At first glance, the post-Stalinist mixture of neoclassical buildings, wide wooden boulevards, and apartment blocks, Bucharest, can be a confusing place but is a city worth closer inspection. Filled with gray communist houses often built around or sometimes on more subtle bourgeois architectural details, it is hard to think that this misunderstood city ever inspired the nickname “Little Paris”. But there are lots of reminders of a splendid past, in addition to a potentially bright future.
Balkan Party Euphoria Mixed with Historical Masterpieces
This hidden and enigmatic place in Eastern Europe is home to the present the internationally famous Bucharest bachelor party. Every weekend curious travelers from all over the world flock to the city center to explore remnants of new and old Romanian identity.
The most symbolic building of Romanian culture and a spiritual landmark of a nation is the Atheneum. Built in the heart of the city in the 1880s, this extraordinary concert hall has become a place where both politicians and researchers gave lectures. A place where orchestras and musicians from all over the world will perform and exhibit great paintings and sculptures by masters of the art.
Dig a little deeper and you will soon find more survivors of the desecration of Communist architecture. There is a Byzantine chapel and bell tower mansion, while the side streets of the historic center hide antique shops, signature bars and eateries serving French, Italian and Transylvanian cuisine.
Elsewhere in the city center are the remains of the 15th-century Old Prince’s Court, built by Vlad the Impaler. According to local folklore, it was the way he treated his enemies (and the prisoners in the dungeons) that gave rise to the legend of Count Dracula.
Recent history can be appreciated at the Piata Revolutiei, the square at the heart of the 1989 Revolution, which ended the reign of infamous dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife. Comparing these to the glitzy north is the sprawling Herastrau Park, which offers boat trips and an open-air museum featuring traditional Romanian homes.
At first glance, a brutal post-Stalinist mixture of neoclassical buildings, wide wooden boulevards, and apartment blocks, Bucharest can be a confusing place but is a city worth closer inspection. Filled with gray communist houses often built around or sometimes on more subtle bourgeois architectural details, it is hard to think that this misunderstood city ever inspired the nickname “Little Paris”. But there are lots of reminders of a splendid past, in addition to a potentially brilliant future.
Restaurants and Bars
Bucharest’s Old Town is made up of a network of pedestrian streets, full of restaurants, pubs and nightlife. During the summer months there’s a vigorous atmosphere in the streets and all restaurants have outdoor dining areas. There are several typical British pubs in the Old Town with a wide variety of beers and easy, good pub food. In Bucharest you’ll also find the coolest gastropub in the world, specifically District 42. Great food, great drinks, great service and incredible steampunk art needs to be experienced at the very least!
In conclusion:
Today, Ceausescu’s heyday makes as much of a mark on the city as the narrow alleys and old town, and for which in his time the city was nicknamed “Little Paris”. But those differences also give the city its own distinct character and make it a capital of contrasts and attractions to experience and explore as a tourist.
What makes Bucharest vacation deals so tempting is the overall cost you’ll have at the end. Many visitors are still surprised to see the price label on virtually everything as prices here are 30% lower than what you can find in the rest of the EU.
That may be the only reason why Bucharest’s nightlife has become more and more popular with foreign visitors in the last decade and city officials claim that the nightlife offering will only grow with time. At this point, it is safe to conclude that Bucharest next to Budapest and Belgrade finds its place as among the best places for partygoers from all over Europe every weekend.
Since Romania joined the EU, a feeling of a new dynamic has spread throughout the city, with a younger population revitalizing old buildings and bringing new life to the Romanian capital.
