Bucharest

Romanian RockEverything you always wanted to know about Romania’s top rock bands but were afraid to ask

The Prince’s GuesthouseA weekend in the company of a genuine Transylvanian Count

Old Town/LipscaniIn Your PocketA 16-page special feature on Bucharest’s Old Town

N°77 - 15.00 leibucharest.inyourpocket.com

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

BUCHAREST

June - July 2012Europe’s best city

guides for more than 20 years

20

3Contents

E S S E N T I A L C I T Y G U I D E S

June - July 2012bucharest.inyourpocket.com

Basics 6Everything you wanted to know about Bucharest and Romania, but were afraid to ask

Arrival & Transport 10Navigating Bucharest

Culture & Events 14Sergiu Celibidache takes centre stage

Romanian Rock 18Know your Phoenix from your Iris

The Prince’s Guest House 22Escape the city and head for Charles’s place

Calea Victoriei 24A walk along Bucharest’s most historic street

Where to Stay 27From palaces of gold to flea pits

Restaurants 38Where to eat

Contents

Nightlife 56Clubs, bars, pubs and the like

SightseeingWhat to see 66Where to spend your days

Jewish Bucharest 70What’s left of the city’s Jewish heritage

Old Town / Lipscani 72The heart and soul of the city

Shopping, Directory & Children 88Everything from malls and markets to souvenirs, pharmacies, dentists, playgrounds and private schools

Maps & Street RegisterNorthern Bucharest 94Central & Southern Bucharest 96Street Register & Hotel Map Index 98

To find out just about everything you always wanted

to know about Romania’s Greatest Rock Bands,

including Iris, Phoenix and Celelalte Cuvinte (above,

photographed at a concert in April), see page 18. Photo by

Raluca Tanasa.

Next stop the Sighteeing Bus. Bucharest has never looked better than when viewed from the top deck of an open-top double-decker. See page 20.

4 Foreword

Bucharest In Your Pocket bucharest.inyourpocket.com

E S S E N T I A L C I T Y G U I D E S

Editorial Editor Craig Turp Assistant Editor Raluca TanasaContributor Rupert Wolfe-MurrayPhotography © Craig Turp/IYP Romania Srl unless otherwise stated.Cover photo National Library © Bogdan Carstina @ Dreamstime.comTrain timetable by Maximilian Turp-Balazs

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

Copyright notice Text, photos and maps copyright IYP Romania Srl 1999-2012 unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication 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).

Editor’s noteThe editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Advertorials are clearly marked as such. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

Bucharest In Your PocketStr. Stefan Burileanu 1-3Bl. 21E, Sc. 1, Ap. 8014191 Bucuresti, Romaniatel. (+4) 021 321 44 18fax (+4) 021 322 25 [email protected]

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Maybe it’s just the fact that we’ve been living in Bucharest for so long we’ve grown accustomed to its vagaries and peccadilloes, but if you ask us, the city has never looked better. On a warm summer’s evening sitting on a Lipscani or city centre terrace, spriţ in hand (made with local wine, of course), there are few places we would rather be. For all its bad press - and it still gets slated more than praised in the international media - Bucharest is a modern, vibrant city we are happy to live in, all the more so given the fact that we get to tell visitors all about the place too. This issue, as part of our mission to get you to Rediscover Bucharest, we have dedicated a major feature to the city’s sightseeing bus tour, (see pages 20-21), while we also take a look at three of Romania’s best ever rock bands. We also this issue have something for those of you looking to escape the city for a weekend: the guesthouses of Prince Charles in Transylvania, run on the prince’s behalf by a local count. Whatever you do with your time in Bucharest, enjoy the city. Bucharest - like much of Romania - really is what you make of it. If you have any thoughts about the city, about the guide or just a query about something we have said, get in touch with us at the usual email address: [email protected]. We really do love to hear from our readers. Meantime, enjoy Bucharest.

