Overview

Bucharest is a city of immense culture. Many of the sights on offer are rooted in history with a wide variety of museums, churches, palaces and monuments to visit. If you have had enough of culture for one day, some of the city's gardens make for a lovely escape and there is also Bucharest Zoo and lakes to visit.

Cantacuzino Palace

This palace is a French Baroque-style building which was completed at the beginning of the 20th century. It was once the home of Bucharest's famous composer, George Enescu and his wife Maria Cantacuzino. She is the person after whom the palace is actually named. Today their home is now a museum displaying artefacts from Enescu's life and furnished as it would have been when he lived there.

Cotroceni Palace

This palace is the official home of the President of Romania. It dates back to the 17th century and houses the Cotroceni Museum. In the museum you will find a range of artworks from medieval times as well as other works of art which have become famous throughout history. The museum is open to the public, but the main palace is only open to those with invitations.

Jewish History Museum

This poignant museum is a tribute to the once thriving Jewish community in Bucharest which was destroyed by the Nazis during WWII. The building the museum is situated in was once a synagogue but ceased to be a centre of worship in the 1930s due to Hitler's ruthless regime. The displays give an insight into Jewish life in Bucharest with many exhibits for people to view. The centrepiece is a large sculpture dedicated to those who lost their lives in the concentration camps.

Romanian Athenaeum

The beautifully designed Athenaeum dates back to the 19th century and is similar in style to ancient Greek architecture. Today the building is used as a concert hall and is home to the national philharmonic orchestra. It is also the site of many art festivals and events.

Village Museum

This is by no way a conventional indoor museum. The Bucharest Village Museum lies next door to Herastrau Lake and is regarded as one of Europe's largest and oldest museums. It is an open-air historical treasure trove with over 300 original structures dating back to certain eras in history. Exhibits include churches, houses and windmills.

Bucharest Zoo

The city zoo is similar in style to a small zoological garden. It is almost six hectares big and houses a number of animals such as flamingos, snakes, pelicans, elephants, lions, crocodiles, camels, emus and deer. It is a great place to take the children and also a good chance to get close to some of the world's endangered animals.

Herastrau Park

This park is an enormous open space and home to a lake, botanic gardens, a children's playground and nature walks. It is possible to enjoy boat rides on the lake as well as guided tours around the gardens themselves. The open spaces are ideal for a game of family football or for throwing a Frisbee and there is even a carting track on site where kids can practise their driving skills.

Overview

While Bucharest is not a dream destination for outdoor sporting enthusiasts, it does offer a selection of pursuits which are guaranteed to keep the entire family entertained. To get out and active for an entire day, the best option is to head to Herastrau Park where there are plenty of opportunities to get some exercise. Ice skating is very popular in winter while tennis is commonly played throughout the summer.

Ice skating

If you visit Bucharest in winter, the city's lakes will no doubt be frozen and the local community will have taken to the ice. It will be extremely cold so you will have to wrap up warmly, but ice skating is great fun whatever age you are and is popular with families. There are also outdoor rinks in the city centre at Patinoarul Floreasca and Stadionul Lia Manoliu, although these are not free.

Parks and gardens

Bucharest boasts a number of parks and gardens which are perfect for relaxing outdoor pursuits such as sunbathing, reading, having picnics and enjoying the nature trails. The most popular parks are: Herastrau Park, Cismigiu Gardens, and the Botanical Gardens Carol Park, which are all home to beautiful plants and flowers as well as sporting facilities, open spaces and an abundance of wildlife. When the sun is shining, people from all over the world can be found taking it easy in one of these parks.

Skiing

Winter sports enthusiasts will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy skiing and snowboarding. The Carpathian mountain range is close to Bucharest and there are a number of resorts within easy driving distance of the city such as Brasov, Poiana and Sinaia. The skiing season runs from November through until the end of March and the slopes are suitable for skiers of all levels, even complete novices.

Tennis

Tennis is a very popular game with the locals and as a result, tennis courts are in abundance throughout the city. The best courts, however, are also the cheapest and can be found at Herastrau Park. Rackets and balls can be hired by the hour. These courts, along with the other outdoor courts are only open in the summer months. There is a small selection of indoor facilities offering tennis in the winter months.

Horseback riding

Horseback riding is available in the countryside surrounding the city. Excursions are open for the whole family and taking a horse into the woodlands is a great way to spend the day. There are a number of trails to follow and a guide is available should one be required. Lessons are also available at stables throughout the city although English is not spoken at all of them.

Dining and shopping

There are many options for eating local food in Bucharest. Some of the best restaurants are small eateries in the back streets where the locals visit and while they are not much to look at, the food served is usually excellent. For international cuisine, the tourist centres in the city offer the best selection. International cuisine includes Chinese, Greek, Mexican, Spanish, Italian, British, French and Turkish.

