World City Guide

Mini Guide of Bucharest

City Overview

Bucharest (Buchuresti), located midway between the Carpathian Mountains and the Black Sea, in southeastern Romania, has not earned the nickname ‘Paris of the Balkans’ by accident. Its astonishing range of architecture – from Wallachian wooden and bell-towered mansions to Byzantine-style chapels, neo-classical buildings, striking 1930s modernism and even the post-Stalinist absurdities of Ceaucescu’s megalomaniac regime – cannot help but leave the visitor in awe at the varieties of vision that have taken place in this city, over the centuries. But Bucharest has also been the epicentre of the country’s many upheavals, with the stages of the country’s history like vivid tattoos etched across the city’s surface, each telling a different chapter of the story.

The first mention of Bucharest is in a document from 1459, signed by Vlad Dracula, then ruler of the first Romanian state of Wallachia. Known as ‘Vlad the Impaler (or Tepes)’ – for leaving his enemies to die slowly on stakes – he became the inspiration for the famous vampire of literary and celluloid fame. Yet among his countrymen, he is something of a folk hero, renowned for standing up to the Ottomans, Saxons and Wallachia’s noble families. The ruins of one palace attributed to him can still be seen in old Bucharest, where trendy bars and clubs also capitalise on his image, with cobwebs and dank underground dancefloors.

After the Turkish conquest, Bucharest continued as a scene of rebellion and was burnt by the Ottomans, in 1595. A century later, it was made the seat of the Wallachian government, by Sultan Mustafa II. The city was caught in the crossfire of conflicts between the Ottomans, Austria and Russia – the city was frequently occupied and destroyed until 1862, when it became the capital of a unified Romania. But after liberation, Bucharest began to forge a different identity, with French architects called in to remake it in the image of Paris, with long, tree-lined boulevards and a forging of classical and new Romanian architecture. Between the world wars, influenced by modernist trends from native artists who had lived abroad, such as Constantin Brancusi, Bucharest began to rejoice in a mixture of styles that would make it totally individual and produced some of Europe’s most beautiful residences for the elite.

This ‘romantic’ chapter came to a close when Communism took root in 1946. Although never heavily bombed by the Allies, in World War II, Socialist Realism ushered in dreary Stalinist apartment blocks, many of which remain today. When Nicolae Ceausescu became president of Romania’s Communist Party in 1965, however, he was so determined to create an imitation Champs Elysee in the ‘civic centre’ that he destroyed many historic buildings, including 26 churches. His plans were never completed but the strange combination of neo-Stalinist architecture nonetheless gives a nod towards the city’s avant-garde tradition. Oddly, all of these architectural incongruities afford an added dimension to the city today. And as the city looks hopefully to foreign investment and closer ties with the EU, historic buildings and parks are being restored, fashionable shops, restaurants, trendy bars and Internet cafs are popping up all over and the sense of a new dynamism is evident.

At present, however, the almost total lack of tourism infrastructure or facilities can be frustrating. There is no tourist office and even basic brochures in museums can be hard to find, leaving one to fend almost entirely on one’s own. Although Bucharest enjoys a temperate climate, tourists should avoid mid-summer visits, since temperatures soar, air conditioning is rare and much of the city shuts down, as students return home and locals head for the coast.

Getting There By Air

Otopeni International Airport (OTP)
Tel: (01) 204 1000 Fax: (01) 201 4990.
Website: www.otp-airport.ro

Situated 18km (11 miles) north of the city and easily accessed by road, Otopeni Airport is the international gateway to Bucharest with daily flights to most major European cities.

Major airlines: Romania’s national airline, Tarom (tel: (01) 314 2520 or 337 2037, for reservations; website: http://tarom.digiro.net) connects Bucharest to major European cities, as well as the Romanian cities of Baia Mare, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and Timisoara. Other airlines include Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Lufthansa, Malev and Olympic.

Approximate flight times to Bucharest: From London is 3 hours 10 minutes; from New York is 9 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 12 hours 45 minutes, from Toronto is 9 hours 45 minutes and from Sydney is 29 hours 15 minutes.

Airport facilities: Ongoing renovation of the airport, begun in 1999, is due to be completed by 2003. Facilities currently include a bureau de change, ATMs (bancomat), duty free, a florist, newspaper stands, snack bars, mobile phone hire and car hire from Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and ACR.

Business facilities: The Dacia Business Lounge (tel: (01) 201 3366; website: www.edf.ro) offers fax, computer and photocopying facilities for US$15. Premier Business Lounge (tel: (01) 204 1212) offers those facilities plus Internet services for US$25.

Arrival/departure tax: None.

Transport to the city: RATB (tel: (01) 314 7130) express bus 783 stops at Piata Victoriei, Piata Romana, Piata Universitaii and Piata Unirii (journey time – 30-45 minutes). Buses run 0530-2315, every ten-15 minutes weekdays and every 30 minutes weekends. Tickets cost US$0.75 (return only) and can be purchased 0530-2130 at the RATB aluminium kiosk near the airport’s entrance doors.

Taxis line up outside the entrance. Visitors are advised to take yellow taxis, which list the Lei price per kilometre on their windows or doors and are always metered, reducing the chances of being cheated. However, the price should be agreed with the driver beforehand and haggling is advisable. The average fare is US$6.25.

Sky Services, operated by Tarom (tel: (01) 204 1002; fax: (01) 201 4840, website: http://tarom.digiro.net/services/sky.htm), provides six-seat minibuses to the city centre for US$25.25 (US$12.50 if sharing with other passengers) and 21-seat minibuses for US$12.50 (US$5.25 if there are at least 12 other passengers). Tickets are available from Sky Services personnel in the arrivals terminal.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Roads in Romania are generally poor with numerous potholes. Drum National (DN) roads are the main roads and European (E) routes, while Drum Judetean (DJ) indicates country routes. Speed limits are 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 90kph (55mph) on other roads outside built-up areas and 50kph (30mph) within cities. Only the motorway along the Black Sea coast charges a toll. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.01%, practically meaning that even the smallest amount is forbidden – arrest results in loss of licence. Driver and passengers must wear seatbelts – the penalty if caught without is US$4. It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. The minimum driving age is 18 years. Visitors need to carry an International Driving Permit or national driving licence with photo, issued in their own country. EU nationals with their own cars need a Green Card insurance document.

The Romanian Automobile Club – ACR (tel: (01) 315 5510; e-mail: acr@acr.ro or alarmcenter@acr.ro; website: http://acr.ro) has reciprocal agreements with a number of foreign automobile associations and members are automatically covered in the event of breakdown.

Emergency breakdown service:
ACR 9271

Routes to the city: Bucharest is connected to the rest of the country by four motorways – the E70 from Pitesti, the E60 from Brasov via Ploiesti, the E85 from Giurgiu on the Bulgarian border and the E60 from Constanta on the Black Sea coast.

