On Friday, November 15, Craiova officially opened its Christmas Market. I heard that last year’s market was good, but this year it’s even better. They set up two million lights and put a lot of effort into organizing everything with a "Beauty and the Beast" theme. The decorations were designed to look stunning and inviting.
On opening day, Craiova was so crowded that it was difficult to walk through the market.
The main attraction was near the Mercur Center and in front of the Dolj County Prefecture building. People started gathering early, waiting for the lights to turn on at 6:40 PM (not sure why they chose that exact time). As the countdown began, everyone joined in, counting down the final 10 seconds. When the lights turned on, the entire market lit up, followed by music that signaled the next attraction.
One of the highlights was Santa Claus "riding" a wire from the roof of the Mercur Center to a building across the road. At the same time, a massive fireworks display lit up the sky, adding an extra sparkle to the atmosphere.
The market was packed with people sipping on wine or hot chocolate, enjoying local or Greek food, or simply strolling around. There was also an ice-skating rink, where both kids and some adults were having fun on the ice.
Later, the crowd moved to another part of the market where a live concert stage was set up. I was told the performer was the “most popular Romanian Christmas singer.”
I truly enjoyed my evening there. The vibe was so cheerful, and it felt like the entire city had come together to witness the opening of the Christmas Market.
Also, check some of photos I took.
 |
