Bucharest Travel Guide Bucharest
(Buchuresti), located halfway between the Carpathian Mountains and the Black
Sea, in southeastern Romania, has not earned the nickname ‘Paris
of the Balkans’ by accident. Its astounding 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 diversity of vision that have taken place in this city,
over the centuries. But Bucharest has also been the epicentre of the
country’s many cataclysms, 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 reference 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 renowned vampire of
literary and celluloid fame. Yet among his countrymen, he is something of a
folk hero, famous for standing up to the Ottomans, Saxons and Wallachia’s
noble families. The ruins of one palace accredited 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 sustained 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, Russia and Austria–
the city was repeatedly occupied and destroyed until 1862, when
it became the capital of a unified Romania. But after
liberation, Bucharest began to create 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 fusion 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 a replication of 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 nevertheless gives a nod towards the city’s futuristic
tradition. Strangely, 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, trendy bars,
restaurants and Internet cafés are popping up all over and the sense of a
new dynamism is evident.
Presently, however, the almost total lack of tourism
infrastructure or facilities can be exasperating. There is no
tourist office and even basic brochures in museums can be hard to find,
leaving one to fend almost completely 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.
Bucharest Nightlife Bucharest’s
nightclubs vary between hip-hop haunts
spinning the latest sounds and flashy discos where
Romania’s well-off 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 years of age to purchase alcohol,
which costs between US$0.50-3, depending on the type of establishment.
Entrance fees are inexpensive compared to those in the West, ranging from
nothing to US$1.50. Numerous nightclubs are concentrated in or
around the historic centre, making club-hopping an option.
Clubbers going further a field can grab one of the taxis that linger outside
most clubs. Many nightclubs close in June for the summer and reopen in early
October.
Jazz is popular in Romania and Bucharest
has high-quality jazz clubs. Latino music
is also hip and salsa-dancing couples invade the
dance floors of certain clubs. Casinos flourish in the newfound capitalist
climate and many of Bucharest’s wealthy 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 get together 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 finest bars are at the National Theatre, Bulevardul
Balcescu 2. Il Caffé, left of the theatre, serves
alcohol and tall-glassed cappuccinos in a lively, comfortable 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 an impressive new outdoor roof terrace, with film
screenings and live bands on weekends. Additional trendy spots include
Opium Studio, Strada Horei 5,
with surrealist décor 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 Époque,
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
elegantly 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 outstanding 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 enormous 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 wealthy. DJs spin Latino sounds
at Club Flamingo, Strada Zalomit 6, where Art Deco
balconies, colourful kitsch sofas and a marble dance floor 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 deliberately grim décor but good house music and friendly staff.
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 usually 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 Café 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.
Live Music
Intimate jazz and blues is played at the 24-hour Café Indigo,
Strada Eforie 2, which serves cool cocktails, and Ciuc,
a scrumptious, 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.
Music
One of the most outstanding places to hear classical music
performed is at the Ateneul Roman,
Strada Franklin 1 (tel: (01) 315 6875). This fabulous 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 adorned in gold leaf and curved
balconies cascading in ringlets of spiral staircase. A ring of pink marble
columns is connected by flowing arches, where elaborate brass lanterns hang
like gems from a necklace. Inside the concert hall, voluptuous frescoes
swathe the ceiling and walls. This extraordinary décor 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). 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 of
incredible 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 huge Theatrul National
(National Theatre), Bulevardul Balcescu 2 (tel: (01) 314 7171), is
Bucharest’s theatrical heart. Classic and contemporary plays are performed
in three auditoria – sometimes in English. Tickets are costs
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).
|
Bucharest Shopping |
The
finest 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 huge
supermarket. In the upmarket shopping districts,
shoppers can expect to find every top European chain, from
Benettonto Max Mara and Terzoatto.
But bargain seekers 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, pottery, carpets, woodcarvings and icons,
make interesting purchases. These can be
found at the Romanian Peasant Museum,
nearly all 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
enormous 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.
Further 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 brilliant.
Some good wine houses are Murfutlar
and Vinul Cavalerului. Tuica,
sweet Romanian liquor
made from plums, is also well-liked.
There are two weekend flea marketplaces 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 almost everything, from old books to antiques,
clothing and even used cars.
Shops generally open 0900-1800 on
weekdays and until 1400 on 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 of over US$125. To get tax back, visitors
should fill out a form, available from most shops.
|
Bucharest Sightseeing |
Bucharest has
numerous 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
sequence of time capsules, from Ceausescu’s Centru Civic,
stirring up 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 a number of 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.