Approximate driving times to Bucharest: From Ploiesti – 1 hour; Giurgiu – 1 hour;
Pitesti – 1 hour 15 minutes; Brasov – 3 hours; Constanta – 3 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: Coaches travel to both Romanian and international cities but most – except Athens and Istanbul – are reached more quickly and comfortably by rail. Eurolines Touring, Bulevardul Cuza 5-A (tel: (01) 230 3661, e-mail: office@eurolines.ro; website: http://eurolines.ro), offers direct buses to Paris and various destinations in Europe. Eurotime, Piata Romana 9 (tel/fax: (01) 311 3172), travels to Romanian and Western European destinations. There is no main coach station but most coaches arrive and depart from opposite the Gara de Nord, Calea Grivitei (Romanian destinations), Piata Dorobantilor (Western European destinations) or McDonald’s, Calea Buzesti. Tickets can be purchased directly from the driver but visitors are advised to purchase their ticket in advance, from the relevant coach company, particularly for international destinations.

Getting There By Rail

Gara de Nord, Bulevardul Garii de Nord 2 (tel: (01) 223 0880), named for its location in northern Bucharest, is the city’s main train station. Mayor Traian Basescu (former Minister of Transport) has done much to clean it up but this has not deterred pickpockets and bag-snatchers, so visitors should watch their belongings. To discourage these problems, those entering the station without a train ticket are charged US$0.10 at the station entrance. Gara de Nord is a hub of activity, with ATM machines, fast-food restaurants, bars, newspaper stands, shops, a tourist agency, pharmacy, supermarket, florist, hair salon, 24-hour left-luggage and a waiting room for first-class ticket holders. The ticket counter is on the station’s right-hand side and at the private company, Wasteels (tel: (01) 222 7844, fax (01) 222 7863, e-mail: wasteels@fx.ro; website: http://wasteelstravel.ro), travellers can book international tickets and make reservations in advance. Bucharest also has two smaller train stations – Gara Obor, Bulevardul Garii 3, and Gara Baneasa, Strada Dr Minovici 1 – serving trains running east to the coast, during the summer.

The Romanian state railway, SNCFR (tel: (01) 9521 or 223 2060; website: www.cfr.ro), provides a reliable and often scenic means of transport to destinations outside Bucharest. Rail information is available (Bucharest only) by calling the information line (tel: 9521). Advance tickets for all trains can be purchased at the SNCFR offices on Strada Domnita Anastasia 10-14 (tel: (01) 313 2644). Visitors departing within 24 hours, however, must buy their tickets at the relevant train station, where queues can be long. Prices are reasonable and first-class tickets are recommended, as the extra comfort is worth the cost. Tickets are checked at the platform entrance.

Rail services: Trains are available to many Romanian destinations. There are four types – locals (personal) and express trains accelerat, rapid and InterCity. InterCity trains (indicated by IC on timetables) are fastest and only stop at major Romanian cities, such as Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and Timisoara. The next fastest are rapid trains (indicated in green), then accelerat (red). Direct trains also run to Budapest (journey time – 13 hours), Sofia (journey time – 10 hours), Belgrade (journey time – 12 hours) and Istanbul (journey time – 20-24 hours). Trains to Western European cities run via Budapest.

Transport to the city: It is a 30-minute walk to the centre. The station is linked to a metro station and buses are available to every district in Bucharest. Taxis to the centre should cost no more than US$1.25.

Getting Around

Public Transport
The metro, open 0500-2330, is the best way to get around the city centre. This service, run by Metrorex (tel: (01) 212 6366; fax: (01) 312 5149; e-mail: contact@metrore.ro; website: www.metrorex.ro), has four metro lines (M1, M2, M3 and the new M4), as well as 45 stations and is generally reliable. Stations are indicated by white signs with a blue ‘M’, although these are not always as visible as they should be and platforms are poorly marked. Inside, magnetic tickets are purchased at counters indicated by a ‘Casa’ sign.

There are two types of ticket – two-journey (US$0.30) and ten-journey (US$1.40) tickets. Metro maps can be purchased in bookshops and kiosks and are also posted near the ticket gate entrance. Tickets must be inserted into a machine on top of the ticket gate, which records the entrance time on the ticket. The visitor then proceeds with the ticket onto the platform, where trains arrive every few minutes. Tickets must be kept throughout the journey, as transport police sometimes check and impose fines on those without. The final destination is indicated on the front of the train. Each stop is announced as the train nears the station. One-day (US$0.60) and one-month (US$4.35) passes are also available at the station.

Buses (autobus), trams (tramvai) and trolley buses (troilebuz) operate as one system, running 0500-2400. RATB, Calea Serban Voda 164-168 (tel: (01) 314 7130) provides this service. Tickets are interchangeable for all three forms of transport (except express buses). The express bus system is more useful for reaching destinations outside the city centre, as only a few express buses actually pass through the centre itself. RATB maps are available for US$0.15 from yellow kiosks near bus and tram stops, open 0530-2100 Monday to Friday.

Tickets also can be purchased at the kiosk but must be stamped in the ticket machine on-board. Those caught travelling without a stamped ticket will be fined US$4. One-way tickets cost US$0.15. Passes for one day (US$0.50), one week (US$1.70), 15 days (US$3.40) and one month (US$5) are also available. Like the metro, ticket prices change constantly. This system is more crowded and confusing than the metro and pickpockets are rife during the peak hours.

Express buses operate similarly to the metro, using magnetic tickets. These cost US$0.65 for two journeys and US$2.50 for ten journeys. A monthly pass is US$10.50.

Taxis
Taxis wait at taxi ranks in front of hotels and can be hailed on the street, although telephoning ahead is the least risky way of securing a taxi. Some of the best companies are Alfa Taxi (tel: 9488), Cristaxi (tel: 9461) and Meridian (tel: 9444). On the street, tourists should stick to the yellow taxis that indicate the journey’s cost on their meters, starting with US$0.18, then adding US$0.20 per kilometre travelled. There is no additional charge for luggage in yellow taxis. A US$0.02 supplement is charged at night, however. It is customary to round up the amount owed as the tip. Drivers rarely give change and keep whatever excess they receive. Visitors should note that the current number of zeros on Lei notes can make meter reading tricky.

Another form of transport is the maxitaxi. These drive along Piata Romana to Piata Unirii and from the Opera Romana to Bulevardul Carol I, every ten minutes 0600-2100. They can be hailed by a wave of the hand and cost just US$0.30 per journey.

Limousines
Marshal Tourism at the Hilton Hotel (tel: (01) 335 1224 or 1780; fax: (01) 335 7976; e-mail: office@marshal.eunet.ro; website: www.rotravel.com/marshal) offer a Mercedes limousine service and guide drivers. Rates start at US$75 per day. Sky Services, operated by Tarom (tel: (01) 204 1002; fax: (01) 201 4840; website: http://tarom.digiro.net/services/sky.htm), offer a private limousine service to and from Otopeni International Airport. A single one-way journey costs US$25.

