Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania
Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Epoque buildings and a reputation for the high life, Bucharest - Romania's capital was once known as the "Little Paris."

Romanian legend has it that the city of Bucharest was founded by a shepherd named "Bucur", whose name means "joy". His flute playing reportedly dazzled the locals and his hearty wine from nearby vineyards endeared him to the local traders, who gave his name to the place.

Remodeled, in the late 19th century, by French and French-trained architects Bucharest even features a Triumphal Arch on the elegant Soseaua Kiseleff, a boulevard longer that Paris' famed Champs-Elysees.

Bucharest's cosmopolitan days were interrupted  by the Communist rule. Many years after the overthrown of the communist regime, the "House of the People" - the world's second largest building after the US Pentagon - reminds Romanians of the communist years. Only Romanian materials and products were used - local marble, cherry and walnut paneling, crystal chandeliers, specially commissioned hand-woven tapestries, carpets and draperies - to build what supposed to be the headquarters of Romania's last communist leader. Now renamed the Palace of Parliament, this magnificent building of 1,000 rooms reflects the work of the country's best architects and artisans.

Bucharest is one of the few cities in east-central Europe with gambling. Many 18th and 19th Century palaces and mansions now house elegant beaux-arts casinos, where guests can play blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, baccarat and other games of chance, dine on sumptuous buffets and dance all night to live music.

Today, Bucharest - the capital and largest city of Romania - is experiencing renewed vigor. The city reflects an interesting heritage of mixed cultures influenced by: the old Romanian aristocracy educated in France, the German King Carol I, and the communist society.

Bucharest — Fast Facts

Airports in Bucharest
OTOPENI International Airport, Bucharest - 12 miles from downtown Bucharest
Domestic Flights:
Scheduled daily flights to / from Romania's main cities.
International flights:
scheduled flights to / from main cities in Europe, North America and Asia.
Otopeni Airport Information:
Telephone 230 00 22 or 230 00 42 or 204 10 00
Public transportation from Otopeni airport to downtown:
Bucharest  Bus #783
Departs every half hour from the arrivals terminal Fare: the equivalent in Romanian currency (Lei) of about $1.25 U.S. Tickets can be purchased from the driver.
Bucharest Shuttle Bus
$5.00 to $10.00 (shuttle busses can accommodate 6 to 40 passengers).
Bucharest Sky Services
From arrivals hall, offers 24 hour shuttle bus and limousine transfer as well as 3 to 6 hours city tours.
Telephone: 204 10 02
Fax: 201 48 40
Taxi - $20.00 (average), prices vary.
Limousine - $30.00 (average).

More information about transportation from Bucharest - Otopeni airport to downtown Bucharest:
http://www.otp-airport.ro

BANEASA Airport, Bucharest - 6 miles from downtown Bucharest
Domestic flights:
Scheduled daily flights to / from Romania's main cities
International flights:
Scheduled flights to/ from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova
Baneasa Airport Information:
Telephone 232 00 20 or 232 00 22
Public transportation from Otopeni airport to downtown:
Bucharest Bus #131 to downtown Bucharest
Bucharest Bus #205 to the main train station (Gara de Nord)
Taxi - $10.00 (average)

Train stations in Bucharest
Gara de Nord (North Train Station)
Piata Garii de Nord (3 miles from downtown)
All international and most InterCity / long distance domestic routes.
Daily connections to / from Romania's main cities.
Daily connections to / from Europe's main cities.
Telephone: 9521
Train ticket reservation offices:
Agentia CFR (Train Travel Agency)
Bucuresti 1, Str. Domnita Anastasia 10-14
Telephone: 313 26 44 or 314 55 28
Agentia de Voiaj (Train Travel Agency
Calea Grivitei 139, near North Train Station (Gara de Nord) Bucuresti 3, Bd. I. C. Bratianu 44 bis
Telephone: 311 08 57

Public Transportation in Bucharest
Bucharest has a complex city transit system, which combines buses, trolleybuses, trams and subways. The transit system covers virtually all areas of the city. It tends to be crowded during peak hours (6:00 AM to 8:30 AM and 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM).

There are five Maxi-Taxi routes connecting downtown Bucharest with the main tourist attractions of Bucharest. Maxi-Taxis are 8 to 10 seats (white) vans that can be hailed like regular taxis. Tickets cost the equivalent of $0.40 and can be bought on board.

More information on public transportation in Bucharest:
www.ratb.ro

Taxi companies in Bucharest
Cris TAXI / 9461
Euro TAXI / 9851
GETAX / 9531
Meridian / 9441
OK TAXI / 9691
TAXI Alfa / 9488
TAXI Cobalcescu / 9451
TAXI RO / 9861

International Bus Companies serving Bucharest
ATLASSIB
Scheduled service to Germany, Italy, France, Sweden.
Telephone: 330 79 80 / Website: atlassib.ro
DOUBLE T
Scheduled service to Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Greece.
Telephone: 313 36 42 / E-mail: doublet@fx.ro
EUROLINES TOURING
Scheduled service to Germany with connections to any country in Europe.
Telephone: 230 03 70
ANESIS
Scheduled service to Greece.
Telephone: 330 91 76
MURAT
Daily service to Istanbul,Turkey.
Telephone: 638 39 92
TOROS
Daily service to Istanbul, Turkey.
Telephone: 223 18 98