Beautiful 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. Neither hotels nor travel
agents can be of much help 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
Telephone: (01) 410 0422. Fax: (01) 410 0820.
E-mail: turism@kappa.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 foolishness, begun in 1984, initially took
20,000 workers, 7000 architects and uncountable billions of Lei to
build. But when the dictator passed away 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.
Enthused 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 mosaics, pink carpets,
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 reconstructed 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
Telephone: (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 symbols the death of President Nicolae Ceausescu more
expressively 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 get away 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 depressing monument. 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 dilapidated, cobblestone streets between Calea Victoriei,
Bulevardul Bratianu, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and the River
Dîmbovita still include 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
numerous restaurants and an open café-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
Telephone: (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 diverse collection of peasant relics won 1996’s European Museum
of the Year award and it is easy to see why. The combination 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, tools, pottery and painted eggs rub shoulders
with rosaries, icons and woodcuts, while the intimate style of a
rather recent peasant kitchen and school room celebrates 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
Telephone: (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)
Numerous peasant homes, churches and mills, barns, 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
Telephone: (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 sabotaged and looted during the 1989 uprising,
the museum has now been lovingly refurbished. The European Gallery,
in particular, is an absolute treasure, containing numerous 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
progressively restored.
Calea Victoriei 49-53
Telephone: (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 left 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
Telephone: (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
Telephone: (01) 337 0079.
Transport: Metro Unirii; bus 104 or 123.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1900.
Admission: Free.
Further Distractions
Herastrau Park
In the early 19th century, the high society of Bucharest made their
esplanades along the willowed embankments of Herestrau Lake. A few
decades later, the entire surrounds were designated a city park.
Shades of yellow, pink 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 restaurant, bar, 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 roller coasters and carousels. However, the area
surrounding the park holds even better treasures. The streets
between Soseaua Kisileff and Bulevardul Mircea Eliade contain
extremely 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. |
Bucharest Getting Around
Public Transport
The metro, open 0500-2330,
is the finest 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), 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’, though these are not always as
noticeable 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 tickets –
two-journey (US$0.30) and ten-journey (US$1.40).
Metro maps can be bought in bookshops and kiosks
and are also posted near the ticket gate entrance.
Tickets should be inserted into a machine on top of the ticket gate,
which records the entrance time on the ticket. The visitor then advances
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 inflict fines on those without.
The last 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), trolley buses
(troilebuz) and trams (tramvai) operate as one
system, running 0500-2400. RATB, Calea Serban
Voda 164-168 (tel: (01) 314 7130) provides this service.
Tickets are identical for all three forms of transport
(except express buses). The express bus system is more useful for
getting to destinations outside the city centre, as not many 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 can also be bought at the kiosk but must be stamped in the
ticket machine on-board. Those caught travelling without a
stamped ticket will be penalized 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 continuously. This system is more crowded and
confusing than the metro and pickpockets are endemic 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 in advance
is the least risky way of securing a taxi. Some of the best
companies are Alfa Taxi (tel: 9488),
Meridian (tel: 9444) and Cristaxi
(tel: 9461). On the street, visitors should stick to the yellow taxis
that indicate the journey’s cost on their meters, starting with US$0.18,
and then adding US$0.20 per kilometre travelled. There is no extra
charge for luggage in yellow taxis. However, a US$0.02 supplement is
charged in the nighttime. It is normal to round up the
amount owed as the tip. Drivers seldom give change and keep
whatever excess they receive. Visitors should note that the current
number of zeros on Lei notes can make meter reading fiddly.
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)
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), 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 puzzling.
Streets are not always clearly marked and are
full of unanticipated potholes. In addition to this,
Romanians drive fast and not very carefully. However, it can be a useful
way of getting around, especially to the city’s outskirts.
Traffic is bad only during the rush hour, which lasts almost
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 is 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
rather 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), Europcar
(tel: (01) 314 3910; e-mail:
europcar@ont.ro ),
Hertz (tel: (01) 222 1256; e-mail:
reservations@hertz.com.ro)
and Avis (tel: (01)
230 4344/45). Romanian car hire operators, such as
Euro Service Amerom
(tel: (01) 204 1567; e-mail:
esa@arexim.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 as costly.
Scooter & Bicycle Hire
Bicycle and scooter hire is neither advisable nor available
in Bucharest, seeing as traffic is unpredictable, roads are bad and the
chances of theft are high. |
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