Let's travel together #254 - Parcul Cetățuia (Cetățuia Hill and Park from Cluj-Napoca)
After attending the concert of my favorite singer, dealing with a crazy flu, and three seasons experienced in two days only, I'm finally back with a travel blog.
And as much as I enjoy sharing pictures or taking part in all kinds of communities, my biggest love will always remain writing about my travel experiences which not only make me feel alive but hopefully will also inspire more people to explore Romania and what it has to offer.
Anyway, if you've read my previous post where I tried as best as I can to share a bit of the emotion I felt while attending the concert, perhaps you are aware of the trip I'm talking about, but if not, then I'd like to let you know that my most recent trip (that I had 2 weeks ago) was taken in Cluj-Napoca which is a fairly big and imposing city of Romania.
Even though I've crossed Cluj in the past for quite a few times, I never got time to actually explore the urban life but only some of the surroundings which are not less impressive either.
However, with the occasion of being in town for a few days, even from the first day I, my sister and my cousin arrived, we decided to only leave our luggage at the Airbnb we rented and then start our very first journey on the way to a quite famous place in Cluj, known as Parcul Cetățuia.
While I'm used to be the one who gives advice to my friends when they ask what they should visit in a town or county, I felt quite stupid to hear people talking about this park and get surprised when they heard that I've never visited it, so I sort of felt like I had a debt that I should handle before the whole vacation would begin, haha.
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When it comes to parks, I'm used to thinking about them as one of those places hidden in town but which still manage to bring a small part of nature right in the middle of the chaos. However, what is less common, is that we are talking about a park located on top of the hill from where you will have a great view over the city. So you will enjoy a proper hike until you reach it.
A while ago, I bet there was just a single way of access to the upper side of the park because there is just one paved path, but considering that there are thousands of tourists and locals making their way to the top daily, these days you can enjoy no less than 5 paths both safe and filled with adrenaline, but which of course, will let you decide which one you shall follow.
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Even though it's been more than 2 months since I started going to the gym, equally it's been two years since my latest hike and considering that I've already had to deal with COVID two times, I'm not really in the shape for hiking anymore so any single step made on an inclined surface makes me get tired quite instantly, while some time ago the same activity used to bring me only smiles and excitement.
This is also a thing that perhaps will make you observe pretty quickly who are the locals and who are the tourists because the locals are quite used to visit this park and no doubt they are more in shape than most of the tourists.
For most of you, "Cetățuia" might not say much, but in reality, it makes the connection with "cetate" which can be translated either as fortress or citadel in English, that is not a randomly picked name.
Thus, on the way to the top, not only that you will cross through numerous stories shared either on the grass, or on a rock, but also get to see some of the leftovers from the past which used to represent the very first Vauban type fortification created in Transylvania, which was raised by the Habsburg Empire in the 18th century.
So we are not talking about a common park, but also a place which is very rich in history that only began to be called a park in 1900 after 2 years passed since the death of Empress Elizabeth who used to be the wife of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph. Even if both of them died, the locals didn't want to let the history get lost with the passage of time, so they used the word "Cetățuia" as the name for both the hill and the park, but also the name of the Empress for the southern ridge of the hill where can also be found a statue with her.
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While the statue and the southern ridge of the hill are not very easy to be reached, that doesn't represent the single 'interesting' part of the park, because on the southeast side of the park (which also represents the paved trail), you can discover a big monument noticeable from the distance due to its big and imposing cross that was built to remind about the martyrs of the 1848 Revolution which played a particularly important role in the French Revolution from the same year that led to repercussions on the whole Europe.
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Even though I'm a fan when it comes to walking between pieces of history and perhaps learn a bit more of the past of my home country, this time it felt different because it was quite a while since I last reconnected with nature and the opportunity to meet it again right in the middle of the town, felt more important than anything else.
So along with my sister and my cousin, we hardly found a free spot where to rest our feet and enjoy the view of the town for quite a while before making our way to the center of the town and look for a pretty terrace where to enjoy the dinner.
For us, reaching Parcul Cetățuia was quite easy because our Airbnb was just 20 mins away from it but as a landmark, this one is located very close to the old town and it's pretty easy to reach it from any side you are coming because there are plenty of indicators to it, as well as an old hotel entitled "Cetățuia" that can be noticed from the distance due to the light you will see up on the hill with this name.
In order to reach Cluj-Napoca, you will need to follow the European road E60 and depending on the direction you are coming from, perhaps you will cross Turda which is another city I recommend visiting, especially for Cheile Turzii (Turda Gorges) and Salina Turda (Turda Salt Mine).
SEE YOU IN THE NEXT TRIP! 🗾
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I think you spending too good time in this place. it was a great place
and you live romania ?