The view from Piata Unirii towards Romania’s new National Library, finally opened in May more than 23 years after construction began. Photo by and © Bog-dan Carstina @ Dreamstime.com

Cover story

It was 20 years ago this summer that the first In Your Pocket hit the streets of Vilnius, Lithuania. Since then, we have grown to become the largest publisher of locally produced city guides in Europe. We now cover more than 75 cities across the continent (with more on the way) and the number of In Your Pocket guides published each year is approaching an amazing five million. Always an innovative publisher, we have just launched a new version of our iPhone app, which can now be downloaded for free from the AppStore. Search for ‘IYP Guides’ by name. To keep up to date with all that’s new at In Your Pocket, like us on Facebook (facebook.com/inyourpocket) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket). You can also now follow our tips on Foursquare (foursquare.com/inyourpocket).

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6 BasiCs


7BasiCs


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 fighting for the control of territory 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 particularly careful on crowded buses, and always watch your bag in busy pubs and clubs), petty thieves are by and large a cowardly lot in Romania and will run a mile at the first sign of any resistance. Knife-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. In a nutshell though, do not worry. Of all Bucharest’s many, many problems, crime really is one of the least of them. Just keep your wits about you, apply common sense and all will be well.

Customs RegulationsWhile Romania joined the European Union (EU) in 2007, which should facilitate the complete, unfettered movement of goods between member countries, United Kingdom customs officers appear not to have noticed. As such you are only permitted to take 200 cheap cigarettes purchased in Romania to the UK with you (we feel obliged to point out, however, that you will be passing through the blue channel on arrival in the UK and the chances of being stopped are almost zero...). If you are travelling elsewhere in the EU, there are no limits on the amount of cigarettes you can bring home from Romania. Alcohol is similarly unrestricted. For those of you travelling outside of the EU when leaving Romania, you should check the import limits on fags and booze with your destination country before travelling. The export of some antiques purchased in Romania (especially old religious icons) is subject to the completion of tedious paperwork, although any reputable antiques store or dealer will be able to take care of this for you. Ask when buying if you are not sure.

EtiquetteIn their own homes, Romanians are by and large fabulous hosts. So much so that making friends and getting yourself invited should be top of your list of things to do while in the country! You had better be hungry, because the food never stops coming, on and on, dish after dish. You must bring something: flowers, chocolates or a bottle of good whisky. You will probably be offered local brandy, ţuica. It will grow on you. Most Romanians love to chat about their country, its politics, problems and troubled history. Don’t be surprised if they ask you very direct questions. In all cases, it is probably best to be diplomatic in response.

In an emergency call 112. You do not need to use the city code, whether calling from a landline or a mobile. You wll be asked which service you require (Politia/Police, Ambu-lanta/Ambulance or Pompierii/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 the brand new building 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. More details in the Health box on page 8. There is a list of Pharmacies on page 92, and an English speaking Dentist on page 89.

When Things Go Wrong

I am one of the over two million inhabitants of Bucharest. This is where I was born, and where I grew up. I know both the bright and dark sides of every nook and cranny. I have learned the history of each stone, and expe-rienced romance while wande-

ring in Herastrau Park or admiring the city by night. I have traveled a lot, but I have always come back home with infinite joy in order to discover my Bucharest over and over again. I am sure that there would have been no better place in Romania to build my medical career, with all the professional and academic opportunities that a capital city like Bucharest can offer. Yet I under-stood that for everything you get in this life you have to give something back. That is why now, as the Mayor of Bucharest, I commit myself to giving the people of this city a place to live in, not just a place to dwell in. Bucharest is Romania’s most important cultural, econo-mic, financial and political centre. It generates more than 20 per cent of the country’s GDP and is inhabited by more than 10 per cent of the Romanian population. All major financial, political and executive institutions are based here. As one of 27 European capitals, Bucharest is eager to share its cultural heritage with the community and the whole world. I therefore invite you to explore this wonderful city, to discover its mystery and take its pulse: Bucharest is always ready to surprise and impress its guests with its eternal and motley poetry. Sorin Oprescu, Mayor of Bucharest

A Word From Bucharest’s Mayor

Left LuggageThere are left luggage facilities at Gara de Nord, but no luggage lockers. You will find the left luggage counter opposite the Wasteels of fice, a short walk from the platforms. The charge is cursory: 4 lei per small bag per 24 hours, 7 lei for a bigger bag. Note that the office keeps irregular hours (with staff taking breaks seemingly willy-nilly), so always make sure there will be someone on hand to give you back your bag when you want to pick it up. There is not currently any left luggage facility at Otopeni airport.

