Things to Do in Alba Iulia, Romania: Visiting Alba Carolina Citadel

Alba Iulia was one of my favourite stops in Romania, mainly because of the impressive Alba Carolina Citadel. The city is packed with history, attractive architecture, museums, churches, restaurants and easy walks around the fortress walls.

I visited Alba Iulia with my dog after a long train journey, so this guide includes the main sights I saw, a few places to eat, and some notes on staying nearby. It works well as a day trip, an Interrail stopover, or a relaxed overnight stay in Transylvania.

Alba Iulia, Romania: A Quick Introduction

Alba Iulia is in west-central Romania, in the heart of the Transylvania region. Historically, the city has also been the base of Transylvania’s Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690, Alba Iulia was the capital of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom. It was also the capital of the latter Principality of Transylvania. The city is historically important for Romanians, Hungarians, and Transylvanian Saxons.

In December 2018, they officially declared the city the capital of the Great Union of Romania. Great Union Day, AKA Ziua Marii Uniri, is celebrated annually on 1st December. Ziua Marii Uniri celebrates the unification of Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina with the Romanian Kingdom in 1918.

Alba Iulia’s main historical feature is the Citadel, also known as the upper town. Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, created it. However, the Habsburgs renamed the city Karlsburg. The fortress has seven bastions in a star shape. They constructed it between 1716 and 1735.

Things To Do In Alba Iulia & Its Beautiful Citadel

I had a good mooch around the Alba Carolina Citadel, or fortress, one of the top attractions in Alba Iulia. The Alba Carolina Citadel is a star-shaped fortress. It takes pride of place in the “Seven Wonders of Romania”. Construction began in 1715 during Habsburg rule in Transylvania and was completed in 1738.

They built the citadel on the site of two other fortifications: the legionary fortress of Legio XIII Gemina and also the medieval Balgrad citadel. They named the citadel after Charles VI, also known as Carol VI in Romanian. Charles was Holy Roman Emperor when the citadel was built.

See the Gates of Alba Carolina Citadel

The citadel gates are some of the most impressive sights in Alba Iulia. I first passed through the ornate 1st Gate, which had a Christmas light display during my visit. The 2nd Gate sits further up the slope towards the fortifications and was restored in 2009.

The 3rd Gate, or Poarta a III-a Cetății, is one of the most striking entrances, reached by crossing a bridge over the moat. It has decorative stonework, visitor information inside, and access to pleasant walking routes around the bastions.

At the western end of the citadel is the 4th Gate, also known as Bishop’s Gate or the New Gate. It connects with the route from the 3rd Gate and is another attractive Baroque feature of the fortress.

Walk Around the Citadel Fortifications

After passing through the 4^th gate, I crossed a bridge and descended into the fortress moat. This was green and pleasant. It also had a tourist information centre. The walkway encircled the citadel. However, I decided this would be my evening dog walk and walked the walls twice.

When walking around the fortress, there are bridges to the gates, including the eye-catching wooden bridges.

Obeliscul lui Horea, Cloșca și Crișan

The Horea, Cloșca and Crișan Obelisk was a prominent landmark located outside of the main fortifications. It is on the walkway and visible for quite some way. The obelisk is 20 metres tall and in Art Deco style. Obeliscul lui Horea, Cloșca şi Crișan was built to commemorate the 50th Regiment’s fall in the Battle of Custozza in 1866.

The Main Square – Piața Cetății

Inside the citadel was the main square called Piața Cetății. At Christmas, the square hosts stalls for the Alba Iulia Christmas Market. Stalls sold gifts, beer, and local food, including a favourite of mine: kurtos. The Square was near a museum of Romanian artefacts. These were mainly stone. Behind it stood the striking Universitatea 1 Decembrie 1918 building.

Via Principalis Roman Ruins

Near the citadel’s main square, you can see Via Principalis. Via Principalis has some Roman remains. A Roman legion was stationed here, and this relates to that. You can see the wide street, columns, and walls, like those in Pompeii. They also have a sketch showing visitors what the street looked like in Roman times.

