Bucharest In Your Pocket

BucharestOctober - November 2014

N°91 - 15.00 lei

inyourpocket.com

Maps Restaurants Cafés Pubs Clubs Sightseeing Shopping Directory Hotels

Old TownA complete guide toBucharest’s liveliest area

Essential BucharestEverything you always wanted to know about the Romanian capital but were afraid to ask

October - November 2014 3 facebook.com/bucharestinyourpocket

Contents

E S S E N T I A LC I T Y G U I D E S

Arriving & Getting Around 6

Bucharest Basics 11

Restaurants 16The tastiest places in the city to eat

Nightlife 37The city’s best pubs and clubs

Sightseeing 41Don’t leave Bucharest without seeing the essentials

Old Town 50Where Bucharest goes to party

Shopping 66Souvenirs, local designers and local wine

Hotels 68

Directory 75

MapsNorthern Bucharest map 78-79Central & Southern Bucharest map 80-81Street register 82

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Timelapse Bucharest. A gorgeous photo by Iulian Dragomir @ Dreamstime

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Foreword

Bucharest In Your PocketIYP Romania SrlStr. Stefan Burileanu 1-3Bl. 21E, Sc. 1, Ap. 8,Bucuresti 014191, RomaniaTel. (+4) 021 321 44 [email protected]

ISSN 1454-5276 © IYP Romania Srl. Printed at MEGAPress SA, Bucharest (tel. (+4) 021 461 08 08/09). Published six times per year, up to 20,000 copies produced each issue. Bucharest In Your Pocket is a member of the Romanian Audit Bureau of Circulation (BRAT).

Editorial Editor Craig Turp All Photography © IYP Romania Srl unless otherwise stated Cover © Daniel Caluian @ Dreamstime

Sales To contact a member of our sales team send an email to the address [email protected], or call our office and ask for the sales department.

Copyright notice Text, photos and maps copyright IYP Romania Srl 1999-2014 unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved. No part of this pub-lication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of its review, without written permission from the copyright owner. The trademark In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Bernadinu g. 9-4, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).

E S S E N T I A LC I T Y G U I D E S

Election fever currently grips Romania, as the country gears up for its two-stage presidential election in November (the first round is on Sunday, November 2nd, with a run-off a fortnight later between the two candidates who take the most votes). Even the most casual of visitors to Bucharest will be hard pressed not to spot at least some political ad-vertising which - as we go to press at the end of September - had already begun to dominate the cityscape. Whoever wins (and we expect one of either prime minister Victor Ponta or mayor of Sibiu Klaus Iohannis to emerge victori-ous) there is likely to be a celebration of some kind in Piata Universitatii late on the evening of November 16th and into the early hours of the next day, after which the country will return to work and get on with its business. Presidents may come and go but Romania - and Bucharest with it - is firmly on the way up. A look around the city - unrecognisable from the one we first came to more than a decade ago - is proof of that. Whatever your politics: enjoy Bucharest!

COVER STORY

The Basarab Bridge, which takes Bucharest traffic over the railway lines just north of Gara de Nord. Opened in 2011 it is the widest cable-stayed bridge in Europe, and has become something of a symbol of a new, modern Bu-charest. Photo by Daniel Caluian @ Dreamstime.

CZECHREPUBLIC

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ROMANIAHUNGARY

SERBIABOSNIA

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ABOUT IYP

We have come a long way in the 22 years since we published the first In Your Pocket guide - to Vilnius in Lithu-ania - so much so that we are today the largest publisher of locally-produced city guides in the world. The publica-tion earlier this year of guides to Jo-hannesburg and to the islands of the Dutch Caribbean - our first guides in the Southern Hemisphere - has taken the number of guides published each year by In Your Pocket to well over five million, spread across more than 100 cities on three continents. And there is more to come: make sure you keep up with all that’s new at In Your Pocket by liking us on Facebook (facebook.com/inyourpocket) or following us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket).


Arriving & Getting Around

ARRIVING AT OTOPENI

Bucharest’s only commercial airport is Otopeni (official-ly Henri Coanda), 17km north of the city on the DN1. Opened in 1970 and recently extended, it is a spacious, efficient airport. After getting off the plane and easing your way through passport control, you’ll find yourself in the baggage reclaim area. Ignore all of the services on of-fer here, especially the currency exchange desks. Instead, grab your luggage (if it fails to arrive head for the small office on the right hand of side of the exit), and head off through customs to the arrivals area. Here there are loads of ATMs, a press shop and a small cafe. To the right is a passage leading to the departures terminal, lined with car hire desks and a few shops, including a chemist.

To order a taxi, look for the touchscreens in the arrivals hall. They are fully automated and very easy to use (and offer multiple-language options), and you can choose a taxi from just about the full range of Bucharest taxi companies: all have their tariffs clearly displayed. Once the taxi company has informed you (via a ticket which comes out of the machine) how long the taxi will take to arrive, and what ID number the taxi has, you simply go outside to wait for it. Make sure you get into the cor-rect taxi: check the company name and ID number is the same as on the ticket. Ignore the Rapid taxis which wait on the lower level.

For those who want to head into town in a bit more comfort than your average visitor, there are three good private car options: TransVision (airport-transfer-bucha-rest.com), BlackCab (blackcab.ro) and VMS City Shut-tle (cityshuttle.ro). All three companies offer a comfort-able, reliable airport transfer service at decent prices.

You can also get to town by taking bus 783, which stops underneath the arrivals hall, in front of internal arrivals and leaves for the city centre (stopping at Piata Victoriei, Piata Romana and Piata Universitatii) every 30 minutes during the day, and then every 40 minutes throughout the night. The full timetable of the 783 bus is online at ratb.ro. Another bus, the 780, runs from the airport to Gara de Nord from 05:15 to 23:00 roughly every 30 minutes. You need to purchase an Activ Card before boarding (get it from the little booth which you’ll find on your right-hand side as you exit). A return jour-ney into the city costs 7 lei (no singles are available, but there is no time limit on using the return). You also need to pay 3.70 lei for the card itself, but it can be recharged as often as you like at any ticket kiosk in Bucharest, and used on all Bucharest buses, trolleybuses and trams. The cards cannot be bought on board. There is also a train which connects the airport to the main railway station, Gara de Nord. The train departs at irregular intervals, however, and to get to the airport’s station you need to take a minibus. Tiickets are available from a counter in the Arrivals hall. Look out for the Bilete CFR sign.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTBucharest is served by an extensive public transport net-work, made up of bus, trolleybus, tram and metro. All forms of public transport in Bucharest are very cheap.

BUCHAREST METRO First opened in 1979, Bucharest’s metro was primarily built to ship workers from the vast housing estates of Titan, Berceni and Militari out to the huge industrial plants at Pipera, IMGB, Republica and Industriilor. That’s all very well if you are resident of Titan working at IMGB, but useless to almost everybody else. The city centre is poorly served by the metro and only the north-south M2 line, from Pipera to Berceni, which passes through Piatas Vic-toriei, Romana and Unirii, and the M1 branch to the Gara de Nord, is likely to be of any use to visitors.

METRO TICKETS Tickets for the Bucharest metro are cheap: they cost either 4 lei (valid for two trips; doua ca-latorii) or 15 lei (ten trips; zece calatorii) and can be bought from any metro station. You can also buy tickets valid for one day (abonament de o zi), costing 6 lei. The metro runs from around 05:00 to 23:00.

TRAMS, BUSES & TROLLEYBUSES (RATB)Even the most remote corners of Bucharest are served by bus, trolleybus or tram, and most main roads in the city cen-tre benefit from three or four different transport routes. Most buses are overcrowded, however, and travelling on them can



ARRIVING AT GARA DE NORD

If you arrive in Bucharest by train you will arrive at Gara de Nord. It is OK, but has the usual collection of rogues, tramps and thieves to contend with. There are ATMs, shops, kiosks, a McDonalds and a KFC. It even now has free Wifi. To get to town take an honest taxi from the of-ficial taxi station outside (ignore anyone who approach-es you inside the station). Currently, only taxis from two reliable Bucharest companies, Meridian and Pelican, are allowed to pick up fares here. If no taxi is waiting, use one of the two touch screens to order one. You can also hop on the metro: you are just one stop away from Piata Victoriei, or take the bus: No. 123 goes to Piata Unirii, and trolleybus No. 85 to Piata Universitatii. Tram 44 goes to Cismigiu. Tickets (in the form of a Card Activ) from the kiosk next to the bus stop (itself next to the taxi rank).

WARNING: None of Bucharest’s reputable hostels send people to Gara de Nord to speculatively meet trains. Anyone who approaches you (and if you have just got off the Budapest train and have a backpack, you will be approached) is trying to scam you: they will try and divert you from your intended destination (often by say-ing that the place you want to go to is closed) towards another hostel or hotel that they will recommend to you. Just ignore anything they say and wave them away.

often be a less than pleasant experience. Buses, trolleybuses and trams run from very early in the morning (around 04:30) to around 23:00 (earlier at weekends), after which the night buses take over. The night bus network is extensive, and op-erates an hourly service throughout the night. All night buses depart from Piata Unirii.

Look out too for the open-top, hop-on, hop-off Sightsee-ing Bus. It runs each summer and follows a circular route from Piata Presei Libere to Piata Unirii and back. Tickets valid all day cost 25 lei for adults, 10 lei for children. They can be bought on board. For more about the Sightseeing Bus, see the feature online at iyp.me/bus.

RATB TICKETS To use a bus, trolleybus or tram you will need to buy an Activ Card before climbing aboard. These cards cost 3.70 lei, and can be bought from the little kiosks next to major stops. They need to be loaded with credit (minimum 5 lei) and are reusable. The card is then debited each time you validate it at one of the orange devices located on buses, trams and trolleybuses. One trip costs 1.30 lei. On all forms of public transport in Bucharest children under the age of seven travel free. After that they need a full-price ticket.

TRAINSGiven that Romania‘s roads are terrible, it‘s comforting to know that the country‘s railways are equally crap. Having said that, many long years of upgrade work on the Bucha-rest - Brasov and Bucharest - Constanta routes are now complete, and journey times are back to something ap-proaching 1989 levels: around two hours and 30 mins to Brasov, just under two hours to Constanta. Should you have to take a train, always try to get an InterCity (IC) or InterRegio (IR) as they are the fastest and usually have the most mod-ern rolling stock. Regio (R-) trains are slow and use much older rolling stock. You will also see trains designated as ICN: these are InterCity trains which stop at more stations than usual, and are more like InterRegios. Prices on all types of train are relatively cheap, but are rising fast. An InterCity adult single from Bucharest to Brasov costs 90.50 lei. To buy train tickets visit either the station, a CFR agency or buy on-line at bilete.cfrcalatori.ro. (Note that if buying online you need to do so at least 24 hours in advance). Tickets cannot be purchased on the train, though you can try bribing the guard. AGENTIA DE VOIAJ CFR CFR’s advance booking offices.QA-4, Calea Grivitei 139, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 021 313 26 42, www.cfr.ro. Open 08:00-16:00. Closed Sat, Sun.WASTEELS Advance reservations for all types of trains.QA-4, Gara de Nord, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 021 317 03 70, (+4) 021 300 27 30, www.triptkts.ro. Open 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

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CAR RENTAL IN BUCHARESTAll of the major international car hire firms are present in Bucharest, alongside a number of local outfits. You usually need to be over 21 to hire a car in Romania, and to have held a license for at least three years.

AVISA delivery and collection service is available free of charge within the city limits; the service is on request, and it de-pends on the availability of the Avis rental office.QB-dul Theodor Pallady 51, tel. *AVIS (*2847) - OSSN (One Star Smart Number), (+4) 021 210 43 44, fax (+4) 021 210 69 12, [email protected], www.avis.ro. Open 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (C-5) InterContinental,

BUCHAREST TAXIS

By and large, Bucharest’s numerous cheap and trustwor-thy yellow taxis are easy to spot as they are emblazoned with the name and phone number of the company they are associated with. To counter this, however, dodgy taxis also plaster phone numbers over their cars, alongside copy-cat logos that look cunningly like those of decent companies. Be extra careful when getting into a taxi around Gara de Nord, Piata Universitatii, Piata Unirii and the Old Town / Lipscani area. When leaving a hotel or res-taurant, always have the concierge or waiter order you a cab. Never pay more than 1.77 lei per kilometre in any taxi.

Some of Bucharest’s taxi companies now have smart-phone apps which make use of your phone’s GPS capa-bilities to get the closest taxi to you as fast as possible. The best is StarTaxi: search for it on Google Play or the App Store.

As an alternative to the standard taxis, there are also now a couple of companies offering a more professio-nal service - and smarter cars - than a standard taxi. These are Black Cab and VMS CityShuttle. Black Cab is a taxi service which offers cabs at much the same price as standard taxis, the only difference being that there is a minimum charge (14 lei). Regular users can pay monthly, and - best of all - Black Cabs will travel to the suburbs (Pipera and the like: many ordinary taxis will not). Black Cabs cannot be hailed on the street, but can be pre-ordered in a number of ways. Take a look at blackcab.ro. VMS CityShuttle is similar, with all fares being a fixed price. They also offer airport transfers and run tours of Bucharest and its surroundings, as well as the Prahova Valley and southern Transylvania. See the website cityshuttle.ro for more details.

TRUSTED TAXI COMPANIES:Autogeneral 021 9401, Cobalcescu 021 9451, Cris-taxi 021 9461, Meridian 021 9444, Mondial 021 9423, Speed Taxi 021 9477, Taxi As 021 9435, Taxi Total 021 9424. Most of these companies have at least one operator who speaks English.



tel. (+4) 021 314 18 37, Open 08:00 - 20:00; Henri Coan-da International Airport, tel. (+4) 021 204 19 57, Open 07:00 - 02:00 and Avis Porsche Bucharest North, tel. (+4) 0723 612 011, Open 07:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00, Closed Sun.

BAVARIA RENT QDrumul Garii Otopeni 1B, tel. (+4) 0730 33 37 07, (+4) 031 802 22 22, fax (+4) 031 802 22 28, [email protected], www.bavariarent.ro. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at Otopeni Airport, tel. (+4) 021 201 45 34, (+4) 0730 33 37 05, Open 08:00-02:00, Sat 08:00-20:00.

BUDGET QB-4, Str. Mihail Moxa 9, tel. (+4) 021 210 28 67, fax (+4) 021 210 29 95, [email protected], www.budgetro.ro. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (B-3) Calea Dorobanti 5 - 7 (Howard Johnson Ho-tel), tel. (+4) 021 201 50 89, Open 09:00 - 17:00. Closed

Sat, Sun and Henri Coanda International Airport, tel. (+4) 021 204 16 67, Open 08:00 - 20:00.

CARS4RENT QStr. Drumul Odaii 1D (Hotel Charter), tel. (+4) 0723 34 71 92/(+4) 0372 99 99 99, fax (+4) 021 352 87 16, [email protected], www.cars4rent.ro. Open 24 hrs.

COMPACT RENT-A-CAR QA-4, B-dul N. Titulescu 1, bl A7, sc. 1, et. 6, ap. 16, tel. (+4) 0744 58 67 24, (+4) 021 312 98 57, fax (+4) 021 312 99 82, [email protected], www.compact-rentacar.ro. Prices from €18/day.

EUROPCAR QD-6, Str. Grigore Mora 17, tel. (+4) 021 310 17 97, (+4) 0747 28 06 49, fax (+4) 021 310 17 96, [email protected], www.europcar.ro. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Also at Otopeni Airport tel. (+4) 0374 00 40, Open 08:00 - 22:00. Service also available in Cluj, Constanta, Sibiu, Timisoara, Iasi.

HERTZ QPiata Montreal 10, entrance F, 1st Floor, of-fice 1.20, tel. (+4) 021 407 82 00, [email protected], www.hertz.ro. Also at Henri Coanda Airport, tel. (+4) 021 204 12 78, Open 08:00 - 22:00.

SIXT NEW KOPEL QCalea Bucurestilor 201-203, tel. (+4) 021 9400, (+4) 0372 37 20 05, [email protected], www.sixt.ro. Open 09:00 - 17:30.

TOURIST INFORMATION

INFO TOURIST CENTER A new, privately-run tourist information centre on Calea Victoriei which is phenom-enally helpful and - dare we say it - perhaps even better than the city’s official tourist information office. It’s open Sundays too.QC-5, Calea Victoriei 68-70, tel. (+4) 021 211 33 66. Open 9:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00.


Bucharest Basics

CRIME & SAFETYWe do not exaggerate when we say that Bucharest is one of the safest capital cities in Europe. Violent crime is rare and almost always carried out exclusively between rival gangs in the city’s less-salubrious areas. If you do not go looking for trouble, the chances of you getting into any are tiny. While pickpockets are everywhere (you should be particu-larly careful on crowded buses), violent crime is unheard of, and even women can walk the city’s streets alone at night in relative safety.

The Romanian police force is also far better and less corrupt than it used to be and keeps a visual presence on the city’s streets, especially in busy areas such as Old Town at night. The main police station in Bucharest is on B-dul Lascar Cartagiu (B-4), halfway between Piata Romana and Piata Victoriei. If you are driving, or are out late at night, it is a good idea to carry at least a photocopy of your passport and driving license. Drinking in public (except in designat-ed areas) leaves you open to a fine, and despite appearanc-es to the contrary, prostitution is illegal. If you are arrested ask to speak to your embassy. There is a list on pages 75-76.

In a nutshell though, do not worry. Of all Bucharest’s many problems, crime really is one of the least of them.

DOGSIt was once written that you couldn’t swing a cat in Bucha-rest without hitting a dog (by us, in fact, in our first issue, some 15years ago) and it remains true - up to a point. Since the mauling to death of a small buy by a pack of strays in a Bucharest park in 2013 as many of 25,000 dogs have been rounded up and put down by the local authorities. There are still packs of strays around, however, although the vast majority are found outside of the city centre. There are still some dogs in the city centre (Old Town has its fair share) but these tend to be less aggressive than those which live in the city’s suburbs. Should the worst come to the worst and you are bitten during your time in Bucharest, present yourself at once to the casualty unit (Camera de Garda) at the Institutul Matei

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

In an emergency call 112. You do not need to use the city code. You will be asked which service you require (Politia/Police, Ambulanta/Ambulance or Pomp-ierii/Firemen). Emergency call centre operators should speak English or French but in our experience they do not always do so. At least make sure you know the name of the street you are calling from. If you get into trouble with the Police, demand to call your embassy. There is a list on page 90. The city‘s main police station is at (B-4) Str. Lascar Cartagiu 22, tel. (+4) 021 212 56 84. The best Casualty Unit (Emergency Room) in the city is at Spitalul de Urgente, (C-3) Calea Floreasca 8, next to Dinamo Stadium. There is a list of Pharmacies on pag-es 76-77, and an English-speaking Dentist on page 75.


Bucharest Basics

Bals, (D-3) Str. Dr. Calistrat Grozovici 1, tel. (+4) 021 318 60 90. The wound will be cleaned up, and you will be admin-istered both an anti-tetanus and an anti-rabies vaccine (the anti-rabies injection is the first of a course three: the others must be done seven and then 21 days afterwards). You will also get a prescription for a course of antibiotics.

LEFT LUGGAGEGara de Nord offers left luggage facilities, but no lockers. You will find the left luggage counter opposite the Wasteels office. The charge is 5 lei per small bag per 24 hours, 9 lei for a bigger bag. You will need ID.

MONEYRomania’s currency is the leu (plural lei), divided into 100 bani. Leu notes come in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1. These are also 50, 10, 5 and 1bani coins. €1 is currently worth 4.41 lei. The best place to get your hands on lei is at an ATM. If you have to change cash, do it inside a bank. Credit and debit cards (MasterCard and Visa) are accepted almost everywhere. American Express cards are less widely accepted, but usually be used in Bancpost ATMs.

POLITICSSince the bloody revolution of December 1989, Romania has been a parliamentary democracy. The Head of State is the president (currently Traian Basescu, in office since 2004),

ROMANIAN BEERRomania has a long, proud history of brewing good beer, and while today there are just 20 breweries in the coun-try (there were more than 120 breweries in 1989), such statistics do not tell the whole story of beer in Romania, which is far from being a sorry one. With large amounts of investment from big foreign brewers the country’s best known beers have been saved from extinction and im-proved, and in a number of cases new brews launched: the current trend for unfiltered and lemon beers is one such example. Fortunately for the visitor, improvements in quality have not increased prices: Romania remains home to one of the cheapest pints of beer in Europe. We have long suggested that the country’s marketing peo-ple use the fact in their international campaigns.

The best known local brands of beer are probably Ursus, Ciuc and Timisoreana. Ursus has been brewed since the 1870s, and if you ask locals what the national beer is, most will respond Ursus. Both Ursus and Timisoreana (brewed since 1718) are now owned by SAB Miller, which also pro-duces the smaller brands Ciucas, Azuga and Stejar. Ciuc (along with Silva) is owned by Heineken, while Carlsberg’s locally brewed Tuborg is also ubiquitous and popular. Oth-er notable beers include Interbrew’s Bergenbier.

Unfiltered wheat beers (bere nefiltrata) are very popular in Romania, the best probably being Ciuc’s, though you should also keep a look out for Paulaner’s white beer, found on tap in a number of Bucharest bars and pubs.

Also worth trying is the dark, bitter Ursus Black, a very different beer to most local brews. Silva’s Strong Dark is similar and equally good. A few venues in Bucharest have microbreweries, producing their own beer, or at least serve their own bespoke brew made elsewhere: Caru cu bere, Oktoberfest, Re:Public and Biutiful are four such places. There aren’t that many craft beers in Roma-nia, but there are a few if you know where to look. If you get the chance, Zaguna is excellent: the London Street Bistro (see page 34) always has it in stock.

Imported beers are popular amongst young, wealthy urbanites, and you should never have too much trouble finding the major international brands: Heineken, Carls-berg, Peroni, Leffe, Hoegaarden and Stella Artois are all popular in Romania. And while imported beer is usually a couple of lei more expensive than the local stuff, no beer in Romania is likely to cost more than 10-12 lei, even in a club or trendy bar. A pint (or the local equivalent) of local draught (la halba) beer costs from 7-8 lei, often even cheaper. The one exception is Guinness. Found all over the country (it is very popular amongst Romanians) it is also relatively expensive.

Key Romanian words on the beer front include la halba (draught) and la sticla (bottled). In most bars and restau-rants the menu lists draught and bottled beers separately.


Bucharest Basics

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BUCHAREST

Bucharest is a relatively new city: mention of it is not made until 1459, as one of the residences of Vlad III (the Impaler), ruler of Wallachia. The exact origins of the city are therefore unknown. Folklore has it that a shepherd, Bucur, founded the city, but a more likely candidate is Radu Voda (also known as Radu Negru), ruler of Wallachia from c. 1290-1300.

It was under Vlad the Impaler that the city grew to any real size, when it became the preferred site of the Wallachian court. This was based in what is today known as the Old Town, around the Curtea Veche. The city was sacked for the first time in 1476 by the Moldavian ruler Stephen the Great (Stefan cel Mare), and again by the Turks in 1554. During Mihai Bravu’s uprising against the Turks in 1594, Bucharest was all but destroyed in heavy fighting. It was not until the reign of Wallachian prince Matei Basarab in the 1640s that the city fully recovered, and the princely court rebuilt. Sacked again in 1655 (by the Transylvanians) Bucharest suffered plague and famine for much of the rest of the 1600s.

It was the accession to the Wallachian throne of Constantin Brancoveanu in 1688 which changed Bucharest’s fortunes. Brancoveanu negotiated alliances with the Hapsburgs and Russians - keeping the Turks at bay - while overseeing a cultural renaissance at home. The Turks finally got the bet-ter of Brancoveanu in 1714: ordered to Constantinople to account for himself he was beheaded by Sultan Ahmed III. No longer trusting local Wallachian princes to serve their in-terests, the Turks instead appointed a long line of Greek ad-ministrators to rule the principality. Known as the Phanari-ots (they came from the Greek district of Constantinople, Phanar) they would rule over Bucharest until 1821. During this time the city grew in size and importance, despite regu-lar disasters: there were major earthquakes in 1802, 1804 and 1812, while plague returned in 1813-14. As many as 40,000 people died in Wallachia during the plague.

While still nominally a Turkish province, the Peace of Adri-anople which ended the Russo-Turkish war of 1828-9 left

Wallachia (and Bucharest with it) under Russian occupa-tion. Fortunately, the general the Russians appointed to govern Bucharest, Pavel Kiseleff, was an enlightened man who during his 14 years in charge of the city (1829-1843) oversaw sweeping changes.

In January 1859, at the Hotel Concordia on Strada Smardan, Wallachia’s nascent parliament elected Alexan-dru Ioan Cuza as the principality’s new ruler. Given that the Moldavian parliament had elected the same man to be their leader a few days before, the vote at the Concordia in effect created the first state of Romania. Bucharest grew - and flourished - during the reign of Carol I (1866-1914), Romania’s first king. Electricity was introduced in 1882, and the city hosted a grand exhibition, Romania in the World, in 1906. The Carol Park in southern Bucharest was built to host the fair.

During the 1920s and 1930s Bucharest was one of Europe’s most dynamic, and architecturally avant-garde cities. Large numbers of art deco buildings were constructed around the city. Bucharest was heavily bombed during the lat-ter part of World War II, but in comparison with much of Europe, the city was relatively unscathed. The communist authorities therefore initially made their mark on the city not by rebuilding it but by greatly extending it. The city’s population doubled from 900,000 at the end of World War II to 1.8 million in 1980.

In 1977 the biggest earthquake in the city’s history killed more than 1,500 people. Many buildings were destroyed or damaged beyond repair, and Romania’s leader Nicolae Ceausescu took the opportunity to remodel the city in his own vision. By 1989 almost a fifth of Bucharest had been destroyed to make way for the new Centru Civic. Bucharest was the scene of the heaviest fighting during the Roma-nian Revolution of 1989, most of which centred on Piata Revolutiei, Piata Universitatii, the TVR building and Otopeni Airport. Since the revolution Bucharest has continued to grow, although much of that growth has been outside the city limits. The population of the city proper in fact peaked in 2000, at 2.3 million: it is officially now down to 1.9 million (2011 census).


Bucharest Basicselected for a maximum of two five-year terms. Suspended twice by parliament, Basescu has survived two impeach-ment referendums, but his second term in office finally ends in December of this year. The election to choose his succes-sor will be held over two rounds in November. Executive power in Romania is held by the govern-ment, led by the prime minister, currently Victor Ponta. Ponta, the leader of the nominally socialist PSD, has been in post (as the head of no fewer than four different govern-ments) since May 2012. Ponta is currently the front runner in the presidential race with his main opponent in November’s election likely to be the Liberal Party’s Klaus Iohannis, erst-while mayor of Sibiu.

TOILETSThe only decent public toilets in town are those at Gara de Nord (for which you have to pay, 1 leu). You will find free por-taloos around the city but these should be used only by the very desperate. Otherwise, find the nearest McDonald’s and make use of their loos. Note, however, that entrance to some McDonald’s toilets in Bucharest is protected with a four-digit code, which you will get when you buy something.

SO WHERE AM I?

Bucharest, capital of Romania. Situated in that part of the world which will - to those of a certain age - always be known as Eastern Europe, it would be more accurate to describe Bucharest’s geographical location as south-eastern Europe.

Founded, legend has it, in the 14th century, Bucharest is in that part of Romania known as Wallachia, one of the three historic principalities which make up the modern country (the others are Moldavia and Transylvania).

The official population of Bucharest is just under two million, but as many migrants from the rest of the coun-try do not bother to register as citizens of the capital, the true number is thought to be closer to three million.

Bucharest is close to the Danube (which is just 69 kilo-metres to the south), the border between Romania and Bulgaria. The main crossing point is at Giurgiu, linked by a bridge with Ruse, the Bulgarian town on the other side of the river, whose pleasant centre is well worth a day trip. Alas you will need a car, as train services between Bucharest and Ruse (and the rest of Bulgaria) are poor.

Bucharest is around 240 kilometres from Constanta and the Black Sea coast, and now that the A2 motorway goes all the way to the Black Sea port, the journey can be done in just over two hours. The train service to Constanta is slightly faster. To the north of Bucharest is Ploiesti - the centre of Romania’s oil industry, and beyond that the Carpathian Mountains, a two hour drive away.


Restaurants

AMERICANCHAMPIONS Still serving one of the very best burgers in Bucharest (you can choose one or design your own from an endless choice of toppings), a fact undisputed by anyone we’ve ever met. It is also one of the biggest. In fact, now we think of it, the portions of everything here are enormous: even the children’s servings are very healthy indeed. Besides the burgers you will find a great selection of American pub food, as well as Tex Mex treats and even some more refined, slow food options. Famously good cocktails, and more televisions showing sport than you could ever hope for. Find it in the Marriott: up the stairs as you go in and to your right.QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Mar-riott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 17, www.championsrestaurant.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTLSW

HARD ROCK CAFE One of the largest Hard Rocks in Europe, you can’t go wrong here, whatever time of day you visit. Come for lunch with the kids (who are always well looked after, and have their own menu), dinner with the crowd from work or late drinks and live music with your mates. All things to all people the burgers and ribs are a cut above the usual, des-serts are as outsized and sweet as they should be, and the service comes from smiley waitresses and expert bar staff. We love it. Let’s rock.QA-2, Sos. Kiseleff 32, tel. (+4) 021 206 62 61, www.hardrock.com/bucharest. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PTLESW

ASIANTHE GANG RESTAURANTThe Gang has moved to a new location - closer to the cen-tre of town than before - and is, dare we say it, better than ever. The food - a genuine fusion of flavours - is sensational in every way: invention, taste, presentation and quality of ingredients. The jumbo prawns with cauliflower for ex-ample: where else will you find such a combination in this town? The place itself is nicely done out: we loved the white wooden floors in particular. Top selection of wines too, courtesy of Ethic Wine. In a word, recommended.QStr. Alecu Russo 4, tel. (+4) 0721 51 22 91. Open 12:00 - 03:00. €€€€. PLESW

BRITISHTHE TRAFALGAR PUB Popular with all sorts of expats who have a regular rendezvous here, this place is a pub and bistro in one, where you can get a decent meal for little money while enjoying usually decent company. The menu has a few British dishes - we can recommend the Spinach and Stilton Pie - but best of all we like the ciorba de vacuta - one of the best in the city, and the ciolan cu varza - pork knuckle with cabbage and beans. Guinness on draught at a decent price. Accepts Amex: not everywhere in Bucharest does.QC-4, Str. David Emmanuel 4A, tel. (+4) 021 211 31 51, www.trafalgarpub.eu. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLVESW

CHINESERESTAURANT NAN JING Dating back to 1980s this lit-tle piece of Bucharest foodie history was the first Chinese restaurant in the land. It is still one of the best, as its lon-gevity (no mean feat in a city where good eateries come and go fast) testifies. Prices are reasonable, the setting is good, with a nice covered terrace overlooking busy Bule-vardul Lascar Cartagiu. You will find the Nan Jing on the ground floor of the Minerva hotel. On weekday afternoons from 14:00-17:00 their Happy Lunch offers a 50 per cent discount.QB-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, MPiata Victo-riei/Piata Romana, tel. (+4) 021 318 12 85/(+4) 0726 10 34 07, www.restaurantnanjing.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLVBSW

FOOD & DRINKWhat do we mean by Food & Drink? Simple: places in which you could just as easily sit down and have a three course meal as you could spend a night on the beer or cocktails.