Films in Romania are shown in their original language with Romanian subtitles. The exceptions are animated films, which - at the multiplexes - can usually be viewed in the original language (subtitrat) or dubbed into Romanian (dublat). To find out which films are showing, check the individual websites of each cinema, or browse the full programme of the city’s cinemas at www.cinema.ro.

Hollywood Multiplex E-7, Calea Vitan 55-59 (Bucuresti Mall), tel. (+4) 021 327 70 20/(+4) 021 327 70 21, www.hmultiplex.ro. The best complex of cinemas in the city, offering ten screens, good popcorn and comfortable seats. Q Tickets 17.40 - 34.90 lei.

IMAX/Cinema City B-dul Vasile Milea/B-dul Ti-misoara, MPolitehnica, tel. (+4) 021 407 00 00, fax (+4) 031 425 75 13, www.aficotroceni.ro. The first IMAX cinema in Romania will open at the end of October as part of the new Cinema CIty complex in the Cotroceni Palace shopping centre. QTickets 18-37 lei.

The Light Cinema Sos. Progresului 151-171 (Lib-erty Center), tel. (+4) 021 369 97 97/(+4) 021 369 97 40, www.lightcinemas.ro. The only gripe we would have with this 3D cinema (the first to open in Romania) is the creative pricing: tickets never appear to cost what you expect. Q Tickets 10.00 - 35.00 lei.

Cinema: Going to the Movies

8 BasiCs


Local laws & PoliceIf 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 designated areas) leaves you open to a fine, and despite appearances to the contrary, prostitution is illegal. If you are arrested ask to speak to your embassy. There is a list on page 90.

MoneyRomania’s currency is the leu (plural lei), divided into 100 bani. Notes come in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1. These are supplemented by 50, 10 and 5 bani coins. The best place to get your hands on Romanian money is at an ATM. If you really do have to change cash, then please ensure that you do it inside a bank. Credit and debit cards (MasterCard and Visa at least) are accepted almost everywhere. American Express and Diners Club cards are less widely accepted.

ToiletsThe only decent public toilets in town are those in the Piata Universitatii underpass (which are free) and those at Gara de Nord (for which you have to pay, 1 leu).

Bucharest’s dodgy taxi drivers have a refreshingly liberal sense of equal opportunities: basically, when it comes to ripping people off, they view anyone as fair game. Locals, foreigners, young, old, male, female: anyone who steps in the wrong kind of taxi can expect to be well and truly buggered. The important thing to remember when getting into a taxi in this city is that there are two kinds: those which are operated by a tried and trusted taxi company (usually good) and independents (usually bad). The problem is spotting the difference. By and large, trustworthy 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, the independents have also started to plaster phone numbers over their cars, alongside copy-cat logos that look cunningly like those of decent taxi companies. The best way to avoid being ripped off however is to pay careful attention to the tariffs, displayed on the driver and passenger door of all taxis. There should just now be one single tarif displayed, and anything higher than 1.69 lei per kilometre should start alarm bells ringing. Be extra careful around Gara de Nord, Baneasa Airport, Bucuresti Mall, Piata Universitatii, Piata Unirii and in Old Town, at the National Bank. To avoid any problems, call one of the taxi companies listed below. If you are in a hotel or restaurant, ask your concierge or waiter/waitress to call a taxi for you. If you feel something is a bit suspect in any taxi, note down the driver’s number and call his company to report him. Some trusted taxi companies:Autogeneral 021 9401, Cobalcescu 021 9451, Confort 021 9455, Cristaxi 021 9461, Fly Taxi 021 9440, Leone 021 9425, Mavi 021 9450 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.

Taxi Tactics

Romania is in the Eastern European Time Zone: GMT + 2 hours. When it is 12:00 in Bucharest it is 11:00 in Berlin, 10:00 in London and 05:00 in New York. The population of Romania is 19,042,936, and of Bucharest 1.7 million according to figures from the 2011 census.

