Pitești's old centre is small and unpretentious — a compact grid of pedestrian streets centred on Bulevardul Republicii and the main square, Nicolae Bălcescu Park. The architecture is a mixture of interwar Romanian townhouse style and communist-era blocks, with occasional older buildings surviving in the gaps.
The pedestrian zone is pleasant enough for an hour's wander. Cafes and small restaurants line the main street, and the pace is that of a relaxed provincial city. The park itself, with its fountains and benches, is where locals congregate in the evenings. It's not spectacular, but it's a genuine Romanian urban experience rather than a curated tourist zone.