The Center of Pitesti

Pitești is the capital and largest city of Argeș County, Romania. The settlement has the reputation of the city of tulips, because here being hosted an annual important festival called Simfonia Lalelelor. In 2021, Pitești had a population of 141,000 people, making it the thirteenth largest urban center in Romania.

Understand

History

During the Great Northern War, Swedish King Charles XII lived in exile in the Ottoman Empire for years. In 1714, he and his company left Pitești, and rode to Stralsund 14 days later; a tremendous speed at its time.

Geography

Pitești is in the central southern part of Romania between Carpathians and the Danube, in the northwest of historical region Muntenia. The town lies at the confluence of Argeș River with Doamnei River.

Pitești is at an altitude of 250 m, at the minor riverbed of 'Arges' River '(south), and 356 m in the Trivale neighborhood (west). Northwest terrace Triviale-Papuceşti is the share of 373 m, to the east of the village Valea Mare-Podgoria share is 406 m. In the west-southwest of the villages of Mica and Bascov share is 439 m (Bogdăneasa Forest). Pitești area is 4,073 hectares (calculated in 2003).

The city sits between high hills, on the terraces's Arges River has a topoclimate valley, calm and moderate. Annual average temperatures vary between 9° and 10 °C, the average January is -2.4 °C, while that of July of 20.8 °C. Rainfall exceeds the national average, varying between 680 and 700 mm annually.

In the northern city ends the A1 highway which is linking Bucharest and it is also a bypass in the east of it.

Get in

By train

The Southern Station

There are frequent trains from Bucharest (including three Rapid type trains) and Craiova.

• 1 Southern station (Gara de Sud), Pitești, Bulevardul Republicii Nr. 212 (near the city centre, linked by buses 8, 2, 19.), ☏ 40 788 036229. 
• 2 Northern station (Gara de Nord), Calea Bascovului (Bus 19, 2, 7, 13, 5). 
• 3 Ramura Golești train stop (Halta Ramura Golești), Strada Bănănăi. (updated Feb 2022)

Get around

By bus

Public transport is well developed in the city; the different neighborhoods and interest areas of the city are linked through 14 bus lines:

• A: Teatru - Carrefour
• 1: Tudor Vladimirescu - Novatex
• 2: Arpechim - Bascov
• 2B: Trivale - Arpechim
• 3B: Războieni - Arpechim
• 5: Trivale - Alprom
• 5B: Trivale - Găvana
• 7: Gheorghe Doja - Alprom
• 7B: Gheorghe Doja - Găvana
• 8: Trivale - Gara de Sud
• 13: Războieni - Alprom
• 13B: Războieni - Găvana
• 19: Arpechim - Găvana

The 2 bus line route is the longest in the city, stopping at 25 stations and having an average duration of 40 minutes, but during the hours of congestion, traveling on this line more than 50 minutes.