Time & PeopleShould you fall ill, the local health service is more than adequate, if not perfect. Hospitals do suffer from a lack of funds, and the frequent handing over of 10 lei notes to everyone from the receptionist to the cleaner is recommended. In an emergency you should call tel. 112 or tel. (+4) 021 9731 for an ambulance. The best state emergency hospital is Spitalul de Urgenta, C-3, Calea Floreasca 8, tel. (+4) 021 599 23 00. If your child becomes ill, you should take him or her to the excellent children’s emergency hospital, found at (B-4), B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 30-32, tel. (+4) 021 212 93 64/66. A list of 24 hour pharmacies can be found on page 91.

Health

€1 = 4.45 lei, £1 = 5.58 leiUS$ = 3.55 lei

(As of May 31, 2012)

10 arriVaL & transPort


11arriVaL & transPort


Bucharest’s only commercial airport is now Otopeni (of-ficially Henri Coanda), 17km north of the city on the DN1. Opened in 1970 and recently extended, it is a spacious, efficient airport. Baneasa Airport - until recently the city’s low-cost hub - closed its doors to airlines in March. 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 offer here. You should especially ignore the currency exchange desks: they do not offer decent rates. Instead, grab your luggage, which usually arrives promptly (if it fails to arrive head for the small office on the left hand of side of the exit, where staff will help you find out where it might have gone), and then it’s 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: the passage is lined with car hire desks and a few shops, including a chemist. You should beware of the taxi drivers who will besiege you as you make your way through Arrivals. Ignore them, even if they have Official Taxi badges (the badges are meaningless). Swear at them if you have to: they will eventually get the message. Directly outside Arrivals you will find a line up of taxis displaying an ‘Airport’ sign. Again, you should ignore them: they are charging way over the odds. A ride to the city centre with one of these taxis would cost around 150.00 lei (€40), and that is if they have the metre running. Often they will not, however, and will simply demand an extortionate price when you arrive at your destination. So we repeat: ignore them! Instead, call a normal Bucharest taxi, from a company such as Cristaxi (tel. 021-9461) or Meridian (tel. 021-9444). These taxis are not allowed to wait outside the terminal building or in the car park, so you will have to go and meet it at the foot of the Arrivals access ramp.However, the easiest way to get a cheap taxi at Otopeni is simply to walk through to Departures (turn right as you exit baggage claim) and take a regular taxi as it drops somebody off. There is a constant stream of these, even late at night, and you should never have to wait too long. (Note that by regular taxi we mean one which belongs to a trusted company - such as Cobalcescu, Cristaxi, Meridian, National, Taxi 2000, Taxi Leone, Speed Taxi) and charges from 1.39 lei/km to 1.69 lei/km. (Never pay more than 1.69 lei/km). 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. 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 journey into the city and back 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, but it can be recharged as often as you like at any ticket kiosk in Bucharest, with as much credit as you wish, and used on all Bucharest buses, trams and the metro. These 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 and infrequent intervals, however, and to get to the airport’s station you need to take a minibus. We do not recommend it. Timetables and tickets are available from a counter in the Arrivals hall. Look out for the Bilete CFR sign.

Arrival 1: Otopeni

Public transportEven though the Bucharest public transport network is cheap, extensive and reliable, taking a bus, trolleybus or tram can be a headache due to the amount of people that cram on to the blasted things.

TicketsTo use a bus, trolleybus or tram you will need to buy an Activ Card before climbing aboard. These cards cost 3.70 lei, are valid on all froms of public transport (including the metro) and can be bought from the little kiosks next to major stops. They need to be loaded with credit (minimum 5 lei, maximum 50 lei) and are reusable: you can reload them as many times as needs be. The card is then debited each time you validate it at one of the orange devices located on buses, trams and trolleybuses, or at the entrance to the metro. One trip by surface transport costs 1.30 lei, a metro trip costs 2.00 lei. You can also purchase a day-ticket valid on all the city‘s buses, trolleybuses and trams. It costs 8 lei. Ticket inspectors (controlor) are ubiquitous, and if you are caught without a validated Activ Card you’ll pay a fine of 50 lei. Pickpockets are rife on all forms of public transport in Bucharest. On all forms of public transport children under the age of seven travel free. After that age they need a full-price ticket.