18 LOUNGE On the 18th floor of one of the tallest office buildings in the city, this place doesn’t need to serve decent food to attract clients: fortunately, it does. More than just a restaurant the lunch is a great deal, and late in the evening it becomes a smooth, relaxed pace to hang out. It is also a self-declared anti-fitze establishment (much like its sister lo-cations in the centre of town) and the vibe is always a little trendy but never kitsch. We like it.QA-1, P-ta Presei Libere 3-5, tel. (+4) 0733 50 14 01, www.18lounge.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 24:30. €€€. PLW

EMBASSY The central and original Embassy (there are a couple of spin-offs in town) has been around a few years now, and in this city longevity alone is a sign of how good it is. Serving a good gourmet burger - widely regarded as one of the city’s best - and much else besides (including some great cocktails) it is the kind of place that grows on you as the evening wears on, and in all likeliness you will stay until very late. We usually do.QC-4, P-ta Lahovari 8, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0733 50 03 00, www.embassy-club.ro. Open 11:00 - 02:00, Mon 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. €€€. SW

SYMBOL KEY

P Air conditioning N Credit cards not accepted

T Child-friendly U Facilities for the disabled

L Guarded parking E Live music

G No smoking B Outside seating

S Take away W Wifi


Restaurants

LA BELLE EPOQUEA big, bright and open-plan Belgian beer cafe on Radu Beller in Dorobanti. There are plenty of Belgian beers on offer - with Stella, Leffe and Hoegaarden available on tap - as well as more than a few nice Belgian touches in and around the bar. While the food is more local than Belgian, it is very good, they serve pots of mussels, and the dessert menu is something of a legend.QB-2, Str. Radu Beller 6, tel. (+4) 021 230 07 70, www.labelleepoque.ro. Open 11:30 - 24:00. Last orders 23:00. €€. PIBW

THE HARBOUR A top location, in Piata Amzei, with food to match, as well as friendly and efficient staff. The atmosphere is relaxing, the food better than average, though the real joy of this place is its view to the market. We came here for lunch recently and were stunned by how many foreigners were eating here: it must be one of the most popular tourist and visitor spots in town.QB-4, P-ta Amzei 10-22, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 021 319 72 57/(+4) 0724 38 86 86, www.harbour.ro. Open 11:30 - 01:00, Sun 13:00 - 24:00. €€. PLVSW

FRENCHESCARGOT BISTRO Bucharest foodies: this is the place for you. A little non-descript from the outside, it is a sensa-tional French restaurant where the love and care the chef has for his food oozes onto your plate. Duck that takes 48 hours to prepare, an onion soup of the like we’ve never eaten in Bucharest, fresh snails, outstanding wines and all

served in minimalist surroundings: the food is king here. Lovely terrace in the right weather.QD-4, Str. Toamnei 101, tel. (+4) 0746 79 50 29, www.escargot.ro. Open 17:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. SW

ICI ET LA As regular readers will know we are suckers for an open kitchen, and that is what we have here: sit and watch the chef and owner prepare your gorgeous home-made French meal. They are rather proud of their smoked salmon here (and rightly so) and the wine list features plenty of affordable grape. Top it all off with the mag-nificent creme brulee.QC-4, Str. Mendeleev 43, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0731 45 36 08/(+4) 0731 35 26 08, www.icietla.ro. Open 10:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PVEBSW

ICONIC FOOD WINE & DESIGN BY CAMELIA SUCU This place is the work of David Contant, a chef for whom no Bucharest foodie will need an introduction: he has been creating consistently brilliant food for years. This latest Contant creation is indeed an icon in the making, an eatery in the middle of a design showroom for which he has teamed up with local entrepreneur Camelia Sucu. Ex-pect superb, beautifully presented and supremely healthy food, served in an environment which implores you stick around and indulge a little. There’s a wine bar on the premises too, whose stock is one of the city’s best.QB-3, Aleea Alexandru 7, tel. (+4) 0720 33 35 50/(+4) 021 230 08 77, www.iconic-fwd.ro. Open 12:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon, Sun. €€€€. PLSW


RestaurantsL’ATELIER – L’ART CULINAIRE This is a restaurant where art means putting together origi-nal dishes of the highest order, all prepared by the amazing head chef. American Black Angus beef cooked in a Cabernet sauce and served with potato and back truffle puree: you will not find such things on too many menus in Bucharest. For those of you who like your desserts, the lemon cake with caremelized meringue and homemade ice cream is a dream come true. Find it in the Hotel Epoque: it is as fine and elegant as the hotel itself.QB-5, Str. Intrarea Aurora 17C (Epoque Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 312 32 32, www.latelier-restaurant.ro. Open 12:00 – 23:00. €€€€. PLBSW

FUSIONLOFT LOUNGE It might be too fashionable for some tastes, but the truth is the food is amongst the best in the land, cooked by per-haps the best chef in the country. It’s not just us who say so either: ask anybody in the city who knows their food and you get the same reply: it’s brilliant. Inventive and magnifi-cent food (seafood dominates), cooked to perfection. The squid served with risotto, for example: it sounds so simple yet it’s a taste sensation. Not cheap of course, but worth the cost.QC-4, B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 56-60, MSte-fan cel Mare, tel. (+4) 0756 38 56 38, www.loftlounge.ro. Open 12:00 - 16:00, 19:00 - 02:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PLESW

GERMANDIE DEUTSCHE KNEIPEReally, one of our favourite places in Bucharest, now as ever (and it has been around for more than 18 years, since 1996). Serving giant portions of great German sausages (all made on the premises) as well as huge pork knuckles, kraut and the like, they keep the prices down and their punters very happy. You usually need a reservation at weekends. Good place for a simple pint of German beer too.QC-3, Str. Stockholm 9, tel. (+4) 021 233 94 62/(+4) 0722 28 45 60, www.diedeutschekneipe.ro. Open 15:00 - 23:00, Sat 14:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €€. PNSW

INDIANKARISHMA A good Indian-in-Bucharest option where the menu boasts no fewer than 10 lamb dishes: a rare treat in these parts where the raw material is so hard to find. There is much more besides of course, including an extensive range of vegetarian food, and the chefs will happily tone down (or up) all dishes according to your spice tol-erance levels. The place itself is nice and the staff know their stuff.QD-5, Str. Iancu Capitanu 36, tel. (+4) 021 252 51 57, www.karishma.ro. Open 13:00 - 24:00. €€€. PVEBSW

INTERNATIONALBARBIZON STEAK HOUSEFound at the Pullman, this is probably the best eatery we’ve been to so far at this particular top-notch hotel. As you would expect, steaks top the bill, and what steaks! All the beef is shipped in fresh from South America, and though prices reflect the quality you will not argue at the end of the evening. Good wine list (we like the inclusion of Moldovan wines) and an open kitchen is always welcome. Great steak-based Saturday brunch: La Boucherie.QP-ta Montreal 10 (Pullman Bucharest World Trade Cen-ter), tel. (+4) 021 318 30 00/(+4) 021 202 16 35, www.pullmanhotels.com. Open 12:00 - 15:30, 18:00 - 23:30. Saturday Brunch 11:30-15:30, 190 lei/pers, 90 lei chil-dren. Kids under 10 free. €€€€. PLW


RestaurantsBARKA SAFFRON We have been coming here since the last century, when there was precious little choice in Bucharest for people wanting something a little different; a little more spicy. Now there is plenty of choice but we still trot up to Barka whenever we can. On our last visit we went for the lamb with spinach in tomato sauce which was as good as we had hoped. The onion bhajis remain Bucharest’s best. First class cocktail list, and regular live music and arty events. Also of note is that the owner has his own buffalo farm in Transyl-vania, and sells fantastic buffalo telemea cheese here at the restaurant.QA-2, Str. Av. Sănătescu 1, tel. (+4) 021 224 10 04. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. ESW

BISTRO MON CHER One of those places that merits praise simply for having been around for so long. We’ve been coming here for years, and have always loved the welcoming atmosphere and simple, tasty bistro food. There is something for everyone, from sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd to good coffee and even hot chocolate for the kids.QB-3, Calea Dorobantilor 20-28, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 021 211 46 98. Open 08:00 - 06:00. €€€. PVSW

CHEZ MARIE Popular with the crowd from the UK embassy, including the ambassador himself, Chez Marie serves perhaps the widest variety of dishes you are likely to find in a Bucharest restaurant. Both the steak with gor-gonzola and the beef stroganoff are top efforts, while we have long thought that the goulash is one of Bucharest’s very best. Good drinks list and the place itself is rather nice.QC-4, Str. Dionisie Lupu 48, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 031 107 20 33, www.chezmarie.ro. Open 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLSW

COLLAGE Opposite the Peasant Museum this is a designer restau-rant, lounge and bar where white furniture is in abun-dance, from the tables to the white leather sofas. Opens early enough to be a breakfast venue for late-risers, and let’s face it, the kind of people who come here are not your average nine to five crowd. It’s arty, it’s smart and it has just the right amount of attitude. Lounge that stays open until 03:00 at weekends.QA-3, B-dul Ion Mihal-ache 10-12, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 0758 10 10 40, www.collageworld.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLEW

DONCAFE BRASSERIEMagnificent place just off Piata Dorobanti. Open early for breakfast (they do a decent English fry and delicious pain chocolat) it’s busy throughout the day, catering to lunch-ing ladies and business types as well as a trendy crowd in the evenings. Great salads, a good range of homemade pasta (and we mean homemade: it is put together on the premises), a terrific osso bucco and a divine cheese cake are our fave dishes from the menu. You go pick your own.QB-3, Str. Ankara 7, tel. (+4) 0746 22 24 44, www.doncafe-brasserie.ro. Open 08:30 - 24:00. €€. PLSW


Restaurants

set over a number of levels, with a big, popular terrace out front in the warmer months.QD-5, B-dul Pache Pro-topopescu 38, tel. (+4) 0737 85 11 03, www.conacul-nobil.ro. Open 10:00 - 23:00. €€. PLBSW

PHILL Something of a sensation this place, both in terms of design and concept. It’s avant garde to the point of being futuristic, and yet unlike so many upmarket restau-rants this one positively welcomes families with children. Indeed, so welcome are kids that they have play areas and people to look after the kids while you enjoy the food. Which is another reason to come here: this is a culinary journey around the world. Not one great cuisine has been left out, and in our experience they get everything right. There is way too much to mention more than a couple of the great dishes we tried: the squid ink risotto, the seafood stew and simple pleasure of new Zealand lamb chops. Go there.QStr. Drumul Potcoavei 120, tel. (+4) 0743 17 20 03, [email protected], www.phill.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon. €€€€. PTLVSW

RESTAURANT 1880 One of the best hotel-based restau-rants in the city is this bright, smart place at the Capital Plaza. The interiors are amongst the most striking in Bucharest, and the food more than matches the surroundings. We adored the celery soup with scallops, while the seafood risotto was as good as any we’ve eaten in Romania. Well worth a trip.QC-4, B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 54, MStefan cel Mare, tel. (+4) 0372 08 00 80, www.restaurant1880.ro. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PBSW

GARGANTUA Bright and airy place that gloriously lets the light in through its huge windows. Fine food, includ-ing a luscious fried brie with onion marmelade, an out-standing chicken and artichoke salad, a couple of duck dishes and good steaks. Prices are more than fair given the location, setting and quality of food. Find it on the corner of Stradas Calderon and Verona.QC-5, Str. J.L. Calderon 69, tel. (+4) 0726 55 56 93, www.restaurantgargantua.ro. Open 09:00 - 01:00. €€€. PVBSW

LA BRASSERIE Redesigned and reinvented, La Brasserie is now less about fine dining (pop over to The Vinyard - see page 21, opposite - for that) and more about good quality, simple food for all the family. The menu is available buffet-style or a-la-carte, and makes a great choice for families or groups on the run. The wine list remains a work of art and the atmosphere is now cosier than ever.QA-1, B-dul Poli-grafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.laveranda.ro. Open 06:00 - 24:00. Sunday Brunch 12:30 - 16:30, 177 lei/pers, children between six and 12 years half price, children under six free. €€€. PEGSW

LA CONAC We’ve eaten here a number of times, and on each occasion we’ve left with that rather satisfying feeling which comes from paying far less than you really ought to for some very good food. La Conac (Conac means Manor House in Romanian) is a warm, welcoming restaurant with a huge variety of dishes, all of which hit the spot. It’s rare that such an ambitious menu delivers top quality consis-tently, but La Conac pulls it off. The place itself is a delight,


RestaurantsNEWSALON GOLESCU Gorgeous little place close to the Hil-ton which will have you cooing with delight the moment you walk in. Sit yourself at one of the tables, the bar, or a leather armchair and order from a rather eclectic menu of very good food. There are good tapas, while we thought the best of the main dishes were the super Thai fishcakes. There is a good cocktail list, loads of excellent whisky and the wine list is exceptional if rather expensive.QC-4, Str. Nicolae Golescu 17, tel. (+4) 031 436 03 38, www.salongolescu.ro. Open 09:00 - 24:00, Fri 09:00 - 04:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PESW

TEATRO Teatro is so-called because the Novotel stands on the former site of Bucharest’s National Theatre, the hotel’s main restaurant is open to all for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Good, inventive food (the menu changes regu-larly) served in bright, colourful surroundings, with a nice terrace when the weather allows.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 37B (Novotel Bucharest City Centre), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 308 85 30, www.novotel.com. Open 06:00 - 23:00. Sunday Brunch 12:30 - 16:00, 190 lei/pers, free for children under 12. €€€€. PTULGW

THE VINYARD The feather in the Crowne Plaza’s cap, this is now the hotel’s flagship restaurant, a work of great detail where everything is lovingly prepared by exec chef Ashlie Dias - who has been here for years - and his highly experi-enced team. Based around Mediterranean cuisine you can always expect to find something exotic and a bit different on the daring menu, and a number of the dishes require waiter or audience - that’s you, diner - participation. An indulgent treat.QA-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.crowneplaza.ro. Open 18:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €€€€. PEW

UPTOWN BAR & GRILL Uptown indeed. In the wealthi-est part of the wealthiest part of the city, the city’s wealthi-est people come here to eat. The real draw is the enclosed terrace which means you can eat al fresco even when it’s raining outside. The food is good, a mix of Italian-esque and modern European dishes, which share a menu with an ex-cellent wine list. Prices not cheap but value for money very high. Make sure you reserve well in advance or turn up with a local celebrity if you want a table on the terrace.QB-3, Str. Rabat 2, tel. (+4) 021 231 40 77, www.uptown.ro. Open 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. €€€€. PLBSW

ITALIANNEWALT SHIFTWhen you walk in you immediately see why this place is the current choice of many designers and arty types: the interior is as contemporary as it gets, the high ceilings giv-ing the place the feel of a New York loft. The food is much like the place itself: contemporary with a traditional twist, and with plenty for vegetarians to enjoy. Found above our favourite Bucharest club, Control, the place stays open -


Restaurantsfriends to come here, you can also buy many of the special ingredients they use in their little shop. Oh, and did we mention the chocolate cake?QC-3, Str. Putul lui Zamfir 40, tel. (+4) 0731 14 81 87, www.grano.ro. Open 09.30 - 23.00, Mon 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 10.00 - 23.00. €€€€. PESW

MODIGLIANI PASTA/CARNEAmazingly good Italian restaurant which simply knocks our socks off every time we come. Boasting top chef Alfon-so Salvaggio in the kitchen, there is a new menu and the Italian stakes continue to get ratcheted up another notch, all to the benefit of us diners. All the pasta here is made fresh, the meat is the finest Argentine and Scottish beef or New Zealand lamb, the giant prawns come from Indonesia and the wine is a selection of the best the world has to offer. There is usually a pianist too. We love the place.QC-5, Str. Batistei 9 (InterContinental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0730 64 48 06, www.restaurantmodigliani.com. Open 18:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PLBW

LUNCH & EARLY EVENINGBE NAT Light and spacious diner overlooking Piata Victoriei serving excellent value hot lunches, salads, tea, coffee and cakes. Look out for the daily specials, while - if they have it - the gazpacho is as good as any in the city. Sit upstairs for the best views of the street below.QA-4, B-dul Nicolae Titulescu 4-8, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 031 437 96 03, www.benat.ro. Open 07:00 - 22:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €€. PVGSW

BOUTIQUE DU PAIN Everything you want from a city-centre eatery and a lot more. This is in fact more bistro than anything, serving breakfast, lunch and evening meals in fresh, bright surroundings. The selection of morning pas-tries is the best in the city, with office workers going out of their way to stop here for fresh supplies. For lunch there is a range of sandwiches hard to beat anywhere else, and the small selection of hot meals of an evening - the menu changes daily - are perfect for a casual dinner. QC-5, Str. Academiei 28-30, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0728 44 33 00, www.boutiquedupain.com. Open 08:30 - 22:00, Sun 8:30 - 20:00. €€. PSW

OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA Brilliant! Tiny place serv-ing the best cooked lunch in central Bucharest. There are just a few dishes to choose from each day: ask the staff what’s good, hand over a pittance and try and bag a seat at one of the tables (there are only three or four). You can take away if there is no space. The kind of place Bucharest needs loads more of.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 214, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 212 56 66, www.omnivores.ro. Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €€. PVGSW

with a limited menu - into the early hours on club nights for those hungry clubbers looking for snacks.QC-5, Str. Constantin Mille 4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0372 98 02 25, www.altshift.ro. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 06:00. €€€. PW

CAFFE CITTAStyled as a Northern Italian city centre cafe/bistro the em-phasis here is on good, simple, urban food. Try the risotto with saffron, the saltim bocca and the tiramisu: all signa-ture dishes and all done to perfection. The drinks menu is a bit special: go for the apple mojito (as delicious as it sounds) or try any number of great wines, all available by the glass. Keep the kids happy with the freshly made ice cream.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 021 601 34 36/(+4) 021 311 90 00, [email protected], www.caffe-citta.ro. Open 11:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PLGBW

CAPRICCIOSA A bustling Italian restaurant and pizzeria whose menu is a veritable dictionary of pizza. They even do truffles and, let’s face it, you don’t see those every day on a menu in Bucha-rest. Well worth making the journey uptown for both the food and the atmosphere, which demonstrates that top restaurants don’t have to be fitze.QB-dul Ion Ionescu de la Brad 2, tel. (+4) 021 233 06 35/(+4) 0722 22 47 99, (+) 0723 26 90 30, www.restaurantcapricciosa.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLSW

CASA DI DAVID You can say what you like about this legendary, high-class place (and most people in Bucharest have some kind of opinion), but to us it remains a very nice place to spend the evening, especially if the weather is good and you can sit outside away from the television screens. The food is ris-torante Italian with a twist (the duck breast with citrus fruits is our pick of the current menu) and outstandingly good, with enough fish dishes to make it appealing to sea food lovers. Staff are good and the wine list a cracker.QB-1, Sos. Nordului 7-9, tel. (+4) 021 232 47 15/(+4) 0722 26 93 60, www.casadidavid.ro. Open 12:30 - 23:30. €€€€. PLESW

CUCINA Bright and breezy, Cucina at the JW Marriott is a wonderful Italian restaurant where you can find probably the best (and perhaps only) butterfish steak in the city. All of the other fine Italian dishes are equally memo-rable, and note that all of the pasta is homemade on the premises No fewer than 26 good Italian reds grace the wine menu.QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 02, www.cucinarestaurant.ro. Open 12:30 - 16:00, 18:00 - 23:00, Sun 18:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PLESW

GRANO An Italian the likes of which many of the other so-called Italian restaurants in Bucharest can only dream of becoming. Serving simple yet delicious food - such as the saffron risotto - that will have you telling all your


Restaurants

ROBERTO’SA fabulous place. Boasting a large open kitchen, three dis-tinct dining areas and a private dining room, Roberto’s also has a fantastic resident chef: Marco Magri. The food is clas-sical Italian, with the menu boasting the best dishes from a number of the country’s regions. It’s not cheap, but prices reflect the high quality, and note that the lunchtime set menu is in fact very competitively priced. In a nutshell, it’s worth every penny: this is one of the top five restaurants in the land.QC-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hil-ton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77. Open 06:30 - 10:00, 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PTGSW

TRATTORIA DON VITO RISTORANTEThey get a lot right here, not least the bean soup that is a meal in itself. Excellent salads, and the seafood-packed signature Don Vito pasta was memorable. There is pizza too, the sweets are delicious and the place itself is decked out well without ever overdoing it. Well worth a look. Note that downstairs is a totally non-smoking section. Com-mendable.QC-4, Str. Mendeleev 1, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0735 33 30 21, www.trattoriadonvito.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PSW

VINOTECA OPERAFacing Bucharest’s Opera House (albeit across a large, busy square) this is a very good seafood and Italian res-taurant serving as wide a range of fishy treats as you will find in Bucharest. The mussels are good value at 32 lei for a half kilo portion, while the tuna steak was equally impressive (and at 49 lei not as expensive as other places

in town). Good selection of non-seafood meals, and the wine list is first class, offering something for all pock-ets.QA-6, Dr. Lister 1, MEroilor, tel. (+4) 0749 99 66 22, www.vinotecaopera.ro. Open 11:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLVSW

JAPANESEYOSHISushi and teppanyaki - and more besides - at the best new Japanese restaurant to open in Bucharest for some time. Located in upmarket Dorobanti it is not cheap (good Japa-nese food rarely is) but it is very good and the set-menu at lunchtime is excellent value. The place itself is spacious and very contemporary, and the perfect setting for a meal of this quality.QStr. Banul Antonache 40-44, tel. (+4) 0749 97 95 21, www.restaurantyoshi.ro. Open 12:00 - 00:00. €€€€. PVSW

LEBANESECHEZ TONITerrific Lebanese food in the leafy, away-from-it-all setting of the Pescariu Tennis and Sports Club. All your Middle East-ern favourites are here, from Antaki, Adana and Beiti kebabs to sujuk (those tangy, spicy little sausages) and simple yet perfectly grilled sea bass (and a ton of other fresh fish). Everything is cooked by the resident Lebanese chef.QC-2, Str. Glodeni 3, tel. (+4) 021 242 02 04/(+4) 0740 00 78 78, [email protected], www.cheztoni.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW


RestaurantsFOUR SEASONS DOROBANTIFrom the same people who have long been serving some of the best Lebanese food in the city at their Vasile Lascar location comes Four Seasons Dorobanti, a more upmarket place to indulge yourself. The food is fabulous and features the full range of Lebanese food, including the best selec-tion of mezze in the city. There are grilled meats and fish too, while vegetarians will also find plenty to tempt them with. Make sure you try the superb Lebanese yoghurt - made with mint and garlic - and the amazing homemade lemonade.QB-3, Calea Dorobantilor 177, tel. (+4) 021 233 94 31, www.four-seasons.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. Also at (C-4) Str. Vasile Lascar 81, tel. (+40) 21 212 29 92. €€. PBSW

ZAITOONE What have lovers of Lebanese food done to deserve so much quality choice? Here is another winner, a spacious, elegant place and the food more than lives up to the surroundings. There are loads of goods mezze, and the grilled meats and kebabs are exemplary. For dessert, the katayef are delicious: they even do a small portion if you can’t handle the full one! Oh, and note that they ac-cept Amex cards (not many places in Bucharest do). Lovely lakeside terrace which is fully enclosed at this time of year and open in all weathers.QB-1, Str. Nicolae Caramfil 2, tel. (+4) 0737 29 99 00, www.zaitoone.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLVBSW

MEDIEVALCRAMA TEMPLIERILOR A medieval extravanganza of a restaurant where you can sit at wooden tables - in-cluding a round one, just like King Arthur - and tuck into massive portions of all your medieval favourites, from pork knuckles to home-made sausages and juicy steaks. There is live music most nights from a top taraf band, and it’s very difficult not to have a good time here. Groups especially will love it, and your kids will too.QB-5, B-dul Mihail Kogalniceanu 3, tel. (+4) 021 311 63 60, www.cramatemplierilor.ro. Open 12:00 - 02:00. €€€. PVESW

MEDITERRANEANCERISIERS We attended a Christening at this place re-cently, and were blown away by the quality of the food: really outstanding. The seafood and fish dishes are the best of what’s on the menu, but there is more than that to enjoy: try the cracking salads or the beef carpaccio.QA-2, Str. Al. Constantinescu 33, tel. (+4) 0722 59 98 05/(+4) 0372 15 06 00, www.restaurantcerisiers.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLBSW

JOSEPH BY JOSEPH HADAD Looking for gems such as a homemade ravioli with fillet of sea bass? Then get yourself here. This is an outstanding place in every way: not only is the food sensational - the menu is mainly Medi-terranean but there is more than a hint of France too - but the villa in which it is served is also something of a Bucha-

rest treasure. In brief, this is as good as modern, contempo-rary dining gets in this city and a visit here is worth every penny (speaking of which, the set two-course lunch is a bargain).QB-2, Str. Prof. Dr. Ioan Cantacuzino 8, MAvia-torilor, tel. (+4) 0753 99 93 33, www.josephrestaurant.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLSW

SHARKIA Sharkia blows in to the Radisson like the epon-ymous wind and brings with it some top class dining at the hotel’s latest restaurant. In place of Le Bistro what we have here is a dining room where the focus is on Eastern Mediterranean food, the freshest seasonal ingredients and supremely healthy eating. You can feast on a great range of dishes from across the region, there are some fine wines and it’s all done with that magical Radisson swish.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLG

TAPO Something new and different, and well worth the taxi ride from the city centre, this is a late-night, clubby res-taurant for the city’s most happening people, where you come to eat and end up staying for something of a party well into the early hours (it is in the same complex as Bar-letto). As such, the place could probably serve up a load of old tosh and still be popular: fortunately, with Florin Dumi-trescu in the kitchen (one of Romania’s best-known chefs) you can rest assured the amazing food warrants a visit all on its own.QD-2, Str. Oltetului 30, tel. (+4) 0747 08 30 83, www.tapo.ro. Open 11:00 - 04:00. €€€€. PLBW

MODERN EUROPEANCAFE ATHENEE We love it. This is Bucharest’s village pub, where the city comes to meet and have a terrific breakfast, lunch or early dinner. The new breakfast menu offers something for everyone, from a full English to nasi goreng, while the legendary Hilton burger remains one of the best in the city. There is also a bites menu of sub-stantial finger food for executive snacking, and a bigger, wider range of beers, wines and cocktails then ever, which is why it is now as popular as an after-work venue as it is at lunchtime.QC-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hil-ton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77, www.hiltonbucharest.com. Open 08:00-20:00. €€€. PESW

HERASTRAU DINING

The northern side of Herastrau Park (along the shore of lake) is a whole string of restaurants, the vast major-ity of which are expensive places that are often packed with the city’s welthiest, most fashionable and trendy people. The best-known venues are Ago, Casa di Da-vid, La Brasserie, Isoletta, Harem, The Embassy Park, La Fattoria and seafood joint Cherhaneaua Ancora. Note that because of a bizarre quirk in the way prop-erties in Bucharest are numbered, all of these venues have the same address: Soseaua Nordului 9-11.


Restaurants

PRIME STEAKS & SEAFOOD Boasting a menu put together by Executive Chef Bernd Kirsch, who has been in charge of the kitchen here since Prime opened more than five years ago, what is perhaps Bucharest’s best restaurant recently got better. Now serving the finest fillet steak in the world (the Irish Hereford Prime - which we can tell you, as we have eaten it, is amazing), we can also recommend the duet of foie gras with raspberry mousse and caremelized pine-apple, the grilled scallops and the lobster bisque. And just about everything else. It’s genuinely amazing this place, and worth every last penny.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radis-son Blu), tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00/(+4) 021 601 34 02, www.prime-restaurant.ro. Open 12:30-15.00, 18.00-23.00, Sat 18:00-23:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PLG

MOLDOVANLA PLACINTE Popular Moldovan chain of eateries (there are more than 10 of these restaurants in Chisinau) comes to the centre of Bucharest. Charmingly decorated in a bril-liant mix of traditional and hip you will love it the moment you walk in. The food is good, and as the name suggests (placinte means pies) there is a big range of pie on offer: potatoe pie, cheese pie, pumpkin pie and even apple pie. They are all good, made fresh (so you might have to wait a bit) and come served piping hot. There is much else be-sides, including the entirely recommended pelmeni.QB-4, B-dul Dacia 20, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 031 410 80 21, www.laplacinte.ro. Open 10.00 - 23.00. Also at (C-4) Sos. Stefan Cel Mare 38. €€. PSW

PERUVIANPERU BISTRO Fed up with hearing about new dining concepts in Bucharest which turn out to be nothing of the sort? Well. here is something genuinely new and different: Peruvian cuisine. A fusion of South American and Asian you will find superb beef and pork steaks on the menu alongside some good fish. We were blown away by the beef served in a slightly spicy orange sauce (lomo salsa aji) while the Leche assado is the perfect desert. The place itself is very nice: a large villa in the leafy north of the city. with a huge, gorgeous terrace at the rear.QA-2, Str. Aviator Pe-tre Creţu 63, tel. (+4) 0744 62 42 97, www.perubistro.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLVBSW

ROMANIANRomanian food is really quite good. We have a wide selec-tion of Bucharest’s best Romanian restaurants right here.

