April is the ideal time to enjoy a stroll in the botanical garden and delight in the splendor of nature, blooming trees, and spring flowers. Botanical gardens and dendrological parks represent an oasis of peace and color, being a popular destination for both children and adults. Furthermore, it has been proven that interaction with nature and the „great outdoors” helps reduce stress, improves happiness levels, and promotes an overall sense of well-being.
And if you don’t know which is the most beautiful botanical garden or dendrological park in Romania, the team at Clubulcopiilor.ro is here to help.
Clubulcopiilor.ro has compiled a ranking of the highest-rated botanical gardens and dendrological parks in Romania based on reviews submitted on Google Maps.
Google Maps has accumulated over 75,000 reviews for botanical gardens and dendrological parks in Romania. Our ranking considers botanical gardens and dendrological parks that have accumulated at least 100 reviews over the years and have obtained the highest average review ratings. Where review averages were tied, we prioritized the botanical garden or dendrological park that gathered the most reviews.
The highest-rated botanical gardens and dendrological parks are located in Iasi, Craiova, Hunedoara, Carei, and Chitila, a suburb of Bucharest. All five have achieved an excellent rating of 4.7 out of a maximum of 5.
A very pleasant surprise is represented by the gardens in small or medium-sized cities such as Hunedoara, Carei, Simeria, or Jibou which have attracted many appreciations from visitors and are among the most beautiful and well-maintained gardens in Romania.
Which botanical gardens have the most visitors? The botanical gardens in major cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, and Iași are the most visited in Romania. The botanical garden in Iași had over 330,000 visitors in 2023, with the busiest months being April, May, and June.
Below you will find the complete list of the highest-rated botanical gardens and dendrological parks in the country.
1. “Anastasie Fătu” Botanical Garden, Iași
⭐Rating: 4,7 👤 Reviews: 12354
The oldest in the country, the “Anastasie Fătu“ Botanical Garden in Iași is also the largest. Covering approximately 100 hectares, it is unique in the large number of plant species you can find here and in the special conservation measures applied.
With many places to sit and admire nature, but also with wild, yet well-maintained areas, this is the ideal place to spend an unforgettable Sunday, seeking to discover the hidden beauties of the place.
Last year, 40,000 tulip bulbs were planted here, over 200 species, to fill this garden with tulips of all colors, to the delight of visitors.
2. “Alexandru Buia”, Botanical Garden, Craiova
⭐Rating: 4,7 👤 Reviews: 8024
The “Alexandru Buia“ Botanical Garden in Craiova will become in April a vibrant spectacle of spring, with thousands of blooming tulips coloring the green lawn with their diverse petals. These ephemeral flowers are admired by visitors and photographers, being a seasonal attraction that you can enjoy only for a short period of time.
Yellow, red, purple, tulips are planted along the greenhouses, their arrangement in this way not being accidental at all. It follows the original plan of the garden, which is made up of seven sectors. In May, the rose garden will also be visible, with 43 unique rose species that can be admired until late autumn.
3. Giardini di Zoe, Banpotoc- Hunedoara
⭐Rating: 4,7 👤 Reviews: 6900
As soon as you step into the garden, you are greeted by an army of ornamental cherry trees, lined up like guards on a path offering a wonderful spring spectacle. In this fairy-tale garden, every blade of grass and every plant is carefully placed, offering an atmosphere of peace and harmony. The fresh air and the garden arrangements invite you to explore every corner of this green paradise. It is ideal to come here in the morning, to enjoy the spring sun rays.
4. Carei Dendrological Park
⭐Rating: 4,7 👤 Reviews: 2258
The dendrological park in Carei is one of the oldest parks in Romania, established in 1698, where exotic trees and rare plants can be found. In front of them are explanatory plaques, so you can find valuable information about the varieties you will see. There are over 200 species of plants from all continents here, on an area of over 10 hectares.
In the middle of the park is the Károlyi Castle, surrounded by an English-style garden. In front of the castle, there is a historic plane tree, which has a diameter of 205 centimeters, planted in 1810.
