Where to stay in Cluj-napoca

The centre grew around Piața Unirii, one of the oldest squares in the city, where the Matthias Corvinus monument stands before St Michael's Church. The city tourism site places the first walled town of the 11th and 12th centuries in the north-west corner of Roman Napoca, and three bastions and much of the southern wall of the second enclosure still stand.

About 3 km by road from the square lie Parcul Central Simion Bărnuțiu and Cetățuie hill with its Habsburg citadel, the two places the tourism site suggests for a walk. Mănăștur, about 4 km out, is the district on Calvaria hill, where historians place the 9th to 10th century fortification known as Castrum Clus. Someșeni, about 9 km east, is the airport district on Strada Traian Vuia.

The central streets are split into two paid zones. Zone 1 covers the squares and the streets around Piața Unirii, Piața Mihai Viteazul and Piața Avram Iancu, and by SMS to 7480 costs RON 4 for 30 minutes, RON 8 an hour and RON 16 for 2 hours. Zone 2, on streets such as Calea Dorobanților, Horea, Republicii and Traian, costs RON 3 an hour, RON 6 for 2 hours and RON 12 for 4 hours. The mobile operator adds the cost of the message. The hours during which the zones are charged were not found on the city page.

Resident permits go only to people who live on the street, and zone 1 sells no transferable subscriptions, so a visitor pays by the hour on the street. The barrier car parks on Piața Unirii, Piața Cipariu and Piața Mihai Viteazul take payment only at their machines. The Moților garage in the centre charges RON 4 per half hour on weekdays from 07:00 to 19:00, which adds up to RON 8 an hour.

For the night, the City Hall garages on Strada Primăverii and Mogoșoaia in Mănăștur, and at Băișoara, keep visitor spaces at RON 12.50 from 8 to 24 hours. The Park and Ride on Strada Traian Vuia, by the airport, has 756 spaces at RON 16 a day, and buses A1E, 5 and 8 reach the centre in about 26 minutes. On national roads outside the city the rovinieta vignette is required; whether a rental car carries one was not verified as of October 2026, so ask at the desk. Cars can be compared on GetCar's car rental page for Cluj-Napoca.

Since 1 January 2026 the special tax for tourism promotion has been 0.5% of the total accommodation price for each day of the stay, without VAT, under council decision 760 of December 2025. The regulation of 2018 that created the tax charges it to guests of accommodation classified by the tourism ministry, rented apartments and rooms included. The accommodation withholds it and shows it on its own line, apart from the room and breakfast price.

Romanian tourism law lets operators use only classified accommodation. Ministry order 948 of 2026 now has private hosts apply online, with the consent of the neighbours who share walls with the flat, and caps them at 7 rooms or 14 places. A host who cannot name a classification certificate is worth questioning before a deposit is paid.

The Moților garage charges its hourly rate on weekdays from 07:00 to 19:00, and the district garages and the Park and Ride charge by the length of the stay. A flight before dawn suits Someșeni, with the airport car parks at RON 50 from 3 to 24 hours.

Romania has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025. UK and other visa-exempt visitors arriving from outside Schengen pass through the EU Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026. Compare and book on this page once the dates are set.

A first visit on foot: the centre around Piața Unirii.

Walks in the park and on Cetățuie: Central Park and Cetățuie.

A longer stay with a district garage nearby: Mănăștur.

An early flight or a car left at the park and ride: Someșeni.