Social
Conventions :
Inhabitants
of IASI City are friendly and foreigners are usually made very welcome.
Religion (mainly orthodox) plays an important role in daily life and
criticism or jokes about religion are not appreciated. Music and art
are important aspects of city culture.
Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting. Normal courtesies are
observed when visiting private homes and it is customary to bring
flowers. Sport wear is the most suitable attire, but dress and suit
should be formal when specified for entertaining in the evening or in a
smart restaurant. Smoking is restricted in some public buildings.
Photography: Military installations and institutions should not be
photographed.
Tipping: 5-10% is customary in restaurants and cafés. Tipping in
self-service restaurants is not expected. Tips for porter's services in
hotels and train station are not customary and the amounts are at the
traveller's discretion.
Nightlife :
In the
evening you can go to the theater / opera or can enjoy a classical
concert.
In IASI there are a few good bars. There are also some nice discos,
especially in the students' districts. There are nearly 60 000 students
in IASI and, of course, they are the main actors of the nightlife of
the city. Some of the more expensive restaurants put on floor shows,
Some of the places specializing in Romanian cuisine sometimes put on
good traditional folk groups and singers. Over the night you can spend
your time and money in a casino or in a bar with cabaret program. In
some old pubs the guests can taste the good old Romanian wines,
listening to the beautiful Romanian folk music. Over the year there are
some cultural events that atract the people, sometimes, in the evening
and over the night.
Daylife :
In Iasi there
are many places where visitors can spend the sunny days in the spring,
summer or autumn and even the cold days in the winter.
Sports : FORTUS - tennis courts with night
lighting, Swimming Place in the center, (basketball playing fields,
tennis courts with night lighting, three swimming pools, lake with
boats), Moldova - covered swimming pool, Equine Center (nice horses),
Viper Club - bowling, billiards, pool, table tennis, Private Clubs -
wrestling and fitness, Polyvalent Hall - basketball playing field,
wrestling and fitness rooms, indoor soccer.
In the winter, guests would enjoy skating at the Municipal Skating Rink
or skiing on the hills sorrounding the city (especially Repedea and
Sorogari), Repedea Hill - Hiking to the Bârnova Monastery (about
3 hours), Cetatuia Hill - Hiking to the Cetatuia
Monastery (about 45').
Recreation : CIRIC Lake - Recreation Center,
DOROBANT Lake, CIURBESTI Lake, Botanical Garden (with mineral water
springs and the
lake), open terraces (in the summer), drive with carriage and pair -
from Equine Center, a tour with the old electric tram (over 100 year
old)watching a soccer game on the " Emil Alexandrescu" Stadium,
watching a rugby match on the "Agronomia" stadium, Specific Clubs
for practicing gliding or parachutism.
Walks : see IASI Walks
 
Shopping:
*
Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 08:00 - 20:00, shorter hours on Sunday.
* Night food shops open 20:00 - 08:00.
* Supermarkets open Mon - Sat 08:00 - 20:00 and 08:00 - 18:00 on
Sunday.
* Iulius Mall open Mon - Sun 10:00 -
22:00.
* Moldova Mall open Mon - Sun 10:00 - 22:00,
* Bookshops
open Mon - Sat 10:00-18:00. See also Souvenir
CURRENCY
Leu (plural
Lei) = 100 bani.
Exchange: Visitors are advised to take hard currency;
particularly EUR and US Dollars. Sterling can also be easily
exchanged. Visitors are advised to shop around for the best rates
of exchange. Do not use the black market as it is illegal. Major credit cards are
accepted in large hotels and shops. Travellers cheques can be used
at the tourist office and for paying hotel bills.
ATM
availability : Over 60 locations.
CREDIT CARDS AND TRAVELER CHECKS
American
Express, Dinners Club, JBC International, Master Card and VISA are
accepted in most travel agencies, airlines, hotels and car hire
companies and in many shops, restaurants, coffee bars and exchange
offices. It is however advisable to check in advance.
Credit card processing fees : 1% to 5%.
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