Oradea

A study in the majesty and magnificence of the European Secession period, Oradea has perhaps more Art Nouveau treasures per square meter than any other town on the continent. Just take a stroll down the central boulevard, known simply as Republicii, off the two main city squares on opposite sides of the Crisu Repede River. Here, you will be forever snapping photos – first of the teal-tinted Moskovits Palace, then of the ochre-hued Rimanóczy Palace and the U-shaped Bishop’s Palace, all the way to the age-stained Finanțelor with its metallic dome.

The chocolate box of architectural wonders is all down to a golden age that came with the rule of the Austro-Hungarians from the 1770s onwards. In place of haunting Transylvanian towers and castles, they raised handsome Baroque theatres, eventually settling on stunning Secession facades for their private homes and mansions.

Of course, if you prefer the grittier stuff, you only need ask your Oradea tour guide for directions to the Fortress of Oradea, which was fought-over by Ottomans, Tartars, and others since crowding the hilltops in the 12th-century. Throw in some moving Orthodox churches, and proximity to the rolling hills and hiking paths of Transylvania, and it will start to feel like a real adventure.