Sunday Strolling in Romania

Sundays are sacred in Romania.

I mean that in the religious, biblical sense and the off-limits, don’t-mess-with sense.

Sunday, or duminică in Romanian, is truly a day for rest and family, although many start with church in this heavily Christian country, with about 90% being Orthodox. Pausing to mark the Sabbath on Sunday is just like Friday in Islam and Saturday in Judaism. And even if people don’t worship, they make time for family and friends.

People need at least one day to chill and relax each week. While Saturdays tend to be for cooking, laundry, errands, hitting the farmer’s market or grocery shopping, kids’ activities and birthday parties, Sundays are when Romanians hit the brakes, shying away from chores and work of any kind.

Sundays are also for strolling in Romania.

At least in urban areas, it’s common to go for a leisurely walk or la plimbare. It’s definitely a European custom, which I’ve seen in a number of countries, from France to Italy to Spain. The French call the Sunday stroll la promenade du dimanche, while the Italians refer to a relaxed stroll, usually in the evenings, as la passeggiata, and the Spanish call it el paseo. Many countries have similar or other traditions. Let’s not forget the Sunday Roast in the United Kingdom.

Unlike Austria and Germany, where stores and shops typically close on Sunday, Romania’s retail and hospitality sector is mostly open. Urbanites flock to specialty coffee shops, brunch spots and traditional restaurants, or enjoy an unhurried, multi-course meal at home with family. Outside the concrete, apartment block-filled cities, it’s common to see cars pulled over in the countryside, even in the middle of pastures or perched on riverbanks, doors open with tunes playing, a blanket on the ground and a portable grill. Romanians call this kind of picnic iarbă verde, which translates literally to “green grass” – an admirable can-do spirit of just-get-outdoors.

In large Romanian cities, like where I live in Timișoara, the Sunday stroll is a show, a people-watching bonanza. It’s something I enjoy with my own family, but it’s also heartwarming to see so many residents relishing the moment – and prioritizing it.

By mid- to late-afternoon, the city center’s three main squares are flooded with people, especially this time of the year when the weather gets warmer. These pedestrian-only areas – a respite from the aggressive driving and dangerous crosswalks – stretch across the contiguous, picturesque squares, becoming the city’s giant living room.

Last Sunday, for example, I observed young and old, from packs of adolescents to families pushing strollers, plenty of multi-generational kin and adorable senior adults walking hand-in-hand.

Many people inch along, walking slower than I can ever imagine, a nanosecond from slow-motion, seemingly not wanting the day to end. Another endearing and frequent sight here is women and girls – mother and daughter, sisters or girlfriends – walking arm in arm, locked at the elbow, chatting away.

Many who stroll are decked out in their Sunday best, enjoying a bite or drink on a terrace, perhaps savoring an ice cream or gelato on the go (we have some legit Italian gelato here). But Sunday queues at certain gelato places defy the imagination.

Of course, there are buskers on the guitar or accordion, actors and acrobats performing for tips, and countless pigeons (which I can’t stand) scavenging from willing donors who feed them by hand or allow their small children play in their midst.

If it sounds crowded, it can be. That’s a bit of a drawback, but there’s generally enough room to roam. One exception is the narrow street of Alba Iulia, which connects two squares, that was borderline claustrophobic last Sunday. This week, the street’s popular umbrellas were installed for the season, once again making it a colorful, popular Instagrammable spot.

By dusk on Sunday, the same streets that are so clogged on weekdays are largely empty. Romania has strict, zero-tolerance drunk driving laws so that partly explains it, I think, as most people socialize smartly with family and friends.

Getting around by bike is another Sunday pastime, whether to navigate the city or cruise along the Bega River to the handful of restaurants and pubs that line it, including boat bars, or even spots outside of town that make for a pleasant ride.

The Sunday stroll is one of the things I love about Romania, and Europe in general, a throwback to yesteryear that’s alive and well. Even if you don’t go every weekend, it’s an enjoyable endeavor, a reset of sorts. Let’s hope it stays that way – it would be sacrilege to see it fade away.

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