Buses & Trolleybuses Even the most remote corners of Bucharest are served by bus or trolleybus, and most main roads in the city centre benefit from three or four different routes. Most buses are overcrowded, however, and travelling on them is a less than pleasant experience. There is also now a vast night bus network which operates an hourly service throughout the night. All night buses depart from Piata Unirii.

Trams A blessing to some and a curse to others, Bucharest’s trams skirt the city centre, often blocking traffic as they trundle along narrow roads. Unless you are visiting somewhere outside of the city centre it is unlikely that you will use a tram.

Metro 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 IMGB, which passes through Piatas Victoriei,

Getting from Bucharest to the capitals of neighbouring countries is not as easy, quick or inexpensive as you would expect. Here is a rundown of the fastest and cheapest ways of getting from capital to capital...

Bucharest - Belgrade Tarom flies to Belgrade once a day, and the cost is €221 return. There is also an overnight train, leaving Bucharest at 20:45 and arriving in Belgrade at 08:45 the next day. A space in a six-person cuseta costs approximately €45. For train tickets the best place to go is Wasteels, at Gara de Nord.

Bucharest - BudapestThere are several flights from Bucharest to Budapest each day, operated by Tarom and Malev. Standard return prices start at €192, although both airlines regularly have offers on tickets costing a lot less. There are also two trains connecting the two cities: one leaves at 14:30 (arriving in Budapest at 04:40 the next morning) while the other leaves at 19:00 and arrives at 08:50. The price for a berth in a sleeping wagon is around €90 (one way), while a bed in a cuseta (sharing with up to five others) costs €53. The best place to buy international train tickets in Bucharest is Wasteels, at Gara de Nord.

Bucharest - ChisinauIf bought far enough in advance, return plane tickets to Chisinau with Tarom can cost as little as €124. Air Moldova also fly the same route, tickets costing slightly more, around €144 return. However, note that if a single ticket is all you are after, Air Moldova is the cheaper option, a ticket costing as little as €75. The overnight train to Chisinau departs Bucharest at 19:40, and arrives in the Moldovan capital at 08:52 the next morning. Tickets cost from €41 (single).

Bucharest - KyivGetting to Kyiv from Bucharest takes plenty of spare cash or patience. Just one airline flies to Kyiv from Bucharest, Aerosvit, and the price is a monopoly-tastic US$376 return. The train takes a whopping 26 hours and 38 minutes, leaving Bucharest at 06:53 in the morning, arriving in Kyiv at 09:31 the next day. Tickets cost from €63 (single).

Bucharest - SofiaFlying to Sofia from Bucharest costs around €248, with either Tarom or Bulgaria Air. There are two or three flights per day depending on the day of the week. There are two trains per day. A daytime train departs Bucharest at 13:00 and arrives in Sofia at 22:25, while the night train departs Bucharest at 23:15 and arrives in Sofia at 09:25. First-class tickets cost €55 (single). For the night train, sleeping wagon berths cost €99. Much faster (and cheaper) is the daily coach linking Bucharest and Sofia. It leaves the Gara Filaret coach station next to Parcul Carol (B-7) each day at 16:00, ar-riving in Sofia just under seven hours later. Tickets cost €18 single (€35 return) and can be bought direct form the driver.

Moving OnIf 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 and a McDonalds. To get to town take an honest taxi from outside (beware sharks) or take the metro: you are just two stops away from Piata Victoriei. To get to the airport from Gara de Nord, take bus 780. 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 saying 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.

Arrival 2: Gara de Nord

12 arriVaL & transPort


13arriVaL & transPort


From Bucharest To BucharestDep Arr. Dep. Arr.

