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Destination Guide: Bucharest

Bucharest
Allianz - Bucharest

Known for its libertine nightlife and lavish architecture, Bucharest was once called the Paris of the East. As Romania’s largest city, visitors find Bucharest busy, charming and full of life. Are you ready to explore the fascinating and friendly Romanian capital?

Six Things to Do in Bucharest

Bucharest has many hidden charms and is Romania’s center of culture and art. The Old City, found in the heart of Bucharest, was for many years a dilapidated area few visitors ventured into. Today, after years of reinvestment, this area has been restored to a charming quarter with cobblestoned streets, boutiques and bars. Peek into the Old Princely Court Church while you’re there. It was built in the mid-1500s and retains its fascinating 400-year-old frescoes.

The Palace of the Parliament is like the Taj Mahal of bureaucracy. This monstrosity of a building — one of the largest in the world — was never completed. Today less than a third of the rooms are occupied.1 When you visit, notice the immense crystal chandeliers, the grand staircases and the atomic bunker.

Allianz - Bucharest Parliament

Palace of Parliament

In 2016, the Spring Palace opened to visitors for the first time since the Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was deposed in 1989. The lavish villa stands in sharp contrast with the poverty experienced by ordinary Romanians in the days of his regime. The palace is frozen in time. You’ll find the Ceaușescu’s fur coats still hanging in the closets and their pajamas lying folded on the bed.2

At the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, you can see traditional costumes and religious icons, peek inside recreated churches, and buy locally made handicrafts. The Village Museum in Herestrau Park has an even more extensive collection of 50 peasant homes, barns, log cabins, churches and mills brought from around the country.

Allianz - Bucharest Park

Herestrau Park

The Best Bucharest Hotels

Built in 1914, the Athénée Palace hotel was, at one time, known for decadence and deception. Dan Halpern writes in Travel + Leisure, “The place was lousy with spies, not to mention ministers and diplomats and industrialists and the occasional fugitive king, and not to mention gigolos living on blackmail and dangerous ladies in silver furs….” The hotel has survived wars and bombings and was renovated in the late 90’s. Now a five-star Hilton, it has once again become one of the best Bucharest hotels.

The Rembrandt Hotel is chic and cozy, with just 16 rooms. Ask for the Balcony Room on the seventh floor, which has a small terrace that provides a romantic view of the Old City. In the mornings, enjoy a sumptuous buffet with locally farmed cheeses and meats. Vegans should try the Romanian zacusca, made from wood-grilled eggplant, tomato and onions. The K+K Hotel Elisabeta is a good mid-range choice, with modern furnishings and a sauna and gym.

The Best Restaurants in Bucharest

Start with some meat. Then add some meat. That’s the basis of traditional Romanian cuisine. Local specialties include meat-and-rice-filled cabbage rolls (sarmale), sausages filled with beef, pork and/or lamb (mititei) and tripe soup.3 Vegans and vegetarians will find a surprising number of menu options, however, because many Romanian Orthodox Christians observe a periodic vegan fast.4

Allianz - Bucharest Sarmale

Sarmale dish

Though touristy, Caru’ cu Bere has a reputation as one of the best restaurants in Bucharest: Everyone loves the wood-paneled banquet hall, the folk songs and dancing, and the mugs overflowing with house-made beer. The food can be a bit uneven, however. For a more sophisticated take on Romanian cuisine, try Casa Doina. Dating to 1889, this gracious restaurant serves staples like sour cabbage rolls, mititei and pork knuckle with sauerkraut.

At Lacrimi si Sfinti, the modern and the traditional collide. The restaurant is decorated with old, reclaimed furniture and funky Lego art, and chef Mircea Dinescu takes a contemporary approach to Romanian dishes such as duck legs, pike roe and sausage.

For something totally different, seek out Gradina Eden, a sandy oasis with a beach-bar vibe in the middle of Bucharest. Sit in the sun, order a cocktail or a smoothie, and drink a toast. Noroc!

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What Do I Need to Travel to Bucharest?

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Sep 02, 2016