Driving in the City
Driving around Bucharest can be confusing. Streets are not always clearly marked and are full of unexpected potholes. In addition to this, Romanians drive fast and not all that carefully. However, it can be a useful way of getting around, especially to the city’s outskirts. Traffic is bad only during rush hour, which lasts pretty much all day (1000-1700).

Car parks cost about US$0.20 for the first hour, which is given to a parking attendant as soon as the car is parked – fees for staying beyond one hour are collected on departure. There are no parking meters. A popular place to park is outside the Ateneul Roman, Piata Revolutiei. Underground car parks are badly marked but there is one near Universitatii. Cars can be left overnight in them for a reasonable sum.

Car Hire
Car hire, targeted at business visitors, is relatively expensive. Travel agencies usually offer the best prices, especially if booked in advance. Major companies, in order from the cheapest to the most expensive, are Budget (tel: (01) 210 2867; fax: (01) 210 2995; e-mail: budget@pcnet.ro; website: www.budgetro.ro), Europcar (tel: (01) 314 3910; e-mail: europcar@ont.ro; website: www.europcar.com), Hertz (tel: (01) 222 1256; e-mail: reservations@hertz.com.ro; website: www.hertz.com.ro) and Avis (tel: (01) 230 4344/45; website: www.avis.com). Romanian car hire operators, such as Euro Service Amerom (tel: (01) 204 1567; e-mail: esa@arexim.ro; website: www.esa.ro), tend to be cheaper.

Drivers must be at least 21 years of age and must hold a valid passport, international insurance policy (Green Card, in Europe), an international driving permit and a valid driver’s licence that is at least one year old. The average price is about US$80 per day, including unlimited mileage and insurance. Cars can be hired on a mileage basis for much less but approximately US$0.35 per kilometre travelled is charged on top of the initial cost. Insurance is about US$17. These companies also offer cars with drivers, which are not that much more expensive.

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
Bicyle and scooter hire is neither advisable nor available in Bucharest, seeing as traffic is unpredictable, roads are bad and the likelihood of theft is high.

Business

Business Profile
Communism – particularly under the regimes of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej and Ceausescu, during the 1960s – attempted to force Romania to become a heavy industry economy, transferring people from rural to urban areas to work in factories. But the country lacked the necessary energy resources for this shift. Romania had been one of Europe’s biggest oil suppliers during the 19th century, however, production decreased considerably, exacerbated by the earthquake of 1977, with its epicentre in the main oilfields of Ploiesti, near Bucharest.

Ceausescu, nevertheless, continued to pour huge amounts of money, borrowed from Western credit institutions, into industry, power projects and grandiose building schemes, resulting in a massive trade deficit by 1980. Attempting to pay off these debts, the standard of living plunged, as Romania reduced imports by one-third and increased exports of vital materials, resulting in drastic shortages of oil, food, energy and medicine, and setting the scene for the 1989 revolution.

Recovery has not come swiftly. Industrial output continued to decrease throughout the 1990s, causing widespread and long-term unemployment, while increased imports resulted in massive inflation, averaging over 100% annually, between 1991 and 1998. Today, however, with an eye to joining NATO and eventually the EU, market reforms and the encouragement of foreign investment are showing a significant effect. Inflation figures slowed from 44.9% to 34.5% between 2000 and 2001, and are expected to be 25% in 2002. The average income, less than US$100 per month in 2000, is now US$148, with unemployment at 9% (6.5% in Bucharest itself). Many people have returned to now privatised agriculture, which accounts for 20% of the GDP, while industry, still struggling with structural reforms in energy, accounts for 36%) and services 48.3%. The IMF estimates an overall growth rate for Romania of 4.5%, the highest among EU candidate countries.

Bucharest is Romania’s main communications and industrial centre. A modern business district is now blossoming in the massive buildings that were once Ceausescu’s Civic Centre. Some of the largest multinational companies in in the city are in oil (Shell, Texaco and Agip), automobiles (Renault/Dacia and Nissan) and IT (IBM and Microsoft). Other key industries are agricultural machinery, transport equipment, textiles and clothing, chemical products, construction materials, furniture, footwear and wine. The ministry of IT&C services is actively deregulating the telecommunications market and, as of April 2002, a subsidiary of UK mobile phone giant Orange, Orange Romania became the main shareholder in the previous Mobil Rom S.A – working in junction with Alcatel to develop the first UMTS on air operation in Central and Eastern Europe. The tourist industry is strongest on the Black Sea coast and the Poiana Brasov ski resorts but is very much on the back burner in Bucharest.

Business Etiquette
Romanians are sociable and love to talk, so mobile phones are a must for doing business in the city. People are extremely friendly and a surprising number speak excellent English, although the older generation may prefer French or German. However, Bucharest natives are also extremely formal, in the old European sense, and business visitors should respect this tradition, making appointments for meetings well in advance. Punctuality is important and suits are expected. On greeting it is customary to shake hands and business cards are often exchanged.

Business lunches may take two hours, with wine or beer the most popular tipple. Work colleagues may socialise together in the evening at a local bar, although this tends to take place more among those working in multinational companies. It is relatively uncommon for Romanians to invite foreign businesspeople to their homes. Should this occur, gifts such as flowers, chocolates or high quality Scotch will always be appreciated. Summertime is not good for doing business as many companies go into hibernation. Easter and Christmas are also difficult, as companies and shops close down for an indefinite period. Normal business hours are 0900-1700.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Bucharest has a number of exquisite galleries, museums, churches and architectural wonders but its political legacy also provides a wealth of sights, where visitors can relive the events of the 1989 revolution and the emotions leading up to it. The city offers a moving series of time capsules, from Ceausescu’s Centru Civic, evoking mixed feelings of awe and outrage, to his highly publicised downfall in Piata Revolutiei, as well as the memorials on Piata Universitatii, where revolutionaries fell.

For a cultural romp, Bucharest offers some superb museums – from those that celebrate peasant art’s contribution to modern masters such as Brancusi, in the Romanian Peasant Museum, to those that celebrate Romania’s contact with European master work, such as the National Art Museum, KH Zambaccian’s Museum, and the former home and now dedicated museum of painter Theodor Aman. Most museums are closed on Monday and some on Tuesday as well. Exquisite churches, such as Patriarchal Cathedral, Stavropoleos Church, and the Russian-style St Nicholas Students’ Church, sit like precious jewels in the crown of the city’s skyline.

Visitors should note that Romanians are extremely religious and devoted to the healing powers of icons – these beliefs should always be respected. After hours of sightseeing, there are few places more pleasant to relax in than one of Bucharest’s beautiful parks.