BISTRO LA TAIFAS La Taifas means ‘having a chat’ and that’s exactly what you and your friends will feel like doing at this tres jo-lie venue. We remain convinced that the original venue behind the Hilton on Str. Episcopiei was better, but this latest location is more spacious, and hosts more regular musical soirees. The food is great, and booking is still es-sential.QB-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 16, tel. (+4) 021 212 77 88, www.bistrotaifas.ro. Open 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PLVESW


Restaurants

SMOKING

Romania is one of the last places in Europe where smok-

ers are free to indulge in their filthy habit wherever and

whenever they like. Indeed, you can often get the im-

pression in some venues that smoking is in fact obliga-

tory. Neither is smoking the preserve of the old: young

Romanians smoke in alarmingly high numbers, oblivious

to the harm that they are doing both themselves and

others. Now, as a libertarian kind of publication, we in

fact welcome the Romanian approach to smoking as a

refreshing change from the puritanism found elsewhere

in the European Union. That said however, it would be

nice to go out for dinner without our clothes reeking

of cigarettes at the end of the night. As such, we have

made a point of highlighting those few, courageous Bu-

charest venues which ban smoking entirely (and there

is an increasingly high number). Look out for the non-

smoking symbol in our listings. By and large, however,

visitors to Bucharest will quicky disocover that they are

free to smoke themselves into an early grave just about

anywhere they like.

CASA DOINA Alma mater of Romanian restaurants, an integral part of the city’s rich tapestry. This classy place pulls in the cream of Bucharest society, served by charm-ing, splendid waiters in smart dress. The food is superb, and in a city where standards rise only to fall so often, Casa Doina can be considered a paragon of consistency. The location is worthy of the food, on posh Soseaua Kiseleff in a quiet, leafy setting. The splendid terrace is a joy when the weather allows.QB-3, Sos. Kiseleff 4, tel. (+4) 021 222 67 17, www.casadoina.ro. Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLEBSW

CORSO BRASSERIE & TERRACE We brought our mother-in-law here recently to try out the sarmale , and after careful consideration she admitted that they were even better than her own: now that’s high praise indeed. In a top location on Bulevardul Magheru, if this place doesn’t occupy the very best people-watching spot in the whole of the city, then we don’t know where does. Open for breakfast, lunch (usually an excellent-value buffet) and dinner, it is seriously good. Oh, and then there is the Sunday Brunch: currently the best in the city.QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel InterContinental), MUniver-sitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20. Open 06:30 - 10:30, 12:00 - 23:00, Sat 06:30 - 11:30, 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 06:30 - 11:00. 12:00 - 23:00. Sunday Brunch 12:00 - 16:00, 175 lei/pers, children under six free, children between six and 12 half price. €€€. PTLEBW

GOOD OLD TIMES (GOLDEN TULIP TIMES HO-TEL) A very good restaurant indeed. Featuring a very good range of Romanian and international dishes, the menu here changes regularly, usually in time with the seasons. The young chef is not afraid to try something new and different and note that if you fancy something which is not on the menu, don’t be afraid to ask. Good local wine list. Note the last kitchen order is at 22:30.QE-6, B-dul Decebal 19, MPi-ata Muncii, tel. (+4) 021 316 65 16, www.restauranttimes.ro. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLGSW

HANU’ BERARILOR CASA SOARE Housed in the for-mer Casa Bucur (a place you could write a book about) it is a very good Romanian restaurant serving the kind of food you only usually get in people’s homes. Seriously: only in


Restaurants

two or three other places in Bucharest will you find carnati de oaie (mutton sausages) or bors de peste. If you are feel-ing really hungry go for the platou mioritic: a huge plate of meaty treats.QB-6, Str. Poenaru Bordea 2, tel. (+4) 021 336 80 09, www.hanuberarilor.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 02:00. €€. PEBSW

LA COCOSATU We put out an appeal on our Facebook fan page for the best mici in the city. The response was immediate and overwhelming: Cocosatu’ uber alles. A bit of a trek from the city centre (it is just around the corner from the now closed Baneasa Airport) the mici here are indeed the best we have tasted: big, tangy, made with loads of mutton and a few spices for extra kick. The ulti-mate Bucharest mici experience, and all at peanuts prices.QStr. Neagoe Voda 52 A, tel. (+4) 021 232 87 96, www.lacocosatu.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00. €. PLSW

LOCANTA JARISTEA This is that rarity in Bucharest (and indeed Romania): an upmarket Romanian restaurant. The surroundings, location, exquisitely decorated dining rooms, service and choice of high quality food will con-vince you of that. This is one of very few places in Romania where you can enjoy an entire suckling pig (though note that you will need to phone ahead and ask them to start preparing it a day in advance) and sample some of the best wines Romania produces.QB-6, Str. George Georgescu 50-52, tel. (+4) 021 335 33 38/(+4) 0721 96 19 36, www.jaristea.ro. Open 11:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLESW

JEWISH BUCHAREST

CHORAL TEMPLE First built in 1857, then rebuilt in 1866 following its destruction in a pogrom, the red-brick Choral Temple has a memorial in front of it that commemorates the Romanian Jews sent to their deaths during the Holo-caust. It is a copy of Vienna’s Leopoldstadt-Tempelgasse Great Synagogue. Currently closed for renovation.QC-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 9-11, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 312 21 96.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL Unveiled in October 2009, Romania’s Holocaust Memorial finally recognises the country’s role in the genocide of Europe’s Jews. ‘This monument is full of symbolism — hundreds of thousands were killed who would have contributed to the cultural and economic prosperity of Romania,’ said Rabbi Menachem HaCohen, Romania’s chief rabbi, at its opening.QB-6, Str. Ion Brezoianu/Str. Ilfov, MEroilor.

JEWISH HISTORY MUSEUM (HOLY UNION TEMPLE; MUZEUL DE ISTORIE A EVREILOR DIN ROMANIA) Housed in the amazing Holy Union Temple synagogue, constructed in 1836, this building has served as a museum of Jewish history since 1978. A number of separate exhibitions display how the once vibrant Jewish community of Bucharest used to live, while there is also an impressive Jewish liturgical col-lection, most of which was assembled by Moses Rosen, Romania’s Chief Rabbi from 1964-94 who founded the museum. QC-6, Str. Mămulari 3, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 311 08 70. Open 09:00 - 14:00, Fri, Sun 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sat. Admission free.

THE GREAT POLISH SYNAGOGUE & HOLO-CAUST MUSEUM Bucharest’s Great Synagogue, of-ten called the Great Polish Synagogue, was built from 1845 -1846 by the Ashkenazi Polish-Jewish community. Rather plain on the outside the interior is an impressive, colourful mixture of baroque and rococo styles, and the Great Synagogue is perhaps today the most important Jewish building in the country. The synagogue hosts an excellent exhibition dedicated to Jewish martyrs, and to Moses Rosen, who served as Romania’s Chief Rabbi for 30 years until his death in 1994. Guided tours are available (phone ahead). QC-6, Str. Vasile Adamache 11, MPiata Unirii. Open 08:30 - 15:00, Fri, Sun 08:30 - 13:00. Closed Sat. Morning Prayer: Sun-Fri 08:00, Sat 09:30, Evening Prayer: Sun-Fri 19:00.

YESHOAH TOVA SYNAGOGUE (SINAGOGA EŞUA TOVA) Located on a busy side street off Bule-vardul Magheru, this is in fact Bucharest’s oldest work-ing synagogue, dating from 1827. It is one of just three in Bucharest which still holds regular religious services.QC-4, Str. Tache Ionescu 9, MPiata Romana. Servic-es take place when Sabbath commences on Friday evenings, as well as on Saturdays at 09:00.

PRICE GUIDE

Each of the restaurants featured in this edition of Bucha-rest In Your Pocket includes a rough guide as to how much you should approximately expect to pay for a three-course meal, with a decent local wine (if applicable):

€ - Under €10 per person€€ - €10-20 per person€€€ - €20-30 per person€€€€ - Over €30 per person

JAZZ CLUBS

GREEN HOURS JAZZ CAFÉ There is live jazz here

alongside other arty stuff - including theatre, comedy,

book launches and the like - most evenings. Popular

with a crowd that encompasses all ages, it’s definitely

a place you should visit once before leaving Bucharest.

QB-4, Calea Victoriei 120, tel. (+4) 0788 45 24 85/

(+4) 021 313 86 06, [email protected], www.

greenhours.ro. Check the venue’s website for con-

cert details. PENBW


Restaurants

NICORESTI Maybe we have been harsh in the past with our reviews of Nicoresti. It is, after all, one of the most cel-ebrated Romanian restaurants in the city, and given that the service - always our biggest problem with the place - has improved no end of late, we think it is about time we give it another chance. We suggest you do the same, for the food has always been very good. The ciolan de porc (pork knuckle) with beans is legendary: ask anyone in the city!QC-5, Str. Maria Rosetti 40, tel. (+4) 021 211 24 80, www.restaurantnicoresti.ro. Open 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 23:00. €€. PSW

ROSSETYA Rossetya is a restaurant which tries harder than most to take Romanian cuisine to new levels. As such, this is as upmarket as Romanian food can get, and the beef dishes here are especially good. Try the sote de vacuta aromat cu cognac: tender beef sauteed in cognac with mushrooms and tomatoes. Also worth trying is the iahnie de fasole: a Romanian bean stew that packs some-thing of a kick and proof that Romanian does do vegetarian food.QC-5, Str. Dimitrie Bolintineanu 9, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 031 805 91 99/(+4) 0748 22 02 20, [email protected], www.rossetya.ro. Open 11:00 - 23:30. €€. PSW

URBANESC As fashionable as you like and already at-tracting a crowd of urban trendsetters, this restaurant/cafe/kind-of-shop is a nice mix of the old and the new. The old is the house the place is set in, the new is the rather funky design of the interior. The set-lunch deal is great value at 25 lei (it changes every day and often features some rather sophisticated dishes, and always includes an out-of-the-ordinary soup, like potato and leek) while the a la carte menu is a more extravagant affair featuring top contemporary food. The shop sells funky gifts, while in

the loft there is a space for events: book readings and the like.QD-5, Str. Stefan Luchian 17, tel. (+4) 021 313 77 16, www.urbanesc.ro. Open 11:00 - 23:00. €€. VSW

VATRA RESTAURANT We have been eating here for years and we can’t recom-mend the place highly enough. You really will have go a long way to find better value Romanian food than this. A brilliant, well-priced restaurant close to Old Town and very close to Cismigiu Park, expect big portions of tasty local dishes. Great ciorbas, terrific mici and a decent pint of beer to wash it all down with.QB-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 19, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 315 83 75/(+4) 0721 20 08 00, [email protected], www.vatra.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PLSW

SEAFOODCHERHANAUA ANCORA Cherhana in Romanian means ‘fishery’, so you will already know what to expect here: fine fish and seafood. The interior is rather special: bright and contemporary, with more than a hint of local flavour. In a city now boasting more than a few seriously good interiors, this is up with the best of them. The food is very good too, from simple yet brilliantly executed lo-cal fish dishes (hamsii, carp and pike) to more exotic fish shipped in direct from the Mediterranean and beyond: sea bass, prawns, fresh tuna and much more. We should add that there are some fine meat choices for those who are not fish fans. Desserts as good as everything else. Prices high.QB-1, Sos. Nordului 7-9, tel. (+4) 0721 33 55 55/(+4) 0724 33 22 33, www.ancora-cherhana.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLSW

FISHBONE GRILL Another fish restaurant more than worth the name adds itself to the growing list of such establishments in Bucharest. Well prepared, fresh fish in bright, modern surroundings with a great selection of side dishes and plenty of cracking wine to wash it all down with. Good lunchtime deals and friendly, happy staff ready to make your time here memorable. Certainly one of our fave places to open this year.QC-4, Str. Gen. Ernest Bros-teanu 2, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0721 98 28 48, www.fishbonegrill.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00. €€€. PESW

Read our full Jewish Bucharest feature online at:

iyp.me/jewishbucharest


Restaurants

LA PESCADORA decent seafood eatery close to the city centre. The place is nice, although it can feel a little dark inside (especially during the sunnier months) as the windows are not huge, so try and grab a seat on the small terrace if you can (make a reservation). What we like best is the lunchtime deal, one of the best value in the city and the only we know of which features a decent bit of fish. Top marks.QD-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 181, tel. (+4) 0768 92 49 60, [email protected], www.lapescador.ro. Open 10:30 - 22:30. Closed Sun. €€€. PLVBSW

LA VERANDA One of three superb restaurants at the Crowne Plaza. This one is housed inside a glass terrace of-fering wonderful views of the garden outside: a joy in any weather. It serves deceptively simple yet exquisite fish and sea food as fresh as the day it was caught, and the chef will happily cook to order.QA-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.laveranda.ro. Open 06:00 - 10:30, 12:00 - 16:00, 18:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 06:00 - 11:30, 12:30 - 16:00, 18:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PLEW

MESOGIOS A businessman’s dream. While Mesogios certainly doesn’t get any cheaper, the high standards here have ensured that it remains packed with happy punters. Getting on for a decade since it opened its dedication to seafood has not waned for one moment, and we never leave disappointed (and we come here as often as our wal-let allows). Join us and enjoy squid, lobster, prawns of all sizes, mussels, oysters, giant sea bass and a host of other wet treats.QC-5, Str. J.L. Calderon 49, tel. (+4) 021 313 49 51, (+4) 0727 23 92 39, www.mesogios.ro. Open 12:30 - 24:00. €€€€. PESW

RAIONUL DE PESTE Inside Piata Dorobanti (Dorobanti Market) you will find Raionul de Peste, which translates as Fish Counter. And that’s exactly what this place is: a fish counter serving fresh fish which someone will cook for you on the spot. You can then sit and eat it at the bar. It’s a bril-liant, simple concept widely found in other capital cities but a new one for Bucharest: we hope they do really well. There’s wine by the glass if you fancy a drink and prices are good. Closes at 21:00 (with the market) so get there early.

QB-3, Str. Radu Beller 3-6, tel. (+4) 031 436 70 42/(+4) 0756 05 80 12. Open 10:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. €€. GSW

TAVERNA PESCAREASCA LA ZAVATTop little place with more atmosphere in its small toe than most other restaurants have in their entire bodies. Crack-ing menu of primarily fish and seafood, though there are local Romanian and international favourites too. An exem-plary wine list (for all budgets) makes it a super place for vineyard fans: all of Romania’s top wineries are represent-ed.QE-5, Str. Popa Nan 16, tel. (+4) 021 252 29 56/(+4) 0766 52 67 91, [email protected], www.taverna-lazavat.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PSW

SPANISHALIOLI TAPAS Order yourself a San Miguel or a pitcher of Sangria and stick your feet up. Great tapas and cock-tail bar, frequented by nice people who all come ready to chat. Top food choices include the mussels, the paella, the osso bucco and the gambas al ajillo. Excellent value.QB-5, Str. Popa Tatu 4, tel. (+4) 021 311 80 27/(+4) 0721 38 49 83, www.alioli.ro. Open 12:30 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 13:00 - 23:00. €€. PLESW

EL FOGON DE BARCELONA Only open three nights a week this place - not exactly in the centre of the city - is well worth the effort. The owner and chef is a Spanish chap who has been living in these parts for years. Eating here is like dining as a guest in somebody’s house, complete with amazing food (the paella is exactly as it should be) and carafes of great wine. All of the ingredients are shipped in from Spain, and everything is the genuine article, from the hams and chorizo to the olive oil and cheese. Note that you can buy most of it from the little shop the owner also runs.QStr. Doctor Buicliu 2, MEroilor, tel. (+4) 0786 63 80 15. Open 12:00 - 23:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. €€€. PLNGS

LA RAMBLA Spanish food as it well and truly should be: it’s not often you can write that in Bucharest. From an expert gazpacho to a paella made in Heaven to the most


Restaurants

ROMANIAN FOOD

Romanian food, rich in Turkish, Hungarian and German influences, is rather good. An example of top Romanian fare is the classic sour soup, ciorba. Made of borş (a sour, honey-coloured liquid made of wheat and cornflour), the tradition of making sour soups is Ukrainian, but was perfected in Moldavia and later Muntenia. In theory anything can go into a ciorba, though the most popu-lar are ciorba de legume (made with vegetables), ciorba de vacuta (made with beef ), ciorba de burta (made with tripe) and ciorba de perişoare (made with pork meatballs). While you will often see ciorba de pui (ciorba made with chicken), chicken is more popular in clear soups, served with dumplings (galuşte), carrots and parsnips.

At more formal meals a number of cold appetizers – known as gustare reci – will usually be served before the ciorba. These include cheese, olives, spring onions, salami, tomatoes and boiled eggs. Sometimes there may also be a platter of warm appetizers (gustare calde), such as carnaţi de pleşcoi (mutton sausages), ficaţei de pui (chicken livers), ciu-perci umplute (stuffed mushrooms), or mici. These are spicy little sausage-shaped meatballs made of mutton, beef and pork. They are delicious.

While main courses can sometimes be a disappointment, there are always some superb options in good restaurants, such as the celebrated sarmale (cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with mince and rice), or tocaniţa (thick stew, usu-ally pork). If you see ciolan afumat on a menu, it is worth trying: smoked pork knuckle served with beans. Romanian pork in general is superb. Mamaliga is a Romanian version of polenta made of cornmeal, whose stodginess has long been compared to the Romanian temperament.

Though Romania boasts a not insignificant coastline along the Black Sea, the standard of its seafood can be poor. There is, however, an increasingly large number of specialist sea-food restaurants in Bucharest, although much of the fish they serve will be imported and priced accordingly. Look out too for hamsii: tasty, deep fried anchovies.

Sweets in Romania are sweet indeed. Pancakes (clatite) served with chocolate or jam and covered in sugar are a popular dessert, as are papanaşi: deep fried doughnuts filled with jam, or sometimes cottage cheese. Look out too for Romanian cakes (prăjituri), usually made with lashings of fresh cream.

Finally, a note about some culinary habits you may come across in the country‘s restaurants. Fries, for example, often come covered with grated cheese. When ordering you can avoid this by stating ‘fara branza pe cartofi prajiţi.’ There is also a local habit of throwing sour cream (smântana) on everything, especially in ciorbe and soups. A simple ‘fara smântana, vă rog’ will suffice. Most bizarre however is the local tendency to cover perfectly good pizza with ketchup.


Restaurantssuperb piece of salted cod, everything we have ever eaten here has been first class. It helps of course that the ingre-dients are all the real thing: the hams, olives and just about everything else is shipped in direct from Spain. Oh, and the Sangria? More than worthy a jug or two.QStr. Grigore Alexandrescu 8, tel. (+4) 0765 55 58 33, www.larambla.ro. Open 09:00 - 01:00. €€€. PVEBSW

PATA NEGRA COPAS Y TAPASThe moment you walk in and see the huge Spanish hams hanging above the bar you will know that you have come to the right place. There have been a few attempts at cre-ating a genuine Spanish tapas bar in Bucharest over the years: this is perhaps the first to truly get it right. Those in the know can order a range of tapas from the menu, while beginners can just ask the great staff select a few for you. Everything is authentic: it is all imported from Spain, and the icing on the cake is the paella, made exactly as it should be with all of the right ingredients. Add in a selec-tion of top Spanish wines and you have every reason to go there right now.QB-5, Str. Crisana 21, tel. (+4) 0734 34 90 76, www.patanegra.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon. €€€. PBW

RESTAURANT NADA MAS Nice. A bright, spacious and thoroughly modern eatery behind the Ateneu. For starters, take either the gazpacho (as good as it should be) or the mix of Spanish hams and sausages before moving on to the decent choice of seafood or meat main courses. We ate the very good oxtail - which we have not seen on a menu for years - as well as a portion of paella, which was richly packed with seafood. Then throw in some walnut tostados for dessert if you have room. At lunchtime there are very well-priced set menus.QC-5, Str. Nicolae Go-lescu 16, MPiata Romana/Universitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 20 91, www.nadamas.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. €€€€. PLESW

STEAK HOUSESJW STEAKHOUSE BUCHARESTThe JW Marriott hosts one of Bucharest’s best chophouses: the JW Steakhouse, only the second such signature venue to open in Europe. You can expect a very American steak-house experience, right down to the Black Angus beef imported from the US. The Tomahawk steak - weighing in at nearly a kilo - is the pick of the steaks, but there is much more besides, including broiled lobster and Australian lamb chops. There is a great selection of new world wines, and they open early for breakfast: the American pancakes and eggs Benedict are a great option to start the day with. Note that the JW is closed Saturday lunchtime, and for din-ner Sunday evening.QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), MIzvor/Eroilor, tel. (+4) 021 403 19 03, www.jwsteakhouse.ro. Open 06:30 - 11:00, 12:30 - 16:00, 18:30 - 23:30, Sat 06:30 - 11:00, 18:30 - 23:30. Sunday Brunch 12:00 - 16:00, 210 lei/pers, children between six and twelve half price, children un-der six free. €€€€. PLESW

PANTELIMON ART TOWER

PANTELIMON ART TOWER (MAKE A POINT)A climb to the top of the staircase which wraps itself around the 37-metre high Pantelimon Art Tower of-fers a genuinely unique look at Bucharest. Built in the 1960s the water tower is still functional (it cools water for the Postavaria textile plant) while Make a Point (the organisation behind the Art Tower project) make use of the interior for exhibitions and installations. Windows have been added and as you make your way up the stairs you can look inside and see the work on display (which is often hung from the rafters). The real joy of the tower however is the perspective of Bucharest you get from the viewing platform at the top. For what you see from up here is far more representative of this city than what you will see from any of the tall buildings closer to the city centre. The blocks, the factories, the traffic: these are what an eastern European city like Bu-charest is all about. Blocks in which people sleep, be-fore travelling on the busy roads to their places of work in the factories. To get to the tower, take bus No. 104 from Piata Unirii. It’s a long ride, which takes in some of the less picturesque parts of Bucharest: if you have been paying attention, however, you will realise that’s kind of the point... QSos. Morarilor 1, tel. (+4) 0723 75 32 00, www.makeapoint.ro. The tower is open on request. Call (+4) 0723 753 200 to arrange a visit (English spoken). Admission free.


RestaurantsOSHO Sometimes when writing a review, all you really want to write is ‘this place is brilliant.’ This is a butcher’s shop and restaurant serving T-bone steaks you would scream for in the dark. There is more than steak on the menu though, such as a top burger (which comes in three sizes), tangy lamb chops and an outstanding selection of fresh fish. Plus, there’s a kid’s menu. We also have to ad-mit to being pleasantly surprised about the prices: given the location (this is Beverly Hills, Bucharest) they are more than reasonable considering you get the best of the best. Packed at lunchtime.QB-2, B-dul Primaverii 19-21, MA-viatorilor, tel. (+4) 021 568 30 31, (+4) 021 568 30 32, www.osho-restaurant.ro. Open 10:30 - 23:30, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. €€€€. PTVBSW

NEWROYAL STEAK For once, a place claiming to be some-thing unique in Romania actually delivers: this is certainly a first as far as our experience goes. The meat and seafood here (and it is all of the finest quality, shipped in from Ar-gentina and around the world) is cooked on hot stones, which are brought to your table (with three magnificent sauces) so that you can cook it as much (or as little) as you like. If you don’t fancy doing it yourself the staff are on hand to help out. The place itself is classy: smart without overdoing it, and is perfect for a treat. Note that you can also buy steaks here to cook at home.QC-4, Piata Roma-na 8, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0751 18 21 10, www.royalsteak.ro. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PAL�SW

VACAMUUU Currently the most talked-about chop-house in the city. Serving a range of steaks so wide and so good that even the most jaded of beefeaters will be drool-ing, you can also feast on lamb, veal and pork chops, while the burgers are a match for anywhere else. There is a kid’s menu, and the weekend all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet is top value. Most of the meat can be bought to take home and cook yourself should you wish, and then there’s the wine list: a surprise we will let you discover yourself when you come here.QC-3, Calea Floreasca 111, tel. (+4) 0731 35 11 35, www.vacamuuu.com. Open 09:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PTSW

THAIKUNNAIAt last, place for those of us who have been craving some-thing Thai since Moods closed a while ago now. This place is terrific, found on the ground floor of a new apartment block in a leafy northern part of Bucharest. The food is the real deal, of which the food will convince you imme-diately. We had the Pla Praew Waan fish stir-fry followed by the prawn Phad Thai: both were sensational and well worth the money (it’s good value if not exactly cheap). Get there now.QStr. Copilului 6, tel. (+4) 0722 68 73 43/(+4) 0722 68 74 54, [email protected], www.kunnai.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. Last kitchen order 23:00. €€€€. PTLSW


Restaurants

URBAN CONTEMPORARYRESTAURANT MADAME POGANYFine, upmarket yet casual restaurant of the new school in Floreasca/Dorobanti. The spacious, modern, well-lit din-ing room gives you a real sense of grandeur without ever becoming kitsch: a trick few have managed to pull off in Bucharest. There is little point telling you about the food as the menu changes almost daily: what we can say is that whatever you order you are likely to be happy with it. This is a great restaurant.QC-3, Str. Banu Antonache 40-44, tel. (+4) 0744 10 56 13, www.madamepogany.ro. Open 09:00 - 00:30, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 02:00. €€€. PLSW

VEGETARIANCASA SATYAWhere do you start when reviewing a place like this? The concept is Ayurveda, as in the pseudo-scientific system of natural healing. Food wise, that means everything here is meat free, and made with only organic ingredients. That does not mean forgoing taste: the delicious chutneys served with the poppadoms will convince you of that right from the off. The toilets by the way are amazing, and as you might expect, it is totally non-smoking.QA-3, B-dul Banu Manta 25, tel. (+4) 0736 39 25 87, [email protected], www.satya.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PVG�BSW

SLOW FOOD

BEAUTYFOOD Love it. Another brilliant little Slow Food venue pops up in Bucharest, this time on the site of the old Violeta’s. Check the blackboard for what’s on the menu - if they have it we can recommend the burger with the home fries. Always has a good lunch-time deal on.QC-5, Str. Jean Louis Calderon 34, tel. (+4) 0759 03 06 09, www.beauty-food.ro. Open 9:00 - 22:00, Sat 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. €€.