IC 13:15 23:58 ARAD IC 11:50 22:40IR 08:25 11:00 BRASOV IR 05:36 08:17IR 11:10 13:55 BRASOV ICN 08:27 11:00IC 13:15 15:44 BRASOV IR 11:30 14:05IR 15:35 18:11 BRASOV IR 16:45 19:25ICN 19:00 21:34 BRASOV IC 20:11 22:40IC 13:15 21:34 CLUJ-NAPOCA IC 14:10 22:40IR 14:05 16:43 CONSTANTA IR 05:20 08:02IR 20:25 23:07 CONSTANTA IR 17:30 20:15IR 06:45 09:38 CRAIOVA IR 12:40 16:48IR 13:40 18:07 GALATI IC 04:50 08:31IR 12:00 19:00 IASI IR 05:53 13:05IR 23:00 05:52 IASI IR 23:40 06:39IC 13:15 00:28 ORADEA IC 11:10 22:40IR 19:15 09:23 SATU MARE IR 16:30 06:27IR 09:50 15:25 SIBIU IR 06:15 11:50IC 13:15 18:08 SIGHISOARA IC 17:50 22:40IR 11:10 20:08 TIRGU MURES IR 12:55 21:20IR 12:47 21:15 TIMISOARA IR 04:45 13:35IR 20:45 05:19 TIMISOARA IR 14:00 22:34Schedule verified May 31st, 2012. The full Romanian railway timetable is online at www.infofer.ro.

Train Schedule

Romana and Unirii, and the M1 branch to the Gara de Nord, is likely to be of any use to visitors. Tickets are almost as cheap as for the trams and busses: they cost either 4 lei (valid for two trips; doua calatorii) or 10 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.

TrainsGiven that Romania‘s roads are so bad, it‘s comforting to know that the country‘s railways are equally crap. Having said that, many long years of line upgrades on the Bucharest - Brasov and Bucharest - Constanta routes are now approaching com-pletion, and journey times are more or less back to something approaching 1989 levels: two and a half hours to Brasov, slightly more to Constanta. Always try to get an InterCity (IC) or InterRegio (IR) train as they are the fastest and usually have the most modern rolling stock. Regio (R-) trains (which until recently were known as Personal), 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 78.50 lei.

Info Tourist Center C-5, P-ta Universitatii Under-pass, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0746 25 29 22. Large, spacious tourist information centre. Usually stocks copies of our guide, or mini-guide. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.Info Tourist Point A-4, Inside Gara de Nord, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 0371 15 50 63, www.infotourist.ro. A small kiosk staffed by friendly young locals ready to help as best they can with all the questions new arrivals might have. The kiosk is stocked with leaflets, maps, brochures etc. and of course: Bucharest In Your Pocket. Q Open 09:00-21:00.Info Tourist Point C-6, Metro Unirii 1, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0725 21 73 18, www.infotourist.ro. Small info kiosk manned by friendly staff. Find it inside Piata Unirii metro station. Usually stocks copies of Bu-charest In Your Pocket. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00.

Tourist Information

Car RentalAutotechnica Hertz B-dul Theodor Pallady 47, Entry A, 1st Floor, tel. (+4) 021 407 82 00, [email protected], www.hertz.ro. Q Also at Henri Coanda Airport, tel. (+4) 021 204 12 78, Open 08:00 - 22:00;Avis B-dul Theodor Pallady 51, tel. (+4) 021 9876/(+4) 021 210 43 44, fax (+4) 021 210 69 12, [email protected], www.avis.ro. A delivery and collection service is available free of charge within the city limits; the service is on request, and it depends on the availability of the Avis rental office. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (C-5) InterContinental, tel. (+4) 021 314 18 37, Open 08:00 - 20:00; Henri Coanda 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 Drumul 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. QOpen 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 B-4, Str. Mihail Moxa 9, tel. (+4) 021 210 28 67, fax (+4) 021 210 29 95, [email protected], www.budgetro.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (B-3) Calea Dorobanti 5 - 7 (Howard Johnson Hotel), 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.

Compact Rent-a-Car A-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. Q Prices from €18/day.Europcar D-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. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Also at Otopeni Airport tel. (+4) 0374 00 40. Service also available in Cluj, Constanta, Sibiu, Timisoara.Sixt New Kopel Calea Bucurestilor 201-203, tel. (+4) 021 9400, (+4) 0372 37 20 05, [email protected], www.sixt.ro.