Tourist Information
There is no tourism office in Bucharest and neither hotels nor travel agents can help much either, since there are scarcely any brochures published in foreign languages. The government office listed below can be visited by appointment only.

Romanian Tourism Ministry
Strada Apolodor 17
Tel: (01) 410 0422. Fax: (01) 410 0820.
E-mail: turism@kappa.ro
Website: http://mtromania.ro
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1630.

Passes
There are no tourist passes currently available in Bucharest.

Key Attractions

Palatul Parlamentului (Parliament Palace)
Ceausescu’s greatest folly, begun in 1984, initially took 20,000 workers, 7000 architects and uncountable billions of Lei to build. But when the dictator died, only the exterior and three rooms had been finished. Work continues on it to this day. What is seen from street level on Bulevardul Unirii is a monolith rising 84m (276ft) above ground level but it is nearly as deep under ground, rumoured to hold a nuclear bunker big enough to contain the entire government, although its actual functions have not been revealed. Inspired by North Korean Communist architecture, which reflected Ceausescu’s political leanings, it is 330,000m2 (3,552,090ft2) in area and the second-largest administration building in the world (after the Pentagon). Intended to house Communist Party offices, ministries and state rooms, it is now the seat of Romania’s Parliament and headquarters of the International Conference Centre, although it has also been used as a film set, imitating the Vatican.

Visitors now enter on the north side, from Bulevardul Natiunile Unite, where regular 45-minute guided tours are offered in English. However, by telephoning ahead, tours can also be arranged in French, German, Italian, Spanish and Hungarian. The lobby’s centrepiece is a magnificent crystal chandelier – only one of the palace’s 2800. At the far end, a pink marble staircase leads to shimmering stained-glass windows.

The tour focuses on ten rooms, including those used by the Senate – if it is not in session – decorated in plush pink carpets, mosaics, rich oak panelling and marble work carved by the country’s most talented craftspeople. The largest room, the 16m (52.5ft) high and 2200sq-metre (7218sq-foot) Sala Unirii, has a sliding ceiling, wide enough for a helicopter to enter – one of the many details indicative of the president’s paranoia. Vast sums were lavished on these rooms and stairways and the guides love to recount how often they were rebuilt or redecorated, as Ceausescu and his wife Elena kept changing their minds. The opulent Alexandru Ioan Cuza Room, where Ceausescu was to have signed all his documents, opens on to a balcony, which looks straight down the Bulevardul Unirii and over the Centru Civic. From this viewpoint, one feels at the centre of the universe – just the way the old dictator liked it.

Bulevardul Natiunili Unite
Tel: (01) 311 3611. Fax: (01) 312 0902.
E-mail: cic@camera.ro
Website: www.cdep.ro
Transport: Metro Izvor or Unirii; bus 136 or 385.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1600.
Admission: US$3.00; US$2.50 (photography fee); US$10.50 (video fee).

Piata Revolutiei (Revolution Square)
This spot marks the death of President Nicolae Ceausescu more poignantly than the tombstone above his grave. On 21 December 1989, 80,000 people thronged the square, supposedly in support of the president after riots in the town of Timisoara, when the Securitate arrested an outspoken priest. But when Ceausescu appeared on the balcony of what was then the Central Committee building – now part of the Romanian senate – people began to chant ‘Ti-mi-soa-ra, Ti-mi-soa-ra’ and the shock on Ceausescu’s face pinpointed the true moment of his downfall – a moment televised all over Romania and, later, the world. However, this heroic ‘people’s revolution’ is also thought to have been an inside job, since, although Communism governments were falling all around him, the dictator did not plan to play ball. Ceausescu and his wife tried to escape in a helicopter from the roof but, being told they were low on fuel, were dropped within the Romanian border, after which they were hastily tried and shot by a firing squad.

A white, marble plaque on the Senate building points to the balcony where Ceausescu lost his grip on the country, inscribed with ‘Glorie martirilor nostiri’ (‘Glory to our Martyrs’), in remembrance of those killed in the fighting. Just behind the library, on the southern end of Calea Victoriei, the building that housed the Securitate (Ceausescu's secret police), has been left in its ruined state, as a grim monumnet. The battle wounds from this deciding moment in Romania’s history also can still be seen in the the bullet holes in buildings surrounding the square, as well as in photos in the National Art Gallery, which was heavily looted during the uprising.

Piata Revolutiei
Transport: Metro Universitatii; bus 122, 126, 168, 226, 268, 300 or 368.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Historic Centre
The ramshackle, cobblestone streets between Calea Victoriei, Bulevardul Bratianu, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and the River Dmbovita still comprise Bucharest’s most atmospheric area and increasingly are home to an alternative culture of clubs, bars, trendy coffee houses and restaurants. At its heart is the Curtea Veche (Old Court), attributed to Vlad Tepes, which contains a few walls, arches, tombstones and one restored Corinthian column. This can only be entered by pre-arranged visits. Next door is Bucharest’s oldest church, the 16th-century Biserica Curtea Veche. Just east of here is the oldest inn, Hanul lui Manuc, Strada Franceza 62-64, which is still an inexpensive hotel. Inside the shady court of the inn, overlooked by tall trees and tiered wooden balconies, are several restaurants and an open caf-bar, very popular with young Bucharestis in summer, although the food is not recommended. Must – a sweet and lightly alcoholic juice made with wine grapes before proper fermentation – is a recommended house speciality. North of here is Strada Lipscani, an old merchant street where everything from bridal gowns and handmade hats to cheap jeans are sold, as well as a number of second-hand and antique shops. Halfway down, on the left, is Strada Stavropoleos where the remarkable Biserica Stavropoleos can be visited 0830-1800. This church, completed in 1724, looks much older and could easily qualify as the city’s most beautiful, not least because its frescoes and icons have recently been restored and it is surrounded by a peaceful cloister garden filled with various antiquities – a fine place to rest. The church was designed by Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714), a Wallachian prince known for his religious architectural achievements.

Curtea Veche
Strada Franceza 60
Tel: (01) 314 0375.
Transport: Metro Unirii; bus 72, 90, 104 or 123; tram 21.
Admission: US$0.40.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (by appointment only).

Muzeul Taranului Roman (Romanian Peasant Museum)
This eclectic collection of peasant relics won 1996’s European Museum of the Year award and it is easy to see why. The juxtaposition of religious and traditional crafts is so ingeniously displayed – with excellent English texts relating rural functional items to contemporary sculpture – that the exhibition is a work of art in itself. Handmade rugs, pottery, tools and painted eggs rub shoulders with rosaries, icons and woodcuts, while the intimate style of a fairly recent peasant kitchen and school room celebrate the aesthetics of simplicity. Upstairs, a group of mannequins in peasant costumes looks like they are about to wake up at any moment and march across the room. This museum is a gem for lovers of both folk and contemporary art and also has an excellent gift shop, which includes antique clothing and fabrics.

