3 days in Bucharest

June 2017

Located in Southern Romania, Bucharest is the country's capital city. The massive Palatul Parlamentului government building, with 1,100 rooms, is one of its iconic landmarks. Beautiful parks, pretty orthodox churches and a really energetic nightlife scene, Bucharest is a city that you won't want to miss!

The only downside that I would mention was the rudeness of the staff in some establishments. But at the same time, we got to know really nice and friendly local people during our trip.

WEATHER

Bucharest has a humid continental weather. Spring and Autumn have daytime temperatures that go from 17°C to 22°C which make it a great time to visit. Winters can be really windy and cold. The months of July and August are the hottest, with temperatures that can reach 40 °C.

We visited Bucharest at the end of June and was really hot; We absolutely loved it!

TRANSPORT

You have different options to reach Bucharest city centre from Henri Coandă Airport. We used a taxi which takes around 20 minutes and costs more or less 15€. You will find licensed cabs in a taxi station located at the exit of the terminal, that will take passengers in order of arrival. You have also touch screen terminals where you can order a taxi from a certain company.

If you would like to take a bus, the 784 Express line connects the airport with central Bucharest. The ride will take around 40 minutes and will cost you 3,5 lei, which is less than 1€.

For more information about transport visit this website Bucharest Transport.

Once you are in the city you can get to most of the sights by walking. You can also use the metro: a 2 rides ticket is 5 lei (less than 1€) or you can buy a travel card for the day which is only 8 lei (around 1.50€). Remember to validate your ticket before travelling.

PLACES TO SEE AND THINGS TO DO

Day 1

A good way to know the city better is by joining a free walking tour. Check this link for more info Walkabout Free Walking Tours.
Visit the beautiful Stavropoleos Monastery, also known as Stavropoleos Church, an Eastern Orthodox monastery for nuns in central Bucharest.
Unwind at Cișmigiu Gardens, a public park nearby the city centre where you can find an artificial lake.
Party at Lipscani district. This area is also perfect for a meal with friends and some drinks. It is so lively and the atmosphere is great!

Day 2

Start your day visiting the Palace of the Parliament, which is the second largest administrative building in the world.
Go to see the Templul Coral or Coral Temple, a synagogue located in the city which is a copy of Vienna's Leopoldstadt-Tempelgasse Great Synagogue.
Pay a visit to the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, an open-air ethnographic museum located in Herastrau Park that showcases traditional Romanian village life. When we went, there was a festival going on in the park and the local people were so friendly and welcoming. We ended up trying some sweets and even dancing! We had so much fun and spent half day here. You can find stalls selling handmade products and there are bars where you can sit and have a drink. A must-see!!
Have a drink at Caru' cu bere (The beer wagon), a bar and restaurant which has a distinctive art nouveau interior decoration. I will recommend you to go just for a drink (the staff were not really friendly but the decoration is worth it).

Day 3

Go to see the Primăverii Palace or Spring Palace, the former residence of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. It can be visited on a guided tour. You can book it here Spring Palace Guided Tours.
Visit the Radu Vodă Monastery, a beautiful Romanian Orthodox monastery.
Wander around Revolution Square, a square located in the city centre.
Explore Calea Victoriei or Victory Avenue, the historical avenue of Bucharest where you can find important sights like the Romanian Athenaeum or the Royal Palace.

FOOD AND DRINK

If you love beer as much as I do, in Bucharest you have some choices. My favourites were Timisoreana, Ciucas and Ursus.

Romanian cuisine is not among my favourites, but when I'm visiting a country I like to try the local specialities. Here I mention some traditional dishes that you can taste.

Sarmale: Cabbage rolls. This is the Romanian national dish.
Jumeri: Traditional Romanian appetizer made from pork.
Mici: Grilled sausages that are made from ground meat, black pepper and other spices.
Salata de vinete: Roasted eggplant salad.
Papanasi with sour cream and jam: Fried cheese doughnuts with sweet and sour cream, and also blueberry jam.

My personal recommendation:

Caru' cu bere: You should visit this place just to admire its fantastic decoration. Address: Strada Stavropoleos 5, Bucharest, 030081, Romania.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed in a really nice apartment nearby Cismigiu Gardens and the Old Town, Apartament Central Cismigiu . The property was well equipped with everything we needed and offered free Wi-fi. The host was really welcoming and friendly and gave us some tips. He also helped us to book a taxi to go back to the airport.

If you wish to book this accommodation, you can check this link here Apartment Central Cismigiu.

BUDGET

Bucharest is a really affordable city, so I recommend you to bring around £120 for 3 days, excluding flights and accommodation. The currency in Romania is the leu (1 leu = £0.19).