Lodging in Bucharest
See our website - www.elin.ro

Main attractions in Bucharest
Bucharest has 37 museums, 22 theaters, opera houses and concert halls, 18 art galleries, lots of libraries and bookstores.
Sights: Architecture of the Historic Center: Calea Victoriei, Piata Palatului, Bulevardul Bratianu, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta, Strada Lispcani, Piata Romana, Piata Victoriei, Bulevardul Aviatorilor, Soseaua Kiseleff, Bulevardul Dacia, Muzeul Satului (Village Museum), Catedrala Patriarhala, Cismigiu (Park).

For suggested walks through Bucharest please check:
www.romaniaguidebook.com
(Bucharest - City Walks)

Museums in Bucharest
The National Art Museum in Bucharest offers a collection of 70,000 works divided into two major sections. Its "National Gallery" features the work of major Romanian artists, including Brancusi, Grigorescu, Amman and Andrescu, while its "World Gallery" presents works by Western masters such as Rembrandt, Rubens, El Greco, Renoir and Cezanne.

Bucharest's Village Museum of Folk Art, about one square mile in size, is a fascinating outdoor museum that displays more than 300 wooden and stone buildings that reflect the history and diversity of Romania's rural architecture and design from all regions of the country.

The History Museum of Romania, housed in what was once Bucharest's main post office, presents a collection of artifacts adn jewelry that date from prehistoric to modern times.

Among other noteworthy museums in Bucharest are the Romanian Peasant Museum, with its collection of folkloric agricultural tools, household appliances, fabrics and apparel, The Museum of Art Collections, which presents major works by Romanian and foreign artists from a number of private collections, The Natural History Museum, The George Enescu Museum in memory of the famed Romanian composer (1881-1995), and the Astronomic Observatory.
Major museums in Bucharest include: National Museum of Art, Art Collections Museum, Museum of the City if Bucharest, National History Museum, Cotroceni Palace Museum, City Museum of Astronomy, National Military Museum, Minovici Museum of Ancient Western Arts, Village Museum, Museum of the Romanian Peasant, Natural History Museum, Museum of the Romanian Music, History Museum of the Jewish Comunity, Museum of the Armenian Community.

More information on museums: www.cimec.ro
http://art.museum.ro National Museum of Art/Bucharest

Arts / Shows in Bucharest
National Philharmonic, Opera House, Opereta House, National Drama Theater, Marionette Theater, Nottara Drama Theater, Odeon Drama, Jewish Theater, National Circus House.

www.sapteseri.ro - Bucharest Shows and Events Listing
www.operanb.ro - National Opera Bucharest

Nearby Attractions in Bucharest
Herastrau Park
Baneasa Forest and Zoo

Day Trips around Bucharest
Snagov Lake and Snagov Monastery, the burilal place of Wallachia's ruler Vlad the Impaler (20 miles)
Clock Museum in Ploiesti (45 miles)
City of Ruse in Bulgaria (50 miles)
Peles Castle in Sinaia (70 miles)
Monastery Curtea de Arges (85 miles)
Bran (Dracula) Castle in Bran ( 95 miles)

Local Cuisine in Bucharest
"Ciorba de Burta" (Tripe Soup)
"Mititei" (The "Wee Ones"); small skinless grilled sausages (made of a mix of minced pork, lamb and beef and spices.)

Unique Restaurants in Bucharest (great interiors & excellent food)
Clubul Contelui Dracula
Splaiul Independentei 8A, Telephone: 312 13 53
Carul cu Bere
Strada Stavropoleos 3-5, Telephone: 313 75 60
Casa Vernescu
Calea Victoriei 133, Telephone: 231 02 20

Local Beer in Bucharest:
Grivita, Bragadiru

Shopping in Bucharest
Handicrafts
Artizanat, Strada Academiei 25
Artizanat, Strada Anastasie Simu 6
Covorul, Bd. Unirii 13
Eva, Bd. Magheru 9
Miorita, Strada Ion Campineanu 18
Romarta, Bd. Unirii 8
Romartizana, Calea Victoriei 18-20
UniversalCoop, Calea Victoriei 16-20
Antiques
A A Antiques, Strada Quinet 4
Craii de Curtea Veche, Strada Covaci 14
Da Vinci, Calea Victoriei 118
Galateea, Calea Victoriei 134
Galeria Djaburov, Strada Popa Tatu 28
Galeria de Arta Dorobanti, Strada Tudor Stefan 13
Hanul cu Tei, Strada Lipscani 63
Palas Antiques, Calea Victoriei 100
Quasar Antiques, Calea Victoriei 63-81
China / Crystal
Sticerom, Strada Selari 9-11
Camina, Piata Romana 9
Leu, Bd. Unirii 11

Annual Events in Bucharest
May: Bucharest of the Old
June: National Craftsmen's Show
September: George Enescu Music Festival (every two years)

 
Bucharest Weather Forecast

Useful Telephone Numbers (Bucharest area code: 021)