Principia Museum

The Principia Museum is in Citadel Square and is a fun place to visit if you enjoy Roman history. They have lots of Roman artefacts to see. The museum tells the story of the Romans in the area. The site used to be the headquarters of the 13th Legion Gemina in Dacia.

National Museum of the Union

The National Museum of the Union is another beautiful building. On our visit to Alba Iulia, it was nicely lit up with Christmas lights. The National Museum of the Union houses many artefacts related to modern Romania’s history since unification.

Michael The Brave Equestrian Statue

Michael the Brave Equestrian Statue is a bronze statue at the rear of Saint Michael’s Cathedral. We spotted Michael the Brave statues in many cities in Romania.

Roman Catholic Cathedral Saint Michael

The Roman Catholic Cathedral of Saint Michael was closed on my visit, so I could not enter. St Michael’s is the oldest and the longest cathedral in the country, dating back to the 11th century. During the 13th century, they also rebuilt St Michael’s Cathedral in the transitional style. This style combines Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Visit Coronation Cathedral

Coronation Cathedral is one of two cathedrals in the Alba Carolina Citadel. They both sit alongside each other. This place of worship is Orthodox; the other next door is a Roman Catholic cathedral.

They built the cathedral in 1921–1922 to commemorate Transylvania’s union with Romania. Visiting the cathedral is free; however, donations are welcome. The buildings and gardens surrounding the cathedral felt like being in a monastery. The inside is spectacular, with intricate art everywhere, especially on the ceilings.

Tourist information

Near the fourth gate, in the shadow of the bastion, is the tourist information office.

Street Market

In the main area of the Alba Carolina citadel, they have a lovely street market. They sell local produce and crafts, which make for perfect souvenirs. Some also sell snacks and drinks to help you enjoy your visit.

Locomotive 764156

A common sight in Romania’s towns is evidence of their railway heritage. Most railway stations usually have a steam locomotive on display. However, in Alba Iulia, one sits near the citadel, a short walk from the fortress’s 1st gate. This one is a small train and is called Locomotive 764156.

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Alba Iulia Restaurants

There are several places to eat in and around Alba Carolina Citadel, from traditional Romanian restaurants to bars with outdoor seating near the fortress walls. These were the places I tried during my visit.

Pub 13 For Traditional Food

Pub 13 is on the fortress walls and has a unique interior. They decorated it in a medieval style, with suits of armour on the walls and heavy wooden furniture. For food and drinks, I had mici and Ursus, which hit the spot.

La Conac Restaurant

La Conac was a nicely decorated restaurant that had friendly waiting staff. For drinks, we enjoyed a combination of Tuica and Csiki Sör, a Transylvanian beer that was very refreshing.

The main was an old favourite, schnitzel; this time, the Romanian take on pork schnitzel. This was thicker than the ones I had enjoyed earlier in the week at Prater in Vienna. La Conac Restaurant served this with fries, salad, and a side portion of pickled beetroot.

Gothic Restaurant

Another restaurant at the citadel is Gothic Restaurant. It has a great location in the shadow of the fortifications and outdoor seating with splendid views of the fortress. Gothic has a diverse menu, including Romanian soups, pizzas, pasta and meat dishes.

Cheap Dog-Friendly Hotels & Apartments

When I searched Booking.com for cheap, dog-friendly places to stay in Alba Iulia, I found many options. This included rooms in houses, apartments and hotels of varying standards. I needed primarily a budget bedroom with a shower, and it must be dog-friendly. The dog-friendly filter narrowed my choices, and I chose a guest room in a house.

Is Alba Iulia Worth Visiting?

Alba Iulia was a good choice for an Interrail stopover and would also make a great day trip. I highly recommend it to people who enjoy history, architecture and also food. The citadel was engaging for a day, with plenty to do. However, I wish I had a few days to explore and soak up the city’s historical significance. You can get off the train when travelling from Budapest or Vienna on the night train.