BECA’S KITCHEN This restaurant is a magnificent place serving wonderful, home-cooked food, with the menu changing more or less every day: check the blackboard for today’s specials. You can also buy homemade jams, pickles and the like. Terrific.QC-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 80, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0722 30 89 60, www.becaskitchen.ro. Open 12:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. €€. PGSW

METUKA The food is seasonal, all prepared fresh, and made from locally-sourced ingredients. It also comes at a fair price: both to you and to the suppliers. The menu changes every day, but there is always a good choice for either lunch or dinner (soups, finger food and more substantial dishes), as well as terrific des-serts.QB-4, B-dul Lascar Catargiu 7, MPiata Roma-na, tel. (+4) 0734 16 57 46/(+4) 0740 05 55 49. Open 11:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. €€. PVSW

THE LONDON STREET BISTRO What you have here is outstanding homemade food served with a smile in a splendid setting. The wonderfully inventive menu (which changes often) is packed with tasty treats (on our last visit we ate the most amazing Thai fishcake salad) and nothing costs as much as it really ought to: this is fine food at half the price of elsewhere (the set lunch is not the least of the bargains). The cook and owner is usually on hand to add a personal tip or two, or hand out something new she has just come up with in the kitchen. There is an amazing wine list, there are a few English beers, a Romanian craft beer and even - Famous Five fans - lashings of ginger beer. Oh, and ice lolllies. Get in!QC-3, Str. Putul Lui Zamfir 15, tel. (+4) 0736 93 35 31, www.thelondonstreetatelier.com. Open 17:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. €€€. PVGBW

VIOLETA’S BISTRO The concept is great: very good traditional and modern Romanian food (the cook is not afraid to experiment) with more than a nod towards the vegetarian served off a menu that changes regularly. You can check the latest menu online (it is always up to date) and then decide if you fancy anything before setting off.QD-6, Str. George Ionescu-Gion 9, tel. (+4) 0722 52 56 43, www.violetas.ro. Open 12:00 - 22:00, Sat 10:30 - 22:30. Closed Sun. €€€. PGBSW


CafésCAFE & GRADINA VERONA Sublime. At the brilliant Carturesti bookshop is this de-lightful place serving coffee, teas, cocktails, beer and a vast range of fabulous lemonade. There is also some good food, both from an a la carte menu as well as terrific value set lunch deals (usually 19 lei for two courses). We should point out that they have one of the best selection of vegan dishes in the city (including delicious vegetable noodles, a good korma and decent humus. Service is always great from the top staff, there is often a cultural event happen-ing (including occasional live music). Given how popular the place is we suggest making a reservation if you want a table.QC-5, Str. Pictor Arthur Verona 13-15, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0732 00 30 60, [email protected]. Open 09:00 - 24:00. PESW

CAFE TIMES Free Wifi with your (excellent) coffee and a can-do attitude from the staff who appear to realise that sometimes people are busy, and need their coffee double quick. Not every cafe in Bucharest does realise that... Hav-ing said that, this is the kind of laid-back place that you end up spending the whole afternoon in, no matter how busy you are.QE-6, B-dul Decebal 19, MPiata Muncii, tel. (+4) 031 224 80 16, www.cafetimes.ro. Open 07:30 - 24:00. PLESW

CAFFE & LATTE We have been coming here for years and still love it. A cafe, bar and bistro serving superb coffee, tea, cocktails, cakes and panini, as well as some very good light meals: the salads are legendary. Opens early for breakfast (we recommend the omelettes) and the setting opposite Cismigiu is special.QB-5, Str. Schitu Magureanu 35, tel. (+4) 031 415 85 51, www.caffe-latte.ro. Open 08:00 - 22:30, Sat 08:30 - 22:30, Sun 10:00 - 22:30. PTW

CAMERA DIN FATA One of the best cafes to open in Bu-charest for years. The name means ‘Front room’, and being here is in many ways just like being somebody’s front room. Great coffee and tea served in great mugs from gorgeous tea pots at tables which fill up early as the world pops in for espresso on its way to work. Lovely.QC-4, Str. Mendeleev 22, tel. (+4) 021 311 15 12, www.cameradinfata.ro. Open 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 22:00. PSW

COFTALE Much more than being merely a very good cafe, this gorgeous place serves some of the best light meals and finger food you will eat in Bucharest. The vegetable spring rolls for example: amazing. The coffee is reassuringly won-derful, the hot chocolate with marshmallows a legend in the making, and the desserts and cakes more than tempt-ing. It’s well worth looking out for this place.QD-5, Str. Ste-fan Mihaileanu 42, tel. (+4) 0748 84 86 78, www.coftale.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00. PAESW

GREEN TEA A gorgeous villa whose many rooms have all been lovingly decorated in a different theme (one is like your favourite Gran’s front room, another is like a country house) the list of teas available is as long as your arm. Some are very exotic indeed. And yes, besides taking tea here, you


Cafés

can buy just about all of the teas in the shop.QD-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 24, tel. (+4) 021 320 93 96, www.greentea.ro. Open 10:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. PGSW

KAFETERYA CAFE We know people who come here so often, and spend so much time here, that they should probably be paying rent. It is that kind of place: a friendly, local cafe serving top coffee, cocktails, light meals, salads and desserts to die for (the waffles are probably the best in Bucharest). It’s packed with comfy sofas and armchairs, and we can guarantee that one visit will not be enough.QB-5, Str. Schitu Magureanu 8, MIzvor, tel. (+4) 0726 22 25 67, www.kafeterya.ro. Open 07:30 - 24:00. PESW

LA GALETTE Classy cafe and patisserie at the Pullman, a popular choice with guests and office workers from the World Trade Cen-ter. The range of pastries is just about second to none in Bucharest, while the coffees are great value for what is after all a five-star hotel.QA-1, P-ta Montreal 10 (Pull-man Bucharest Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 318 30 00, www.pullmanhotels.com. Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. PBSW

ORIGO A contender for the title of best coffee shop in Bucharest. This place is all about great coffee from all over the world, as well as a fairly decent selection of tea too. Many of the more exotic coffees can be bought by the packet to make at home, and the design of the place is not too shabby either: the coffee cups hanging down over the bar are a nice touch. There’s relaxing music, cocktails and - here comes the big news - inside it is totally non-smoking.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 9, tel. (+4) 0757 08 66 88. Open 07:30 - 02:00, Sat 09:00 - 04:00, Sun 09:00 - 02:00. PGSW

READERS CAFE This place is one of the great things about the Metropo-lis Centre, of which the Starlight Suites and Loft restaurant also form part. You will find Readers on the ground floor, a modern, bright and well-lit space where you can read, drink great coffee or eat - far better than you would ex-pect. The breakfast is terrific, the sandwiches tasty and well-filled, the salads big and the pasta light. Live music

most evenings (early evening) and well separated smok-ing and non-smoking sections. Nice.QB-4, Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 89-97, MStefan cel Mare, tel. (+4) 0737 32 33 77, www.readerscafe.ro. Open 09:00 - 23:00, Sat 10:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. PLESW

SUBSOL BAR Perhaps the most iconic building in Bucha-rest. Inside the shell of an old house destroyed during the 1989 revolution a new building has risen, home - fittingly - to Romania’s architectural association. The cafe and bar which occupies part of the building is more than worthy of its location, a contemporary space with walls decorated with scenes from the revolution, where you can enjoy cof-fee and cocktails in the company of a good young crowd. There are tasty sandwiches too, which can be taken away if you are in a hurry.QC-5, Str. Demetru Ion Dobrescu 5, MUniversitate, tel. +(4) 021 315 60 98, www.subsolbar.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00. PSW

TUCANO COFFEE Currently Bucharest’s newest and most talked-about cafe, not least for the fact that it serves amazing pancakes and an organic, cannabis coffee. This is much more than a sim-ple cafe however: it puts on all sorts events, both for kids at the weekends at for us grown ups in the evenings. It hosts book launches, brunches and even open-mic nights for would-be musicians. Bohemian and non-conformist it is Bucharest at its best. Oh, and we should add that it is non-smoking. Hurrah! Find it next to the British Council.QC-4, Calea Dorobantilor 18, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 0761 37 66 26, www.tucanocoffee.com. Open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri 08:00 - 02:00, Sat 09:30 - 02:00, Sun 09:30 - 24:00. PEGBSW

VIENNA LOUNGE The Marriott’s posh flagship café, which is exactly as you’d expect: classy, enjoyable and expensive. Sit and try to read those unmanageable newspapers on a stick, while enjoy-ing the occasional live piano music, plus the sight of busi-ness types buzzing about to conferences. What’s more fun than leisurely watching others work when you don’t have to?QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucha-rest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 01. Open 09:00 - 23:00. PLESW


Nightlife

BARS:BAR A1 A little bit of everything in a very nice package. Food (including breakfast), drink (the milkshakes are fab, there is a range of rather unusual beers, while the wine selection is better than your average wine bar) and cakes that would shame most bakeries. The place itself is delightfully chic in that slightly shabby way, and the crowd that meets here is equally relaxed. QB-4, Str. Piata Amzei 1, MPiata Roma-na, tel. (+4) 0723 12 48 47. Open 8:00 - 00:30. NS

ENGLISH BAR One of our regular haunts. This little corner of the Hilton that will forever be associated with intrigue and spies (it has been around for nearly a century, as long as the hotel) remains today a classy bar serving champagne by the glass and much else besides (including a tremendous pint of Guinness). Packed most days with business leaders it also regularly hosts sophisticated parties, and on some Thursday nights this little bar becomes the most happening venue in town, a favourite of Bucharest’s fashionistas.QC-5, Str. Epis-copiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77 ext. 6759. Open 11:00 - 02:00. PLW

INTERMEZZO PIANO BAR Legendary and rather his-toric hotel bar in the lobby of the Inter, which was a den of iniquity and intrigue during the communist period, all spies and journalists, plots and honey traps. Now it’s merely a very cool place to meet and have a drink in su-perb surroundings. Another one of the many reasons why the InterContinental is once again one of the top places in Bucharest to spend time.QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel InterContinental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20. Open 08:00 - 01:00. PLEW

PAVILION LOUNGE The JW Marriott’s newest addition is a suitably stylish and contemporary venue boasting one of the most elegant bars in the city. There are various seating areas, from the stools at the bar to comfy sofas and armchairs. Throw in a top cocktail list and great staff and it all means that the city’s other business bars have some real competition at last. Top stuff.QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 04, www.jwmarriottbucharest.com. Open 08:00 - 01:00. PLEW

BEERHALLS & PUBSNEWBERARIA H A former exhibition hall (one of many in Her-astrau; this one was known as Pavilion H) has been con-verted into what the owners claim is the largest beerhall in eastern Europe. Having seen the size of the place we are inclined to agree. There are various areas in which you can enjoy your beer, but it’s all a little too big, and the staff on our visit appeared hardly able to cope. The selection of draught beer was a tad disappointing, as were the sausag-es: nothing that we don’t think you can’t find elsewhere in Bucharest.QA-1, Sos. Kiseleff 32, tel. (+4) 0725 34 53 45, www.berariah.ro. Open 10:00 - 01:30, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 03:00. PESW

BERARIE GAMBRINUS One of the most celebrated and historic pubs in Bucharest - haunt, for decades, of Caragiale, Gica Petrescu and every other local carouser - returns, this time as something of a Heineken-pub. There is Romanian beer on tap though, Gambrinus, Silva and Ciuc, available by the metre if that’s what you fancy. There’s some good pub grub too, not least the sausages which were terrific. Prices more than reasonable and there’s even a non-smoking section.QB-5, B-dul Regina Elisa-beta 38, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0744 31 51 10, www.berariegambrinus.ro. Open 07:00 - 02:00. PSW

ENERGIEA We like this place a lot: the high ceilings and big windows make it a good choice day and night, the origi-nal (we think?) floor looks great and there are a number of different rooms, not all of which carry the industrial-chic look of the main bar. Best of all though we like the raised interior balcony. Top cocktail-sipping territory.QB-6, Str. Br-ezoianu 4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0736 37 44 32, www.energiea.ro. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri 12:00 - 02:00, Sat 15:00 - 02:00, Sun 15:00 - 01:00. PLBSW

THE HARP IRISH PUB & RESTAURANTThe Harp is back, and is better than ever before. In fact, if you haven’t been here for a while you might hardly recog-nise the place. Set over two levels, with two great bars, the Guinness is as exemplary as ever, and the food is fabulous, a cut above your usual pub grub and bordering on the out-


Nightlife

standing. The enormous burger they have started serving here might be a contender for the city’s biggest. There is live music some nights, and be warned: as big as this place is it has become rather popular again. If you want a table (especially at the weekend) make a reservation.QC-6, Str. Bibescu Voda 1, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0735 55 44 55, www.theharp.ro. Open 08:30 - 02:00. PBEW

CLUBS & DISCOSAs a general rule, Bucharest’s clubs can be divided into three categories: the upmarket, Uber-Clubs, where the fashionable and well-heeled go to party, Student & Underground clubs where you will find a mainly local crowd of young partygoers, and Live Music clubs which host bands most nights of the week. There is a fair bit of crossover, but we think these three categories describe the city’s club scene reasonably well.

LIVE MUSICCHAOS Expect good - mainly local but often foreign - live acts most nights, with a reasonably big name performing at least once or twice a month. Good beer, a very good atmosphere and a real favourite of big groups of friends looking for a great night out. You can eat here too: there’s a restaurant serving some terrific, big-portioned Romanian food on site.QE-6, Str. Turturelelor 11, tel. (+4) 0731 49 51 14, www.facebook.com/chaos.venue. Open 20:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PLEBSW

CONTROL CLUBStill tops our list of ‘clubs for people who do not like clubs.’ It is a brilliant place where there is always something going on, be it a DJ playing sounds which range from anything to anything else, or live music supplied by one of Bucha-rest’s better live acts (or, indeed, acts from abroad). Note also that it opens early afternoon: it is now a pub as much as a club, and indeed often hosts cultural events such as theatre, films, book-readings and the like. Fantastic.QC-5, Str. Constantin Mille 4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0733 92 78 61, [email protected], www.control-club.ro. Open 13:00 - 03:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 06:00. PEW

TRIBUTEBesides a fantastic resident band, Tribute is also regularly host to a number of the best live acts in the business, who love the atmosphere provided by a great crowd and wonderful acoustics. Basically, if the excitement of live music is what you are looking for, this is one first class venue. Bang in the city centre (it’s on Calea Victoriei) it’s a great choice if you are stuck in a downtown pub think-ing about where to move on to. Plan on staying late.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 118, tel. (+4) 0728 74 28 83, www.tribute.ro. Open 22:00 - 06:00, Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PEW

STUDENT & UNDERGROUNDDEJA-VUA place that goes from strength to strength. Still the best cocktail bar this side of the River Prut, it is now open during the day for food too: you could spend your whole life in here. The draw though remain the participatory cocktails, some of which involve fire, and a few which involve wear-ing a World War II Russian army helmet. They also serve at least one which involves a young Russian girl squeezing lemon into your mouth with her teeth. At weekends it is packed and the small dancefloor is the sweatiest place in Bucharest. You will love it.QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 25, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 311 23 22/(+4) 0721 91 82 79, www.dejavu-club.ro. Open 17:00 - 04:00. PENW

EXPIRAT & OTHERSIDE CLUBA club with two faces. Expirat is home to some of Bucha-rest’s most eclectic sounds, and as it has an OtherSide (Ex-pirat’s club within a club), chances are there is bound to be something going on you fancy. The music policy is a bit of everything: folk (usually live on Mondays), electro, alterna-tive, rock and indie with hip-hop, reggae and disco some-times thrown in for good measure. (Check the venue’s Facebook page to see what’s on the night you fancy go-ing). Drinks are well priced, and there are two bars mean-ing that you never have to wait too long to get served. Top notch.QB-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 4, MPiata Unirii/Izvor, tel. (+4) 0733 97 47 28/(+4) 0726 80 41 42, www.expirat.org. Open 20:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Sun. (Expirat); 20:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun. (The OtherSide). PEW


Nightlife

KULTURHAUSProbably the Bucharest student’s favourite. A nakedly non-commercial club that attracts a nakedly non-com-mercial crowd on two levels offering hard rock, folk rock, new wave, punk and indie upstairs, and pretty much the same downstairs (though it depends on the DJ...) Has a live band playing at least once a week, bags of other events and refreshingly says ‘NO’ to table service: yes, you will have to get your sorry ass to the bar to get a drink. We are fans.QC-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 4, MPiata Unirii/Universitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 55 92, www.kulturhaus.ro. Open 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Sun. PLE

MOONLIGHT CLUBNow prefaced by Moonlight, this is still in many ways the Downtown as many will remember it, complete with girls dancing on the bar in their underwear and some of the liveliest theme nights in the city. Big and cavernous it nevertheless always seems to be packed out, a sign of its enduring popularity. Hosts regular events, including stand-up comedy (of the Romanian variety).QC-4, Str. Mendeleev 32, tel. (+4) 0724 75 13 51. Open 21:00 - 06:00. Closed Sun. PLEW

PANIC! Panic!, possibly the first club in Bucharest named after a song by The Smiths, offers a mix of music centering on (but in no way confined to) alternative rock. There are plenty of live acts performing regularly and there’s always a good crowd of music lovers to share it all with. Refresh-

ingly, it’s open every night of the week (many clubs in Bu-charest are not) and there is always, always something go-ing on. Get in.QC-5, Str. Academiei 19, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0766 05 61 70, www.panic-club.ro. Open 14:00 - 05:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 06:00. PEW

UPMARKET CLUBSCLUB BAMBOO Super fitze club where only the best looking and the best dressed stand any chance of getting in. If you can blag your way past the staff you will enter a world where poverty is a dirty word: only the richest Romanians come here, and their dress sense is as good or bad as you can imagine depending on your taste. Music is clubby, friendly house, loud enough to dance to but mellow enough to permit conversation. Always has loads of PAs from decent acts as well of plenty of live entertainment from a touch of cabaret to seriously underdressed ladies dancing on the stage. Dom Perignon Blanc 3200 lei a bottle.QD-2, Str. Tu-zla 50, tel. (+4) 0726 22 62 66/(+4) 0723 22 62 66, www.bambooclub.ro. Open 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PLW

FRATELLI SOCIAL CLUB Top notch. One of Bucharest’s uber-clubs, where the richest and best looking people in the city come to see and be seen. Serving up a neverend-ing supply of top DJs from both Romania and abroad, it is clear that the people who run this place consider the music to be as important as anything else: something not every club in this town can boast. Not cheap (kind of the point) if you stick to the beer and do not sit at a table (which requires you buy a bottle of spirits) then you can still have a reasonably priced night out here. Brilliant.QD-2, Str. Glodeni 1-3, tel. (+4) 0731 03 62 22, www.fratelli.ro. Open 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PL

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NightlifePLAYER CLUBThe concept at super-club Player this is subtly different to last year, and the place has been given a thorough make-over to keep it sparkling and at the cutting edge of the Bu-charest nightlife scene: honestly, if it’s top people and top sounds you want in an exclusive setting then this should be your first stop in the city. Boasts the sexiest dancers, the best DJs - often as many as four top names in one night - and is guaranteed to leave you bleary-eyed the next morning and wanting more. We should also point out that the attitude is a bit more relaxed here than that at some of the other uber-clubs: just how we like it. Get in.QA-2, Str. Primo Nebiolo 1, Piata Montreal, tel. (+4) 0720 73 47 34/(+4) 0737 73 73 34, www.theplayer.ro. Open 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun. PLBCW

VICE ADVICE

For visitors to Bucharest looking for a little debauchery,

there are three options, of which only one is legal.

The legal option (and the only option we recommend) is

erotic massage at a reputable massage parlour. You will

not be offered sex at these places, but there is still much

fun to be had, from happy ending massages to full body

massage from one, two or even three nubile young ladies.

Prices start at around €35 though climb higher at the more

central, luxurious establishments.

The second option is to simply head for a brothel. These

establishments advertise themselves as legitimate strip

or nightclubs, but act mainly as fronts for brothels. Af-

ter sitting yourself down at a table you will be served

expensive drinks, before being joined by some young

ladies who will try to convince you to buy them ‘cock-

tails’ (usually orange juice with an umbrella, costing a for-

tune). After half an hour of bored conversation you may

be asked if you would like to retreat to a more intimate

location, usually a room above, or even in, the nightclub

itself. Expect to pay a minimum of €100 for the privilege,

as well buy an obligatory bottle of sparkling wine, which

usually costs at least another €50. All this on top of your

already huge tab. We suggest avoiding anywhere calling

itself a ‘nightclub’ and promising ‘girls.’ Be particularly cir-

cumspect in and around the Old Town.

The third option is to call one of the escorts who adver-

tise in many of the poor quality city guides found around

town. This is completely illegal and you really ought to

think twice before picking up the phone.

LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS5 October - Vaya Con Dios @ Sala Palatului

9 October - Taxi @ Hard Rock Cafe

12 October - Cantaloop Band @ Hard Rock Cafe

20 October - Lara Fabian @ Sala Palatului

23 October - Vama @ Hard Rock Cafe

24 October - Maximum Rock Festival @ Turbohalle

25 October - Publika @ Hard Rock Cafe

8 November - Armin van Buren @ Romexpo

9 November - Jack White @ Romexpo

13 November - Sara Brightman @ Sala Palatului

17 November - Europe @ Sala Palatului

18 November - British Legends Night (Yardbirds, The Animals, The Trogss & Mungo Jerry) @ Sala Palatului

30 November - Suuns @ Control

For full venue details visit inyourpocket.com.

Besides the gigs listed here look out too for regular live music at Mojo in the Old Town (p.62) which hosts top local bands alongside its resident Mojo Band. Club A (p.62) is another decent bet for live music, while outside of the Old Town, Hard Rock Cafe (p.16), Control (p.38) and Panic (p.39) are known for their range of live music. Kulturhaus (p.39) similarly has live bands on most evenings.

For something a little more refined, there is the Op-era. Bucharest’s elegant opera house was built in the early 1950, and productions here are invariably excellent, and prices are relatively cheap. There are performances most evenings at 19:00.

ROMANIAN NATIONAL OPERAQA-5, B-dul Kogalniceanu 70-72, MEroilor, tel. (+4) 021 314 69 80, www.operanb.ro. Box office open 09:00-13:00, 15:00-19:00.


Sightseeing

ESSENTIAL BUCHARESTThe first port of call for any visitor to Bucharest these days should probably be the Historic Centre, or Old Town. The Peasant and Village Museums should also not be missed, as well as the Grigore Antipa National History Museum.While still the most famous building in the city and usu-ally top of the agenda for most visitors, Casa Poporului/Palatul Parlamentului tends to be a bit of a let down for most. Art lovers should pencil in at least an afternoon at the National Art Museum. Last but not least, half a day at the Bellu Cemetery is a wonderful trip through Romanian literary, artistic, political and architectural history.

CASA POPORULUI (PARLIAMENT PALACE; PAL-ATUL PARLAMENTULUI) Palatul Parlamentului (known universally as Casa Poporului) was built during the dark-est days of the Nicolae Ceausescu regime. Standing 84m above ground level on 12 floors, the building has long been shrouded in mystery, rumour and hyperbole. Originally designed (by a young architect, Anca Petrescu, who was just 28 at the time) to house almost all the organs of the communist state, it today plays host to the Romanian parlia-ment, as well as Romania’s Museum of Contemporary Art. The public tour of the building is thoroughly recommended (it is the only way to see the building, in fact) though the com-mentary often consists of little more than a guide reeling off endless superlative statistics. You’ll see plenty of grand staircases, marble-plated halls and conference rooms, while - if you pay the extra - you may also have the chance to go

on the roof, which offers perhaps the best view of central Bucharest. You can now even take a trip into the bowels of the building down below, though again this costs extra. To join one of the tours you will need to bring your passport. Use the entrance on the right-hand side of the palace (if you’re looking at it front-on). Izvor is the nearest metro sta-tion. QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 1, intrarea A3, MIzvor, tel. (+4) 021 311 36 11, www.cdep.ro. Open 10:00 - 16:00 (last tour 15:30). Admission 25-45 lei adults, 13-23 lei stu-dents. Free for children under 18 and the disabled. An additional fee of 30.00 lei is payable by those with cam-eras, either still or video.

GEORGE ENESCU MUSEUM (MUZEUL NATION-AL GEORGE ENESCU) Mistakenly believed to be the great Romanian composer George Enescu’s former home, this outstanding Secession house was in fact built for landowner George Cantacuzino in 1905, and many older Bucharest residents still refer to it as the Cantacuzino Pal-ace. It became state property in 1955, the year of Enescu’s death, and a year later opened as a museum dedicated to his life and work. You will find rooms full of the usual memorabilia and artefacts from the eventful life of Roma-nia’s most famous composer, as well as a full telling of the story of Romanian music in general. QB-4, Calea Victo-riei 141, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 318 14 50, www.georgeenescu.ro. Open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Ad-mission 6 lei, children 1.50 lei. Free entry on the 26th of each month.

GRIGORE ANTIPA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HIS-TORY (MUZEUL DE ISTORIE NATURALĂ GRI-GORE ANTIPA) One of Romania’s finest museums, and one of the best natural history museums in Europe. Packed with terrific exhibits which will keep kids of all ages and their parents occupied for the best part of the day, there are all sorts of hands-on, interactive displays, as well as 3D films, artificial caves and - in the basement - a thorough guide to the incredible amount of animal and plant life native to Romania. The building which houses it all is it-self worthy of note, purpose built in 1908 at the behest of Grigore Antipa, a noted Romanian naturalist who then set-up and ran the museum for almost five decades until his death in 1944. QB-3, Şos. Kiseleff 1, MPiata Victo-

BELLU CEMETERYFounded in the 1850s, this is the final resting place of just about every great Romanian academic, scientist, artist, writer, musician and poet you can think of, as well as the odd politician. Each has his or her own plot, usually with an accompanying monument (our favou-rite is that devoted to the comic actor Toma Caragiu, killed in the Bucharest earthquake of 1977). Next to the cemetery is the Cimitirul Eroilor, where those killed in Bu-charest during the 1989 revolution are buried. QCalea Serban Voda 249, MEroii Revolutiei, tel. (+4) 021 636 35 71, www.bellu.ro. Open 08:00 - 16:00.


Sightseeingriei, tel. (+4) 021 312 88 26, www.antipa.ro. Open 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. From November 1st Open 10:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. Admission 20 lei, pensioners 10 lei, children/students 5 lei.

NATIONAL ART MUSEUM (MNAR; MUZEUL NA-TIONAL DE ARTA) The country’s largest, and most impressive art collection is housed inside the splendid former Royal Palace, first built in 1812 as a private home by the wealthy trader Dinicu Golescu. It became a royal residence in 1859, when it was chosen as the site of the court of the first prince of the united principalities, Alexan-dru Ion Cuza. There are two permanent galleries, split over three floors of the main building. National Art (itself di-vided into Medieval Romanian Art - featuring icons, carved altars, illustrated manuscripts and bibles, and fragments of frescoes, and Modern Romanian Art, with all of Romania’s greatest 20th century artists well represented, including Theodor Aman, Constantin Brancuşi, Gheorghe Patraşcu, and Gheorghe Tattarescu); and European Paintings and Sculpture, which plays host to a fine collection of Old Eu-ropean Masters from all of the major schools. The museum also hosts a fine selection of temporary exhibitions. QB/C-5, Calea Victoriei 49-53, tel. (+4) 021 313 30 30/(+4) 021 314 81 19, www.mnar.arts.ro. Open 10:00-18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 8 lei for The Gallery of European Art, 10 lei for The National Gallery (Treasure included) and 15 lei for combined tickets (both galleries). Free on the first Wednesday of each month.

PEASANT MUSEUM (MUZEUL TARANULUI RO-MAN) The Peasant Museum is one of the most enjoyable in Bucharest, and one of the best in the country. Housed in a wonderful red brick building designed by Nicolae Ghica-Budeşti and dating from 1912, the museum offers a range of exhibitions showing you just about all you need to know about the diverse and fascinating history of life around the Romanian countryside over the past four centuries. There are exhibitions covering all aspects of Romanian peasant life, from handpainted Easter eggs to terracotta pottery, from colourful religious icons to a huge range of traditional clothing. Replicas of some of what is on display can be bought in the excellent mu-seum shop. Fittingly for the building that from 1948-89 was home to the Museum of the Communist Party and Ro-manian Revolutionary Workers Movement, there is a rather good although somewhat monolingual collectivisation exhibition in the basement. The Peasant Museum hosts excellent craft fairs in its courtyard at least once a month. It also puts on children’s puppet shows at weekends (usu-ally at 10:30 and 12:00, both Saturday and Sunday) and has a lovely (covered) terrace cafe. QB-3, Şos. Kiseleff 3, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 317 96 61, www.muzeul-taranuluiroman.ro. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Last admission 17:00. Admission 8 lei, students and children 2 lei, pensioners 4 lei. Audio guides are avail-able in English, French, German and Romanian, from 12 lei. Entrance to the craft fairs (held every month or so) usually costs around 6 lei.


SightseeingVILLAGE MUSEUM (MUZEUL NAŢIONAL AL SATULUI DIMITRIE GUSTI) Founded in 1936 and cov-ering 15 hectares on the shores of Lake Herăstrău, Muzeul Satului is one of the greatest outdoor museums in the Bal-kans. There are more than 60 original houses, farmsteads, windmills, watermills and churches from all of Romania’s historic regions: Transylvania, Oltenia, Dobrogea and Molda-via. Every exhibit has a plaque showing exactly where in Ro-mania it was brought from. Some even now have recorded commentary in four languages (if the stickers are missing, press the second button for English). Most of the houses date from the mid 19th-century, but there are some, such as those from Berbeşti, in the heart of Romania - celebrated for their intricately carved entrances - which date from as early as 1775. The highlight of the museum is probably the steep belfry of the wooden Maramureş church, complete with exquisite but faded icons. You should also not miss the earth houses of Straja, dug in to the ground and topped with thatched roofs. The museum has a great souvenir shop, and stalls selling traditional Romanian sweets and cakes. It even has a restaurant, La Francu, set in a 19th-century inn. Children love the museum, and it makes for a perfect fam-ily outing. QA-2, Sos. Kiseleff 28-30, MAviatorilor, tel. (+4) 021 317 91 10, www.muzeul-satului.ro. Open 09:00-18:00, Mon 09:00 - 17:00. Admission 10 lei, pensioners 5 lei, students/children 2.50 lei. Audio guides available for 50 lei, guided tours in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian 300 lei: call in advance. Note that while the mu-seum is open on Mondays, the houses are not.

BUILDINGS WITH A HISTORYBucharest has a number of curious, historical buildings, which fit none of our other categories all that well.

ARCUL DE TRIUMF Bucharest’s Arc de triumf was raised in 1922 to commemorate Romania’s World War I dead. The original Arc was made of wood, replaced by the present, Petru Antonescu designed concrete structure only in 1935. Standing 25 metres high, the Arc has a staircase that allows visitors to climb to the terrace on the top of the monument, though the whole building is currently being renovated, and a pedestrian underpass built which will allow people to get to it without risking their lives. QA-2, Piata Arcul de Triumf, MAviatorilor.

ATHENEUM (ATENEUL ROMÂN) Possibly the fin-est building in the city, the Romanian Atheneum, with its sublime baroque cupola, stands proudly at the flux of the city’s busiest public square, competing with the Athenee Palace Hilton hotel, the Royal Palace and the old national library for attention. The work of French architect Albert Galleron, who also designed the National Bank of Roma-nia, the building was inaugurated on February 26, 1888, and was built almost entirely with money donated by ordinary citizens of the capital, when a campaign called ‘Give a penny for the Atheneum’ (Dati un leu pentru Ateneu) rescued the project from folly after the original patrons ran out of funds. Today the seat of the Romanian Philarmonic

George Enescu, the auditorium is renowned worldwide for its outstanding acoustics. QC-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 315 25 67, www.fge.org.ro. Open 14:00 - 16:00.

CASA PRESEI LIBERE (CASA SCÂNTEII) An impres-sive edifice standing somewhat menacingly at the entrance to the capital, Casa Scanteii (as it is still universally known) was designed by architect Horia Maicu and completed in 1956, one year after the strikingly similar (though much taller) Palace of Science and Culture in Warsaw, Poland. Built to serve as the home of the capital’s publishing houses, the facade has in recent years been defaced by the addition of advertising hoardings. QA-1, Piata Presei Libere 1.

CEC The home of the National Savings Bank (Casa de Economii si Consemnaţiuni; CEC) is one of the most fabulous Neo-Classical facades in the city: the enormous arch that houses the entrance, with its mighty Corinthian columns, is a highlight of any architectural tour of Bucharest. Built during the last decade of the nineteenth century, to the designs of French architect Paul Gottereau, the building is no less impressive on the inside.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 13. PALATUL DIN PIATA VICTORIEI (PALATUL VICTO-RIEI) Today the home of the Romanian government, this linear construction was built in 1937 to the design of Duiliu Marcu, originally to house the Foreign Ministry (which is now elsewhere). Entrance is only granted to those on government business. QB-4, B-dul Ilie Pintilie 1, MPiata Victoriei.