Bucharest is well linked to Budapest by train (there are four per day) but poorly to Belgrade, Sofia, Chisinau and Kyiv. To buy train tickets, visit either the station, the CFR agency we list opposite or buy online at www.cfr.ro/calatori. Your best bet for the purchase of international tickets is Wasteels at the station. In all cases, do not leave buying tickets to the last minute: long queues could mean you miss your train. Tickets cannot be purchased on the train, though in the worst case scenario you can try bribing the guard. Many locals do this habitually.Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR B-5, Str. Domnita Anastasia 10-14, tel. (+4) 021 313 26 42, www.cfr.ro. CFR’s advance booking office. Reservations for all kinds of trains. Q Open 07:30 - 19:30, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun. Wasteels A-4, Gara de Nord, tel. (+4) 021 317 03 70/021 300 27 30, www.triptkts.ro. Advance reservations for all types of trains, national and international. Helpful staff, western currencies accepted. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

Cars4Rent Str. Drumul Odaii 1D (Hotel Charter), tel. (+4) 0723 34 71 92/(+4) 0730 09 39 85, fax (+4) 021 352 87 16, [email protected], www.cars4rent.ro.Good car hire from the people behind the Charter Hotel.Q Open 24 hrs.

14 CULtUre & eVents


15CULtUre & eVents


Arenele Romane Str. Cutitul de Argint 26 (Parcul Carol).Ateneul Român C-5, Str. Franklin 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 315 68 75, www.fge.org.ro.QOpen 12:00 - 19:00, Sat 16:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 11:00, 16:00-19:00. Closed Mon. Control Club C-5, Str. Academiei 19 (Pasajul Victo-riei), tel. (+4) 0733 92 78 61, www.control-club.ro. Q Open 14:00 - 06:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 06:00. Diverta E-7, Calea Vitan 55-59 (Bucuresti Mall), www.diverta.net. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Magazin Muzica B-4, Calea Victoriei 41-43, tel. (+4) 021 314 56 08.Romanian National Opera (Opera Nationala Romana) A-5, B-dul Kogalniceanu 70-72, tel. (+4) 021 314 69 80. Q Box office open 09:00-13:00, 15:00-19:00.Sala Palatului B-5, Str. Ion Campineanu 28, tel. (+4) 021 315 73 72. Q Box office open Tue-Fri 10:00-19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Sala Polivalenta B-dul Tineretului 1 (Parc Tinere-tului), tel. (+4) 031 425 78 01.Sala Radio B-5, Str. Berthelot 60-64, tel. (+4) 021 314 77 70/(+4) 021 303 12 97, www.srr.ro.

Venues & Tickets

29.06 Friday - 01.07 Sunday Rock The CityB-dul Marasti 65-67 (Romexpo). It’s three days of rock music heaven. The list of bands performing includes Guns N’Roses, Evanescence, The Cult, Godsmack, Ugly Kid Joe, Machine Head and Within Temptation. Expect a few surprise guests too. Q Concert starts from 14:00 in day one and three and from 12:00 in day two. Tickets cost 191.7 lei - 479.25 lei for a three days subscription, 53.25 lei - 74.55 lei for day 1, 127.8 lei - 181.05 lei for day 2 and 149.1 lei - 223.65 lei for day 3 and can be bought fromwww.eventim.ro.

30.06 Saturday Julio IglesiasC-2, Str. Barbu Vacarescu 313-321 (Zone Arena). After David Bisbal earlier in the year the Latino lothario stakes get ratcheted up another notch. This concert is part of Julio’s World Tour 2012 and chances are it will be his last series of concerts, so grab your tickets now. Q Concert starts at 20:00. Tickets cost 100 - 600 lei from www.bilete.ro, and www.myticket.ro.

Opera & BalletThe Romanian National Opera (Opera Romana) is at B-5, B-dul Kogalniceanu 70-72, tel. (+4) 021 314 69 80, www.operanb.ro. It serves up a familiar repertoire of classic operas and ballets. There are also usually child-oriented matinees at 11:00 at weekends. Tickets cost from 5.30 - 63.60 lei, and can be purchased online at www.bilet.ro or from the Opera’s own box office, open 09:00-13:00, 15:00-19:00. Full opera schedule (all performances start at 19:00 unless stated): June 7 Nabucco; 8 Don Quixote; 9 The Toy Box (11:00), L’elisir d’amore (18:00); 10 The Dolls’ Shop (11:00), Tosca; 11 D’ale Carnivale; 13 Aida (18:30); 14 Giselle; 15 La Nozze di Figaro (18:30); 16 Harap Alb (11:00), Rigoletto; 17 Hansel & Gretl (11:00), Madam Butterfly; 20 Rita (19:30); 21 Tango, Radio & Juliet; 22 La Traviata; 23

Bucharest In Your Pocket offers the widest selection of concerts, events, club nights and exhibitions in Bucharest. We in general welcome submissions, so if you have an event you want to publicise, however big or small, you can do so here: absolutely free. Send details of your event to [email protected].

