150 lei
a bed in a hostel in Iosefin, September 2026
60 lei
a full day of eating from the market and a bodega
8 lei
a single tram ticket, valid for 30 minutes
0 lei
the cost of every public square in the city
Day one
Arrival and the free centre
You land, you drop your bag, and you walk. Timișoara's centre is compact and flat, and the best of it costs nothing. This day is about orienting yourself without spending more than a tram ticket and a meal.
14:00
Tram from the station to Piața Libertății
The tram from Gara de Nord to the centre is 8 lei if you buy a single ticket from the machine on the platform. Validate it in the orange box on board. The ride takes about ten minutes and shows you the scale of the city: low, wide, not crowded.
8 lei
14:30
Walk Piața Victoriei
This long, pedestrianised square is the spine of Timișoara. You will pass the Opera, the Orthodox cathedral, and a lot of people sitting on benches doing nothing in particular. It is free, it is where the 1989 revolution started, and it is the best place to get your bearings.
Free
15:30
Piața Unirii and the Catholic cathedral
The baroque square is the postcard of the city. The Catholic cathedral, dedicated to St George, is open to visitors outside mass times. Step inside for a minute; the interior is cool and quiet. No entry fee, but a donation box by the door.
Free
16:30
Bega promenade
Walk along the Bega river, which runs parallel to the centre. The path is shaded in parts, and you can watch the rowing club and the occasional swan. It is also where you can buy a covrig (pretzel) from a kiosk for 3 lei and call it a snack.
Free (covrig 3 lei)
19:00
Dinner at a bodega in Iosefin
Iosefin is the neighbourhood south of the centre, across the Bega. It is where students and budget travellers stay. A bodega (corner shop) will sell you bread, cheese, tomatoes, and a beer for under 25 lei. Eat on a bench in Parcul Doina or take it back to your hostel.
25 lei
Day two
Museums and market food
Timișoara has a handful of museums that are cheap by any European standard. None of them are blockbusters, but the Art Museum is worth the entry, and the market is where you eat for the rest of the day.
09:30
Piața Traian market
The main market hall in Iosefin, a few minutes' walk from most hostels. Go early for the best produce. A kilo of tomatoes in September is around 6 lei. A wedge of local cheese is 10–15 lei. A bag of plums is 5 lei. This is breakfast and lunch if you want it to be.
20 lei
11:00
Art Museum (Muzeul de Artă)
Housed in the baroque palace on Piața Unirii. The collection is mostly Romanian art from the 19th and 20th centuries. It is not the Prado, but it is well hung and the building itself is worth seeing. Entry is 15 lei for adults, 7.5 lei for students. Closed on Mondays.
15 lei
13:00
Lunch from the market
If you bought bread, cheese, and tomatoes in the morning, you eat them now. There are benches in Piața Unirii and along the Bega. If you want something hot, a slice of pizza from a bakery counter is 7–10 lei. A ciorbă (sour soup) at a self-service canteen is around 12 lei.
12 lei
15:00
Communist Consumer Museum
A small, slightly shabby museum in a basement on Strada Vasile Alecsandri. It is a collection of household objects from the communist era, put together with more enthusiasm than funding. Entry is 10 lei. It is not for everyone, but if you are interested in the period, it is a bargain.
10 lei
17:00
Free walking tour (tip-based)
There are a few companies running tip-based walking tours of the centre. They usually meet in Piața Victoriei in the late afternoon. You pay what you think it was worth at the end. It is a good way to get the history without buying a guidebook.
Tip (20–30 lei)
19:30
Dinner at a self-service canteen
Timișoara has a few old-school canteens (cantină) where you point at what you want and pay by weight. A full plate of meat, rice, and salad is usually under 25 lei. Look for them on the side streets off Piața Victoriei. They close early, around 20:00.
25 lei
Day three
Free squares and the outskirts
Today you go a little further out, but you still do not pay for anything except transport and food. The squares in the Fabric and Elisabetin districts are quieter than the centre and just as free.
09:00
Tram to Piața Traian
Take tram 2 or 4 from the centre to Piața Traian. A single ticket is 8 lei. This square is the heart of Fabric, a district that was once industrial and is now slowly being repaired. The buildings are grand and crumbling in equal measure.
