This Romanian industrial center has Renaissance and Baroque buildings in its old quarter, with the Art Nouveau-style Piata Mica at its heart. Near the Carpathian Mountains.
Pitești lies along the Argeș River in Romania's Muntenia region, 110 kilometers northwest of Bucharest. You'll find century-old wineries in the surrounding hills, watch performances at the Alexandru Davila County Theater, and see thousands of tulips bloom during the spring Tulip Symphony festival. The city played an important role in Romania's 20th-century history, with the former Pitești Prison now serving as a museum about the communist period.
Getting to Pitești
You can reach Pitești by car via the A1 freeway from Bucharest, a journey that takes about 1.5 hours. If you prefer trains, regular services run from major Romanian cities to Pitești's railway station, which connects to the classification yard in Bălilești.
Cultural Venues and Events
The Alexandru Davila County Theater runs daily performances across its main stage, puppet theater, and open-air venue since 1948. Each spring, the Tulip Symphony festival fills the city's parks with over 150,000 tulips in various colors. Visit the 1886 Town Hall's art gallery to see rotating exhibitions of Romanian artists.
Local Products and Surroundings
Local distilleries produce țuica de Pitești, a traditional plum brandy, using fruit from the nearby orchards. Several family-run wineries in the hills welcome visitors for tastings and cellar tours. Walking paths follow the Argeș River, with benches and picnic spots along the water.
Modern City Life
The University of Pitești and Constantin Brâncoveanu University bring about 12,000 students to the city. You can swim at the Olympic-size pool at CSM Pitești or cool off at the public pool in Tudor Vladimirescu during summer months. The Automobile Dacia factory employs many locals and contributes to the city's industrial economy.
Historical Sites
The County Museum of History and Natural Sciences occupies the 1899 Prefecture building, displaying archaeological finds and geological specimens from the Argeș region. The Pitești Prison Museum, which opened in 2014, documents the 1949-1951 period through photographs, documents, and personal accounts from former prisoners. The original 1941 prison building remains intact, allowing visitors to understand this challenging period in Romanian history.
