🌍Visiting Bucharest: Where to Stay and What to Do

Today I want to tell you about my last trip, a hit and run in Bucharest, to discover the Romanian capital and its beauties.

I visited “Little Paris” at the end of May with my partner and a couple of friends, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Even if Bucharest is not comparable to other European pearls such as Prague, Paris and Budapest, we liked it very much and I recommend it to everyone, also because it is easy to get around and very cheap.

In this article we see how visit Bucharest, in which area to stay, what to do and all the information to spend a pleasant holiday.

WHERE TO STAY IN BUCHAREST

Keep in mind that the main attractions of Bucharest are located in the center, where you can easily walk around without having to use transport.

At most, the most distant attractions, such as the Arc de Triomphe, can be reached with a metro or taxi ride.

So the best area where to stay in Bucharest it is certainly its center, perhaps not far from the district Lipscani, which is the historic center, full of restaurants, clubs and souvenir shops.

We have chosen the beautiful Grand Hotel Continental, a 5 star hotel located in Calea Victoriei, large avenue in the center of Bucharest.

The hotel is really nice and the location is perfect for visit Bucharest, in the center a few steps from Lipscani, ideal for spending a pleasant evening in the many restaurants in the area.

Il Grand Hotel Continental it offers free entry to the spa (sauna and jacuzzi) and I must say that after walking all day a bit of relaxation in the jacuzzi was really needed. For the more active there is also a fitness room.

The international breakfast is abundant and very good, with a wide choice of sweet and savory, delicious scrambled eggs made on the spot and for those who love raw fish, a nice early morning sashimi is the top!

The rooms are elegant, spotless and equipped with everything, with a well-functioning wi-fi connection.

The value for money is also exceptional, in general Hotel highly recommended to stay in Bucharest.

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HOW TO REACH THE CENTER OF BUCHAREST FROM THE AIRPORT

The airport Henri Coanda International, also known as Otopeni, is located north of Bucharest just 17 km from the center.

To reach the center of Bucharest from Otopeni Airport by public transport the best choice is the bus Express 783, which ends the race in Piazza Unirii. From here you can continue to your hotel on foot or by subway. The duration of the journey ranges from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the traffic.

For the Express 783 and for all RATB vehicles (trolleybuses, trams and buses from number 100 upwards) a rechargeable card is used which is also suitable for two people. For the Metro, however, it is not valid, you buy paper tickets for each entrance.

As four of us opted for taxis, more comfortable and very cheap, we spent about € 10.

The important thing is that you take the official taxis, those with 1,39 LEI written on them, they can be booked from the machines that you will find inside the airport. Make sure there is a meter.

CURRENCY

The currency of Romania is the Lei, before leaving I had read some discussions in the various forums where the experts advised to change in the center.

Actually in the center the exchange was cheaper than at the airport, but in reality I collected directly at the ATM (my bank has no commissions even abroad) and the exchange was very advantageous, both at the airport and in the center, a a little less in the ATM of the Hotel.

WHAT TO DO IN BUCHAREST

As I mentioned, the main attractions are located in the center of Bucharest, so you just need to wander around the city without a precise destination, you will discover step by step all the beauties that the city offers.

But let's see the main things to do and see in Bucharest:

Herastrau Park

Beautiful park, full of greenery, where you can take a pleasant walk. From the historic center it can be reached by Metro, by taxi (5/10 minutes) or on foot.

Village Museum

It is located inside the Herastrau park and is an open-air museum, where the rural life of the Romanian people between the fifteenth and twentieth centuries is reproduced.

Arch of Triumph

It is located near the Herastrau park and is one of the monuments that most reminds you of Paris.

Parliament building

The imposing Palace of the Parliament is the true symbol of Bucharest with over 330 thousand square meters of surface. The interior can only be visited on a guided tour which lasts about 1 hour.

Lipscani

It is the Old Town, as well as the nightlife district of Bucharest, full of people strolling through the alleys full of restaurants and clubs. Also worth visiting during the day, perhaps for a lunch in a characteristic Romanian restaurant.

In the Old Town you will find in addition to local also cultural buildings, such as the The Old Court and the Old Court Church an ancient church, the oldest in the city.

CEC building

Beautiful building located on the famous Calea Victorei, it houses the Romanian National Bank. You cannot visit inside.

Museum of Natural History

It is one of the most beautiful museums in Bucharest, illustrating the history of Romania since the Paleolithic. It is located on Calea Victoriei in the palace that was once the main post office in Bucharest.

Capitoline Wolf Monument

It is located in Piazza Roma, on Bulevardul Ion C. Bratianu between Piazza della Universitate and Piazza Unirii, on the eastern side of the Lipscani district.

Auditorium Ateneul Roman

Beautiful building that houses an important concert hall.

WHERE TO EAT IN BUCHAREST

The Lipcsani area is full of restaurants, among the best known is the beautiful and characteristic one Beer cart, is the most renowned in the area, so it is best to book a few days in advance. Unfortunately, we could not find a place and I tried to contact them the day before leaving.

But I must say that we have discovered some very nice ones:

City Grill

We found it walking through the historic center and ate there for lunch, really good typical Romanian dishes, excellent grilled meat and a good choice even for vegetarians.

Victoriei 18

Excellent restaurant, which as you will understand from the name is located in Calea Victoriei, in front of the CEC building.

Beautiful lacale furnished with style and creativity, excellent fusion cuisine, friendly staff and low prices. There is a wide choice of vegetarian dishes on the menu.

We found it by chance, walking on the large avenue, we had dinner there on a Saturday night without booking.

Stadium Restaurant With Atrium

We had lunch in this place, decorated in a vintage style, really nice and alternative, it was right next to our hotel.

We liked the place very much, from the outside it looks small in reality it is huge with three rooms, one very large outdoors

The food is good, with a varied menu ranging from typical dishes to Burgers or Mexican specialties. Here too there is no shortage of vegetarian dishes.