Sightseeing

HISTORIC CHURCHESANTIM MONASTERY (MANASTIREA ANTIM)The splendid Antim Monastery, with its elegant dome and gold finish was constructed between 1708 and 1715 on the orders of polymath Antim Ivireanul, patriarch of the Orthodox Church in Wallachia at the time. Antim originally intended the monastery to be a refuge for fallen women and refugees, as well as a seat of learning. The bell tower through which we today enter the monastery was added in 1857. The monastery church is particularly worth admiring for its icons featuring the Nativity and Revelations, painted in 1812 by Petre Alexandrescu.QB-6, Str. Antim 29.

APOSTLES’ CHURCH (BISERICA SFINTII APOSTO-LI) One of the oldest churches in Bucharest (with parts dat-ing back to the 16th century, when it served as the church of the Târnovului Monastery) the Apostles’ Church is notable for its sublime steeple, built in 1715 and restored in 1936. Inside the church is brimming with some rather strange portraits, all of which are well worth seeing. Among the portraits are those of the church’s founder, Voivod Matei. QB-6, Str. Sfintii Apostoli 33A, MPiata Unirii.

ARMENIAN CHURCH (BISERICA ARMENEASCĂ)Now overlooked by a hideous skyscraper, this is never-theless one of the largest and best preserved Orthodox churches in central Bucharest. The church (built between 1911-15) is an exact replica of a cathedral in the Armenian city of Ecmiazin, and serves the city’s once large but now miniscule Armenian population. Next to the church is an interesting library with a large number of documents re-lating to the Armenian population (phone ahead for ac-cess). QD-5, B-dul Carol I 43, tel. (+4) 021 313 90 70, www.armenianchurch.ro.

BARATIEI CHURCH (BISERICA BARATIEI)Almost poking into Bulevardul Bratianu, this particular Roman-Catholic church was built in 1828, although there has been a church here since the late 1590s. Boasting a couple of superb stained-glass windows the church holds services in Romanian and Hungarian. The name, Baratiei, derives from the Hungarian word for friend, barat. QC-6, Str. Baratiei 27, MPiata Unirii/Universitate.

BUCUR CHURCH First built as early as 1416, this could well be the site of the oldest church in Bucharest. Nobody is exactly sure how long there has been a church here, but we do know that it predates the Radu Voda monastery op-posite, which was first constructed in 1506. Today, the Bu-cur Church is often ignored, hidden as it is on a hill above the street. The current church was built around 1720 (thor-oughly renovated in 1909-10) to serve as a chapel for the cemetery of the Radu Voda monastery. The church - and the hill on which it stand were recently consolidated in or-der to prevent them falling further towards the Dambovita river, just a few metres behind. The church is named for Bucur the Shepherd, the legendary founder of Bucharest. QC-7, Str. Radu Voda 33, www.biserica-bucur.ro.

COLŢEA CHURCH (BISERICA COLŢEA) To the left (face on) of the Colţea hospital, the church of the same name was built from 1701-2 on the site of an older, wooden construction. Recent renovation has restored much of the rich ornamentation of the interior, most of which was painted in 1876 by Gheorghe Tattarescu. Look out for the Cantacuzino family crest above the vaguely Italian baroque portal. The church (like the hospital which surrounds it) was founded by courtier Mihai Cantacuzino. A statue of Canta-cuzino stands just inside the entrance to the hospital court-yard. QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 1, MUniversitate.

CREŢULESCU CHURCH (BISERICA CREŢULESCU)Probably the most celebrated historic church in Bucharest. Biserica Creţulescu was raised from 1720-2 by Iordache Creţulescu and his wife Safta, a daughter of Romanian ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu. The outstanding paintings on the entrance are original, the work of an unknown artist, while the interior icons were added in 1859 by the prolific Gheor-ghe Tattarescu. Damaged during the fighting of December 1989, the church has recently been restored to its full glory, and is a must. QC-5, Calea Victoriei 47, MUniversitate.

DOMNIŢA BALAŞA CHURCH To say this church has been the victim of bad luck is an understatement. Built in 1885, the church is named after Constantin Brâncoveanu’s sixth daughter, who built an earlier church on the site in 1744, but which burnt down soon after. In 1751 a second church was built; but that was also later damaged, during an earthquake in 1838. Building work almost immediately


Sightseeingstarted on a third church, but that too proved unstable and just 40 years later it was replaced by the current, orange-coloured, Neo-Romanesque building. Serious cracks that appeared after another earthquake in 1940 were repaired in the 1960s, only to be damaged again in the massive earth-quake of 1977.QB-6, Str. Sfintii Apostoli, MPiata Unirii.

MIHAI VODĂ MONASTERY (MĂNĂSTIREA MIHAI VODĂ) One of the churches that was moved to make way for the Civic Centre, Mihai Vodă was originally built in 1601. After a fire in 1761 it was left to rot before thorough rebuild-ing was carried out from 1827-38. In 1985 it was moved 285 metres east - on rails - and hidden in its present location be-hind the apartment blocks. QB-6, Str. Sapienţei 2, MIzvor.

NEW ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH (BISERICA SF. GHEO-RGHE NOU) The largest of the churches built in Bucharest during the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu, New St. George’s Church was consecrated on June 29th, 1707. It was a wonder of the age, having been designed by an Italian, Vaseleli, and decorated by the great Romanian maestros of the times: the painter Mutu, the carpenter Istrate and the sculptor Caragea. Damaged in a fire in 1847, the church was renovated from 1852-3 by the Spanish architect Villacrosse. New and out-standing interior murals were added by Marian Popp. Brân-coveanu is himself buried at the church, currently undergoing renovation.QC-6, Piata Sf. Gheorghe, MPiata Unirii.

NEW ST. JOHN’S CHURCH (BISERICA SFANTUL IOAN NOU) Entirely hidden by blocks, few visitors to - or even residents of - Bucharest are even aware of this church’s existence. It is in fact right in the centre of the city, opposite Unirea Shopping Centre, behind the Raifeissen bank on the corner of B-dul Corneliu Coposu and B-dul I. C. Bratianu. Founded in 1774 the small church boasts two exterior fres-coes as well as a richly ornamental interior, complete with golden altar. QC-6, Piata Unirii, MPiata Unirii.

PATRIARCHAL CATHEDRAL (PATRIARHIA) Set atop one of the city’s hills, the Patriarchal Cathedral has been the centrepiece of the Romanian Orthodox faith since the sev-enteenth century. Built to a design based on the Curtea de Arges near Pitesti, it has undergone a number of facelifts over the years, but the overwhelming majority of the cathedral’s structure is the original, built between 1654 and 1658. The outstanding bell-tower at the entrance was built in 1698, and restored in 1958. Next to the church is the Patriarchal Palace, residence of the patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.QC-6/7, Str. Dealul Mitropoliei, MPiata Unirii.

RADU VODĂ MONASTERY (MĂNĂSTIREA RADU VODĂ) There was originally a wooden church on this site, built during the reign of Mihnea the Bad, around 1508. The monastery was added in 1570, and was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The present church - which resembles the Curtea de Argeş, outside Piteşti - dates from 1613-4, though it was extensively rebuilt during the 19th century, when the frescoes (the work of peerless painter Gheorghe Tattarescu) were added. QC-6, Str. Radu Vodă 24A, MPiata Unirii.

SCHITUL DARVARI (DARVARI HERMITAGE) The walled Schitul Darvari - with its lovely grounds - is a gor-geous oasis of peace and quiet in busy central Bucharest. Founded in 1834 by Mihai Darvari and his wife Elena - who purchased the site from the Biserica Icoanei - it was originally a private church for the Darvari family. Renovated extensive-ly in 1894 and again from 1933-4, a community of monks lived here continuously from 1835 to 1959, when they were forced to move to Cernica Monastery by Romania’s com-munist authorities.QC-5, Str. Schitul Darvari 3, www.schi-tuldarvari.ro. Open 07:30 - 19:30.

MUSEUMSART COLLECTION MUSEUM (MUZEUL COLECTI-ILOR DE ARTĂ) Firstly, a few words about the building. The Casa Romanit was constructed in 1822 as a private residence, before being bought by the state in 1883 to serve as the country’s supreme court. There are presently some fantastic works on show here, including paintings by all of Romania’s greatest artists, from Nicolae Grigore-scu to Theodor Pallady. In terms of artistic importance the collections here are second only to those at the National Museum of Art. QB-4, Calea Victoriei 111, tel. (+4) 021 212 96 41/(+4) 021 212 96 42. Open 10:00-10:00. Closed Thu, Fri. Admission 7.00 lei, students/children 3.50 lei.

COTROCENI MUSEUM Constructed from 1888-93 at the behest of Romania’s first king, Carol I, Cotroceni Pal-ace has since 1991 been the official residence of the Ro-manian President. Built on the site of a former monastery (the foundations and cellars of which remain, and form part of the tour of the palace), the palace was designed by a French team of architects, led by Paul Gottereau. The

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See page 28 or go to: iyp.me/jewishbucharest


Sightseeing

design would form something of a blueprint for Romanian domestic architecture for years to come. It served as the Bucharest residence of the Romanian royal family until 1939. Part of the palace is open to the public, and can be visited on a tour.QB-dul Geniului 1, MPolitehnica, tel. (+4) 021 317 31 07, www.muzeulcotroceni.ro. Open 09:30 - 17:30. Closed Mon. Admission 27 lei, students and children 21 lei. Admission includes entrance and the compulsory guided tour. Tours are available in Ro-manian, French and English. Last tour begins at 16:30.

GEOLOGY MUSEUM Far more than just a collection of old rocks and fossils, Bucharest’s Geology Museum is one of the city’s must sees. First off, there is the museum build-ing itself to admire. Built in 1906 on the orders of King Carol I to house what was then known as the Royal Romanian Geology Society, the building is a splendid example of Neo-Brancovenesque architecture, and is far more impres-sive than its red-brick neighbour, the Peasant Museum. The museum’s permanent collections are impressive in size and - being logically presented - clarity, with a decent number of English captions. QB-3, Sos. Kiseleff 2, MPiata Victo-riei, tel. (+4) 021 212 89 52, www.geology.ro. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Admission 8 lei, students and children 4 lei. There is an extra charge for cameras of 30 lei. Guided tours in Romanian 20 lei, English and French 30 lei.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL MUSEUM (MUZEUL TEHNIC DIMITRIE LEONIDA) Often unfairly derided as an outdated museum of technol-ogy, it should be remembered that the machines, turbines, inventions and gadgets on display here are not meant to be cutting edge. At least not in this day and age. They were all, however, cutting edge when they first appeared, with some of the older steam engines dating back to the beginning of the 19th century. The museum is housed in something of a cherished relic itself: the last remaining pavilion (one of many) built (like the Carol Park in which it stands) to host the 1906 Romania in the World Fair. QC-7, Str. Gen. Candiano Popescu 2, tel. (+4) 021 336 93 90. Open 09:30 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 6 lei, students, children 3 lei.

THEODOR PALLADY MUSEUM (CASA MELIK, MUZEUL THEODOR PALLADY) Theodor Pallady (1871-1953) was an early Cubist artist widely regarded as Romania’s most influential 20th century painter. Schooled in Dresden and Paris, Pallady was influenced by the Sym-bolist environment of the late 19th century, and his paint-ings before 1916 contain Symbolist motifs, sometimes with echoes of Moreau and Puvis de Chavannes. Alas the small museum that today bears his name has only six of his paintings, a couple of his sketches and assorted other art.

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

CULTURAL TRAVEL & TOURS CT&T provides tailor-made heritage sightseeing tours of Bucharest (from €29), a number of themed tours around Wallachia and Transylvania, and several nationwide tours of varying lengths. Other flexible services and guides in a variety of languages are available on request.QTel./fax (+4) 021 336 31 63, tel. (+4) 0724 71 88 48, www.cttours.ro.

MR. TRIPP Mr. Tripp offers a number of terrific tours, not the least of which is the excellent value four-hour tour of Mogosoaia and Snagov for €49, which includes the tomb of Vlad Tepes (Dracula). There is also a full-day trip of Sighisoara, Brasov and Sinaia (€79), and they will even pick you up from, and drop you off back at, your hotel, for free. All entrance fees also included.QC-5, Calea Victoriei 68-70, tel. (+4) 0745 75 27 53, www.traveltobucharest.com.

ROMANIATOGO Visit Romania, pretty much all of it with these people. Besides organising no fewer than four tours of Bucharest (including a Communist Heri-tage Tour) there are also loads of Romania excursions to choose from to. These include Transylvania In One Day, RomaniaToGo, Must See Romania and Meeting Dracula. All tours feature free hotel pick-ups and drop-offs, as well as a local guide. Can also arrange airport transfers.Qtel. (+4) 0733 55 78 50, www.romania-to-go.com.

TRANSVISION TransVision runs a number of tours, includ-ing a Dracula Tour which takes in Peles Castle, Rasnov Citadel and Dracula (Bran) Castle in Transylvania. The price is €59/person. Another option is a two-day tour of Transylvania, also including Sibiu, Sighisoara and Brasov. The price is €159/per-son and includes a night at a three-star hotel with breakfast. All tours include free pick-up and return from any Bucharest hotel, as well as an English-speaking guide (other languages available).Qtel. (+4) 0755 05 26 21, www.transvision.ro.

TRAVELMAKER TravelMaker operates escorted group tours from and around Bucharest, an airport shuttle service and private transfers. Their half-day tour of the city (€29) is an excellent introduction to Bucharest. They also provide hotel accommodation all over Romania, city break packages and short trips. The agency offers the only daily group tour (which anyone can join) to Peles Castle and Bran (Dracula’s) Castle for €69 per person.QStr. Elena Vacarescu 9, bl. XXI-2, tel. (+4) 021 232 03 31, www.bucharestcitytour.com. Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

VMS CITYSHUTTLE VMS CityShuttle offers a number of tours of Bucharest and the surrounding area, as well as the Prahova Valley and southern Transylvania (includ-ing Bran Castle). Prices start at €25 for a half day tour of Bucharest, and €49 for the Bran Tour. Trips to the Buzau wineries, Sibiu and Sighisoara via the Transfagarasan, the Black Sea and Danube Delta available on request.QStr. Nicolae Caramfil 87, et. 6, EKA Building, tel. (+4) 021 204 77 77, www.cityshuttle.ro. Open 24 hours.


Sightseeing

The museum’s saving grace is the house in which it is host-ed: the oldest in Bucharest. Originally called the Casa Melik, it was built around 1750 by the rich Armenian Hagi Kevork Nazaretoglu.QD-5, Str. Spătarului 22, tel. (+4) 021 211 49 79. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5 lei, students and children 2.50 lei.

PARKS & GARDENSBOTANICAL GARDENS (GRĂDINA BOTANICĂ)Bucharest’s rather fabulous Botanical Gardens were found-ed in 1860 with the significant financial backing of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, at the time the leader of the nascent Romanian state. Completed in 1866 to the designs and in-structions of Ulrich Hoffmann, they were originally in the grounds of the Cotroceni Monastery, moving to their pres-ent location in 1884. The gardens today extend over an area of more than 17 hectares, and host more than 10,000 species of plants, approximately half of which are culti-vated in the impressive glasshouses, recently renovated and fabulous: kids love the wide variety of strange plants inside, especially the cacti and the Venus fly traps.QSos. Cotroceni 32, MPolitehnica, tel. (+4) 021 410 91 39, www.gradina-botanica.ro. Gardens Open 08:00-20:00. Botanical Museum Open 10:00-15:00, 09:00-13:00 Sat, Sun, Closed Fri. Greenhouses Open 10:00-13:00, Closed Mon, Wed, Fri. Admission to the gardens 5.00 lei, stu-dents and children 2.00 lei. Museum and greenhouses cost extra: 2 lei adults, 1 leu children.

CAROL PARK (PARCUL CAROL I) Designed in 1906 by the French landscape artist Eduard Redont, Carol Park is today dominated by the massive Monument to the Heroes of the Struggle for Freedom and Socialism (it stands 48 metres high) built in 1963 and which until 1990 housed the remains of communist leaders Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej and Petre Groza (it is today the site of the tomb of the unknown Romanian soldier). The park offers some pleasant walks along tree-lined paths, playgrounds and terraces, and a good view of central Bucharest from the monument. The Arenele Romane in the west of the park, next to the observatory of the Astronomic Institute of the Romanian Academy is a popular venue for concerts. Close by is the gorgeous Cutitul de Argint Church,

built in 1796 and famous for its many exterior icons. On the other side of the park it is worth looking out for the medieval-looking Tepes Castle (which in fact dates from 1906), once a water tower but now used as offices. QC-7, Calea Serban Vodă, MEroii Revolutiei.

CISMIGIU GARDENS (GRĂDINA CISMIGIU)The most central of the city’s public gardens, Cismigiu is a haven of lawns, trees, flowers and lakes. Cismigiu was first designed and laid out in 1845 by the German landscape architect Carl Meyer, but not completed until 1860. More than 30,000 trees and plants were brought in from the Ro-manian mountains, while exotic plants were fetched from the botanical gardens in Vienna. Highlights of the 17 hect-are garden include the Roman Garden, laid out in the style of ancient Rome, and including busts of Romania’s most famous writers, and the lake, which come winter can be skated on.QB-5, Between B-dul Regina Elisabeta, Calea Victoriei, Str. Stirbei Vodă and B-dul Schitu Măgureanu, MUniversitate.

HERĂSTRĂU PARK This glorious park, spread over 187 hectares around Herastrau lake is one of the jewels in Bu-charest’s crown, which might explain why half of the city chooses to spend its Sunday afternoons here. The first thing you will see when entering the park from Piata Charles de Gaulle is a tall, bronze, rather bizarre statue of de Gaulle himself. Unveiled in 2006 the statue is the work of local art-ist Mircea Corneliu Spataru, and was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to commemorate Bucharest’s hosting that year of the Francophonie conference. Charles de Gaulle is not the only historic figure honoured in this part of the park with a statue or bust, however. In fact, the alleyways and paths which fan out from the entrance are all dotted with famous people, from Romanian revolutionary Nicolae Balcescu to Bengali literature’s most important figure, Rabi-ndranath Tagore. Look out also for local artists Nicolae Gri-gorescu, Constantin Brancusi and Theodor Aman, as well as writers George Cosbuc, Alexandru Vlahuta and Romania’s national poet, Mihai Eminescu. Other foreigners honoured with statues include William Shakespeare, Ady Endre, San-dor Petofi and Victor Hugo. Oh, and there’s a memorial to Michael Jackson too. Yes, really.QB-3, Sos. Kiseleff 32, MAviatorilor.


Old Town

Z BoutiqueK&K

Elisabeta

Novotel GrandContinental

Capitol

Majestic

Casa Capsa

Central

Cismigiu

Opera

HistoryMuseum

DomnitaBalasa

Old Court Palace & Church Cocor

Baratiei

Coltea Church & Hospital

RussianChurch

StavropoleosChurch

Sf. Dumitru

Doamnei

Mihai Voda

Museum ofBucharest

Rembrandt

Tania

Europa Royale

Old Town - which most locals call Centru Vechi (Old Centre) - is a little pocket of 19th and early 20th century Bucharest which survived both the bombing of World War II and the bulldozers of Romania’s communist planners. It is described by Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta and Piata Universitatii to the north, Bulevardul IC Bratianu to the east, the river to the south and Calea Victoriei to the west. Not more than one kilometre square, the area boasts more restaurants, pubs and clubs than any other district in the city.

GETTING THEREYou can walk to the Old Town from most parts of the city centre. Two metro stations serve the area: Piata Universitatii to the north and Piata Unirii to the south. Note that most of the Old Town’s streets are pedestrianised, with access for

vehicles strictly limited (well, strictly by Romanian stand-ards). There is an underground car park at Piata Universitatii, accessed via Strada Doamnei. Taxis will usually drop you off at what is known as La Bariera (at the bottom end of Strada Selari) or at the National Bank. When leaving the Old Town always be careful to take an honest taxi: see page eight for more on taxis in Bucharest.

OLD TOWN WALKBegin your exploration of Old Town at the four statues in Piata Universitatii, before heading to the Russian Church (officially called the St. Nicholas Students’ Church). From here, it’s worth popping along to the Museum of Bucha-rest in the Sutu Palace before doubling back along Strada Ion Ghica until you get to the National Bank, on the other side of which is the majestic Pasajul Macca-Villacrosse, and Strada Lipscani: the street whose name is often used to describe the whole Old Town area. Then make sure you head along Strada Stavropoleos to see its architectural gems: the church which shares its name and the Caru’ cu Bere pub and restaurant. Head out on to Calea Victoriei to take a look at the Zlatari Church, National History Museum and CEC building before coming back into the Old Town via Strada Franceza and the Sf. Dumitru Church. At the far end, in Piata Sf Anton, is the Old Court Palace and Church: the very raison d’etre of the entire Old Town area. The Hanul Manuc is opposite. For more details on all of the sights you will spot along the way, see the Old Town Sights listings, which begin on page 63.


Old Town

OLD TOWN CAFESBRUNO WINE & COFFEE SHOP So much more than wine and coffee on offer here you will be forgiven for thinking you have the wrong place! This is a bistro really, a genuine French style place, where good wine by the glass is available next to a decent spread of simple food, with a regularly changing menu.QC-6, Str. Covaci 3, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 317 17 41/(+4) 0757 55 72 91, www.brunowine.ro. Open 16:00 - 24:00. PBSW

FRENCH BAKERY Bucharest’s smartest chain of baker-ies comes to Old Town, complete with its fine selection of sandwiches, delicious tarts and cakes, great coffee and a super terrace - in the right weather - outside on the sexi-est part of Old Town. Could be just about the best place in Bucharest for coffee, regardless of the time of day.QC-6, Str. Smardan 13, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 316 10 27, www.frenchbakery.ro. Open 09:30 - 24:00. PBSW

GODOT CAFE TEATRU Cafe, bistro and theatre on Stra-da Blanari in the Old Town. There are performances every day (with matinees at weekends) of all sorts of plays, from Shakespeare to Neil Simon and contemporary Romanian productions, and feature plenty of top local acting talent. Even actors used to bigger stages make a habit of perform-ing here in the uniquely intimate auditorium. There’s some good simple food too, such as pasta, salads, omelettes: that kind of thing. A highly recommendable experience.QC-6, Str. Blanari 14, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 316 16 82/

(+4) 0736 41 42 44, www.godotcafeteatru.ro. Open 12:00 - 05:00. Box office open daily 12:00-19:00. PW

GRAND CAFE VAN GOGH Amazing how quickly this place became the default Bucharest ‘meet you there’ ven-ue. Its genius is that it’s ideal at every time of day: morning coffee or breakfast sat in front of one of the long windows, a business lunch at one of the wooden tables, a meal and a late night at the bar. The food is good - simple and very reasonably priced - and this Dutch owned, friendly cafe is a winner: you will go back more than once. There is also a specialist wine bar downstairs, meeting and function rooms upstairs, and they now do a great brunch, on Sat-urday and Sunday from 10:00-16:00.QC-6, Str. Smardan 9, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 031 107 63 71, www.vangogh.ro. Open 08:30 - 24:00, Fri 08:30 - 01:00, Sat 10:00 - 01:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. Non-smoking lounge open 17:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 -24:00. PSW

KLEIN CAFE Good cafe situated on the mezzanine floor of the Rembrandt hotel; it is the only non-smoking cafe in the Old Town we believe. They serve a great continental breakfast until 10am, with a vast selection of croissants, muffins, Dutch cheeses, meats, yoghurts, cereals and freshly squeezed orange juice, while throughout the rest of the day fresh, warm waffles are served with a choice of toppings. Good hot chocolate, and a wide range of exotic teas. Nice.QC-6, Str. Smardan 11, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 93 15/(+4) 021 313 93 16, www.rembrandt.ro. Open 07:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 24:00. PGSW


Old Town

LES BOURGEOISA veritable Strada Smardan legend of a venue, whose longevity is a credit to its management who keep rethink-ing and reinventing the menu and making sure there is always good reason to come and eat, drink or just have one of over 30 (we counted) coffees here. Foodwise, there is plenty to choose from: so much in fact that making in-dividual recommendations is pointless. Everyone will find something they like. Top desserts, too. Get in.QC-6, Str. Smardan 20, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 310 60 52/(+4) 0720 13 29 94, www.lesbourgeois.ro. Open 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 10:00 - 04:00. PSW

VALEA REGILOR Thick Turkish coffee served in one of Calea Victoriei’s grand old passages. Alongside the cof-fee and cakes - sweet and sickly but irresistible - you can also get your hands on a Nargile, those Turkish water pipes that offer an allegedly much healthier way to smoke to-bacco.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 16-20 (Pasajul Villacrosse), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 311 29 69/(+4) 0761 50 03 00, www.valea-regilor.ro. Open 09:00 - 03:00. NBSW

OLD TOWN RESTAURANTSWhile probably famed more for its nightlife than its food, the Old Town area of Bucharest is in fact home to some superb places to eat: both high end, fine-dining establish-ments as well as kebabs and take-aways.

FINE DININGMULANRUJ DINING THEATRE & CLUBUpstairs at Bordello’s is the Mulanruj Dining Theatre, a dinner and events venue where there is regular cabaret, stand-up comedy, live music and theme parties and such like. There is a wide range of dining options, and the food - as you would expect from the people who run Bordello’s - is very good. You get all the details about upcoming events and performances from Bordello’s or the venue’s Facebook page.QC-6, Str. Selari 9-11, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0748 88 10 85, www.bordellos.ro. Open 19:00 - 24:00. €€€. PEW

THE ARTIST RESTAURANTConsistently brilliant, this is food as art. The work of a young Dutch chef, this amazing restaurant is something special. The menu changes with the seasons, and the Dover sole with parsnips and raisin chutney is probably our pick of the current menu, alongside the homemade truffle turkey sausage. For dessert, the cucumber sorbet is a refreshing surprise. The restaurant offers a spoon tasting menu for those who want to try all the main courses currently be-ing served. In keeping with the food the restaurant itself is contemporary and upmarket, a mix of the bright and the simple, chic without ever going over the top. Prices reflect the high quality.QC-6, Str. Nicolae Tonitza 13, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0728 31 88 71, www.theartist.ro. Open 12:30 - 23:00. Closed Mon. €€€€. PW


Old Town

FOOD & DRINKBURGERBAR Not just another Bucharest burger bar, this place could well be the Bucharest burger bar. Served with fantastic, chunky, Belgian-style fries, crispy onion rings, four homemade sauces and Heinz ketchup they have gone the extra mile here. The burgers are made on the spot from fresh ground beef, and there are loads of toppings to choose from. Kids love the mini-burgers. The

desserts are OK too: you haven’t eaten a fudge in Bucha-rest until you’ve tried the one they’re serving here. Add in funky contemporary decor and you have a place we are more than happy to recommend.QC-6, Str. Lipscani (Pasajul Selari), MPiata Universitatii, tel. (+4) 021 313 03 76. Open 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 04:00. Also at (B-3) Calea Dorobantilor 182, tel. (+40) 21 233 90 96. €€. PVSW

EMBASSY HANUL CU TEI Making very good use of the courtyard of Hanul cu Tei, always one of our favourite parts of Lipscani, Embassy is a terrace (in summer) and indoor lounge which serves food and drink to an older, wiser and simply nicer crowd than many other places we could mention in Old Town. Good bistro food, decent cocktails and reason-able prices. For those in the know, this is the sister establish-ment of the original Embassy on Piata Lahovari.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 63-65, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0733 50 03 03, www.embassy-hanulcutei.ro. Open 10:00 - 02:00. Also at (C-4) P-ta Lahovari 8, Open 11:30-03:00. €€€. PSW

FRENCHBON Fabulous food in a wonderful setting, created using antique doors and window frames, the work of the de-signer du jour in this part of the world, who also came up with the concept for Energiea, Atelier Mecanic, Biutiful and La Bonne Bouche (to which it bears a passing resemblance). The food is worthy of the surroundings: the onion soup with Gruyere is amazing, the New Zealand lamb chops

OLD TOWN SHOPSSOUVENIR SHOP Everything you would want from a decent souvenir shop - with both Romania and Bu-charest branded gifts available - and more besides.QC-5, Str. Smardan 13, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0722 32 25 40/(+4) 0723 65 55 84, www.souvenir-shop.com.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00.