Soseaua Kiseleff 3
Tel: (01) 212 9661 Fax: (01) 312 9875.
E-mail: mtr@digicom.ro
Website: www.itcnet.ro/mtr/
Transport: Metro Piata Victoriei; bus 205 or 300.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1800.
Admission: US$1; US$4 (photography fee).

Muzeul Satului (Village Museum)
A number of peasant homes, barns, churches and mills, representing vernacular rural architecture, were transported from all over Romania, to a park along Herastrau Lake – always popular with families on weekend outings. However, several recent and a devastating fires have produced a depressing image of an outdoor museum that was intended to show the pride of Romanian peasants in their work and homes. Among them are rustic wooden churches and tall-roofed Transylvanian houses with beautifully crafted shingles containing everyday accessories such as tools, butter-churns, hay forks, beer kegs and clothes. However, five of these were totally destroyed and 15 badly damaged.

Soseaua Kiseleff 28-30
Tel: (01) 222 9106. Fax: 312 9068 or 222 9068.
Transport: Metro Aviatorilor; bus 331 or 131.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800 (Oct-May); daily 0900-2000 (May-Oct).
Admission: US$0.40; US$0.80 (photography fee); US$4 (video fee).

Muzeul National de Arta (National Art Museum)
Although tragically vandalised and looted during the 1989 uprising, the museum has now been lovingly restored. The European Gallery, in particular, is an absolute treasure, containing many rarely seen master works. Three rooms display Italian art from the 15th to 18th centuries, such as Boccaccio and Tintoretto. One room has German and Austrian work from the same period, with several works by Cranach. Another contains early Netherlandish and Dutch art, including Von Eyck’s ‘Crucifixion’ and a Rembrandt, 16th and 17th-century Spanish works, including several El Grecos, Flemish art including a Rubens and four more rooms revel in French sculpture and art up to the 20th century. This museum is a true feast and will only go on improving, as the 450 or so works damaged in 1989 are gradually restored.

Calea Victoriei 49-53
Tel: (01) 314 8119 or 615 5193. Fax: (01) 312 4327
E-mail: national.art@art.museum.ro
Website: www.itcnet.ro/museum/museum.html
Transport: Metro Piata Romana, Universitate; bus 122, 137, 178, 300, 336 or 601
Opening Hours: Wed-Sun 1100-1900 (May-Sept); Wed-Sun 1000-1800 (Oct-Apr).
Admission: US$1.25, photo and video recording (without tripod or flash) available for a negotiable fee, as are guided tours in English or French.

Zambaccian Museum
For visitors who want to see the best of Romanian art, this is the place to go. KH Zambaccian bequeathed his intimate collection of mostly Impressionist paintings – including one of Constantin Brancusi’s earliest sculptures – to the state, in 1946, along with his beautiful residence. Each room features a Romanian artist of the time and, on leaving, names like Nicolae Grigorescu and Stefan Luchian seem slightly less foreign. The small collection of Paris-based artists – including Picasso, Cezanne, Bonnard and Renoir – is situated on the top floor.

Strada Muzeul Zambaccian 21A
Tel: (01) 230 1920.
Transport: Metro Aviatorilor; bus 301, 131, 331 or 182.
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission: US$1.

Catedrala Patriarhala (Patriarchal Cathedral)
This stunning 17th-century cathedral, situated on a hill overlooking southern Bucharest, is the Romanian Orthodox Church headquarters. A fabulous fresco of the blessed and the damned, ascending to heaven or tumbling into hell, adorns the entrance, as well as the oldest icon on the site, depicting patron saints Constantin and Helen (1665). Inside, expressive and beautifully painted icons, embedded in an exquisite gilded altarpiece, dazzle the eye in the sombre darkness. St Dumitru, Bucharest’s patron saint, lies entombed in the left-hand corner and worshippers constantly climb the staircase to his shrine to pay their respects.

Strada Dealul Mitropoliei
Tel: (01) 337 0079.
Transport: Metro Unirii; bus 104 or 123.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1900.
Admission: Free.

Further Distractions

Further Distractions
Herastrau Park
In the early 19th century, the high society of Bucharest made their promenades along the willowed embankments of Herestrau Lake. A few decades later, the entire surrounds were designated a city park. Shades of pink, yellow and red roses greet visitors to this park and, in a small conservatory, freshly picked flowers are arranged daily in the Romanian style. Arched bridges lead to an island and the other side of the park, where there is a bar, restaurant, sports complex and rowing boats for hire. There is also a ferry across the lake and, next to the Village Museum (see Key Attractions), a fun-park with rollercoasters and carousels. However, the area surrounding the park holds even greater treasures. The streets between Bulevardul Mircea Eliade and Soseaua Kisileff contain extraordinarily beautiful houses – from 19th-century neo-classical to 20th-century Art Nouveau – and modern luxury villas with ivy-covered balconies and exquisite stone carving. This is where Bucharest’s elite once lived – and still do today.

Soseaua Kiseleff 32
Transport: Metro Aviatorilor; bus 105, 131, 205, 261, 301, 304, 330, 331, 335, 444, 448 or 783 (express).
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Cultural Tourism Initiative (tel/fax: (01) 223 2619 or 230 2292; e-mail: cti@com.pcnet.ro; website: www.rotravel.com/cti) offers walking tours, by request. Whether the visitor would like to see the historic centre, political buildings, art galleries or neo-classical architectural highlights – such as the Royal Palace, University Library and Villacross Passage shopping arcade – a tour can be arranged (with 24 hours advance notice). Tours cost about US$6-23 per person, depending on the number of people and the length of tour, which can be anything between one hour and half a day. The length, departure point and time are negotiated beforehand.

Bus Tours
Over a dozen English-language bus tours are available from the Cultural Tourism Initiative (tel/fax: (01) 223 2619 or 230 2292; e-mail: cti@com.pcnet.ro; website: www.rotravel.com/cti). They all depart from the Ateneul Roman, in the morning or early afternoon (as arranged) and most last three hours. Each has a theme, such as a historical period (from ‘Old Bucharest’ to ‘The Stamp of the Communist Age’) or subject, like Bucharest art or traditional Romanian life. ‘The True Story of Dracula’ is a four-hour tour, taking in the Old Court, the Military History Museum and Snagov Monastery just outside Bucharest, where Vlad Tepes’ body is buried. Tours must be arranged 24 hours in advance and cost US$19-39 (including museum fees), depending on the number of people and type of vehicle (car or minivan) requested.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Cernica: Situated 14 km (nine miles) east of Bucharest, on an island in the middle of a lake, is the beautiful 17th-century Cernica monastery (tel: (01) 255 7595). Within its walls are two 19th-century churches, a cemetery, chapels, a seminary and a museum of religious art and typography – a school of religious painting flourished here in the 19th century. The monastery was shut down at the end of World War II but reopened in 1995 and is now occupied by 80 monks. The relics of a 19th-century saint, who helped restore the monastery after it been abandoned due to plagues, attracts many pilgrims. The lake is excellent for swimming. The monastery is open daily and entrance is free. Trains to Cernica leave from Gara Obor (journey time – 30 minutes).

