4. Quality of life

There is a wide variety of towns and cities in West Region, offering their citizens specific living conditions and leisure opportunities. The City of Timişoara, a multicultural ‘phenomenon', is the largest city in the western Romania and is also called ‘Little Vienna'. The City of Arad, a character in the painted chronicle of Vienna, has the only star-shaped fortress entirely preserved in Romania and ‘Neptun' Swimming Place, located in the Mureş ringlet, is one of the most beautiful places of amusement of this kind in our country. The City of Deva, the cradle of the Romanian gymnastics, was included in the world circuit due to renowned personalities as the gymnasts Nadia Comăneci and Ecaterina Szabó. Reşiţa, the oldest ironworks centre in Romania, is lying at the foot of the Semenic Mountain and in 1772 produced the first locomotive.

The presence of some unique natural elements in West Region is acknowledged in 131 protected natural areas, among them being one of the most important parks in Europe, the Retezat National Park.

The rich resources of the thermal, mineral and still waters of West Region have been known and used since very old times. The tourist potential of the thermal waters has been exploited in several regionally and nationally popular spas, out of which Băile Herculane Spa is internationally renowned. West Region owes its remarkable natural tourist potential to its diverse geography, rich natural resources, and spectacular landscapes. This potential enables the carrying out of numerous forms and types of tourism, which can be practiced, among others, in tourist resorts.

Wine tasting is a particular form of the gastronomic tourism popular in the region. The wine cellars of Recaş have been enjoying national and international recognition for their high-quality white, red, and rosé wines, exported in over 20 countries. Besides these, the vineyard of Miniş in the county of Arad is also famous, housing a vine research centre with a long tradition.