THOMAS ANTIQUES By common consent the best antique shop in the city. Stocks everything from fur-niture and paintings to clocks and decorations, with new pieces being added all the time. Upstairs you can even drink coffee, beer or cocktails in the bar: yep, sit and drink coffee on an antique chair and picture yourself doing the same at home.QC-6, Str. Covaci 19, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0752 44 08 18, (+4) 021 310 43 89, www.thomas-antiques.ro. Open 12:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PW


Old Town

tender, and the mussels fresh. Prices are reasonable given the quality, although if you hit the oysters and champagne of course the bill will be high!QC-6, Str. Smardan 33, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 367 21 98/(+4) 0721 37 56 22, www.bonrestaurant.ro. Open 12:30 - 24:00. Closed Mon. €€€€. PSW

CHOCOLAT Hard to pin this place down. Is it a cafe serv-ing chocolate, or a chocolate shop serving a little coffee? In fact, it is neither. It is a brilliant restaurant serving delicious, well priced light meals (soups, pasta, salad) of a French and Italian bent. There is chocolate of course - loads of it - as well as more kinds of gourmet bread than we could pos-sibly list. Find it next to Caru cu Bere.QC-5, Calea Victoriei 12A, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0728 03 41 75/(+4) 021 314 92 45, www.chocolat.com.ro. Open 08:30 - 23:30. Also at (B-3) Str. Radu Beller 13, tel. (+4) 021 230 23 83, Afi Palace Cotroceni, tel. (+4) 0727 84 68 02 and Baneasa Shopping City, tel. (+4) 0730 60 88 88. €€€. PSW

LA BONNE BOUCHEDoes what it does - simple French bistro food - better than anywhere else in the city. Try the sublime onion soup, calves liver with sage and garlic mash and the lemon meringue pie. Look for the chef’s specials too. An open kitchen is always a good sign, and we love the variety of reading material in the toilets. Just a brilliantly simple place. Note that they accept Amex cards: not everywhere does in Bucharest.QC-6, Str. Franceza 30, MPiata Unirii,

tel. (+4) 0731 24 78 76, www.labonnebouche.ro. Open 12:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PESW

GREEKFOOD & TRAVEL CONCEPT STORE You can now taste Greece while booking a holiday to... Greece. This bright eatery complete with blue and white chequered tablecloths opposite the National Bank in the Old Town serves a good range of Greek dishes (including decent-sized salads made with real Greek cheese and superb fresh grilled sardines) for more than reasonable prices. Plenty of meze options, so we recommend just ordering a load of those and tucking in.QC-6, Str. Smardan 7, MUniversi-tate, tel. (+4) 0720 80 02 40, www.foodtravel.ro/. Open 10:00 - 01:00. €€. PESW

MEZE TAVERNA Another excellent Greek restaurant. It even looks the part - we love the lampshades made from empty olive oil cans - while the food itself is seriously, seriously good. There is tons of seafood on the gorgeous menu (the fish soup and the prawns with tomatoes and cheese are musts), alongside what is some of the best lamb we’ve eaten in Bucharest. The Greek burger is a nice treat too. The chef, Georgios, is always coming up with tasty daily specials. The house red is a drinkable bargain.QC-6, Str. Nicolae Tonita 6, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 539 53 53, www.mezetaverna.ro. Open 10:00 - 02:00. €€€. PESW


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INDIANLITTLE INDIA It was about time Old Town got itself a decent curry house, and Little India is it. From the same people who have been cooking up first class Indian food at Karishma for more than a decade now, this superb place has quickly become the talk of Lipscani. Expect a similar menu to the one at Karishma, including a couple of searing vindaloos, and a lamb rogan josh to rival that of any Indian anywhere. Plenty for vegetarians, and the mango shake is a treat.QC-6, Str. Franceza 7, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0720 78 67 86. Open 12:00 - 23:30. €€€. PVSW

ITALIANBEL MONDO A good Italian restaurant, one of the bet-ter ones in the Old Town, which offers decent food - we recommend the fresh tomato soup with mozarella - at prices that are more than reasonable. The pizzas are excel-lent (and huge) and the space itself is big, open, light and blessed with sensationally high ceilings. Easily the best occupant of the old Amsterdam Cafe location since Amster-dam itself. Big terrace too as long as the weather is good.QC-6, Str. Covaci 6, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0725 96 66 36/(+4) 0721 22 02 73, www.restaurantbelmondo.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PSW

COCO BONGO Love the name, love the attitude. Looks more like a pub from outside, and in fact it is both pub and restaurant, the kind of place you can eat very well but nobody minds if you just spend all night on the sauce. The food is Italian, is good if a little pricey (some of the dishes, anyway). The pizzas are good and cheap though, and the service good, quick and friendly. Worth a look.QC-6, Str. Covaci 1, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0754 02 04 34, www.coco-bongo.ro. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00. €€€. PESW

TRATTORIA BUONGIORNOWe have always loved Trattoria Buongiorno, and have quickly become big fans of its most recent location in the Old Town. Decent Italian food (there is a small but good selection of fish dishes which are well worth look-ing out for). and one of the biggest and busiest terraces

in Bucharest (at the right time of year) make it a seriously good eat and watch the world go by type place. (And at weekends, it can feel like the whole city is going by).QC-6, Str. Franceza 52, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0733 11 04 64, www.trattoriabuongiorno.ro. Open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. Also at (B-2) Str. Herăstrău 2; (B-4) B-dul Lascar Cartagiu 56; Baneasa Shopping Center, 1st floor. €€€. PBSW

VECCHIO 1812We love it. Making fantastic use of a gorgeous old building on Strada Covaci, this Italian restaurant looks and feels like the kind of place you want spend all evening in. The food is superior Italian, as you would expect from one of the city’s best chefs, and while prices are not cheap they certainly reflect quality. The jacket potatoes in a salt crust are one of the best (and most original) starters we have ever tasted in Bucharest. Go there.QC-6, Str. Covaci 16, MPiata Uni-rii, tel. (+4) 031 430 95 77, www.vecchio1812.ro. Open 11:00 - 24:30. €€€. PSW

LEBANESESINDBAD New Lebanese restaurant in Old Town serv-ing what might just be the best lentil soup in Bucharest. Fabulous fresh bread too (made on site) and a decent range of mutton dishes as main courses. There’s both an exterior (at the right time of year) and interior terrace, and the decor is vaguely Middle Eastern without over-doing it.


Old Town

ROMANIANCARU’ CU BERE Should probably be the first stop on the food and drink list of any visitor to Bucharest. Wonder-ful interiors - painted ceilings, ornate woodwork - make the place an attraction in itself, but do not leave without trying some food. The breakfast is worth getting up early for, the sarmale with mamaliga terrific, and the baked ap-ple a simple, tasty treat. They even serve their own rather good beer. The service is usually good (now: it never used to be; back in the 1980s and 1990s it was infamously bad) and there is a terrace in summer. We should also mention the touristy but nevertheless enjoyable folklore show which takes place most evenings.QC-6, Str. Stavropoleos 5, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 75 60/(+4) 0726 28 23 73, www.carucubere.ro. Open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. €€€. PESW

CITY GRILL They call these places ‘your dining room in the city,’ and given the homely food and cheap prices they might just be right. You can expect big portions of deli-cious, often rather adventurous Romanian food, cooked and presented wonderfully and always served with a smile. We like the carnati de plescoi, tasty smoked sausages made with mutton and pork, while there are also no fewer than five types of mici on the menu. There’s a good selection of local beers to choose from too. As a reliable, good value diner it’s hard to beat.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 12, MUniver-sitate, tel. (+4) 0729 62 62 62/(+4) 021 314 24 89, www.citygrill.ro. Open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. Also

We liked the comfy chairs.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 19, MU-niversitate, tel. (+4) 021 317 77 88/(+4) 0735 22 28 88, www.restaurantsindbad.ro. Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€€. PVSW

MEDITERRANEANCHARME Some of the finest food in Old Town, served in one of the most elegant and classiest locations around. Check out the nice little touches such as high quality bread and olives, the high ceilings and airy atmosphere, then order some fine, light Californian-inspired cuisine. It’s a winner from start to finish.QC-6, Str. Smardan 12, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0737 50 38 90, www.charme.ro. Open 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 01:00. €€€€. PBSW

MODERN EUROPEANLOCAL COLONIAL With its lovely little booths this place has the feel of a rath-er upmarket American diner. In fact, it is far more than that: a superb restaurant serving some fairly inventive food - in-cluding some sublime desserts - alongside a long list of cocktails and a decent selection of wine. There are plenty of live events, including concerts from local bands and musicians. It’s a relaxed place, and you will want to spend a long evening here.QC-6, Str. Covaci 19, tel. (+4) 0762 00 00 01, www.localcolonial.ro. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Sat 11:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PSW


Old Town

at (C-6) Str. Covaci 19, tel. (+4) 0727 62 62 62; (B-2) B-dul Primaverii 3, tel. (+4) 021 233 98 18 and Calea Floreasca 175, tel. (+4) 0727 54 33 33. €€. PVEBSW

CRAMA DOMNEASCA Right in the heart of Bucharest’s historic centre, this is Romanian food of indeed historic proportions. You can expect right royal portions of all your Romanian favourites, from spare ribs and mutton to tender pork steaks. The home baked bread is always served warm and the wine flows copiously as evenings get longer and longer. It’s the kind of place where you will be discretely but contentedly loosening your belt before the night is done.QC-6, Str. Selari 13-15, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0758 33 30 00, www.cramadomneasca.net. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Mon 14:00-24:00. €€. PVESW

HANUL LUI MANUC (HANUL MANUC, MANUC’S INN) Built in 1808 the enormous, three-level Hanul lui Manuc (Manuc’s Inn) is one of Europe’s last remaining caravan-serai. The interior courtyard is a spectacular sight and essential for any visitor to Bucharest, not least the grand staircase to your left as you enter from Strada Franceza. A hostelry ever since it opened the Han has seldom looked better, and is currently home to two restaurants: Manuc’s Bistro (which serves Romanian food: good mici) and Le-vantin, a Lebanese eatery.QC-6, Str. Franceza, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 313 14 11, www.hanulluimanuc.ro. Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€. TEBSW

LACRIMI SI SFINTI Romanian poet, revolutionary and raconteur Mircea Di-nescu’s latest culinary adventure is this classy place in the Old Town. As much a showcase for the (very good) wines Dinescu produces on his country estate as anything else, the food is good: a selection of traditional Romanian dishes with a big focus on game. The prices are decent enough and the place is charmingly decorated (look out for the signs for the loos, made from Lego). You will want to stay way after you have finished your meal.QC-6, Str. Sep-cari 16, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0372 77 39 99/(+4) 0725 55 82 86, www.lacrimisisfinti.com. Open 12:30 - 02:00, Mon 18:00 - 02:00. €€€. PESW

TURKISHDIVAN From the Middle Eastern atmosphere and superb decor to the great service, Divan is a lesson in creating a good res-taurant. The well-priced food is good value Turkish/Middle Eastern, and it’s very good indeed. They will even cook you a whole lamb if you give them 24 hours notice. We opted for the less Sultan-like beef and lamb kebabs. Very good they were too. After your meal you can enjoy a smoke on a hookah pipe: there’s a huge range of flavours to choose from.QC-6, Str. Franceza 46-48, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 312 30 34, www.thedivan.ro. Open 10:00 - 02:00. Also at (C-2) Calea Floreasca 111-113. €€€. PBSW


Old Town

OLD TOWN BARSBucharest’s bars generally fall in one of three groups: Cock-tail & Quirky where you will mainly find good cocktails, a laid-back atmosphere and the odd quirky feature, Upmar-ket (often hotel-based) bars for business folk and those looking to impress their dates, and Wine Bars, where fine grape is the order of the day.

COCKTAILS & QUIRKYBICICLETA The name means Bicycle, and it will not take you long to work out why: the place is by and large fur-nished and decorated with parts of old bicycles. On the second floor of a Lipscani house the place boasts a good long bar, plenty of stools (some of which incorporate old bike seats) and a couple of leather sofas for those who want something a bit more comfortable. Coffee by day and cocktails by night is the order of things, and at the weekend the place has a DJ and quite frankly rocks. Tour de France? Tour de force.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 38, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0735 61 62 98. Open 16:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 16:00 - 05:00. PW

INTERBELIC Having moved from its previous, hidden location you could have forgiven this now legendary bar for going mainstream: the good news it that it hasn’t. In-terbelic still has that speakeasy feel, like a well-kept secret amongst people in the know. The new location is bigger,

serves food, has live music some evenings but is still first choice to bring somebody you really want to impress with your insider’s knowledge of Bucharest.QC-6, Calea Vic-toriei 17, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0722 10 01 93, www.interbelic.ro. Open 18:00 - 02:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 05:00. PENW

LABORATORUL DE COCKTAILURI Our new favourite Old Town location? Possibly. It’s a cocktail bar (there is beer too, of course, on tap, as well as hundreds of teas) where everything has been thought out to the minutest detail. The name means Cocktail Factory, so you get your Tom Col-lins or Mojito or whatever takes your fancy in a conical flask, while the bar itself looks like an old pharmacy. Unusually, they have even invested in decent bar stools. QC-6, Str. Stavropoleos 8, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0722 52 80 40. Open 17:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 06:00. PNW

PAPIOTA Papiota is one of our favourite Bucharest bars. Packed with odd chairs, tables and industrial bits and bobs, it could easily have a hipster attitude: Thankfully it doesn’t. Add in the fact that it is a bit bigger than many Old Town bars and that late on a Friday you stand a chance of getting in the door and you have a top place. It also has lots of big windows, the drinks are reasonably well priced (this is Old Town) and the music is clubby without over- (or under-) doing it.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 43, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 367 27 77, www.papiota.ro. Open 14:00 - 02:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 05:30. PBW


Old Town

REHAB BARAn Old Town bar has to be a bit different these days to grab our attention: Rehab is just that. It’s the kind of place you see anywhere and everywhere, except in Bucharest. Until now. With cushions on wooden steps making impromptu seats and a sofa at the window, it’s just very different and highly welcome. The drinks menu is done in the style of a medical journal, and offers the usual mix of coffee, tea, cocktails and smoothies. For added quirkiness you get the bill in a sample bottle.QC-6, Str. Gabroveni 19, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0726 12 25 52. Open 14:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 04:00. PW

UPMARKETENTOURAGE CENTRUL VECHIYou will like this place. A nice long bar, proper tall bar stools and even leather armchairs for those who want to chill. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from one of the best bar menus in Bucharest: you will find something on it you fancy. There must be 100 lamps hanging down from the ceiling: all different. Startlingly brilliant place, re-freshingly free of brewery branding too: always a bonus these days.QC-6, Str. Eugen Carada 5-7, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0722 93 79 72, [email protected]. Open 10:00 - 02:00. PSW

KLEIN BAR & BISTROBar and bistro inside the Rembrandt hotel. It’s a great place to enjoy a drink with friends, and the location at the edge of Bucharest’s newly-formed pedestrian zone makes it a favourite for those looking for something just a little more restful. Good bistro food too, and like the hotel itself, ev-erything comes at very reasonable prices. Even acts as an ad hoc Tourist Info Centre.QC-6, Str. Smardan 11, MUni-versitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 93 15, www.rembrandt.ro. Open 07:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 23:00. PGW

THE BAZAARClub Tropicana. It’s not every day you see a palm tree or two in a Bucharest bar, neither are there too many places in Old Town as big as this: there’s upstairs (complete with comfy armchairs), downstairs, and on warmer evenings

LATE NIGHT FOOD

CALIF Besides serving decent standard kebabs, Calif prides itself on also offering more than a few ‘healthy‘ options, as well as a number of vegetarian kebabs and dishes They also do what we will happily admit is a very good lentil soup.QC-6, Str. Selari 19, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+40) 21 310 15 62, www.calif.ro. Open 24hrs.

CHICKEN STAFF KFC on the ground floor of Unirea closes at 23:00, so instead get yourself here for your late night/early morning chicken fix. They do superb pui la rotiserie: tasty chicken roasted slowly over a spit.QC-6, Str. Smardan 31, MPiata Unirii. Open 11:00 - 05:00.

DRISTOR KEBAP Legendary chain of kebab shops, which began in Dris-tor but has now spread city wide, even in to Old Town.QC-6, Str. Franceza 17, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 315 55 40, www.dristorkebap.ro. Open 24 hrs. Also at (C-7) B-dul Marasesti 42, Calea Vacaresti 391, B-dul Camil Ressu 1 and B-dul Timisoara 26.

GYROS THESSALONIKI In our opinion, this place serves the best chicken ke-bab in Bucharest. It’s a regular late-night haunt of ours and the queues speak for themselves. Alongside the kebabs there are also salads, lamb dishes and sweets. Cheap too: it’s a winner.QC-6, Str. Gabroveni 2, MPi-ata Unirii. Open 24hrs.

MCDONALD’S The good news is McDonald’s has finally brought breakfast to Romania, so that much sought-after Sausage and Egg McMuffin can now be yours at most central Bucharest McDonald’s outlets. But only until 10:00, alas. We do wish they would serve them all day.QC-6, P-ta Unirii 1 (Unirea Shopping Centre), MPiata Unirii, www.mcdonalds.ro. Open 07:00-24:00, Fri, Sat 07:00-01:00. McDrive at (A-4) Str. Dr. Felix 8-10, (E-6) Sos. Mihai Bravu 307, Sos. Pierre de Coubertine 3-5, (C-3) Str. Barbu Vacarescu 146-158 and Str. Brasov 23A all open 24hrs.


Old Town

everyone spills out on to the street outside. On one of Old Town’s less-crowded streets this is a good alternative to the madness elsewhere. Music is loungesque, supplied by a DJ who knows his onions. Fun and sunshine.QC-6, Str. Covaci 10, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0721 99 99 99, www.thebazaar.ro. Open 10:00 - 02:30, Fri 10:00 - 04:30, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 04:30. PW

THE DRUNKEN LORDS It’s alright this place: worth looking out for. In a side street between Lipscani and Bla-nari, you will find a good, lively pub playing decent music and offering a vibe a little more upmarket than most other places in the Old Town (especially those in and around this little alleyway). Hosts live music, sports and regular cul-tural events. The big windows open up in full during the warmer months, and the place becomes like an open air bar. Very cool.QC-6, Intr. Nicolae Selari 3-5, MUniversi-tate, tel. (+4) 0736 23 88 15, www.thedrunkenlords.ro. Open 17:00 - 5:00. PEBSW

WINE BARSNEWABEL’S WINE BAR Genuinely gorgeous little wine bar one of the most char-acter-filled streets in the Old Town. This place oozes charm from every corner, its simple yet striking decor a refreshing change from some of the more gaudy places in the area. Stocks a wide selection of terrific wine from all over the world, and most are available by the glass. There’s also tea, very good coffee and long drinks. You will love it.QC-6, Str. Nicolae Tonitza 10, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0371 03 36 43, www.abelswinebar.ro. Open 16:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon. PXSW

CORKS COZY BAR Nice little wine bar tucked away on an Old Town side street which quickly won itself a handy following of admirers and regulars. A look at the wine list will be enough to tell you why, offering as it does a vast range of wines from across the world. Almost all of them are available by the glass. The idea behind this place was to create a wine bar where anyone - no matter how little they know about wine - would feel welcome, comfortable

and not be intimidated.QStr. Bacani 1, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 311 22 65, www.corks.ro. Open 13:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 13:00 - 04:00, Sun 13:00 - 24:00. PSW

THOMAS ANTIQUES BAR Above the Thomas Antiques shop in Old Town is a cafe, tea house and bar where you can enjoy a hot white chocolate (or something stronger) while discussing the merits of the goods you’ve been ad-miring. There’s nothing quite like taking tea on an antique chair you might end up taking home. Regular events too, from string quartets to book launches and the like.QC-6, Str. Covaci 19, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0752 44 08 18, www.thomas-antiques.ro. Open 12:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PW

OLD TOWN PUBSBEER O’CLOCK This little pub in Pasajul Villacrosse has probably the biggest selection bottled beers in the city: so it is aptly named. With brews from all over the world you could drink a different beer every night for a month and not try the same one twice. What’s more, besides the beer they also have the appropriate glass in which to serve it: great attention to details. Tiny, with only a few places to sit, it’s worth reserving if you want to be sure of a seat. Note: there is now a much bigger Beer O’Clock on Strada Gabroveni further down in Old Town.QC-6, Pasajul Vila-crosse, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0767 23 33 35, www.beeroclock.ro. Open 16:00 - 02:00. Also at (C-6) Str. Ga-broveni 4. Open 17:00 - 02:00. PVSW

BIUTIFUL When you walk in, you will see where the name comes from: it is indeed biutiful, an enormous in-dustrial-chic space with a little added glamour (check out the lights and the comfy sofas), creating a rather special atmosphere rather like an upmarket, contemporary cen-tral London bar and grill. The food is more than decent - salads, tapas and burgers - with the beef and horseradish sandwich a confirmed winner. A must visit for either drinks or food, preferably both. Reservations up to 19:00, after that it’s first come first served.QC-6, Str. Gabroveni 6-8, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0737 29 72 97, www.biutiful.ro. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Mon 17:00 - 01:00. PSW


Old Town

BORDELLO There is always something going on here, every night of the week. From quiz nights and live music to the burlesque every Friday night, this is a one-stop shop for great nights out. There’s Heineken, Murphy’s and Paulaner on tap and Sky Sports on four screens. The food is great, with some rather special tapas, including the ribs which are just about the best we’ve ever had in Bucharest. At the week-ends, head downstairs to the Boudoir, and note that upstairs is the new Mulanruj Dining Theatre, with live cabaret. You can’t miss this place by the way: just look for the ‘tarts’ in their underwear beckoning you in.QC-6, Str. Selari 9-11, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0748 88 10 85, www.bordellos.ro. Open 11:00 - 02:00, Fri 11:00 - 06:00, Sat 14:00 - 06:00, Sun 14:00 - 02:00. PESW

NEWEXPAT PUB Looking to become one of the city’s default after work and expat venues, this place has plenty going for it, not least the hands-on owners and the great staff: they clearly know what an actual pub should look and feel like, which is nothing less than revolutionary for this city. For instance, it’s got a great wooden bar and proper stools so you can sit at the bar itself. (We are fed up with Bucharest pubs telling us we can’t sit at the bar). Hosting regular events, from theme parties to karaoke, you will find this place at the northern edge of the Old Town, at the end of the little alley that runs from Lipscani to Blanari, opposite the church.QC-6, Str. Blanari 21, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0729 72 87 82, www.expatpub.ro. Open 19:00 - 07:00. Closed Mon.

EXPLORER’S PUB A likeable Irish pub on Strada Franceza whose biggest attraction - besides a more than decent pint of Guinness - is the vast collection of maps on the walls. We also like the fact that you can sit at the bar on a proper bar stool, while the selection of food is better - and more varied - than you would expect to find at your average pub. Very nicely done indeed.QC-6, Str. Franceza 9, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0735 19 01 31, www.explorerspub.ro. Open 12:00 - 03:00. PW

LA 100 DE BERI The name (as you might have guessed) means 100 Beers, and that’s exactly what they have here: beer, and lots of it, from all over the world. In fact, look-ing at the menu they have considerably more than 100 beers, and there is more besides: shorts and cocktails for those who don’t fancy a beer. Nice long, English-style bar.QC-6, Str. Covaci 8, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0784 24 60 46. Open 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. PBW

OKTOBERFEST What makes this place so special is how very ordinary it is. You will find the crowd more local than foreign - never a bad thing - and ordinary ‘out for a drink and a good time’ locals at that, not the fitze crowd. The own-ers try to make something happen every night, whether it’s football on the television or impromptu drinking competi-tions. The house Oktoberfest beer is a bargain at 4 lei a glass. Upstairs is Oktoberfest 2, which has a small terrace.QC-6, Str. Selari 9 -11, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0724 33 32 33, www.oktoberfest-pub.ro. Open 24hrs. Also at (C-6) Str. France-za 3. Open 10:00 - 07:00. PNBW


Old Town

OLD CITY Very good, always lively pub and club with regular live music and other events on Lipscani with a huge beer garden (in the right weather) out the back. Serves a decent range of very good cocktails (a sweet-as-you-like mojito went down very well with Mrs. In Your Pocket on our last visit) and some pub grub that is far better than you would assume. A big screen shows football and the like, and it hosts loads of theme nights, from Insane Wednes-days to Champagne Saturdays.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 45, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0729 37 77 74, www.oldcity-lipscani.ro. Open 10:00 - 05:00. PEBSW

RE:PUBLIC BRASSERIE Re:Public is the best thing to happen to the Old Town in many a day. A big, bold venue which both looks and feels just right, it’s a party-central kind of place with a top selec-tion of beer, live music downstairs in the Bierhalle and some very good bistro food. There are top German sausages for a start (including currywurst), alongside one of the tastiest pork knuckles you will eat in this city. Oxtail stew and the chocolate and Guinness mousse were the other stand-out dishes we tried. Top draught beer selection too.QC-6, Str. Selari 14, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0748 88 10 86, www.therepublic.ro. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri 12:00 - 05:00, Sat 14:00 - 05:00, Sun 14:00 - 01:00. PESW

OLD TOWN BEERHALLSBERARIA HANUL CU TEI With its big long bar, lively atmosphere and regular crowd of beer drinkers out for a good time and not to pose, it would be easy to nomi-nate this place as the best pub in the Old Town. Add in a brilliant range of sausages (weisswurst, bratwurst, Polish bangers and local mici) and it starts to get very difficult not to call this the best pub in Old Town. And when we tell you there is live music from a resident band at the week-ends you will know you need to go there immediately.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 63-65, tel. (+4) 0727 57 13 71, www.berariahanulcutei.ro. Open 10:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 05:00. PESW

CURTEA BERARILOR Once upon a time the whole of the Curtea Sticlarilor was given over to artisans - espe-cially glassmakers - from whence the name. Now only a

few survive and no less than four bars have opened here. This one has given itself the rather cheeky name Curtea Berarilor (Brewers’ Courtyard), though there is no brewing done on the site. Instead make do with plenty of on-tap pints, of which the default option is Timisoreana.QC-6, Str. Selari 9-11, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 313 75 32, www.curteaberarilor.com. Open 13:00 - 04:00, Mon, Tue, Wed 13:00 - 01:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PBSW

RE:PUBLIC BIERHALLE Downstairs at Re:Public is the Bierhalle, which besides of-fering decent regular live music serves what is probably the best selection of draught beer in the city. There’s an IPA, a Brown Ale and even cider on tap. With big long tables in classic beerhall style there are usually enough seats to keep punters happy, but at the weekend you will do well to reserve: it can get very busy.QC-6, Str. Selari 14, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0748 88 10 86, www.therepublic.ro. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri 12:00 - 05:00, Sat 14:00 - 05:00, Sun 14:00 - 01:00. PESW

OLD TOWN CLUBS & DISCOSAs a general rule, Bucharest’s clubs can be divided into three categories (as we have): the upmarket, Uber-Clubs, where the trendy, fashionable and well-heeled go to party, Student & Underground clubs where you will find a mainly local crowd of young partygoers, and Live Music clubs which host live bands most nights of the week. There is a fair bit of crossover of course, but we think these three categories describe the city’s club scene reasonably well.

LIVE MUSICMOJO Three level extravaganza of a venue. On the ground floor is the pub, upstairs is the most popular karaoke venue in the land, while downstairs in the cavernous cellar there is live music, and then some. In a nutshell, this place sets the standard for nights out in Old Town. The beer is a decent price, the crowd a mix of ages and nationalities and the manager is a top bloke who makes a point of being nice to his customers. When ace local bands are not playing, the resident Mojo band usually is. Also now puts on regu-


Old Townlar quiz nights and live British stand-up comedy too. Top notch.QC-6, Str. Gabroveni 14, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0760 26 34 96/(+4) 0767 34 34 10, www.mojomusic.ro. Open 13:00 - 05:00. PEBW

STUDENT & UNDERGROUNDBASTARDS Is that really what it is called? Yes: that is re-ally what it is called. In a Lipscani basement, with the walls stripped back to the red brick, this is a cocktail bar and club where the mood is different every night. It could be kara-oke, it could be rock night, it could be DJ Andrei Nicolescu spinning his old school electro tunes. Regardless of what is going on you will probably enjoy it.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 28, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0723 20 34 63, www.bastards.ro. Open 20:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Sun. PENB

CLUB A Selling the cheapest beer in the Old Town (we think), this place is a legend. If you want a local, unpre-tentious, up-for-a-laugh studenty crowd getting down to classic songs that you won’t have heard for ages, this is the one place in town you can be guaranteed to find it, every night of the week. Live music on most weekend nights, as well as all sorts of events during the week, from theme nights to theatre.QC-6, Str. Blănari 14, MUniver-sitate, tel. (+4) 021 316 16 67, www.cluba.ro. Open 10:30 - 05:00, Fri 12:00 - 06:00, Sat 16:00 - 06:00, Sun 16:00 - 04:00. PEBW

FIRE CLUB A much-changed venue which over the past year or so has become a bigger, brighter and less smokey venue than ever before. Still plays mainly rock for a crowd of the young and not-so-young, and to be honest it is as good as ever. We have always liked the place and if you want to ‘go local’ it is one of your better options in the Old Town. There is also now Fire Pub out the back (although the entrance is from Strada Covaci) with a huge and very nice covered terrace/atrium.QC-6, Str. Gabroveni 12, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0732 16 66 04, www.fire.ro. Open 10:00 - 05:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 06:00. PBSW

UPMARKET CLUBSFINNISH COCKTAIL & CLUB A little more chic and up-market than most other places in the Old Town, Finnish is a cocktail bar and club which brings a little contemporary Scandinavian design to the Romanian capital. The house drink is of course Finlandia vodka, available in more variet-ies than you ever thought possible, but there is more to this place than vodka: cocktails, wine, champagne and beer. They even have Guinness on draught. The music - usually provided by a DJ - is as contemporary and as good as the design.QC-6, Str. Selari 28, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0753 57 82 09, www.finnish.ro. Open 13:30 - 05:00. PBW

FREDDO The biggest, boldest place on Strada Smardan. Smart too: when it started raining we were about to run for cover only for the roof to be extended, keeping us all

dry. Impressive. Now get there and enjoy sound cocktails, pizza and decent salads: and note you can enjoy it all at proper, big wooden tables. You might want to reserve at the weekends: this place is damn popular.QC-6, Str. Smardan 24, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0722 37 33 36, www.freddo.ro. Open 12:00 - 05:00. PNBSW

LA MUSELast time we popped in we met up with almost everyone we know in Bucharest. That’s the kind of place this is: on the surface it looks posh and flash and out-of-your-league (the lady at the entrance clutches a clipboard as though her life depends on it) but it is in fact a down-to-earth, come-as-you-are venue playing dance floor hits from across the decades to a crowd a bit older than elsewhere, which can afford the prices of the drinks. We love it.QC-6, Str Lipscani 53, MPiata Unirii/Universitate, tel. (+4) 0734 00 02 36, www.lamuse.ro. Open 09:00 - 03:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 06:00. PBW

OLD TOWN SIGHTSBANCA NATIONALA A ROMANIEI The National Bank (BNR) stands on the site of one of the most famous buildings in Romania: the Hanul Serban Voda, which from 1678 until 1883 was the home of various things, from a pub, to an inn to a dormitory for a nearby girl’s school. After two fires gutted the building however, the land was levelled and in 1883 work began on the BNR, completed to the designs of French architects Cassien


Old Town

Bernard and Albert Galleron in 1885. The building boasts a facade with Corinthian columns, and an enormous central banking hall.QC-6, Str. Lipscani 25, MUniversitate.

NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM (MUZEUL NA-TIONAL DE ISTORIE) The beautiful, monumental and simply superb Neo-Clas-sical building that houses Romania’s National History Mu-seum was constructed from 1894-1900 to the designs of local architect Alexandru Săvulescu. It originally served as the headquarters of Poşta Romană, the Romanian postal service. When the post office moved away in 1970, the History Museum moved in. The museum’s exhibitions are spread over 60 display rooms, although many are currently closed for renovation. The museum’s two most important collections, however, are very much open: the Lapidarium and the Romanian Treasury. The Lapidarium includes stat-ues brought from a Bronze Age necropolis close to present day Cernavoda and a full-scale replica of Trajan’s Column. The Romanian Treasury includes jewellery from the time of

the Geto-Dacians, as well as the current Romanian Crown Jewels, including the king’s crown and an amazing selec-tion of emeralds made for Queen Mary. The bizarre statue on the museum’s steps allegedly represents the emperor Trajan holding a wolf.QC-5, Calea Victoriei 12, MUniver-sitate, tel. (+4) 021 315 82 07, www.mnir.ro. Open 10:00-18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 25 lei, pensioners 15 lei, students and children 7 lei.

OLD COURT PALACE & CHURCH (PALATUL ŞI BI-SERICA CURTEA VECHE)The Old Court, first built on this site in the second part of the 15th-century by Vlad Ţepeş, was considerably ex-tended during the 16th century, by Mircea Ciobanul, and again a century later, this time at the hand of Constantin Brancoveanu. The palace was by and large destroyed by a series of fires in the 19th century however, and subse-quently neglected. Much of what remains today was un-covered during archaeological digs that took place from 1967-72, when the palace ruins were first opened as a museum. There are fragments of the original 15th century walls, as well as remnants of the voievodal palace throne room, in which most of the relics found on the site are ex-hibited. Next door to the palace is the Old Court Church (pictured, left) dating from 1545. It was enlarged in 1715, during the reign of Ştefan Cantacuzino, and the frescoes inside, painted by maestros Constantin Lecca and Mişu Papa, were added in 1847.QC-6, Str. Franceza, MPiata Unirii. Open 10:00 - 18:00.

PASAJUL MACCA-VILACROSSE Today packed with cafes - most of which offer hookah pipes and exotic tobaccos - Pasajul Macca-Vilacrosse was built in 1891 as a conduit between Calea Victoriei - then the busiest street in the city - and the National Bank. It is named for a Catalan architect, Xavier Villacrosse, who from 1840-50 was the chief architect of Bucharest, and Mi-halache Macca, son-in-law of the building’s architect, Felix Xenopol. It is covered with an arcade yellow glass roof to allow natural light, also intended to encourage commerce at street level. In other words, this was Bucharest’s first shopping mall.QC-6, Pasajul Macca-Vilacrosse; Calea Victoriei, MUniversitate.


Old Town

of Calea Victoriei, in the days when the street was paved with logs. The exhibition is well captioned in Romanian and English, and while small an enjoyable hour can be spent here. You will leave feeling as though you want more, however. The museum is housed in the elegant, Neo-Gothic Şuţu Palace, built from 1833-4.QC-5, B-dul I.C. Bratianu 2, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 315 68 58, www.muzeulbucurestiului.ro. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 6 lei, 3 lei children, stu-dents and pensioners. Children under seven free.

UNIVERSITATE The twin semi-circular buildings in Piata Universitatii which are in many ways the entrance to the Old Town were built in 1906 to serve as the headquarters of Romania’s largest insurance company. In front of them are four statues, of Gheorghe Lazar (founder, in 1818, of the first Romanian school in Bucharest), Ion Heliade Radules-cu (a founding member of the Romanian Academy), Mi-hai Voievod Viteazul (the first person to unite the three Romanian provinces, in 1600) and Spiru Haret (a math-ematician, astronomer and politician who as education minister in the 1880s and 1890s created the foundations of the modern Romanian education system). Opposite is the university building itself, constructed over a twelve year period from 1857 to 1869 at the behest of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, at the time Prince of Romania. The central corp of the building was entirely rebuilt in the late 1940s after it was destroyed during heavy allied bombing in 1944. Though rebuilt as an exact replica of the original, many sculptures and basreliefs by Carol Storck were deemed irreplaceable and lost forever.QC-5, Piata Universitatii, MUniversitate.

STAVROPOLEOS CHURCH (BISERICA STAV-ROPOLEOS) The church was built in 1724 at the insis-tence of a Greek monk, Ioanikie Stratonikeas. It is charac-terized by its beautiful stone and wood carvings, of which the finest are on the main doors. The courtyard outside has a curious collection of tombstones dating from the 18th century, and you might often see skilled craftsmen work-ing on restoring them.QC-6, Str. Stavropoleos 4, MUni-versitate, tel. (+40) 21 313 47 47, www.stavropoleos.ro.

ST. DUMITRU CHURCH (BISERICA SF. DUMITRU DE JURAMANT) Currently being fully renovated (and as such covered in scaffolding) the St. Dumitru Church (Biserica Sf. Dumitru) dates back to the 15th century. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1847 and the current building dates from 1852 but it has undergone numerous renovations due to damage from earthquakes. St. Dumitru is the patron saint of Bucharest.QC-6, Str. Postei 2, MPiata Unirii.

ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH (BISERICA SFANTUL NICOLAE - BLANARI) The church was built in the 1880s as a private chapel for Romania’s first royal couple: Note that the king and queen still have special seats on the left and right of the church’s 18th century icon kept for them should they ever return.QC-6, Str. Blanari 16, MUniversitate.

ST. NICHOLAS STUDENTS’ CHURCH (SFÂNTUL NICOLAE BISERICA STUDENŢILOR) Built in 1905-09 with a 600,000 gold rouble donation from Tsar Alex-ander II, this Russian orthodox church is topped with seven typically Russian onion domes and crowned with an orthodox cross. The wooden, gold-gilded iconostasis (catapeteasmă) is allegedly a copy of the altar in Arhan-gelsk Cathedral, in Moscow’s Kremlin.QC-5, Str. I. Ghica 9, MUniversitate.

STRADA LIPSCANI & HANUL CU TEI Strada Lipscani gets its name from the large number of traders who, in the 18th century, sold wares here brought from Leipzig, which at the time was one of the largest trading posts in Europe. As Str. Lipscani was the main com-mercial street in the Old Town, it over time lent its name to the whole area. Ironically, its name and history aside, modern Str. Lipscani has little to recommend it, although it does have some exceptional bars, pubs and clubs, and a theatre. About two thirds of the way along Str. Lipscani is the Hanul cu Tei, a wonderful courtyard (once part of a large inn) which today houses art galleries, antique shops, second-hand book shops, gift shops, studios and portrait artists, as well as a lively terrace and pub/restaurant, and an excellent souvenir shop.QC-6, Str. Lipscani, MUni-versitate.

SUTU PALACE / MUSEUM OF BUCHARESTMuch overlooked museum, despite its location in the very centre of the city. The highlight is probably the selection of maps of Bucharest through the ages, while there is also an original log from the Podul Mogosoaia: the forerunner

Strada Stavropoleos


ShoppingBucharest’s main shopping areas are the shopping centres and malls listed below, as well as B-dul Magheru and - increasingly - Calea Victoriei.

BOOKSHOPSANTHONY FROST ENGLISH BOOKSHOPStocks a good range of fiction and non-fiction, plenty of children’s books, and a decent selection of books about Romania and Bucharest.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 45, MUni-versitate, tel. (+4) 021 311 51 38, www.anthonyfrost.ro. Open 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 14:00.

HUMANITAS KRETZULESCULarge bookshop selling a wide range of both Romanian and foreign language books.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 45, MUniversitate, www.libhumanitas.ro. Open 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00.

SALA DALLES Bookshop with a large exhibition space out back that often hosts book and gift fairs. Always has a decent selection of books in English.QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 18, MUniversitate. Open 10:00 - 21:00.

SHOPPING CENTRESAFI PALACE COTROCENI One of Bucharest’s biggest malls, and probably its best, with loads of top brand names and the added attraction of an IMAX cinema, a large ice skating rink (open year round) and even an indoor roller coaster and children’s funfair.QB-dul Vasile Milea/B-dul Timisoara, MPolitehnica, www.aficotroceni.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 23:30.

BANEASA SHOPPING CITY The largest mall in Bucha-rest. With more than 220 shops it makes everywhere else look quite small. Just past the old Baneasa airport you can get here on buses 131 or 301 from Piata Romana.QŞos. Bucureşti-Ploieşti 42D, www.baneasashoppingcity.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00, Restaurants Open 10:00 -23:00.

BUCURESTI MALL Recently extended in a major rede-velopment, this place - when opened in 1999 - was the first mall in the city. Loads of shops, including Marks & Spencer and H&M.QE-7, Calea Vitan 55-59, www.bucurestimall.com.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00.

PROMENADA MALL Opened in October 2013, this is cur-rently Bucharest’s most talked-about mall. Featuring the usual mix of top stores, restaurants there is also a rooftop recreation area (pictured right), but no cinema.QCalea Floreasca 246B, MAurel Vlaicu, www.promenada.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00.

UNIREA SHOPPING CENTRE A good shopping cen-tre in the heart of the city. There are fashion stores on the first and second floors with electronics and kids’ shops on floors three and four. An excellent Mega Image supermar-ket can be found in the basement.QC-6, Piata Unirii 1, MPiata Unirii, www.unireashop.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00.

MARKETSBucharest is home to a number of good markets, most of which stock a wide range of produce, at prices often (but not always) cheaper than the supermarkets. In season fruit and vegetables tend to be local, but do check what you are buying if you really want to make sure you are getting lo-cal produce. There are very good produce markets at Piata Norilor (a short walk from Tineretului metro station) and Obor (E-4). Beyond the produce markets there are a couple of bazaar-type places worth visiting, not least Complex Comercial Rahova, a place that stocks cheap everything. Take tram No. 32 from Piata Unirii to (almost) the end of the line to find it. Then there is Targul Vitan-Barzesti, which every Sunday morning becomes Bucharest’s biggest and busiest flea market. It’s mayhem. More or less everything you can imagine can be found here, all prices negotiable. Bus No. 123 from Piata Unirii will get you there. Be brave.

LOCAL DESIGNERSFor clothes by local designers, check out the huge Ro-manian Designers Gallery on the second floor of the Cocor Department Store, at (C-6) B-dul Ion Bratianu 29-33. You will find a wide range of designs by many of Romania’s best designers. Another option is Band of Creators at (C-5) Str. Benjamin Franklin 14 (www.band-ofcreators.com).


Shopping

SOUVENIRSMUZEUL TARANULUI ROMAN (PEASANT MUSE-UM) The shop at the Peasant Museum has an outstanding selection of souvenirs and gifts. Of particular note are the traditional peasant clothes, as well as the icons and naive art.QB-3, Şos. Kiseleff 3, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 317 96 61. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

PAIDEIA Wonderful local gifts, including books, posters, greetings cards, objets d’art and even Romanian delicacies, from refined palinca to gourmet salts and honey.QB-dul Nicolae Balcescu 2-4 (Hotel InterContinental), MUni-versitate, www.cadouriculturale.ro. Open 10:00 - 16:00. Also at (C-6) Unirea Shopping Centre (Ground Floor).

SECOND CHANCE A wide range of good Romanian souvenirs handmade by people from disadvantaged backgrounds.QSos.Bucuresti-Ploiesti 42D (Baneasa Shopping City), tel. (+4) 0726 17 36 43, www.romania-handmade.ro. Open 10:00 - 22.00.

SOUVENIR SHOP Everything you would want from a decent souvenir shop - with both Romania and Bucha-rest branded gifts available - and more besides. We came across the best Dracula T-Shirts we’ve seen so far here, complete with the slogan: ‘Send more tourists, the last ones tasted great.’QC-5, Str. Smardan 13, MUniversi-tate, tel. (+4) 0722 32 25 40, www.souvenir-shop.com.ro. Open 10:00 - 20:00.

WINEBVS WINE BAR & SHOP Super little place on the edge of the Old Town run by the same people as the Van Gogh Cafe. It’s a wine bar and shop where you can find a fine selection of self-imported wines, tasting them all before you buy. You can also just pop in for a glass or two, although in our expe-rience once we’ve sat down at this charming place we tend not to get up again until closing time.QC-6, Str. Covaci 19, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 31 00 580, www.bvswines.ro. Open 14:00 - 22:30, Thu, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 01:30.

ETHIC WINE Wonderful wine shop, run by a friendly Englishman and his lovely wife, both of whom really know their stuff. There is a wide range of local grape, as well as a good selection of wines from Cricova in the Republic of Moldova.QC-3, Str. Banu Antonache 55, tel. (+4) 0722 63 37 89, www.ethicwine.ro. Open 13:00 - 21:00, Mon 15:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.

THE WINERY OUTLET Bucharest outlet of the excel-lent Halewood Winery. You will find some of the best wines produced in Romania sold here.QSos. Mihai Bravu 132, tel. (+4) 021 252 10 32, www.halewood.com.ro. Open 09:30 - 21:30, Sun 09:30 - 14:30.

VINEXPERT There is always something worth spending your money on here, whether its the latest vintage from Cricova, or more prosaic delights such as Unicum (Vinex-pert being one of the few places in Romania where we have found said liqueur). Will deliver.QD-6, B-dul Octa-vian Goga 24, tel. (+4) 021 327 49 74, www.evinoteca.ro. Open 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun. Also at (C-6) Unirea Shopping Center (P-ţa Unirii 1).

MIHAELA GLAVANA pair of handmade shoes from Romania’s top shoe de-signer, Mihaela Glavan, may not be the cheapest of souvenirs, but they will certainly be unique. All of Gla-van’s designs can be customised: visit her showroom at (A-4) Str. Sabinelor 104, tel. (+40) 730 09 73 23.

LOCAL ART

Look out for craft fairs being held at the city’s better mu-seums in order to find some gorgeous naive art. The Peas-ant Museum hosts regular such fairs, although not every weekend: you will simply have to get lucky. Suvenir de Bucuresti, a small art gallery specialising in classic scenes of Bucharest and Romania always has a great selection of paintings for sale: find it on (C-5) Strada Academiei. For those with more contemporary tastes, head for the Zorzini Gallery on (C-5) Strada Thomas Masaryk. The gal-lery represents three of Romania’s leading contemporary artists: Nicolae Comanescu, Andrei Gamart and Oana Lohan. Galateca on (C-5) Strada C.A. Rosetti is a gallery of applied art, housed in the rather splendid University Library on Piata Revolutiei. Its NeoGalateca shop sells fashion, accessories and designer objects from a num-ber of top local designers.

BUCHAREST MONOPOLYWe have long said that this should be the first thing on any list of must-have Romanian souvenirs. The classic board game given a local twist. The streets of London have been replaced with the streets of Bucharest. The cheapest prop-erty on the board is Rahova, while the most expensive is Bulevardul Primaverii. Found in most good toy shops and hypermarkets, it sells for around 110 lei.

LA BIBLIOTEQUE

A beauty salon and library, housed in one of the most glorious villas in the city. It sounds as though it shouldn’t really work, but it does, thanks in the main to terrific design and a great community of people and friends that has quickly grown up around the place. It’s popular for book launches and the like. QB-3, Str. Duiliu Zam-firescu 10, tel. (+4) 021 212 51 71/(+4) 0749 77 77 77, www.labibliotheque.ro. Open 09:00 - 21:00, Mon 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. PW


Hotels

With the exception of the five-star hotels listed in the Cream of the Crop category, the price bands used refer to the rack rate for a double room.

CREAM OF THE CROPATHENEE PALACE HILTON Simply put, this has been one of Bucharest’s finest hotels for 100 years. It is a living piece of the city’s history - it dates from 1914 and celebrates its centenary this year - and yet behind its historic facade you will find a most modern place to stay. There is a wide range of rooms to choose from: the best are those with views over Piata Revolutiei. Indoor pool and health club, terrific onsite dining and of course this is the home of the English Bar: probably Bucha-rest’s most famous bar.QC-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77, www.hiltonbucharest.com. 272 rooms. POTHR6UFLGKDCW

CROWNE PLAZA BUCHAREST Contemporary and welcoming, the Crowne Plaza Bucha-rest offers all the reassuring global standards you would expect of the brand, from first class accommodation to world class facilities. With a renowned reputation for individual and friendly service, the hotel can also offer the greenest setting in the capital, surrounded as it is by beautifully maintained grounds. Can also boast a large swimming pool, big, comfortable rooms (and bathrooms to match) and some outstanding drinking and dining

options.QA-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1, tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.crowneplaza.com/bucharest. 164 rooms. PTHRUFGKDCW

EPOQUE Now here’s a hotel we have no problem in recommending. Opened during the Autumn of 2010 the Epoque has a number of things going for it, not least its location on the edge of Cismigiu Park: close enough to the heart of the city yet at the same time offering the impres-sion of a retreat. Rooms are large and tastefully furnished, there are plenty of extras (not least a plunge pool), break-fast is good and for what you get, the prices are a steal.QB-5, Str. Intrarea Aurora 17C, tel. (+4) 021 312 32 32, www.hotelepoque.ro. 44 rooms. PTHRU�FLGKDCW

GRAND HOTEL CONTINENTALMaking the very best of a wonderful building (which dates from 1886) on chic Calea Victoriei, today’s Grand Hotel Continental is the result of more than two years of loving renovation and restoration. There’s marble at every turn, though do not think that modern touches are missing, for they are not. The audio-visual systems in the rooms for ex-ample are state of the art. For the great location and for a change from the big chains, it’s well worth trying out.QC-5, Calea Victoriei 56, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0372 01 03 00, www.grandhotelcontinental.ro. 59 rooms. PTHR6UFLGKDW

HOWARD JOHNSON GRAND PLAZA BUCHA-REST HOTEL This is a high-rise hotel in the busy centre of Bucharest, where the sleek, modern exterior is matched by the in-teriors, all of which carry the signatures of top-name designers. The breakfast is perhaps the best in the city, coming as it does with champagne, and the dining op-portunities in general are excellent: there is a wonderful Japanese restaurant, Benihana, on site. To really get the best out of this place though, ask for a room on one of the upper floors, for the views over the city.QB-3, Calea Doro-bantilor 5-7, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 021 201 50 00, www.hojoplaza.ro. 285 rooms. POTHR6U�FLGKDW

SYMBOL KEY

P Air conditioning N Credit cards not accepted

O Casino H Conference facilities

T Child-friendly U Facilities for the disabled

F Fitness centre L Guarded parking

6 Pet-friendly K Restaurant

D Sauna C Swimming pool

W Wifi


HotelsINTERCONTINENTALStill the tallest hotel in Bucharest (complete with a swimming pool and - during the sum-mer, sun terrace - on the top floor) the InterContinental was the first major five star hotel to open in Romania, at the beginning of the 1970s. Today it is one of many but re-mains something of a first choice for journalists and busi-ness people, many of whom have been loyal guests for decades. The rooms here all boast big balconies with great views of the city, there is first class dining in the building, and the management is commendably hands-on. The new Club Lounge on the 21st floor is the best in the city, of-fering great views of Bucharest, cocktails, meeting rooms, internet, a library and an all round exclusive atmosphere. Non-guests can use the Club Lounge for €35 per day.QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 2-4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20, www.intercontinental.com/bucharest. 257 rooms. POTHR6FLGKDCW

JW MARRIOTT BUCHAREST GRAND HOTELTo the south of Casa Poporului the JW Marriott occupies something of a palatial building that at first glance prob-ably makes it the most immediately impressive of Bu-charest’s big five star hotels. The scale of the place, and its cavernous interiors, betray the fact that it was built as part of the same grand plan as the Casa Poporului itself. Yet the rooms are homely and well-furnished, providing a welcome contrast to the building. Plenty of good dining options, and home to the biggest swimming pool in the city (we think).QB-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90, tel. (+4) 021 403 00 00, www.jwmarriottbucharest.com. 401 rooms. POTHR6UFLGKDCW

NOVOTEL BUCHAREST CITY CENTREFew locations are better than this, right on fashionable Calea Victoriei. The entrance is impressive: a replica of the old neoclassical National Theatre which stood on this ex-act site until the British bombed it to next week during the Second World War. Shiny and new the main part of the hotel is wonderful: rooms are big, with bathrooms particularly impressive. Excellent, lively lobby bar and a big indoor swimming pool are other added benefits of staying here.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 37B, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 308 85 00, www.novotel.com. 258 rooms. POTHR6UFLGKDCW

PREMIER PALACE South-west of the city centre in the suburb of Ghencea (opposite Steaua Bucharest’s sta-dium) is the Premier Palace, a luxurious place which of-fers what is without doubt the best spa in the city (and entrance to which is free for hotel guests). The rest of the hotel is fabulous too, with the big rooms all packed with added extras, right down to the Salvatore Ferragamo cosmetics in the bathroom. Staff are superb and happy to arrange taxis to and from town.QB-dul Ghencea 134, tel. (+4) 031 407 60 00, www.premierpalace.ro. 82 rooms. PTHFLGKDCW

PULLMAN BUCHAREST WORLD TRADE CENTERThe spacious, luxurious rooms are the main attraction at this high rise in the north of the city, where the bathrooms boast perhaps the deepest bathtubs in the city. There are separate showers, and all in all we think that the square-me-terage-per-euro ratio is higher here than anywhere else in Bucharest. A good on-site steak house keeps you well fed, and though there is no pool there is a good fitness centre with sauna and massage available.QA-1, P-ta Montreal 10, tel. (+4) 021 318 30 00, www.pullmanhotels.com. 203 rooms. PTHR6UFLGKDW

RADISSON BLU A gleaming temple of steel and glass amongst the more classical buildings of Calea Victoriei, the Radisson excels in playing the role of futuristic Bucha-rest hotel of choice. As you walk in the glass bar strikes you as daring and modern, and the rooms themselves are


Hotels

equally avant garde in design. Bathrooms offer both tubs and showers, and there is both an indoor and outdoor pool, so you can swim whatever the weather. Excellent restaurants, especially the sublime Prime Steaks and Sea-food.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81, tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00, www.radissonblu.com/hotel-bucharest. 718 rooms. PHRUFLGKDCW

OVER €150ALEXANDER Big, plush hotel close to Bucharest’s high-rise business district of Pipera. Rooms are all well-sized and impeccably furnished and come with a host of extras. The bathrooms are particularly luxurious. The hotel has a good little spa centre with sauna, Turkish bath and jacuzzi. Great breakfast - which is amongst the city’s best - included in the price of your room.QSos. Pipera-Tunari 1/VI, tel. (+4) 021 569 51 10, www.alexanderhotel.ro. 73 rooms. PHRFLKDW

CISMIGIU One of the most famous hotels in Bucharest (there is even a song about the place: Hotel Cismigiu, by Vama Veche) reopens its doors after being closed for al-most two decades. In a fantastic location right in the heart of the city, millions have been spent making the hotel look better than at any time in its century-old history. The contemporary rooms - all of which are in fact suites - are enormous, many even boasting kitchens. There’s a fitness centre, wifi throughout, a great breakfast is includ-ed and there is even onsite parking. Worth every penny.

QC-5, B-dul Regina Elisabeta 38, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 031 403 05 00, www.hotelcismigiu.ro. 60 rooms. PTHRUFLGKW

NH BUCHAREST Not located in the most attractive area of the city, the NH makes up for that by offering a modern, contemporary hotel experience for a fair amount of money: you can usually stay here for far less than the rack rates. Expect well sized rooms with plenty of extras and a very good on site restaurant. Good place to stay with children and babies: the staff make a point of mak-ing them feel welcome.QD-6, B-dul Mircea Voda 21, tel. (+4) 021 300 05 45, www.nh-hotels.com. 76 rooms. PTHRUFLGKW

RAMADA BUCHAREST PARCThe Hotel Parc has been around a while, but only came under the Ramada banner a short while ago. A high-rise in a leafy suburb (close to Romexpo and Herastrau Park - hence the name) it boasts nice rooms which - while not huge - are comfortable and boast brightly coloured décor and gorgeous, soft cotton sheets on the beds. Great buffet breakfast included in the price.QA-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 3-5, tel. (+4) 021 549 20 00, www.ramadabucharestparc.ro. 267 rooms. PHRGKW

RAMADA MAJESTIC Standing (dare we say it) majesti-cally on Calea Victoriei, the Majestic has long been one of Bucharest’s best hotels. It offers very big rooms with glo-rious bathrooms, a great breakfast and - a real bonus - a


Hotels

swimming pool (albeit a rather small one). In a city in which even some of the five star hotels lack pools, the Majestic’s makes it well worth that little bit extra cash.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 38-40, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 27 72, www.ramadamajestic.ro. 111 rooms. PTHRU�FLGKDCW

RAMADA PLAZA BUCHAREST Slightly more up-market than its sister establishment across the road, what you get here is a slightly bigger room than at the Parc, and much bigger bathrooms. The design of the place is nicely futuristic, and we loved the beds which we think are amongst the best in Bucharest. Free Wifi is a bonus, there is a good lobby bar and a decent on site bistro. Good value for the money.QB-dul Poligrafiei 3-5, tel. (+4) 021 549 30 00, www.ramadaplazabucharest.ro. 298 rooms. PHRUFGKW

€100-150ANGELO AIRPORTHOTEL BUCHARESTThe hotel closest to Bucharest’s Otopeni airport. The Angelo is operated by Vienna International Hotels & Resorts, and its bright exterior is matched by the interior: bold colours abound in all the rooms and the common areas. There is high speed Wifi throughout, and a fitness centre complete with sauna. Transport to and from the airport is compli-mentary. Great buffet breakfast. QCalea Bucurestilor 283, tel. (+4) 021 203 65 00, www.angelo-bucharest.com. 177 rooms. PTHR6UFLGKDW

BERTHELOT Smart, modern and dead central. What more could you want? For your money you are getting a good deal here: the rooms are big and well furnished with plenty of mod cons, such as LCD televisions, while the bathrobes in the sumptuous bathrooms are suitably fluffy and the cosmetics a cut above the norm.QB-5, Str. General Berthelot 9, tel. (+4) 031 425 58 60, www.hotelberthelot.ro. 43 rooms. PTHRLGKW

CAPITAL PLAZA Smart place at the northern edge of the city centre, about five minutes walk from Piata Victoriei. The rooms are big and furnished in a modern style, with

unobtrusive colours and smart lines. Bathrooms are good, and the range of free cosmetics is impressive. Top onsite restaurant too, the 1880.QB-4, B-dul Iancu de Hunedo-ara 54, tel. (+4) 0372 08 00 80, www.capitalplaza.ro. 95 rooms. PTHRUFLGKW

DUKE Now this place is central. A proverbial stone’s throw from Piata Romana, this modern hotel is squeezed in to a tight spot between two classic Bucharest buildings of the past. Rooms are well-sized, bathrooms have tubs and showers, and there’s free and fast Wifi throughout. Beds get high marks for their excellent mattresses.QC-4, B-dul Dacia 33, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 021 317 41 86, www.hotelduke.ro. 37 rooms. PRGKW


Hotels

RESIDENCE ARC DE TRIOMPHEFantastic hotel in a good area of the capital, offering large, excellent value rooms and super services. There are little touches of class all over the hotel that suggest they really care. The wrought iron beds, for example, are fabulous, as is the newly added spa, complete with sauna and jacuzzi. The restaurant is also worth a visit, serving good interna-tional cuisine.QA-3, Str. Clucerului 19, tel. (+4) 021 223 19 78/(+4) 0372 15 07 00, www.residencehotels.com.ro. 35 rooms. PTHRLGKDW

RESIDENCE DOMENII PLAZA A wonderful villa, this place offers real luxury and a quiet, understated at-mosphere. It’s a classy place for classy people, basically. All the rooms, studios and apartments are bright, big and have stunning bathrooms. It also has a fantastic spa, complete with sauna, steam bath and enormous jacuzzi, perfect for tired business types in need of evening relax-ation. The food in the restaurant is outstanding.QA-2, Str. Al. Constantinescu 33, tel. (+4) 021 224 50 44, www.residencehotels.com.ro. 33 rooms. PTHRL�GKDW

UNDER €100BOUTIQUE HOTEL MONACOA nice place on a quiet(ish) street yet still close enough to the city centre to be within walking distance. There is an elegance to the decoration that suggests they’ve taken real time and effort over things, and the beds are large,

OLD TOWN HOTELS

EUROPA ROYALE BUCHAREST The Europa Royale is a gorgeous place that complements instead of over-powering its surroundings. Literally a stone’s throw from where Bucharest began, at the Curtea Veche, facing Piata Unirii, it is as ideally located as you ever hope for. Inside the rooms are big, classy and we found the staff exem-plary. QC-6, Str. Franceza 60, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 319 17 98, www.europaroyale.com. 92 rooms. PTH6UGKW

REMBRANDT The Rembrandt is what happens when people with taste renovate buildings in Old Town Bu-charest (the gorgeous cafe next door belongs – unsur-prisingly – to the same people). Luxurious without over-doing it, expect to find original 1920s wooden floors and period furnishings complimented by up-to-the-minute technology.QC-5, Str. Smardan 11, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 93 15, fax (+4) 021 313 93 16, www.rembrandt.ro. 16 rooms. PTRUGKW

TANIA-FRANKFURT This is a cracking little place in the very heart of Old Town, just a shake or two away from the city’s best nightlife. Rooms are good value, bright and airy, and are furnished in a modern, bright and airy style. The best is the split level sky room, with its sky light and raised sleeping area. There’s free internet for guests.QC-6, Str. Selari 5, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 319 27 58, www.taniahotel.ro. 13 rooms. PRGKW

Z EXECUTIVE BOUTIQUE HOTELIn a building on a street hidden a little behind the Sutu Palace this is a great place from which to enjoy the delights of Old Town and indeed the whole of cen-tral Bucharest. Rooms are big and modern, tastefully furnished and come with comfortable beds and good bathrooms. The breakfast room is great, and there’s an on site bistro with great views of the busy streets outside.QC-5, Str. Ion Nistor 4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 031 140 02 00, www.zhotels.ro. 21 rooms. PTHR6ULGKW

comfortable and covered with crisp yet soft sheets. Wifi, flatscreen TVs, good bathrooms. The kind of place you feel should cost a lot more than it does: seriously good value for money.QC-5, Str. J. L. Calderon 74, tel. (+4) 021 310 56 68, www.hotelmonaco.ro. 8 rooms. PTLW

CAROThe Caro is in fact three hotels in one: the Caro Golf, a four-star establishment offering very swish rooms, the Caro Parc: one of the best three-stars in the city, and the out-standing value budget two-star Caro Horoscop. All three offer bright rooms with excellent bathrooms, and there is terrific buffet breakfast in the Belvedere restaurant. The surroundings are leafy and yet the city’s business district


Hotels

is just across the street. There is free wifi at the Caro Golf.QC-1, B-dul Barbu Văcărescu 164A, MAurel Vlaicu, tel. (+4) 021 208 61 00, www.carohotel.ro. 188 rooms. PTH6UFLKDCW

CHARTER For what you pay at this hotel, you get a large amount of room indeed. Really: these must be the big-gest hotel rooms in Bucharest, and they cost about €1 per square metre. Close to the airport (on the other side of the road to McDonalds) this place is perfect if you have an early flight, though it is only fair to say that it is a good 30 minutes or so to the city centre. Still, with rooms and ser-vices to match anywhere, and at very low prices, we doubt anyone will be complaining.QDrumul Odaii 1D, Otopeni, tel. (+4) 021 352 87 19, www.hotelcharter.ro. 21 rooms. PTRLGW

DAN Serving a terrific buffet breakfast (until 11:00) this hotel has long been one of our favourites. Its location a short distance from the city centre is good, and the rooms are well sized, as are the bathrooms: all of which have tubs, not just showers. Good, friendly staff and the kind of homely atmosphere you would expect of a small well-run hotel.QB-4, B-dul Dacia 125, tel./fax (+4) 021 210 39 58, www.hoteldan.ro. 15 rooms. PHRULGW

DOUBLETREE BY HILTONLocated just off Bulevardul Unirii, the DoubleTree is some-thing of a beacon of glass and steel in an area not known for anything except monumental socialist architecture.

