Bucium

Bucium is the hill of vineyards and villas in the south-east of Iași, the airiest part of the city and the only one combining wide views, religious heritage and a geological site — all within the administrative boundary.

What you see

Cetățuia Monastery is a seventeenth-century foundation with a fortified enclosure, walls and a tower. It has the best view over Iași — if you pick a single hill to climb, pick this one, and go towards sunset.

The Repedea reserve is a palaeontological reserve where the outcrops contain marine fossils, evidence of a sea that covered the area in the Miocene. It is a genuine geological site rather than a tourist installation, and one of the few chances to step outside the urban register without leaving the city.

Bucium, Cetățuia and Repedea are all among the seven hills of Iași. See geography and climate.

What it's like, practically

The area has six places to stay and seven restaurants listed — surprisingly many for a peripheral area, and explicable by its profile: houses, air, quiet and views.

It is, however, the area that requires a car. The climbs are real, and public transport covers the quarter less well than the central areas. In winter the slopes become difficult — the January average in Iași is −2.1 °C.

The vineyard hill

Bucium is the area of vineyards and houses in the south-east of Iași, on one of the highest points of the built-up zone. The difference in altitude from the centre — the city runs between 45 and 95 metres — is felt in the air and the temperature, especially in summer.

It also has the highest concentration of accommodation outside the centre: six places listed, mostly houses or guesthouses, with views. For anyone arriving by car who wants quiet, it is the real alternative to the centre.

Who it suits

Visitors with a car who prefer quiet to bustle. Families. Anyone wanting accommodation with a view, at prices below the centre.

It is also the right area for a day outside the classic visiting register: climb to Cetățuia in the morning, come down to Repedea in the afternoon, and you have seen a part of Iași most tourists miss entirely. The full monastery route is in the dedicated guide.