If your mountain trip takes you through Cluj-Napoca, the Art Museum is well worth a detour — housed in a striking 18th-century Baroque palace designed by German architect Johann Eberhard Blaumann, it's one of Transylvania's most important cultural landmarks, holding a remarkable collection of Romanian and European art.

The palace itself is a treat to wander through — grand Baroque halls spread across more than 20 rooms, filled with paintings, graphics and decorative art spanning the 15th to 20th centuries. It's a perfect stop on a rainy day or a rest day between hikes in the Apuseni Mountains or the Trascău range, offering a warm, cultured escape from the trail, especially welcome in autumn and winter.

• Cluj-Napoca city centre — the museum sits right in the historic core, an easy walk from Union Square (Piața Unirii)
• Reachable by public transport or car, with parking available near the old town

• The collection features works by Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Theodor Pallady and Camil Ressu
• The National Gallery on the upper floor showcases four centuries of Romanian art, with a strong focus on Transylvania
• The museum was shortlisted for the EMYA European Museum of the Year award in 1997

The heart of the collection traces back to Virgil Cioflec's 1929 donation to Cluj University, which established the city's first museum of modern Romanian art — a legacy still at the core of the institution today.