The hotel is a decent place offering big-ish rooms, with commendably big bathrooms. Happy, multi-lingual staff are a bonus not always found in Bucharest’s ho-tels. Good cafes (there are two) to choose from: one has a covered terrace.QD-7, Str. Nerva Traian 3A, tel. (+4) 021 200 62 70, www.doubletree.com. 87 rooms. PTHRUFLGKDW

GOLDEN TULIP TIMESThis, people, is a very good hotel where you get a hell of a lot of room for a relatively small amount of money. All come fur-nished well with terrific beds, big desks and comfy armchairs. Bathrooms are equally impressive and modern. There is Wifi throughout and a host of extras: not least of which is the fan-tastic breakfast. The on site restaurant is one of the best hotel-


Hotels

based eateries in the city.QE-6, B-dul Decebal 19, MPiata Muncii, tel. (+4) 021 316 65 16,, www.goldentuliptimes.com. 70 rooms. PTHRLGKW

GOLDEN TULIP VICTORIA BUCHARESTHalf-way along Calea Victoriei, a pleasant walk to both Piata Victoriei and Piata Universitatii, the Golden Tulip is a fine ho-tel that makes great use of the space available. The bath-rooms for example are not huge but feel far bigger than they are, and all have enough room for bathtubs. Bright and modern in design we think it’s suited best to business travellers looking to get great value for their company’s dollar.QB-4, Calea Victoriei 166, MPiata Romana, tel. (+4) 021 212 55 58, www.goldentulipbucharest.com. 81 rooms. PTHRUFLGKW

HELLO HOTELS Two stars never looked so good. For your paltry amount of cash you are getting a lot of ho-tel room here, complete with flat screen televisions and mattresses thicker than many a five-star. Bathrooms are a bit pokey but they are more than adequate, and as far as value for money goes we think this is one of the best deals in the city. Find the place a short walk from the station.QB-4, Calea Grivitei 143, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 0372 12 18 00, www.hellohotels.ro. 150 rooms. PR6ULGKW

IBIS GARA DE NORD A hotel for more than 40 years this building (and the whole area) was given a real lift when it became a good old Ibis some several years ago

now. Expect a room a bit bigger than standard Ibis size, the usual services, few frills (breakfast costs extra) and all in all a good value stay. The name is not misleading: it is dead opposite the station.QA-4, Calea Grivitei 143, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 021 300 91 00, www.ibishotels.ro. 250 rooms. PHR6ULGKW

IBIS PALATUL PARLAMENTULUIIf you want a view of Casa Poporului then this is perhaps the best place in Bucharest to come. Other than that it is a fairly standard Ibis hotel, just as you love them from anywhere else on the planet. Not entirely ideally lo-cated if you are not driving, it does boast non-smoking rooms and very good staff.QB-6, Str. Izvor 82-84, tel. (+4) 021 401 10 00, www.ibishotels.ro. 161 rooms. PTHR6ULGKW

MINERVAIt is really hard to knock the Minerva so we will not even try. Having been around so long it is entitled to a gold watch, it remains a great choice for business people who pay their own bills: you get great service, a good room (a choice of smoking or non-smoking), a dead-central location yet are only asked for a fraction of what the five-stars charge. The oldest Chinese restaurant in Romania is located on the ground floor, there is a lively bar and a good spa, complete with jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish bath and massage.QB-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 311 15 55, www.minerva.ro. PHRFGKDW


Directory

CLEANERSEGNATE Professional cleaning service: apartments, hous-es, offices etc. They will even come and clear up after you have had the builders in, and can take care of tricky things such as marble and furniture.QB-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 10, tel. (+4) 0734 11 15 55/(+4) 0723 89 22 86, [email protected], www.egnate.ro.

DENTISTSB.B. CLINIC - GERMAN DENTIST Unquestionably the best dentist in the city. What’s more, you can bring the kids too, as they now have a special room at the Dorobanti loca-tion equipped especially for young’uns.QD-6, Str. Ionescu Gion 4, tel./fax (+4) 021 320 01 51, www.germandentist.ro. Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. For emergencies (24hrs) tel. (+4) 0744 49 91 99. Also at (B-2) Calea Doro-bantilor 208, tel. (+4) 021 231 88 56.

DRY CLEANERS5ASECQB-3, Calea Dorobantilor 111, tel. (+4) 021 236 00 98, www.5asec.ro. Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. Also at (E-7) Calea Vitan 13, tel. (+4) 021 320 99 95; B-dul Alex. Serbanescu 60-64, tel. (+4) 021 891 98 44; Cora Alexandrei, Sos. Alexandrei 152, tel. (+4) 021 776 91 21.

SHORT-TERM RENTALAPART HOMES A range of city-centre apartments, from studios to two-bedroomed places, as well as a villa in Baneasa. They have someone on call 24 hours for any emergen-cies, maid service twice a week and offer a variety of other services. Prices from €50-150.QC-6, Str. George Valentin Bibescu 33, bl. X/2, sc. A, ap. 6, tel. (+4) 021 232 04 06, www.aparthomes.ro. 20 rooms. PTR6GW

GRAND ACCOMMODATIONGrand Accommodation has a variety of well furnished apartments and villas to suit all pockets in good loca-tions available for both short and long term rentals. Prices from €30-80/night.QB-5, Str. Ion Campineanu 29, tel. (+4) 0722 36 75 68/(+4) 021 314 49 50, www.for-rent.ro.

RAMADA HOTEL & SUITES BUCHAREST NORTHWell located in a quiet residential area near Herastrau park. It has great rooms - amongst the biggest, on aver-age, in Bucharest - and the bathrooms are tremendous: all have bathtubs. There are also studios with kitch-enettes for longer stays. The hotel boasts a good spa centre (with excellent Turkish bath), a big fitness room with loads of equipment and an outdoor terrace and swimming pool. Good lobby bar and fine-dining in the restaurant too.QC-6, Str. Daniel Danielopolu 44A, tel. (+4) 021 233 50 00, www.ramadanorth.ro. 232 rooms. PTHR6UFLGKDCW

HOSTELS & VILLASDOORS HOSTEL Clean, colourful and rather spacious hostel a short walk south from Piata Unirii. Located in a classic Bucharest house it benefits from a gorgeous gar-den/courtyard, an all you can eat breakfast and free Wifi, amongst much else. Note that they have only shared, mixed dorms: there are no private rooms. Prices from €12-35.QC-7, Str. Olimpului 13, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 336 21 27, www.doorshostel.com. 5 rooms. PTLGKW

VILA 11 Located in a lovely 1920s house close to Gara de Nord (one block east of Strada Vespatian and Dinicu Go-lescu) Vila 11 has a variety of private rooms, dorm facilities and family suites available for backpackers and families of all ages. Friendly and welcoming the owners do a great breakfast (included in the price) and are a wealth of inside info when it comes to getting the best out of Bucharest. Prices from €20-54.QA-4, Str. Institutul Medico Militar 11, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 0722 49 59 00, [email protected]. 6 rooms. T6GW

COUNTRY CLUBSTEJARII COUNTRY CLUB What is unquestion-ably Romania’s leading country club is just slightly north of Bucharest, in a quiet location just past Ikea and the Baneasa mall. Boasting a superb spa and of-fering an amazing range of sports (including squash, tennis, a climbing wall, a huge indoor swimming pool and a range of aerobic and martial arts options) they also even have a golf driving range. There are various membership options, from a year to simple weekly or day tickets.QStr. Jandarmeriei 14, tel. (+4) 0744 33 21 55/(+4) 031 424 70 51, www.stejariicountryclub.ro. Open 06:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 21:00.


Directory

FOREIGN REPRESENTATIONSAUSTRIA QC-4, Str. Dumbrava Rosie 7, tel. (+4) 021 201 56 124. BELGIUM QD-4, B-dul Dacia 58, tel. (+4) 021 210 29 69. BULGARIA QB-3, Str. Rabat 5, tel. (+4) 021 230 21 50. CANADA QA-3, Str. Tuberozelor 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 307 50 00. CROATIA QD-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 1, tel. (+4) 021 300 36 55. CZECH REPUBLIC QC-5, Str. Ion Ghica 11, tel. (+4) 021 303 92 30. DENMARK QD-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 3, tel. (+4) 021 300 08 00. FINLAND QB-3, Str. Atena 2bis, tel. (+4) 021 230 75 45. FRANCE QB-4, Str. Biserica Amzei 13-15, tel. (+4) 021 303 10 00. GERMANY QB-3, Cpt. Av. Gh. Demetriade 6-8, tel. (+4) 021 202 98 30.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLQSos. Pipera-Tunari 196, Comuna Voluntari, tel. (+4) 021 204 43 00/(+4) 021 204 43 01, www.aisb.ro.

ATHENA GREEK SCHOOL OF BUCHARESTQD-6, Str. Parfumului 9, www.greekschool.ro.

BRITISH SCHOOL OF BUCHARESTQErou Iancu Nicolae 42, tel. (+4) 021 267 89 19/(+4) 0728 13 34 33, www.britishschool.ro.

BUCHAREST CHRISTIAN ACADEMYQD-7, Aleea Mizil 62B, tel. (+4) 021 323 58 87/(+4) 021 323 54 08, www.bcaromania.org.

CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF BUCHARESTQB-3, Calea Dorobantilor 39, tel. (+4) 021 210 21 31/(+4) 021 210 21 38, www.cambridgeschool.ro.

INTERNATIONAL BRITISH SCHOOLQE-5, Str. Agricultori 21-23, tel. (+4) 021 253 16 98, www.ibsb.ro.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR PRIMARY ED-UCATION (INSPE)QStr. Petre Aurelian 72, Green Lake Residence, tel. (+4) 021 380 35 35/(+4) 021 380 36 36, www.inspe.ro.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHARESTQSos. Gara Catelu 1R, tel. (+4) 021 306 95 30, www.isb.ro.

IOANID PRESCHOOL INTERNATIONAL EDU-CATIONQStr. Jandarmeriei 14, tel. (+4) 0746 04 10 00, www.internationalkindergarden.ro.

JAPANESE SCHOOL IN BUCHARESTQA-2, Str. Alexandru Constantinescu 61, tel. (+4) 021 222 19 85, www.jpschool.ro.

LAUDER-REUTQC-6, Str. Iuliu Barasch 15, tel. (+4) 021 320 15 38, www.lauder-reut.ro.

LYCEE FRANCAISQSos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 160A, tel. (+4) 021 212 58 93, www.lyfrabuc.ro.

MARK TWAIN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLQStr. Erou Iancu Nicolae 25B, tel. (+4) 021 267 89 12/(+4) 0724 00 09 00, www.marktwainschool.ro.

SWIMMING POOLS & SPASHILTON HEALTH CLUB Indoor pool, sauna, steam room, massage, weight and fitness room, and a host of other wellness facilities.QC-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77. Open 06:00 - 22:00. Day tickets cost 120 lei.

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL The highest swim-ming pool in Romania (it’s on one of the top floors of the InterContinental hotel). The views are great, there is a gym and steam room too, and you can sunbathe on the balcony.QC-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 4, MUni-versitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20. Open 06:00 - 22:00. Day tickets valid 06:00-16:00 cost 80 lei (adults), 40 lei (children). Tickets valid until 06:00-22:00 cost 120 lei (adults) and 80 lei (children).

PESCARIU SPORTS & SPA Big indoor pool open to non-members. Gets very busy at the weekends: arrive early to bag a place by the pool.QD-2, Str. Glodeni 3, tel. (+4) 021 242 16 15/(+4) 0372 73 19 72, www.pescariusports.ro. Open 06:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 22:00. Adults 60 lei Mon-Fri, 100 lei Sat, Sun. Children 40 lei Mon-Fri, 50 lei Sat, Sun. Free for chil-dren under three.

PREMIER PALACE SPA HOTEL Luxurious spa, with large indoor swimming pool. Not just your stan-dard pool and sauna, this is a genuine spa with all sorts of thermariums, hydropools, steam rooms, hammams and loads more. There are also hundreds of treatments and relaxation options.QB-dul Ghencea 134, tel. (+4) 031 407 60 10, www.premierpalace.ro. Open 10:00 - 22:00 (Swimming pool open 08:00 - 22:00). Day tickets to the whole spa cost 120 lei (adults). Swimming pool tickets cost 50 lei (adults), 40 lei (children).


Directory

SENSIBLU QB-3, Str. Radu Beller 6, tel. (+4) 021 233 89 61, www.sensiblu.com. Open 24hrs. Also at (C-5) B-dul N. Bal-cescu 7, tel. (+4) 021 305 73 14 and many other locations.

REMOVALS / STORAGEAGS WORLDWIDE MOVERS QB-dul Basarabia 256 (Faur Industrial Park, gate 4, entrance from B-dul 1 Decembrie 1918), tel. (+4) 021 345 06 66, www.ags-worldwide-movers.com. EURO MINI STORAGE QB-dul Theodor Pallady 42 J, 3rd District, Bucharest, tel. (+4) 031 100 18 88, www.euroministorage.com.

MARKET VALUES

€1 is currently worth around 4.40 lei. A pint of local beer

in a central Bucharest bar or pub will cost you around

8 lei (€1.82). A McDonald’s Big Mac costs 11 lei (€2.50),

while a loaf of plain bread in a local store is 1.20 lei

(€0.27). A packet of 20 international brand cigarettes

costs 14.50 lei (€3.29), and one litre of standard un-

leaded petrol 6.17 lei (€1.40). A one-trip ticket for public

transport ticket costs 1.30 lei (€0.29).

GREECE QE-5, Str. Pache Protopopescu 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 209 41 70. HUNGARY QC-4, Str. Jean Louis Calderon 63-65, tel. (+4) 031 620 43 00. IRELAND QB-4, Str. Buzesti 50-52, et. 3, tel. (+4) 021 310 21 31. ITALY QB-4, Str. Henri Coanda 9, tel. (+4) 021 305 21 00. MOLDOVA QB-3, Aleea Alexandru 40, tel. (+4) 021 230 04 74. NETHERLANDS QB-3, Str. Aleea Alexandru 20, tel. (+4) 021 208 60 30. NORWAY QB-3, Str. Atena 18, tel. (+4) 021 306 98 00. POLAND QB-3, Aleea Alexandru 23, tel. (+4) 021 308 22 00. PORTUGAL QB-3, Str. Paris 55, tel. (+4) 021 230 41 36. RUSSIA QB-3, Sos. Pavel Kiseleff 6, tel. (+4) 021 222 31 70. SERBIA QB-3, Calea Dorobantilor 34, tel. (+4) 021 211 98 71. SPAIN QB-3, Aleea Alexandru 43, tel. (+4) 021 318 10 80. SWEDEN QB-3, Sos. Kiseleff 43, tel. (+4) 021 406 71 00. SWITZERLAND QB-4, Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 16-20, tel. (+4) 021 206 16 00. UK QC-4, Str. Jules Michelet 24, tel. (+4) 021 201 72 00. USA QB-dul Liviu Librescu 4-5, tel. (+4) 021 200 33 00.

PHARMACIESHELP NET QC-6, B-dul Unirii 27, tel. (+4) 031 405 04 59, www.helpnet.ro. Also at (B-3) Str. Av. Radu Beller 8, tel. (+4) 031 405 04 79 and many other locations.

Golden Tulip

Moxa

Children’s Emergency Hospital

Emergency Hospital

Romanian NationalRugby Stadium

Circus Globus

Dan

Duke

Howard JohnsonGrand Plaza

Starlight

Minerva

Casa V

ictor

Picollo MondoResidence Arcul de Triumf

Hello

Ibis Garade Nord

Marshal Garden

Nonna Mia

Institutul Matei Bals

PeasantMuseum

GrigoreAntipa

Museum

GeologyMuseum

VillageMuseum

George EnescuMuseum

Yeshoah Tova

RomanianTelevision (TVR)

Arc de Triumf

Piata Obor

Golden Tulip

Moxa

Children’s Emergency Hospital

Emergency Hospital

Romanian NationalRugby Stadium

Circus Globus

Dan

Duke

Howard JohnsonGrand Plaza

Starlight

Minerva

Casa V

ictor

Picollo MondoResidence Arcul de Triumf

Hello

Ibis Garade Nord

Marshal Garden

Nonna Mia

Institutul Matei Bals

PeasantMuseum

GrigoreAntipa

Museum

GeologyMuseum

VillageMuseum

George EnescuMuseum

Yeshoah Tova

RomanianTelevision (TVR)

Arc de Triumf

Piata Obor

Northern Bucharest

M

M

Radisson Blu

AtheneePalaceHilton

Z Boutique

Comfort Suites

Carol Parc

Suter Inn

Double Tree by Hilton

Royal

International

NH

Confort Traian

K&KElisabeta

El Greco

Scala

Tempo

Horoscop


Capitol

Majestic

Casa Capsa

JW Marriott

Ibis Parliament

Parliament

Epoque

Trianon

Ambassador Boutique Hotel Monaco

Andy’s

Volo

Central

Cismigiu

Opera

Berthelot

Art CollectionsMuseum

NationalArt

Museum(MNAR)

HistoryMuseum

Contemporary ArtMuseum

TechnologyMuseum

InteriorMinistry

Antim Monastery

DomnitaBalasa


Baratiei


RussianChurch

Cretulescu

RevolutionMonument

TheodorAman

Museum

University LibraryCarol I

Statue

Piata Amzei

Radu VodaMonastery

BucurChurch

StavropoleosChurch

Sf. Dumitru

Doamnei

Italian Church

SchitulDarvari

Mihai Voda

PatriarchalCathedral

NationalArt

Museum(MNAR)

Museum ofBucharest

Rembrandt

Europa Royale

M

M

Radisson Blu

AtheneePalaceHilton

Z Boutique

Comfort Suites

Carol Parc

Suter Inn

Double Tree by Hilton

Royal

International

NH

Confort Traian

K&KElisabeta

El Greco

Scala

Tempo

Horoscop


Capitol

Majestic

Casa Capsa

JW Marriott

Ibis Parliament

Parliament

Epoque

Trianon

Ambassador Boutique Hotel Monaco

Andy’s

Volo

Central

Cismigiu

Opera

Berthelot

Art CollectionsMuseum

NationalArt

Museum(MNAR)

HistoryMuseum

Contemporary ArtMuseum

TechnologyMuseum

InteriorMinistry

Antim Monastery

DomnitaBalasa


Baratiei


RussianChurch

Cretulescu

RevolutionMonument

TheodorAman

Museum

University LibraryCarol I

Statue

Piata Amzei

Radu VodaMonastery

BucurChurch

StavropoleosChurch

Sf. Dumitru

Doamnei

Italian Church

SchitulDarvari

Mihai Voda

PatriarchalCathedral

NationalArt

Museum(MNAR)

Museum ofBucharest

Rembrandt

Tania

Europa Royale

InterContinental

Central & Southern Bucharest

Unirea


Street register13 Septembrie, Calea B621 Decembrie 1989, Piata C5Academiei, Str. C5Alecsandri Vasile, Str. B4Alexandrescu Grigore, Intr. C4Alexandrescu Grigore, Str. B4Aman Theodor, Str. B5Amman, Str. C3Amzei, Intr. B4Apolodor, Str. B6Argentina, Str. B3Arghezi Tudor, Str. C5Atelierului, Str. A4Atena, Str. B3Balaban Emil, Str. C4Balcescu Nicolae, Bd. C5Baniei, Str. C6Banului, Str. B5Baratiei, Str. C6Batistei, Str. C5Berna, Str. B3Berthelot H. M., G-ral., Str. B5Berzei, Str. A4Biserica Amzei, Str. B4Biserica Enei, Str. C5Bitolia, Intr. B3Blanari, Str. C6Blanc Louis, Arh., Str. B3Blanduziei, Str. C5Bogdan Ion, Prof., Str. C4Botez Eugen, Cmdr., Str. C3Bratianu I.c., Bd. C6Brazilia, Str. B3Brebu, Str. E3Brezoianu Ion, Str. B5Brutus M.i., Str. B6Bruxelles, Str. B3Budisteanu Constantin, G-ral, Str. B5Buiestrului, Str. C3Buzesti, Intr. B4Buzesti, Piata A4Buzesti, Str. B4Buzoiani Iani, Str. C2Buzoianu Ion, Lt.col., Intr. C6Caderea Bastiliei, Intr. B4Caderea Bastiliei, Str. B4Caderon Jean Louis, Str. C5Calin Ion, Erou, Str. C4Cameliei, Str. A4Carada Eugeniu, Str. C6Caragea Ioan Voda, Str. C4Caragiale I.l., Str. C5Caragiale I.l.,intr. C5Carol I, Bd. D5Catargiu Lascar, Bd. B4Cavafii Vechi, Str. C6Cazzavillan Luigi, Str. B5Cernat Alexandru, G-ral, Str. A4Cioranu Mihai, Str. A6Clucerului, Str. A3Clunet, Dr., Str. A6Coanda Constantin, G-ral., Str. B4Coanda Henri, Str. B4Cobalcescu Grigore, Prof., Str. B5Coltei, Str. C5Constantin Daniel, Str. B4Constitutiei, Piata B6Conta Vasile, Str. C5Coposu Corneliu, Bd. C6Coposu Corneliu, Piata D6

Cornescu, Str. C3Cotiturii, Str. A5Covaci, Str. C6Crisana, Str. A5Crisului, Str. C6Cronicarilor, Str. C3Cuza Alexandru Ioan, Bd. A4Dacia, Bd. D4Dascalu Nicolae, Serg., Intr. B4David Emmanuel, Str. C4Davila Carol, Dr., Str A6Dealul Mitropoliei, Alee C6Demetriade Gheorghe, Cpt.av., Str B3Dianei, Str. C5Doamna Oltea, Str. C3Dona Nicolae, G-ral, Str. B5Dorobanti, Calea B3Dorobanti, Piata B3Dragalina Ion, G-ral., Str. B6Drobeta, Str. C4Duca Gheorghe, Bd. A4Dumbrava Rosie, Str. C4Eforie, Str. C5Eftimiu Victor, Intr. B5Elie Radu, Str. B5Eminescu Mihai, Intr. C4Eminescu Mihai, Str. D4Enescu George, Piata B5Enescu George, Str. B5Episcopiei, Str. C5Eroii Sanitari, Bd. A5Eroilor, Bd. A5Eroilor, Piata A6Felix Iacob, Dr., Str. A4Filipescu Nicolae, Str. C5Finlanda, Str. B3Floreasca, Cale C3Florescu Ion, G-ral, Str. C5Franceza, Str. C6Frumoasa, Intr. B4Frumoasa, Str. B4Furtuna Stefan, Intr. A5Gabroveni, Str. C6Gara De Nord, Piata A4Gara De Nord, Str. A4Georgescu George, Str. B6Ghica Ion, Str. C5Golescu Dinicu, Bd. A4Golescu Nicolae, Str. C5Greceanu Paul, Str. C4Grigorescu Eremia, Str. C4Grivitei, Cale B4Gusti Dimitrie, Str. A5Gutenberg, Str. B5Haga, Str. B3Hagi Moscu Maria, Str. A3Halelor, Str. C6Haret Spiru, Str. B5Hasdeu Iulia, Intr. B4Hasdeu Iulia, Str. B4Horatiu, Str. B4Hristo Botev, Bd. C5Iancu De Hunedoara, Bd. B4Icoanei, Str. C4Ilfov, Str. B6Iorga Nicolae, Intr. B4Iorga Nicolae, Str. B4Iosif O. Eugen, Dr., Str. A6Iulian Stefan, Str. A3Izvor, Str. A6Justitiei, Str. B6Kiseleff P.d., Bd. B3Kogalniceanu Mihail, Bd B5

Kogalniceanu Mihail, Piata B5Lacatusului, Str. C2Lacul Tei, Bd. D3Lahovari Alexandru, Piata C4Lantului, Str. A6Lascar Vasile, Str. C5Lazar Gheorghe, Str. B5Lebedei, Str. A3Libertatii, Bd. B6Libertatii, Piata B7Lipova, Str. A5Lipscani, Str. C6Lisabona, Str. B3Lister, Dr., Str. A6Londra, Str. B3Lupu Dionisie, Str. C5Luterana, Str. B5Macedoniei, Str. A5Magheru Gheorghe, Bd C5Magiresti, Str. A4Maltopol, Str. A4Mamulari, Str. C6Manolescu Grigore, Str. A3Manu Gheorghe, G-ral, Str. B4Maracineanu Walter, Piata B5Masaryk Thomas, Str. C5Mendeleev D.i., Str. C4Mexic, Str. B3Michelet Julles, Str. C4Micle Veronica, Str. A4Mihai Voda, Str. B6Mihalache Ion, Bd. A3Mihnea Voda, Str. C6Mille Constantin, Str. B5Millo Matei, Str. B5Mincu Ion, Arh., Str. B3Mirinescu Mihail, Dr., Str. A6Miron Costin, Str. A4Mitropolit Antim Ivireanul, Str. B6Monetariei, Str. B3Mosilor, Cale D4Moxa Mihail, Str. B4Muresanu Andrei, Str. B3Musatescu Tudor, Piata B5Natiunile Unite, Bd. B6Natiunile Unite, Piata B6Neculce Ion, Str. A3Negri Costache, Str. A6Negruzzi Iacob, Str. A4Negulescu Stefan, Str. C3Occidentului, Str. B4Oslo, Str. B3Ostasilor, Str. B5Otetari,str. C5Paris, Str. B3Parvan Vasile, Str. B5Pasteur Louis, Dr., Str. A6Patriarhiei, Str. C6Petrescu Camil, Intr. C4Philippide Alexandru, Str. C4Piata Amzei, Str. B4Pitar Mos, Str. C5Poenaru Bordea, Str. B6Poiana Narciselor, Str. B5Politie, Str. B6Polizu Gheorghe, Str. A4Polona, Str. C4Poni Petru, Str. A4Popa Tatu, Str. B5Popescu-gopo Ion, Str. A6Povernei, Str. B4Praga, Str. B3Praporgescu David,

G-ral., Str. C5Pretorienilor, Str. A6Putul Cu Plopi, Str. B5Putul Lui Zamfir, Str. B3Quinet Edgar, Str. C5Quito, Piata B3Rabat, Str. B3Radu Voda, Str. C6Ramniceanu Naum, Str. C3Regina Elisabeta, Bd. C5Regina Maria, Bd. C6Revolutiei, Piata B5Rigas, Intr. B5Roma, Intr. B3Roma, Str. B3Romana, Piata B4Rosetti C.a., Piata C5Rosetti C.a., Str. C5Rosetti Maria, Str. C5Rossini Gioachino, Str. C3Saligny Anghel, Ing., Str. B5Sapientei, Str. B6Sarandy Frosa, Str. A3Scarlatescu, Str. A3Schitul Magureanu, Bd. B5Scoala Floreasca, Str. C3Scoalei, Str. C5Selari, Intr. C6Selari, Str. C6Sepcari, Str. C6Sevastopol, Intr. B4Sevastopol, Str. B4Sfanta Vineri, Str. C6Sfantul Constantin, Str. B5Sfantul Elefterie, Str. A6Sfintii Apostoli, Str. B6Sfintii Voievozi, Piata B4Sfintii Voievozi, Str. B4Slanic, Str. C5Slatineanu Ion, Str. C4Slavesti, Str. C4Smardan, Str. C6Sofia, Str. B3Stahi Constantin, Str. B5Staicovici Nicolae, Dr., Str. A6Stavropoleos, Str. C6Stefan Cel Mare, Sosea D4Stirbei Voda, Intr. B5Stirbei Voda, Str. B5Tirana, Str. B3Titulescu Nicolae, Sosea A4Tokio, Str. B3Tomescu Toma, Dr., Intr. B4Transilvaniei, Str. B5Tudor Stefan, Intr. C3Tunari, Str. C4Unirii, Bd. C6Unirii, Piata C6Universitatii, Piata C5Vacarescu Barbu, Str. C3Venezuela, Str. B3Verona Arthur, Pictor, Str. C5Victoriei, Calea B4Victoriei, Piata B4Visarion I.c., Str. B4Vladoianu Barbu, G-ral, Str. A3Vlaicu Aurel, Str. C4Vulcanescu Mircea, Str. B4Washington, Str. B3Witting, Str. A4Xenopol Alexandru, Str. C4Zalomit Z. Ion. Str. B5Zola Emile, Str. B3

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