← Timișoara Marathon·2 nights

Lugoj, Buziaș and Herta Müller's Banat

A slow loop through the Timiș county tourism route, with a night in Lugoj, a night in a spa town and a possible detour to the village of Nițchidorf.

Duration2 nights
TransitTrain or road via Lugoj and Buziaș; check current services
DepartsTimișoara

After the Timișoara Marathon: Lugoj and Buziaș

The Route: Timișoara → Lugoj → Buziaș → Nițchidorf (optional) → Timișoara Logistics: Train to Lugoj, then DJ592 or the railway to Buziaș, which is 25 km from Lugoj. A pre-arranged car works best for the village. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Timișoara ──(train)──> Lugoj (night 1)
                          │
                    (25 km, DJ592 or rail)
                          │
                       Buziaș (night 2)
                          │
                 Nițchidorf (optional, by car)
                          │
Timișoara ◄──────────────┘

This is the county tourism authority's own circuit, slowed down to suit a body that has run 42 kilometres. It joins two towns and one village, and it gives you time to rest between them.

October in Banat: the regional monthly mean is roughly 10 to 12°C. Nights are cool, so pack a warm layer.

Night one: Lugoj

Spend the first afternoon in Lugoj. The Dormition church, built between 1759 and 1766, and the neoclassical Traian Grozăvescu Theatre are both near the centre, and the History Museum is worth a look if it is open. See the separate guide to Lugoj for the detail. Stay close to the centre so that the walking is short.

Night two: Buziaș

Buziaș is about 25 km from Lugoj, linked by county road DJ592 and by the railway. Take it slowly. The imperial colonnade joins the springs to the casino, and the town park has a fountain and flat paths. The Balneary Museum in the former Gorjup villa opened in 1987; check its hours. Spa towns were built for sitting, which is what a runner needs on day three.

A detour to Nițchidorf

The county route ends at Nițchidorf, the village in Banat where the writer Herta Müller was born. The village is small, so ask the county tourism office what is open to visitors. Hire a driver rather than relying on public transport, and tell them where you want to be dropped.

Her novel The Land of Green Plums, translated by Michael Hofmann, is a good book to carry on this trip. It is not a guide to the region, but it helps to read a few pages before you see it.

Getting back

Return to Timișoara from Buziaș by train or by car. The airport has E4 buses to the centre and E4b to the station, so check the current service before you plan your last day.