See

The Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna Art Gallery

• 1 The Saint George Princely Church (Biserica Domneascǎ Sfântul Gheorghe), Strada Victoriei, 7, ☏ 40 722304072, [email protected]. The oldest church in the city. It was built in 1656 by the Prince of Vallachia Constantin Șerban and his wife Doamna Bălașa. This monument has a special architecture that reflects the refinement of the art of ecclesiastical construction in Wallachia in the middle of the 17th century. 
• 2 Vasile Milea Square (Piața Vasile Milea). It is the central square of the city. No matter how short the time you spend in Pitesti, you have to come to Vasile Milea Square for a walk or even for shopping. 
• 3 Argeș County Museum (Muzeul Județean Argeș), Strada Armand Calinescu, 44, ☏ 40 248212561, [email protected]. Organized in the building built between 1889-1899 as the headquarters of the former Prefecture of the county on the site where the Buliga hermitage church was located, the museum has a U-shaped symmetrical plane that appeals to the French school academy and to the repertoires of antiquity Greek and French Renaissance. The museum houses a series of archaeological discoveries that speak freely about the continuity of the Romanians in these lands: coins, objects of worship, ornaments that illustrate the succession of historical epochs, as well as an ecological exhibition, among the first of its kind in the country. 
• 4 1907 Park (Parcul 1907). 
• 5 The Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna Art Gallery (Galeria de Artă Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna). Art gallery works in a building of 1886 which until 1970 housed Town Hall. It has a collection of 1100 paintings and classical and contemporary sculpture. The rooms upstairs are exhibited by Nicolae Grigorescu, Stefan Luchian, Pallady, Gh. Petraşcu and Nicholas Tonitza, setting out some milestones in the history of each artist plastic. These artists gave Romanian painting personality, founded the national school of modern painting. Also, upstairs, two rooms are dedicated to painting museum Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna. 
• 6 The Alexandru Davila Theatre (Teatrul Alexandru Davila), Strada Victoriei, 19, ☏ 40 248 219 108. 
• 7 Town Hall (Primăria). 
• 8 The Heroes' Gate (Poarta Eroilor). Unveiled on September 28, 1926, the monument was built in the form of a traditional Romanian gate, being made of masonry on foundations and a stone basement and tiled roof. Above the wide opening vault, to the street, stands in the archaic capital of the Poarta Eroilor, and in the inner arch is a brief explanation "For the country, for glory and for the flag". On the pillars are the names of the localities where the military operations took place in the years 1916-1917 and the names of hundreds of soldiers fallen in debt in the campaigns from 1877-1878 and 1916-1918. Having the stately stature of a triumphal arch, the gate is meant to be a tribute to the over 1,100 heroes fallen for the achievement of national unity. Argeş's Heroes Gate was restored in 1971. 
• 9 Trivale Park (Parcul Trivale). Trivale Park is the largest natural park in Romania, occupying an area of ​​approximately 7,000 ha. Here are three valleys of streams, hence the name of Trivale. It consists of thermophilic oaks, diversity of vegetation and phyto-geological significance, placing it among the forests of great importance. The park really deserves to be visited because the pleasant, no-tiring atmosphere even made you smile. The rhetoric of the thermophilous oaks forests, the diversity of vegetation, the special phytogeographical importance give the Trivale forest a real importance. The park was declared a monument of nature in 1939. 
• 10 Trivale Hermitage (Schitul Trivale), Strada Trivale, 71, ☏ 40 248 272 343. The Trivale Hermitage, nestled on a scenic hill, was built between 1677-1688. 
• 11 Pitești Zoo (Grădina Zoologică Pitești), ☏ 40 248 223 203. In the Zoological Garden of Piteşti can be seen more than 130 animals, of 39 species, including: Emu ostrich, peacock, tiger, lions, bears, white bourbon, deer, monkeys, foxes, wolves, nuts, goats of Cameroon, as well as different species of birds of prey. Zoo remains one of the favorite places for children and parents in sunny days. 
• 12 The Holy Friday Church (Biserica Sfânta Vineri), Strada Sfanta Vineri, 44, ☏ 40 744 303 023. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century. The imposing edifice draws the audience's attention through the ornamentation that copies in large part that of the Curtea de Arges Monastery by the four columns with capitals worked after the ancient Greek stone architecture by Albeşti de Muscel and the mosaics on the right and left of the entrance main. 
• 13 The Holy Trinity Church (Biserica Treime). 
• 14 Planetarium (Planetariu). 
• 15 Pitești Prison Memorial (Memorialul Închisoarea Pitești), ☏ 40774651257. 
• 16 Mavrodolu Church (Biserica Mavrodolu). 
• 17 The Musical Fountain (Fântâna Muzicală). (updated Apr 2017)
• 18 Vila Florica, Aleea Stațiunii, 37, ☏ 40 248 266 703. Tu-Su 10:00-16:00. Adult 20 lei, senior 10 lei, student or disabled 5 lei. (updated Nov 2020)
• 19 Goleşti Viticulture and Tree-Growing Museum (Muzeului Viticulturii şi Pomiculturii Goleşti), Strada Banul Radu Golescu, 1, ☏ 40 248 266 364, [email protected]. Apr-Oct: daily 09:00-18:00; Nov-Mar: daily 08:00-16:00. Adult 10 lei, senior or student 5 lei. (updated Nov 2020)
• 20 Prundu Pyramid (Piramida din Prundu). (updated Feb 2018)
• 21 Argeș River Promenade (Promenada Argeșului). (updated Mar 2018)
• 22 Budeasa Dam (Barajul Budeasa). (updated Dec 2018)
• 23 Victoriei Street (Strada Victoriei). (updated Dec 2018)
• 24 Meculești Church (Biserica Meculești), Strada Constantin Dobrogeanu Gherea. (updated Nov 2020)
• 25 Valea Rea Church. (updated Oct 2022)

Do

Festivals

• Simfonia Lalelelor (The Tulip's Symphony). It is the largest festival in the city. (updated Nov 2016)

Buy

Shopping centers and malls

• 1 Vivo!, Calea București 36, ☏ 40 770 787 200. The first mall in the city, it was opened in 2007. 
• 2 Trivale Shopping Center, ☏ 40 374203309, 40 374203309. (updated Nov 2016)

Eat

• 1 Garden Pub, ☏ 40 733956280. This is the first pub to be opened in the city. (updated Nov 2016)
• 2 Casa Sattler, Bulevardul I. C. Brătianu 34, ☏ 40 248 224 410. (updated Nov 2016)
• 3 Cornul Vânătorului, ☏ 40 248275091. (updated Nov 2016)
• 4 Grota Rece, Strada Trivale 69, ☏ 40 348 800 600. (updated Nov 2016)
• 5 La Butoaie, ☏ 40 348 457 943, [email protected]. (updated Jun 2017)

Drink

In the Pitești region you can drink the best țuica (a brandy made out of plums or apples) or the best wines in the south of Romania.

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Ramada, Calea București 31, ☏ 40 372 480 500. Sleek and modern-looking. 331 lei. (updated Nov 2016)
• 2 Hotel Yaky, Bulevardul Republicii 57, ☏ 40 248 224 227, [email protected]. Very formal. 181 lei. (updated Nov 2016)
• 3 Hotel Muntenia, Piața Muntenia 1, ☏ 40 248 219 198, [email protected]. 275 lei. (updated Nov 2016)
• 4 Hotel Victoria, Strada Egalității 21, ☏ 40 248 220 777, [email protected]. Nice fountain in foreground of somber concrete hotel structure. 259 lei. (updated Nov 2016)

Cope

Consulates

• Serbia, Strada C.A. Rosetti 5-7, ☏ 40723101004, [email protected]. 

Connect

As of Aug 2022, Pitești has 4G from Orange and Telekom, and 5G from Vodafone and Digi.

Go next

• Nearby towns of Ștefănești and Mioveni.