Oradea’s Revival: From a Socialist Past to Tourist Future

Written By Aya .

By: Naomi Siegel  

Oradea, a small Romanian city, is becoming an emerging tourist destination. Previously governed under strict socialist policies, this city left numerous residents unable to prosper economically and thus living in ill-fit conditions. Realizing Oradea’s potential as a massive tourist destination, the government has started to rebuild infrastructure built in the 1950s while openly inviting German, Hungarian, and English tourists to help the city prosper. 

Located less than a mile from the Romanian border, Oradea preserves a history of socialism. The small townhouses and large apartments have been abandoned for decades, with plaster peeling off walls and windows shattered, reminiscent of a period of shortage and oppression. Synagogues, once spreading wisdom and faith to the majority of the city, have been deserted since the 1940s, instead evoking fear and alienation. Old cigar stores and Romanian folk attire make life feel frozen in time—a run-down city, still partially stuck in a Soviet socialist era. 

Yet, over time, the government has attempted to forget its once-socialist policies. As of 2021, with financial support from the European Union, Romanian cities have witnessed major changes. Modern architecture and amenities have been established, creating job opportunities in construction, services, and for foreign investors. Tourism has played a major role in this transformation, as the increase in foreigners has generated new revenue and investment. Upscale housing, modern hotels, major tourist destinations such as the public pools, and reliable infrastructure are expected from tourists visiting Oradea, thus pushing the government to meet social demands. With the increased funding, the government has granted loans to locals, extending houses — going from one-room apartments to four-room houses — and redesigning roads to accommodate cars rather than horse-drawn carriages. Tourism has not only brought in foreign capital but also encouraged the city to modernize in order to meet international standards.  

These drastic changes have already benefited numerous lives. Yet other residents struggle with increased pricing driven by high tourism. For instance, Oradea’s public pools, once affordable local gathering places are nowadays major tourist attractions. They recently increased admission prices from 20 lei in 2021 to 109 lei as of 2025. For European and American tourists, who often make more than the average Romanian citizen, these prices are cheap. However, for locals who make less than 2,000 lei monthly, these price increases are detrimental. 

Christina Lonescu, 80, explained, “I barely make 40 lei a day. I stand out here every day for hours, but so few people come by my stand.” Along with sixty others, she tries to make a living by selling fresh peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers at the outdoor market. While she may receive some business from older folks, she rarely meets the tourists now flooding into Oradea. Thus, she is forced to contend with increased pricing while failing to make adequate profit. 

The prospect of Oradea as a trendy tourist destination is promising for the Romanian government, which will continue to invest heavily in the city. Tourists have provided the funding for new housing, improved roads, and new job opportunities, allowing the government to continue Oradea’s development. Many residents now have proper living conditions and stable jobs. Yet others are impacted more greatly by rising prices, as profits become harder to attain, preventing them from enjoying the luxuries of this changing city. 

The hope is that, over time, Oradea’s growth and tourist appeal will bring profit to all Romanians and serve as a model of a city that improved with the help of tourism. 

 

  

Aya .
Next

Gerrymandering is a Game of Sudoku