Executive summary by darmansjah
Best For Architecture
– The infamous Palace of Parliament
was built in 1984 by order of President Ceausescu, Romania’s former dictator.
Its 12 storeys and 1,100 rooms cover 330,000 sq metres. The opulent rooms can
be viewed by guided tour only, which must be booked a day in advance (00 40 21
311 3611; B-dul Natiunile Unite; 10am-3.30pm; US$5.50).
Best For Culture –
Bucharest’s hear – often called the Lipscani quarter after one of its main
street – is the centerpiece of efforts to revitalize the city’s historic core.
At its western end, Str Lipscani
crosses Calea Victoriei, one of Bucharest’s oldest streets, built in 1692.
Best For History
– In 1941, 800,000 Jewish people lived in Romania, but around half were killed
in the war. Housed in the beautiful Tailors’ synagogue, the Museum of Jewish History highlights
Jewish contributions to the country (00 40 21 311 0870; Mamulari 3; 9am-1pm
sun-wed and Fri, 4pm Thu; donation).
Best For Day Trips
– Lake Snagov is a weekend retreat
for city residents. A monastery said to be the resting place of Vald Tepes, the
prince who inspired Dracula, sits on an island in the lake. Tours from
Bucharest finish at the monatery (deltatravel.ro; US$225 for two people
minimum).
Best For Art –
The National Museum of Art houses Romanian icons and carved altars from
pre-communist era churches. The European wing features Rubens, Rodin and Monet
(00 40 21 313 3030; mnar.arts.ro; Calea Victoriei 49-53; 10am-6pm Wed-Sun
Oct-Apr, 11am-7pm Wed-sun May-Sep; us$5).
Why Go – On the
Wallachian plains, between the Carpathian Mountains and the banks of the
Dambovita River, Bucharest was once a grand neo-classical City. Much damaged in
WWII, it now combines a mismatch of architectural eras, from President
Ceausescu’s 19970s, communist era housing blocks to medieval churches.
When to Go – the
city suffers cold winters and stifling summers. Visit in May and June, and
catch the Fete de la Musique, a free music festival to celebrate the summer
solstice. Or go in autumn, when the climate cools.
How to Go – Henri
Coanda is the city’s main international airport. From Singapore and Kuala
Lumpur, fly thre with Lufthansa (Lufthansa.com), Qatar Airways
(qatarairways.com) or Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com). A shuttle train serves Henri Coanda
(US$2.40), taxis are from US$16
Bistro Vilacrosse is
a café-cum-restaurant, with sepia photographs, wooden floors and gingham
tablecloths. The service is friendly and quick. The food’s good too, and
includes wine-soakes Transylvania pork fillet on a bed of fries and cabbage (00
40 21 315 4562; Pasajul Macca/Vilacrosse; lunch and dinner; mains from US$3).
Fine clay-oven-baked pies-thin and crispy, with fresh
ingredients – are served at Casa Veche.
Enjoy them in a trellised courtyard or the wood-beamed dining room (00 40 21
312 5816; casaveche.ro; Str George Enescu 15-17; lunch and dinner; mains from
US$6).
Despite a touristy atmoshphere, with peasant-girl waitresses
and Roma song and dance, beer house Caru’cu
Bere draws a strong local crowd. The interior dazzles with its
stained-glass windows and the food is a treat, especially the mixed sausage
paltter (00 40 21 313 7560; carucubere.ro; str Stavropoleos 3-5; lunch and
dinner; mains from US$6).
The cuisine at St
George tends toward the heavy, with lots of stews and pork dishes, but you
can wash it all down with hard to-find wines. Dine out on the terrace in fine
weather (00 40 21 317 1087; Str Franceza 44; lunch and dinner; mains from
US48).
Balthazar is one
of the city’s most upmarket restaurants, filling the ground floor and courtyard
of a superbly maintained old villa. Locals and business lunchers come for the
Thai/French blend and seafood (00 40 21 212 1460; Balthazar.ro; Str Dumbrava
Ros, ie-2; lunch and dinner; mains from US$14).
Getting Around –
Bucharest is served by buses, trams and
trolleybuses. Buy tickets at RATB kosks, marked ‘casa de bilete’ (30p for a
single trip; ratb.ro). the metro has four lines and tickets are sold at station
kiosks (US$0.50). only use cabs with meters.
Hotel Amzei is a
tastefully refurbished villa just off Calea Victoriei. The spacious reception
has a refined feel and the rooms have the same understated elegance, with faux
period furnishings, marble bathrooms and warm ochre colours (00 40 21 313 9400;
hotelamzei.ro; Str Piata Amzei 8; from US$135).
Stylish beyond its three stars, the Rembrandt Hotel faces the landmark National Bank in the historic
centre. Built in 1925, it has a characterful atmosphere. The rooms have been
tastefully modernized, with wooden floors, contemporary furniture and white
linen. Book in advance as the few tourist-class rooms go quickly (00 40 21 313
9315; Rembrandt.ro; Str Smardan 11; from US$145).
Hotel Capsa
served as a bohemian hangout through the 1930s. its room have period features
such as wood paneling, high ceilings and large French windows. The furnishings
are in keeping: heavy mahogany, with fleur-de-lys print bedspreads and curtains
(00 40 21 313 4038; Calea Victoriei 36; from US$175).
Vila Arte is a
superb, art-stuffed boutique hotel. The ottoman room is in updated Turkish
style, with deep-red bedspreads, fabrics and oriental carpets. The service is
top-notch (00 40 21 2210 1035; vilaarte.ro; Str Vasile lascar 78; from US$190).
The queen of Bucharest hotels, the Athenee Palace Hilton is testament to a century-past infatuation
with Paris. Like its grand, marble-pillared entrance, the hotel’s 272 rooms are
dressed to impress, albeit less characterful than the public rooms. In summer,
cocktails are served on the terrace (00 40 21 303 3777; www.hilton.com; Str
Episcopiei 1-3; from US$190).
Contemporomania –
forum users rate MNAC – the National
Museum of contemporary Art. Located at the back of the Palace of
Parliament, the museum’s four floors feature eclectic European artists’
installations and video art, often showing provocative, challenging works.
There’s also a top-floor open-air café (mnac.ro; Calea 13 Septembrie; Wed-sun
10am-6pm; US$1.60).
Village in The City – forum users also rate the National Village Museum. On the hores
of Herastrau Lake, this is a terrific open-air collection of several dozen
homestead, churches, mills and windmills relocated from rural Romania. Opened
in 1936, it is one of Europe oldest open-air museums and a must-see for
children. Get here from the centre by taking bus 131 or 331 from B-dul General
Magheru or Piata Romana to the Muzeul Satului stop (museul-satului.ro, in
Romanian; Muzeul national al Satului; daily US$2.40).
Princely Home for
a day trip that’s easily combined with Lake Snagov, forum users recommend the Mogosoaia Palace, nine miles northwest
of Bucharest. It was built by Constantin Brancoveanu, Prince of Wallachia (one
of the forerunners of modern Romania) in around 1700, in a style mixing Ottoman
and Venetian elements. Most of the contents went in the communist era but the
grounds are splendid (palatebrancovenesti.ro; closed Mon; US$1.60).
Learn about the revolution with Peter Siani-Davies’ book The Romanian Revolution of December 1989
or Corneliu Porumboiu’s lighthearted 2006
movie 12.08; East of Bucharest. For planning, visit romaniatouristm.com
Please note guided tours of the castle are not available on
the 4th and 26th of November to facilitate staff training.