Eating out in Bucharest is very cheap, especially when compared to eating out in Western Europe and with the opening up and development of Eastern Europe more and more international restaurants are opening their doors. There are even the ubiquitous fast food chains emerging everywhere such as McDonalds, KFC and Burger King. The best restaurants (although they are also the most expensive) can be found in the downtown area.

Romanian cuisine has seen many different influences throughout its history including: Balkan, German, Serbian and Hungarian. Therefore, Romanian cuisine has become something of a fusion of all of these. There are a number of dishes worth trying although some may not sound as appealing as others.

If you are very daring, you may like to try ciorbă de burtă (soup made from pig stomach), limbă cu măsline (cow tongue with olives) or caltaboşi (rice pudding served with cooked pig intestines). If however you would like to try something without animal innards, ciorbă de perişoare (soup made with meatballs) is very popular as is varză călită (steamed cabbage with fresh or processed meat).

Dessert options are plentiful and include: turtă dulce (gingerbread) papanaşi (sweet cheese, eggs and semolina, fried and served with fruit syrup) sarlotă (custard served with ladies' fingers) and orez cu lapte (rice pudding).

Bucharest does not offer much in the way of shopping, but there is the opportunity to browse round some local shopping centres and some interesting markets to explore. The most popular shopping districts are: Calea Victoriei and Bulevardul General Magheru, where you will find a small selection of shopping centres, some high street shops and a large supermarket.

For something a bit different, the Village Museum has a gift shop selling a wide variety of local good such as embroidered clothing, painted Easter eggs, carpets, pottery and woodcarvings, while the Lipscani area in the centre of town is a great place to pick up some bargains and antiques.

There are a number of flea markets held at the weekends in the city although some are very small and only really serve the local community. The best market is found at Strada Mihai Bravu, on the east side of the city, where you will find everything from antiques to out-of-print books, clothing and even used cars.

There are many traditional shops in the city interspersed between the larger and newer shopping malls, Here you will find traditional gifts and handicrafts as well as sweets, biscuits and cakes, all of which make great gifts.

Bucharest's restaurant selection is growing every year and despite only being able to eat local food just a few years ago, today you will find cuisine available from all over the world. The best selection of restaurants can be found in the city centre, although with a bit of exploration you will find some of the best places to taste local food.

Overview

Henri Coanda International Airport is the main gateway for international visitors arriving in Bucharest. It is a fairly new facility with plenty of amenities for all passengers. Journeys throughout Europe are generally fairly short with many budget airlines offering good deals on flights. Trains and buses are also available, but most journeys are very long and can get uncomfortable. Once in the city, visitors have the choice of the metro, buses, trams or taxis.

Airports

The main gateway to Bucharest is Henri Coanda International Airport. It is a single terminal facility which offers daily services to and from a number of European and international destinations such as London, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Moscow and New York. Many budget airlines fly to Bucharest, which has opened up the city to people looking to enjoy weekend breaks.

The facilities at the airport are extensive and include shops, duty-free, cafés, restaurants, information desks, banking and ATMs, a post office and mother and baby amenities. The airport is fully accessible for disabled passengers and there is assistance on hand should it be required.

Ground transportation options include shuttle buses, local buses, hire cars and taxis. The taxi rank is outside the Arrivals exit and they are booked on a first come first served basis. Fares should be negotiated in advance to avoid any misunderstanding when arriving at the destination.

Shuttle buses are also available outside Arrivals although it is a fixed fare and buses need to be full before they depart. Local buses leave every 30 minutes and make their way into the city centre. You will be dropped off at the bus station in the city so will need to make alternative arrangements from the bus station to your hotel.

Public transportation

There are long distance train journeys available from all across Europe if air travel is not an option. However, from certain destinations, journeys are very long and often arduous. They are only really an option if you are on a very tight budget.

Bus travel across Europe is also available with a number of changes necessary depending on where you are travelling from. Some people choose to drive to Bucharest but as with all land travel, journeys can be very long and the roads at times not in the best condition. Always drive safely and stop for breaks regularly.

Once you have arrived in Bucharest, there is an excellent public transport network consisting of the metro, buses, trams and taxis. The metro is the most convenient way of getting around as there are a total of 45 stations located throughout the city, most of which is covered. Tickets can be bought in advance from ticket machines and can be bought as two or ten-journey credits. It is important to always carry your tickets as guards patrol the metro rigorously.

Buses and trams are a cheaper alternative to the metro although combined tickets are available for all three modes of transport. Single day, weekly and monthly passes are available. Buses provide services to all areas of the city as well as the suburbs, but drivers rarely speak English so it will be important to know exactly where you need to go.

Taxis will always wait outside large hotels as well as close to bus and train stations. There are also taxi stands throughout the city, but it is just as easy to flag one down in the street. Taxis are metered, but always make sure that the meter is turned on and if you are travelling long distances, it is advisable to negotiate the fare in advance.