For a Whole Day

Sinaia: Visitors should follow the royal precedent and head for Sinaia, Romanian royalty’s historic summer residence. King Carol I fell in love with Sinaia’s sublime location at the foot of Mount Furnica, while visiting the monastery there in 1868, and built Peles Castle. This impressive German Renaissance-style castle with soaring Gothic spires is now a museum displaying furniture, weapons, paintings and other royal possessions. The castle is open Wednesday-Sunday 0900-1600 and admission costs US$3. Nearby is Pelisorul, King Ferdinand’s palace, decorated in striking Art Deco style (admission is US$2).

Sinaia became a fashionable resort for the rich and famous. George Enescu, famous composer of Romanian Rhapsodies, had his summer villa here (now a memorial house). Yet Sinaia’s breathtaking scenery has attracted visitors for centuries – from those drawn to the clean mountain air and mineral springs for health reasons, to hikers seeking spectacular views along the mountain trails. Skiing and bobsleighing are popular in winter. Sinaia Tourist Office provides further information (tel: (094) 655 003; fax: (044) 315 385). Trains to Sinaia leave from Gara de Nord (journey time – 2 hours).

Sport

Romanians are obsessed with football. The day of a World Cup game ends either in dancing in the streets or a hushed gloom, depending on the outcome. The main football stadium in Bucharest is Lia Manoliu National Stadium, Bulevardul Basarabei 37-39. Tickets to games cost US$5.25-8.25. Four Bucharest football teams dominate the top of the Romanian First Division football league tables – Dinamo, Soseaua Stefan cel Mare 9 (website: http://domino.kappa.ro/paginivirtuale/dinamo/dinamo.nsf), National Buchuresti, Strada Dr. Lister 37 (website: www.nationalfc.ro), Rapid Soseaua Giulesti 18 (website: www.rapid.pcnet.ro), and Steaua, Bulevardul Ghencea 35 (website: www.steaua.com). Romania has been a formidable player on the international circuit for 15 years.

Other popular team sports are volleyball and basketball – Romania won the European basketball championship in 1999. Boxing is also roaring ahead, after Leonard Dorin Doroftei took the WBA world title in early 2002, the first Romanian to get the diamond belt.

Tickets to sporting events are available for purchase at the individual venues.

Fitness centres: Afisos Luxurious, Strada Ava Popa Marin (tel: (01) 231 5134; website: www.afisos.ro), is a relaxed and posh club for women only, while the Butterfly Club, Strada Erou Iancu Nicolae 6 (tel: (01) 490 8484) boasts one of the best swimming pools in the city, along with Jacuzzi and aerobics. A day guest ticket costs US$15. Sydney Health and Fitness, Bulevardul 1 Mai 60 (tel: (01) 222 3485), is flashy and well equipped, as well as reasonably priced, at US$10 a visit.

Golf: There are no golf courses in the city, outside of a nine-holer at the members-only and fabulously expensive Diplomatic Club, Aleea Minova 1. However, a new club with a nine-hole course, Lac de Verde Breaza, Strada Carierei 24, Breaza (tel: (044) 343 525), has opened and is situated several hours north of the city. Rates for non-members are between US$20-35.

Horseriding: Horseriding is available at Ecvalahis, Aleea Privighetorilor 35 (tel: (01) 659 7728), open 1030-1600, with lessons in English or French costing US$6-8. Hipocan, Comuna Corbeanca S.A.I. (tel: (01) 795 2957), offers similar prices. Both offer rides through Baneasa Forest.

Skiing: The crescent of mountains that make up the Carpathians provides good skiing. The season runs November to March and favourite resorts include Poiana Brasov and Sinaia (journey time – 2 hours). These are perfect for beginners and intermediates preferring picturesque, tree-lined trails to barrelling down barren slopes.

Tennis: Tennis is another serious sport in Romania – after all, the tone for John McEnroe was set by local hero Ilie Nastase in the 1970s. One of the best places to play is Herastrau Park sports complex, Soseaua Nordului 7-9 (tel: (01) 232 2128 or 9668), where courts cost US$4.50 per hour weekdays and US$6.25 per hour evenings, on a floodlit court. Equipment can also be hired. Other tennis courts are the National Tennis Centre, Bulevardul Pierre de Coubertin 8-10, open 0900-2100, with lessons available, and Tenis Club Herestrau, Soseaua Nordului 5-7, which has 21 courts.

Shopping

The best shopping districts are Calea Victoriei and Bulevardul General Magheru or Bucharesti Mall, Calea Vitan 55-59 (open daily 1000-2200). The main department stores are Cocor, Bulevardul Bratianu 29-33, and Unirea, Piata Unirii 1, which also has a large supermarket. In the upmarket shopping districts, shoppers can expect to find every top European chain, from Benetton to Max Mara and Terzoatto. But bargain hunters can also have plenty of fun in the old neighbourhoods around Strada Lipscani, at shops such as Palarierul, Strada Gabroveni 2-4, which sells handmade hats, made to order.

Folk crafts, such as embroidered clothing and linen, painted Easter eggs, carpets, pottery, woodcarvings and icons, make interesting purchases. These can be found at the Romanian Peasant Museum, most department stores and the Village Museum shop, where traditional clothing (men’s felt coats and women’s embroidered skirts and blouses) sits alongside Transylvanian ritual masks. Antiques are another good buy and can be found in art galleries along the Calea Victoriei or the historic centre.

Visitors interested in Romanian music should try the massive Muzica, Calea Victoriei 43, where there are CDs of anything from Romanian hip-hop groups, like Genius and Candy, to the panpipe music of Gheorghe Zamfir and popular folk singers such as Maria Tanase. Western music is also a bargain.

Other special purchases are Dr Ana Aslan’s anti-ageing products Gerovital and Aslavital – famous among old Hollywood film stars and available in most department stores – and Romanian wine. The best reds include fulsome Cabernet Sauvignons and light Pinot Noirs – whites tend to be fruity but also excellent. Some good wine houses are Murfutlar and Vinul Cavalerului. Tuica, a sweet Romanian liquor made from plums, is also popular.

There are two weekend flea markets at Strada Mihai Bravu, on the east side of the city, and Militari, Strada Valea Cascadelor, on the west side of the city. Here bargain hunters can find everything, from old books to antiques, clothing and even used cars.

Shops generally open 0900-1800 on weekdays and until 1400 Saturdays (some department stores open until 2000 or 2100 weekdays). VAT currently stands at 19% in Romania and is included in all bills and transactions. Tax-free shopping is available for purchases over US$125. To get tax back, visitors must fill out a form, available from most shops.