5. Arboretum Chitila
⭐Rating: 4,7 👤 Reviews: 1893
Located on the shore of Lake Chitila, this park was opened to visitors in 2010. Benches are placed throughout the park, but this doesn’t stop visitors from sitting on the green grass, sometimes for picnics. The park covers an area of 3 hectares and contains many species of trees, shrubs, flowers, and plants.
Visitors will find clean air, tranquility, beautiful scenery, and a well-kept and clean place. It is an ideal place for walking or reading, admiring nature or meditation. With the arrival of spring, various cultural activities begin to take place here, organized by the municipality, together with the ProChitila Foundation.
6. “Alexandru Borza” Botanical Garden, Cluj
⭐Rating: 4,6 👤 Reviews: 15899
176 tulip varieties color the alleys of the “Alexandru Borza“ Botanical Garden. Every year brings new tulip varieties, with gardeners trying to cover the entire color range, to the delight of visitors. Among the appreciated varieties are peony-type tulips, with multiple petals or brown flowers, La Belle Epoque, and Brownie
7. “Vasile Fati” Botanical Garden, Jibou
⭐Rating: 4,6 👤 Reviews: 3762
The “Vasile Fati“ Botanical Garden in Jibou is a true corner of paradise that must be included on your visiting list in Romania. At the Jibou Botanical Garden, about 40,000 tulip bulbs from all collections can be admired. Along with the other spring flowers, about 120 different varieties of all tulip groups (larger and smaller species) make up a marvelous multicolored spectacle.
If you come here, you must also visit the Japanese garden, which is a very spectacular area, especially when the Japanese cherry trees are in bloom.
8. Simeria Arboretum Park
⭐Rating: 4,6 👤 Reviews: 3402
The Simeria dendrological park covers an area of 70 hectares and is located on the bank of the Mureș River. It is the oldest collection of trees, its initial form taking shape 300 years ago. There are approximately 2200 taxa here. Inside, you can also see a small pond, covered with water lilies. Many wooden works decorate the park beautifully, delighting those who visit it.
The dendrological park in Simeria holds not only the richest collection of magnolias but also the most valuable collection of exotic woody plants in Romania, the reservation being unique in the country.
9. “Răsvan Angheluță” Botanical Garden, Galați
⭐Rating: 4,6 👤 Reviews: 3341
A section of the Natural Sciences Complex, the botanical garden in Galați is the youngest park of this type in Romania, being founded in 1990. It is located on an area of 18 hectares, and the entrance is on Regiment 11 – Siret Street no. 6A. Here you can find a sensory garden, where you can walk barefoot, a rose garden, a nursery, flowers from all five continents, a useful plant garden, a museum, and an Ornamental Section.
10. Csíky Gheorgheni Garden
⭐Rating: 4,6 👤 Reviews: 303
The Csíky-Garden dendrological park was founded in 1884 by lawyer Dr. Csíky Dénes. He planted 185 species of trees and shrubs, proving to the locals that even here, in the harsh climate of an intra-Carpathian basin, not only the ubiquitous spruce and pine can survive, but also other species from distant lands.
The park is perfect for a walk on a sunny day. The longest trail with a red cross exits the park and leads to a peak from where you can have a superb view of the Gheorgheni city.
11. Dofteana Dendrological Park, Bacău
⭐Rating: 4,5 👤 Reviews: 135
The Dofteana dendrological park includes over 660 species of trees and covers an area of 24 hectares. It is a valuable collection of woody plants, especially resinous ones. It is an important socio-cultural and educational landmark. This is a point of acclimatization for exotic species of forest interest.
Some trees here have reached the age of 70, and others belong to the species of decorative trees. Here you can find golden bells (Forsythia), Japanese quinces, magnolias. The beauty of the spring landscape is crowned by the multitude of colors you can see.
12. “Dr. Ion Vlad” Arboretum, Alba Iulia
⭐Rating: 4,5 👤 Reviews: 600
The “Dr. Ion Vlad Dendrological“ Park in Alba Iulia is a true landscape jewel of Transylvania, being remarkable because it is the first park of this kind built directly in the forest, on a hill. This approach gave rise to a free and captivating landscape style, which delights your senses from the first step beyond the entrance gate. With an area of 21 hectares, the park hosts over 1100 plant species from all over the world and an impressive diversity of birds, especially insect-eating ones, which have found refuge in this corner of paradise.
