Bucharest travel guide

Overview

The nation's capital since 1862, Bucharest is the country's largest and wealthiest metropolis. Tree-lined boulevards, classical buildings, and extravagant public structures lie in juxtaposition to crowded streets, Stalinist apartment blocks, and towering skyscrapers. It is a city where east meets west, where utilitarianism meets extravagance, and where business meets pleasure.

Once considered the 'Paris of the East' for its long leafy avenues, grand buildings, and distinguished social scene enjoyed by the extravagant Romanian aristocracy, the city's elegance and beauty soon deteriorated under the harsh era of communism. The notorious redevelopment project by Nicolae Ceausescu, leader of the Communist Party in 1965, was a scandalous affair. In order to create an imitation Champs Elysee, a Civic Centre, and 12-storey palace for himself together with a parliament building, he demolished an immense area of historic architecture in the old city, including 26 churches. The parliament building was designed to be the largest building in the world. It is now known as the Palace of Parliament, second in size to the Pentagon, and has become one of the city's prime tourist attractions.

However, the capital of Romania is now experiencing a cultural revival; historic buildings have been restored and there is plenty of nightlife and an increasing amount of cultural events. It offers a number of superb museums, galleries, exquisite Orthodox churches, and architectural delights. Its political legacy provides a fascinating selection of sights where visitors can rediscover the events of its sobering past. Traditional Romanian cooking can be savoured alongside international cuisine, and in summer festive beer gardens and picturesque parks are filled with cheerful crowds.

Palace of Parliament

Built by former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Palace of Parliament is the largest civilian administrative building in the world. It is an immense structure that took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build, and cost billions. It has 12 stories, 1,100 rooms, a 328 foot-long (100m) lobby, and four underground levels including an enormous nuclear bunker.

Started in 1984, the dictator intended it to be the headquarters of his Communist Government, but it was still unfinished when he was executed in 1989. Today it houses the seat of Romania's Parliament (which occupies only 30 percent of the building) and is an international conference centre. Widely viewed as a personification of his obsession with the grandiose and excessive, the construction entailed the demolition of a quarter of Bucharest's historic centre, including 26 churches, and the relocation of 40,000 inhabitants from their 19th century homes to new developments on the outskirts.

Built and furnished exclusively from Romanian materials, the building reflects the work of the country's best artisans. A guided tour takes visitors through a small section of dazzling rooms, huge halls and quarters used by the Senate (when not in session). The interior is a luxurious display of crystal chandeliers, mosaics, oak panelling, and marble, gold leaf and stained glass windows, and even the floors are covered in rich carpets. The largest room has a sliding roof wide enough for a helicopter to enter. Tour guides delight in recounting tales of the vast amounts of money that went to waste in decorating and re-decorating its rooms.

Address: Strada Izvor 2-4

Website: www.cdep.ro/cic

Palace of Parliament George Groutas

The Village Museum

One of Bucharest's finest sights is the Village Museum, situated within the Herastrau Park alongside a picturesque lake. It is a fascinating outdoor museum with a collection that spans more than 300 buildings representing the history and design of Romania's rural architecture, including peasant homes, barns, wooden churches, and Transylvanian houses from all regions of the country to recreate a village setting.

Traditionally dressed peasant workers portray life during the 16th and 17th centuries along with everyday tools and accessories. Traditional crafts are also for sale around the site.

Address: 28-30, Șoseaua Pavel Dimitrievici Kiseleff

Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 9am-7pm, closed Monday.

Website: www.muzeul-satului.ro

The Village Museum Klearchos Kapoutsis

Stavropoleos Church and Monastery

The tiny but remarkable Stavropoleos Church was built in 1724, designed by a Wallachian prince renowned for his religious architectural accomplishments, and is one of the oldest churches in Bucharest. Built using a combination of Romanian and Byzantine architecture, the beautiful façade and a delicately carved columned entrance, give but a taste of the beauty that lies within. Surrounded by a peaceful garden, it is an architectural jewel, with intricate frescoes and religious icons.

Attached to the church is Stravropoleos Monastery. The Monastery specialises in Byzantine music and has an impressive choir and Romania's largest collection of Byzantine music books. The monastery's library contains more than 8,000 books, including a significant number of old manuscripts and printed works.

Address: Stavropoleos Street

Website: www.stavropoleos.ro

Stavropoleos Church and Monastery Andrei Stroe

National History Museum

Housed in the former 1900 Post Office building is one of Bucharest's most important museums, the National History Museum. Spread throughout 41 rooms, the exhibits recount the country's development from prehistoric times to the 1920s.

Located inside the former Postal Services Palace, the museum is housed next to a philatelic museum, housing hundreds of thousands of historic stamps. Interestingly, the museum had to be closed briefly for reconstruction in 2012 when a late-medieval archaeological site was discovered under the building.

The highlight is the basement National Treasury, which is crammed with a dazzling display of gold, jewellery, and valuable Neolithic curios. It is the biggest and best museum in the country and affords an excellent opportunity to get to grips with the exciting history of Romania.

Address: Calea Victoriei 12

Opening time: Wednesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, Monday and Tuesday closed.

Website: www.mnir.ro

National History Museum Joe Mabel

Henri Coanda International Airport

Location: The airport is situated 10 miles (16.5km) north of Bucharest.

Time: Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Transfer Between Terminals: The terminal buildings are connected by a corridor; it takes five minutes to walk between the terminals.

Getting to the city: Express bus services, 783 or 780, leave frequently for the city centre and main railway station, respectively. This line runs both in daytime and at night, and buses arrive every 40 minutes. Taxis are also available 24 hours to take passengers anywhere in Bucharest or to any other region in the country. Taxi stations are located at the exit of the main terminal. Passengers should avoid cabs that do not display the price and have no meters.

Car Rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Autonomous, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, and Enterprise.

Airport Taxis: Bucharest has two types of taxi. Smaller taxis cost about RON 1.5 per km and the larger taxis charge about RON 3.5 per km. The trip between the airport and Bucharest can take up to an hour in heavy traffic. Visitors are advised to only make use of official taxis with working meters and the prices displayed.

Fascilities: There are banks, bars, and restaurants at the airport. Other facilities include a bureaux de change, left luggage, a hairdresser, duty-free shops, chapel, pharmacy, and a post office. Disabled facilities are good; those who need a wheelchair or have other special requirements should contact their airline in advance.

Parking Long and short-term parking is available. Short-term parking is 3 lei for every 30 minutes. Long-term parking costs 40 lei per day, and 20 lei if parking is extended up to 3-4 days. The maximum use of this car park is 30 days.

Website: www.bucharestairports.ro