Yes, I do. And I love it!
Fantastic view over the city. What fascinates me more though is the stunning blue sky. Such an intense blue. Must have been an amazing hike. Thanks for sharing your journey.
It was a sunny and great day for a walk out there, indeed! Thank you for stopping by.
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I must say that I am very impressed by your latest travel blog. Your writing is very engaging, and it is clear that you have a real passion for exploring Romania and sharing your experiences with others. It takes a lot of courage to venture out into the world, especially during these uncertain times, so I commend you for taking the initiative to explore Cluj-Napoca and its surroundings.
I can also relate to your feelings of being out of shape and struggling with hiking, but you did not let that stop you from experiencing the beauty of Parcul Cetățuia. It is inspiring to see you pushing yourself and trying new things.
Moreover, I appreciate that you take the time to delve into the history of the places you visit, as it adds a whole new dimension to the experience. It is fascinating to learn about the Vauban type fortification created in Transylvania and how the name "Cetățuia" connects with Empress Elizabeth.
fantastic tribute to Parcul Cetățuia, and I am sure that your readers will be inspired to explore the park themselves. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to reading more of your travel adventures.
Happy to be !ALIVE
@gabrielatravels! You Are Alive so I just staked 0.1 $ALIVE to your account on behalf of @old-man-chu58. (5/10)
The tip has been paid for by the We Are Alive Tribe through the earnings on @alive.chat, feel free to swing by our daily chat any time you want.
Thank you for your support and taking time to read and leave such a valuable comment on my post.
Since I am in the blockchain (this year I will have my 6 years celebration), I've always said that even though Romania occupies the first positions of many tops that are not a pride for us, equally it has plenty to offer for the tourists and plenty of unique spots for the whole world. So even though in the meantime my activity here turned into a passion, my first initiative was to promote my country more and make people more aware of the less known parts of the country, and that's exactly what I'm still doing, 5 years later.
If one day, I'll see some people from the chain visiting Romania being inspired by my articles, then I'll consider my mission complete but either way, I'll never stop exploring and writing about it.
Thank you again and I hope you have a lovely Sunday!
Your dedication to showcasing the lesser-known parts of your country is truly inspiring.
It's important to remember that even if you don't see immediate results, your efforts are not in vain. Your articles and promotions may inspire people to visit Romania in the future, and even if they don't, you are still spreading awareness about your country's unique culture and attractions.
Your mission to explore and write about Romania is commendable, and I encourage you to keep up the great work. Your love for your country and determination to promote it is truly admirable, and I have no doubt that it will pay off in the long run.
Thank you for sharing your passion with the world, and I hope you have a wonderful day!
Happy to be !ALIVE
@gabrielatravels! You Are Alive so I just staked 0.1 $ALIVE to your account on behalf of @old-man-chu58. (6/10)
The tip has been paid for by the We Are Alive Tribe through the earnings on @alive.chat, feel free to swing by our daily chat any time you want.
I do know that and perhaps I'm amongst the very few from here who know what struggling is because I joined the blockchain back in 2017 and for years it was literally impossible to make more than 2-3$ per post. Most of the people started with lvl 25 and so on. It was a long, hard and beautiful journey that not many get to experience now when it's enough to share some good pictures or make a good introduction to get 100$ on your post and at least 55 reputation to start with.
The same applies to the other efforts made in my life either if we talk about promoting less known parts of Romania or not. But I do appreciate any comment and every single person who takes time to actually read my posts and share their thoughts. Once again, thank you for that and I hope you have a lovely day!
It's hard to stay away from travel blogging isn't it, it brings so much joy. I like the "tag" wall, the erosion patters are rather interesting.
I can relate to getting covid a couple of times and how difficult it is to get back to it especially hiking. Sorry you had to go thru that and it left you with residual issues. I have experienced the same and just like you hiking is much harder now especially climbing.
My trick has been to just take my time, if I have to sit down every 5 minutes for a break, so be it. I also might bring a book and just sit and read or something easy like that, still there to take the nature in, just maybe not hiking as far. Hopefully the issues will resolve themselves with time. Take care! xox
That's actually a good and interesting idea of taking frequent breaks and even read a book or have a different activity in those times. I've always been afraid that it might become annoying for the rest of the group if I take many times but I'm sure everyone will understand. Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read my post as well. Can't wait to see more from you! 🤍
You are not trying to be a bother, I feel that way sometimes too but if they know ahead of time and how it is important to you being able to enjoy yourself too, the right ones will understand and participate. Awwe, your too sweet!
Thank you for understanding this better than others and for the encouraging words! They mean so much during those crazy times to be alive.. take care and have a great day! ❤️
You are very welcome, have a good day too Sweetie 😍