Culture

Under the reign of Ceausescu, Romanian writers, artists and performers suffered censorship and prosecution. However, many – such as writers Norman Manea and Herta Mller – fled the country. Nowadays, with the arrival of Capitalism, artists and intellectuals will be facing a new danger, which Manea terms ‘economic censorship’. However, with a strong artistic tradition and resiliance, Bucharest prevails as the beating heart of Romania’s cultural and artistic activity.

Tickets to performances are available at the various venues. Listings and information on cultural events in Bucharest are available online (website: www.inyourpocket.com/romania/bucharest/en).

Music: One of the most magnificent places to hear classical music performed is at the Ateneul Roman, Strada Franklin 1 (tel: (01) 315 6875). This splendid 19th-century building – looking like Bucharest’s answer to London’s St Paul’s Cathedral – presents a fairytale backdrop, splendid acoustics and plays host to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and other top performances. The lobby has a beautifully painted ceiling decorated in gold leaf and curved balconies cascading in ringlets of spiral staircase. A ring of pink marble columns is linked by flowing arches, where elaborate brass lanterns hang like gems from a necklace. Inside the concert hall, voluptuous frescoes cover the ceiling and walls. This remarkable dcor usually can only be viewed by concert-goers.

Classical chamber music concerts also take place at the National Radio Studio, Strada General Berthelot 60-64 (tel: (01) 314 6800), and Parliament Palace, Bulevardul Natiunili Unite (tel: (01) 311 3611; website: www.cdep.ro). Outdoor summer concerts are held in Cismigiu and Tineretului parks. Lavish opera productions take place at the Opera Romana, Bulevardul MI Kogalniceanu 70-72 (tel: (01) 314 6980), where tickets are amazing value, from US$0.60 to US$2, and the Theatrul Operata (tel: (01) 313 6348), next to the National Theatre, Bulevardul Balcescu 2.

Theatre: The enormous Theatrul National (National Theatre), Bulevardul Balcescu 2 (tel: (01) 314 7171; website: http://tnb.kappa.ro), is Bucharest’s theatrical heart. Classic and contemporary plays are performed in three auditoria – sometimes in English. Tickets are priced from US$0.70 to US$2. Another theatre that bridges the language barrier is the excellent Tandarica Puppet Theatre, Strada Eremia Grigorescu 24 (tel: (01) 211 3288). With shows for both children and adults, the action is easily followed without understanding Romanian (tickets are US$0.45 for adults and US$0.25 for children).

Dance: Ballet can be seen at the Opera Romana, Bulevardul MI Kogalniceanu 70-72 (tel: (01) 314 6980), which has its own ballet company. Ballet, as well as modern dance, is also performed at the ‘Ion Dacian’ Operetta Theatre, Bulevardul Nicolae Balcescu 2 (tel: (01) 613 6348), and by the Orion Ballet Company at the Tinerimea Romana cultural centre, Strada Gutenberg 19 (tel: (01) 615 4702). (For traditional Romanian dance, see Nightlife.)

Film: Foreign films are generally shown in the original language with Romanian subtitles. Current film listings are available online (website: http://cinema.ines.ro) or in Sapte Seri magazine, free in Bucharest bars. Tickets range from US$0.40 in older cinemas to US$2 in deluxe ones. Older cinemas line Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and Bulevardul General Magheru, while state-of-the-art ones include Lira De Luxe Cinema Centre, Calea 13 Septembrie 196 (tel: (01) 410 2171), and Hollywood Multiplex (tel: (01) 327 7020) in Bucharesti Mall, Calea Vitan 55-59, with ten screens. Parliament Palace, Bulevardul Natiunili Unite, also houses a good cinema (tel: (01) 315 7372). Cinemas showing old movie classics are called cinematecas, such as the Cinemateca Romana, Strada Eforie 2 (tel: (01) 313 0483), above Caf Indigo.

Bucharest’s stunning variety of architecture has made it popular with international film-makers, including french director Constantin Costa-Gavras, whose recently released and controversial Amen (2002), probing the role of the church in the Holocaust, used the Parliament Palace as a setting for the Vatican.

Cultural events: The city’s most high-profile cultural event is the bi-annual Georges Enescu International Festival (September-October 2003), when classical orchestras and chamber music groups from around the world play in the city’s best concert halls (tel: (01) 212 8081; fax. (01) 311 0200; e-mail: artexim@com.pcnet.ro). In addition to this, Bucharest has annual festivals for most of the arts. The National Theatre Festival (tel: (01) 313 9175) and the DaKINO International Film Festival take place in November. A new festival called the BucharEST-WEST Dance Festival, featuring choreographers and dancers from all over Europe, takes place in May (e-mail: dcm@pcnet.ro).

Literary Notes
Bucharest’s cultural heyday ran from the last half of the 19th century to the first few decades of the 20th, when its thriving caf society produced poets, writers and philosophers galore. The man seen as having given birth to these literary glory days is Romania’s national poet, Mihai Eminescu (1850-89). The epitome of a Romantic poet, his verses celebrated Romania’s history and folklore, at a time when it was struggling to develop a culture independent of foreign influence. His most famous poem, ‘Luceafarul’ (‘The Evening Star’) has become a classic of Romanian literature. Eminescu belonged to Bucharest’s Junimea (Youth) literary society, dedicated to discussing Romania’s cultural direction. Another member was playwright Ion Luca Caragiale (1852-1912), a brilliant observer of national characters and attitudes.

In the early 20th century, symbolist poets like Tristan Tzara (1896-1953) experimented with the meanings of words through their sounds. Tzara left for Zurich, to form the Dada movement in 1916. He and other symbolist poets influenced the absurdist playwright, Eugne Ionesco (1912-94). Meanwhile, Romania’s tradition of lyric poetry was continued by Ion Barbu (1895-1961) and Tudor Arghezi (1880-1967).

Between the World Wars, a generation of Socialist Realist writers emerged, including the novelists Liviu Rebreanu (1885-1944) and Mihail Sadoveanu (1880-1961). But after World War II, the shackles of Communism forced many good writers to pursue their careers in the West – or be silenced. Some novelists who managed to break through the Communist mould are Eugen Barbu (1924-94) with his 1957 novel Groapa (The Pit), about a seedy Bucharest neighbourhood, and Augustin Buzuru (1938-) with 1984’s Refugii (Places of Refuge), about life under Ceausescu. Although set in Timisoara, German-Romanian writer Herta Mller gives a frightening portrayal of political and personal unrest during Ceausescu's reign, in The Land of Green Plums (1996), winner of the IMPAC Dublin literary award in 1998.

For a crash course in Romanian literary heroes, visitors should stroll around the Writers’ Circle in Cismigiu Park, where busts of Romania’s major writers have been erected.

