapons and shield lining the walls. 15-25 lei.

## Go next

* Aiud
* Câlnic - UNESCO World Heritage site citadel
* Cluj-Napoca
* Hunedoara
* Sibiu
* Coiba mare Cave
* Bihorul Peak