Râmnicu Vâlcea, the county capital, is a practical rather than picturesque city, but it has a pleasant old quarter around the central square and a good museum in the former princely court. The Antim Monastery in the centre of town has a fine Brâncovenesc church from the early 18th century. The city is the natural base for exploring the Olt Valley monasteries — hotels are plentiful, restaurants are decent, and the road south along the Olt passes Cozia and Călimănești within 20km.
The city is perhaps best known internationally as a centre of online fraud in the early 2000s — the suburb of Râureni became known as "Hackerville" — but that history has little to do with the visitor experience. The streets are safe and the people are friendly.