13. Târgu Mureș Botanical Garden
⭐Rating: 4,4 👤 Reviews: 116
In the botanical garden of Târgu Mureș, over 1000 species from all over the world are acclimatized in a natural environment. Here you can find mainly medicinal and ornamental plants. It is divided into three sectors, which were established in 1908, when the dendrological park and greenhouses were arranged. The dendrological park is located in front of the building of the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology „George Emil Palade” and covers an area of approximately 5 hectares.
14. “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden, Bucharest
⭐Rating: 4,3 👤 Reviews: 13343
Just a few steps from the continuous hustle and bustle of the traffic on Iuliu Maniu Boulevard, lies the Botanical Garden of Bucharest, a cool oasis, full of spring flowers already in bloom, waiting with open arms for visitors. From the entrance to the garden, the Botanic Museum offers curiosities from the world of plants, while over 4,000 plant species delight the eyes throughout the year.
In addition, within the garden, there is an area dedicated to recreational activities, known as the „picnic area”, where children can play freely on an area of about one hectare, bordered by meadows and forests.
15. Botanical Park, Timișoara
⭐Rating: 4,3 👤 Reviews: 4169
The Botanical Park in Timișoara was designed as a dendrological park and was established in 1990. Located in the immediate vicinity of the former fortress, it includes 218 plant species. Their origin is from collections, international seed exchanges, and various parks in the country.
It has been declared a scientific reserve since 1995, protecting the plants belonging to the local and exotic flora. The park is used for scientific and didactic purposes, and with the arrival of spring, art activities are held here.
| Ranking | Botanical Garden/Dendrological Park | Location | Score | Number of Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anastasie Fătu Botanical Garden | Iași | 4.7 | 12354 |
| 2 | Alexandru Buia Botanical Garden | Craiova | 4.7 | 8024 |
| 3 | I Giardini di Zoe | Banpotoc, Hunedoara | 4.7 | 6900 |
| 4 | Carei Dendrological Park | Carei | 4.7 | 2258 |
| 5 | Chitila Arboretum | Chitila | 4.7 | 1893 |
| 6 | Alexandru Borza Botanical Garden | Cluj Napoca | 4.6 | 15899 |
| 7 | Vasile Fati Botanical Garden | Jibou | 4.6 | 3762 |
| 8 | Simeria Arboretum Park | Simeria | 4.6 | 3402 |
| 9 | Răsvan Angheluță Botanical Garden | Galați | 4.6 | 3341 |
| 10 | Csíky Garden | Gheorgheni | 4.6 | 303 |
| 11 | Dofteana Dendrological Park | Bacău | 4.5 | 135 |
| 12 | Dr. Ion Vlad Arboretum | Alba Iulia | 4.5 | 600 |
| 13 | Târgu Mureș Botanical Garden | Târgu Mureș | 4.4 | 116 |
| 14 | Dimitrie Brândză Botanical Garden | Bucharest | 4.3 | 13343 |
| 15 | Botanical Park | Timișoara | 4.3 | 4169 |
| 16 | Bucov Botanical Garden | Ploiești | 4.3 | 566 |
| 17 | Macea Botanical Garden | Arad | 4.2 | 757 |
| 18 | Bazoș Dendrological Park | Timișoara | 4.2 | 553 |
| 19 | Techirghiol Botanical Garden | Techirghiol | 4.1 | 215 |
Which botanical garden in Romania is:
• The largest? The „Anastasie Fătu” Botanical Garden in Iași is the largest botanical garden in the country, covering approximately 100 hectares. It is unique in the large number of plant species and the special conservation measures applied. From February to August, collections with azaleas, camellias, orchids, crotons, cacti, bonsai, tulips, irises, daffodils, roses, and dahlias are presented.
• The oldest? Again, the „Anastasie Fătu” Botanical Garden in Iași is also the oldest in the country. Established in 1856, it is the first Romanian university botanical garden.
• The newest? The „Vasile Fati” Botanical Garden in Jibou, Salaj County, was founded in 1968 by Professor Vasile Fati. This botanical garden extends over the leisure park of the medieval castle that served as a residence for the Wesselényi family.