8 lei
10:00
Fabric district walk
Walk from Piața Traian down to the Bega and along the river. You will pass the old Neptun factory and the Fabric synagogue, which is not always open but is impressive from the outside. The walk is flat and takes about an hour if you do not rush.
Free
12:00
Lunch at a bakery
Fabric has a few bakeries that sell plăcinte (filled pastries) for 5–8 lei. A plăcintă with cheese and a yoghurt drink is a solid lunch for under 15 lei. Eat it on a bench in Parcul Central, which is just across the river.
15 lei
14:00
Parcul Central and the roses
The central park is free and has a large rose garden. In September the second flush of roses is usually still going. There are benches, shade, and a fountain. It is a good place to sit and read or just watch people.
Free
16:00
Elisabetin and the Orthodox cemetery
Walk south through Elisabetin, a district of low houses and quiet streets. The Orthodox cemetery on Calea Șagului is large, wooded, and free to enter. It is not a tourist attraction, but it is peaceful and gives you a sense of the city's layers.
Free
19:00
Dinner at a student canteen
The student complex on Calea Șagului has canteens that are open to the public. A full meal with soup, main, and dessert is around 20 lei. It is not gourmet, but it is filling and cheap. You will need to show ID at the door sometimes, but EU citizens are usually fine.
20 lei
Day four
Transport passes and day trips
If you are staying longer, a day pass for public transport pays for itself quickly. And if you want to leave the city, there are a few cheap options that do not require a tour.
08:00
Buy a day pass
A 24-hour pass for all trams, trolleybuses, and buses is 20 lei. Buy it from a kiosk or the machine at Piața Libertății. Validate it once and then you can hop on and off all day. This is cheaper than three single tickets.
20 lei
09:00
Tram to Ghiroda and back
Take tram 1 or 2 to the end of the line at Ghiroda, a village that has been swallowed by the city. The ride is about 20 minutes and gives you a view of the outskirts. There is not much to do when you get there, but the ride itself is a cheap way to see the edge of Timișoara.
Free with pass
11:00
Bega boat to Sânmihaiu Român (if running)
In summer and early autumn, there is a small passenger boat along the Bega to Sânmihaiu Român. The fare is around 15 lei one way. The schedule is erratic, so check at the dock near Piața Victoriei. If it is running, it is a pleasant, slow way to see the river.
15 lei
13:00
Lunch in Sânmihaiu Român
If you take the boat, you will find a few simple restaurants near the dock. A bowl of goulash and bread is around 25 lei. If the boat is not running, skip this and have lunch back in the city at a canteen for the same price.
25 lei
15:00
Return and visit the Synagogue
The Fabric Synagogue is sometimes open for visits in the afternoon. Entry is by donation. It is in a state of disrepair but is structurally impressive. Check locally for opening hours; they are not reliable.
Donation (10 lei)
18:00
Last dinner at Piața Traian
There are a few cheap restaurants around Piața Traian that do grilled meats and salads. A mixed grill for one is around 30 lei. With a beer, you are at 40 lei. This is your splurge meal of the trip if you have been careful.
40 lei
What three days cost, per person
Bed in a hostel dorm (Iosefin) 150 lei (about EUR 30) per night, September 2026 Private room in a guesthouse 250–300 lei (about EUR 50–60) per night, September 2026 Food from markets and bodegas 60 lei (about EUR 12) per day Eating at canteens and bakeries 80–100 lei (about EUR 16–20) per day Public transport single ticket 8 lei (about EUR 1.60) 24-hour transport pass 20 lei (about EUR 4) Two people sharing a €55 double, eating where locals eat, one theatre ticket each. September 2026.Next
Three days in Timișoara
The three squares, the quarters where people live, and one day out of the city.
Getting around Timișoara
How to buy tickets, which tram to take, and when a taxi is worth it in Timișoara.
The 1989 walk
Follow the route of the 1989 revolution, from the church where it began to the balcony where victory was declared.
Sleep in Cetate, wake up in the squares
Median €55 midweek, September 2026. Nobody pays to be on this list.