Nightlife

Bucharest’s nightclubs vary between hip-hop haunts spinning the latest sounds and flashy discos where Romania’s wealthy go to let off steam. There are no licencing hours in Romania. Nor is there a legal drinking age, however, one must be over 18 to purchase alcohol, which costs between US$0.50-3, depending on the type of establishment. Entrance fees are cheap compared to those in the West, ranging from nothing to US$1.50. Many nightclubs are concentrated in or around the historic centre, making club-hopping an option. Clubbers going further afield can grab one of the taxis that hover outside most clubs. Many nightclubs close in June for the summer and reopen in early October.

Jazz is popular in Romania and Bucharest has good jazz clubs. Latino music is also trendy and salsa-dancing couples invade the dancefloors of certain clubs. Casinos flourish in the newfound capitalist climate and many of Bucharest’s well-to-do flock to those along Calea Victoriei.

For up-to-date information on nightlife, get the latest English-language issue of Bucharest In Your Pocket (US$2.50).

Bars: Young people gather in bars to drink cocktails, cappuccinos and foreign beers. Wine is only available by the bottle and is excellent value for money. Some of the best bars are at the National Theatre, Bulevardul Balcescu 2. Il Caff, left of the theatre, serves alcohol and tall-glassed cappuccinos in a lively, cosy environment with a nautical theme. Laptaria Lui Enache, entered through an unmarked door on the theatre’s left side, then by lift to the fourth floor, has spectacular new outdoor roof terrace, with film screenings and live bands on weekends. Other trendy spots include Opium Studio, Strada Horei 5, with surrealist dcor and retro music, and The Corner, a new bar located at Piata Alba Lulia 6, which also offers state-of-the-art computers and Internet connection. Another Bucharest trend is Belgian beer halls, such as La Belle poque, Strada Aviator Radu Beller 6. Ex-pats tend to favour the Irish pubs, such as Dubliner, Bulevardul Titilescu 18, or British-run The Green Man, Strada Putul lui Zamfir, where you can even indulge in a game of darts.

Casinos: Visitors to casinos should dress smartly and bring a passport – the minimum gaming age is 18 years. US Dollars or Lei can be used as currency for chips. The lavish 24-hour Monte Carlo-style Palace Casino, Calea Victoriei 133-135, has an excellent restaurant. Stylish Victoria Casino, Calea Victoriei 174, has a good cabaret show (open 1800-0700 Wednesday-Sunday).

Clubs: For hip rave and house sounds, try Space, Strada Academiei 33-37, the Web Club, Bulevardul Mihalache 12, or the new Colours Club, Calea Victoriei 48-50, and huge Tunnel Club, Strada Academiei 19-21, with faded church paintings and a gothic atmosphere. For upmarket discos, the chic Club Sugar, Strada Batistei 11, has the strictest dress code in town and is frequented by Bucharest’s young and loaded. DJs spin Latino sounds at Club Flamingo, Strada Zalomit 6, where Art Deco balconies, colourful kitsch sofas and a marble dancefloor add to the ambience. Club A, Strada Blanari 14, plays a different type of music every night of the week. At the student end of the scale, Spell House, Strada Gabroveni 20, has black lights and intentionally grim dcor but good house music and friendly staff.

Live music: Intimate jazz and blues is played at the 24-hour Caf Indigo, Strada Eforie 2, which serves cool cocktails, and Ciuc, a delicious, dark Romanian beer. Green Hours 22, Calea Victoriei 120, with an open courtyard in summer, and Art Jazz Club, Bulevardul N Balcescu 23A, both feature top jazz names (live performances start around 2100). Folk music and dancing is performed in restaurants serving traditional Romanian cuisine, including Burebista Vanatores, Strada Batistei 14, and La Mardare, Calea Grivitei 32.

City Statistics

Location: Wallachia, southeast Romania.
Country dialling code: 40.
Population: 2,354,510 (city).
Ethnic mix: 97.5% Romanian, 1.4% Gypsy, 0.19% German, 0.16% Jewish, 0.09% Serbian, 0.05% Russian, 0.04% Greek, 0.3% Hungarian, 0.27% other minorities, including mainly Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Turks, Armenians, Poles, Tartars, Czechs, Slovaks and Croats.
Religion: 96.5% Greek Orthodox, 1.4% Roman Catholic, 0.4% Greek Catholic, 0.1% Protestant, 1.6% other minorities including Unitarian, Jewish and Muslim.
Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: - 2.4C (28F).
Average July temp: 22.8C (73F).
Annual rainfall: 530mm (21 inches).

Special Events

Orthodox Easter, linked to Julian calendar, 27 Apr, throughout the city
Labour Day, national holiday, 1 May, throughout the city
British Spring Festival, annual British Council feast of theatre, dance and cultural conferences, May, various venues
Beer Festival, presenting various beers, live jazz and pop music, May, Piata Constitutiei, in front of Parliament Palace
TIBCO, an international fair for consumer goods, including exhibitions of many companies, late May-early Jun, various venues in the city centre around Romexpo Exhibition Centre, Strada Marasti 65-67, and Hotel Crowne Plaza
Carnival ‘D’Ale Bucurestilor’, exhibitions, theatre, film, spectacles, medieval costumes, music, big puppets, period cars and more, last weekend in May, Historic Centre
BucharEST-WEST Dance Festival, May, various venues
Month of Bucharest, puppet theatre, experimental theatre, photo exhibitions and new book releases, May-Jun, various venues
BOOKAREST, annual international book fair featuring a different country, Jun, National Theatre
Georges Enescu International Festival, Sep-Oct, various venues
International Jazz Festival, jazz musicians from all over the world perform, Sep-Oct, various venues
National Theatre Festival, Nov, National Festival
DaKINO International Film Festival, Nov, various venues
Christmas Gifts Market, Dec, Romanian Peasant Museum and World Trade Plaza
National Day, bank holiday, 1 Dec, throughout the city
New Year’s Festival, celebration of the New Year with live jazz and pop groups, 31 Dec, Piata Revolutiei or Piata Unirii

Cost of Living

Inflation in Romania has slowed from its 100%+ statistics of the 1990s. However, since 2000, it has been slowing considerably and the government plans to lop several zeros off the confusing currency in 2003. All prices have been given in US Dollars in this guide, to make them more realistic. However, payments are made in Lei.

One-litre bottle of mineral water: US$0.40/Lei14,000
33cl bottle of beer: US$0.60/Lei21,000
Financial Times newspaper: US$2.75/Lei95,500
36-exposure colour film: US$3.30/Lei114,500
City-centre bus ticket: US$0.18/Lei6000
Adult football ticket: From US$5/Lei173,500
3-course meal with wine/beer: From US$2.40/Lei83,000

10,000 Romanian Lei (Lei10,000) = 0.18; US$0.34; C$0.43; A$0.45; 0.27
Currency conversion rates as of Feb 2005