Rock & Pop Concerts01.06 FridayControl Day Out 2 Str. Cutitul de Argint 26 (Parcul Carol). Yes, Control Day Out is back at Arenele Romane and great names from the world of music are again on the list of performers. We’re talking about The Shoes, the American power pop band of Present Tense album fame, Wild Beasts an indie rock band from England, Woodkid, and O.Children - a London-based band who have just released their debut album. Q The event starts at 20:00. Tickets 50 - 95 lei from Club Control, Shift Pub or eventim.

06.06 Wednesday - 08.06 FridayB’est Fest Summer Camp Tunari. Since the first edition in 2007, B’est Fest has became a fixture on the Romanian music scene and is now included in lists of the Top 20 European Music Festivals. Past performers such as Santana, Moby, Pink, Alanis Morissette, Judas Priest and Gary Moore had much to do with making the festival popular, and this year you can expect much of the same: good music for all tastes. Confirmed to appear are Garbage, Moonspell, Roykssop, Pulp, Caro Emerald and Obituary, besides many more acts. For the complete list of artists go to www.bestfest.ro. Q A ticket for one day costs 125 - 150 lei, while a ticket valid for all three days runs from 265 - 285 lei. Camping vouchers cost 15 lei. Note: the cheapest tickets are only available in advance. Tickets or subscriptions can be bought from www.myticket.com.

06.06 Wednesday Linkin ParkB-dul Marasti 65-67 (Romexpo). Far more than just a rock band. They have said it themselves and we repeat the refrain: Linkin Park is a music hybrid, a gathering of six distinct artistic personalities. Their sound doesn’t resemble anything else around, and their albums are not without reason perennial top sellers. If you’re a Romanian fan your time has come: this is the band’s first live performance in Bucharest. Q Concert starts 20:00. Tickets cost 130 lei - 360 lei from www.eventim.ro.

15.06 Friday - 17.06 Sunday OST FestB-dul Marasti 65-67 (Romexpo). This is the heaviest rock festival of them all. It should be enough to mention the presence of Dimmu Borgir to know that this is only for those who can handle their rock seriously heavy. Other names taking part in this rock massacre include Trooper, Manowar, Megadeth and Overkill. Q Concerts start at 16:00. Tickets cost 150 - 800 lei for all three days and 90 - 500 lei for one day from www.eventim.ro.

Carol Park (Parcul Carol I/Parcul Libertăţii) C-7, Calea Serban Vodă, MEroii Revolutiei. So close to the city centre yet so seldom frequented as to be almost forgotten, this large park was laid out by the city’s authorities from 1900-6, and designed by the French landscape artist Eduard Redont. It 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 empty). The park offers some pleasant walks along tree-lined paths, and good view of central Bucharest from the monument. The open-air Arenele Romane in the west of the park, next to the Observatory of Bucharest University’s Astronomy Department are a popular venue for concerts.

Cismigiu Gardens (Grădina Cismigiu) B-5, Between B-dul Regina Elisabeta, Calea Victoriei, Str. Stirbei Vodă and B-dul Schitu Măgureanu, MUniversitate. The most central of the city’s public gardens, Cismigiu is a haven of lawns, trees, flowers and lakes. Highlights of the 17 hectare park include the Roman Garden, laid in the style of ancient Rome, and including busts of Romania’s most famous writers, the lake, which can be explored by rowing boat in summer, and Ion Jalea’s French Memorial in Carrara marble, which commemorates those French troops killed on Romanian territory during the Great War.

Herăstrău Park B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 32, MAviatorilor. Large park in the north of the city, surrounded by the fin-est residential districts Bucharest has to offer. The most popular of Bucharest’s parks it extends for 187 hectares from the Arcul de Triumf to the Baneasa bridge, and is centered on the lake with which it shares its name. Home to numerous attractions, including childrens’ playgrounds, a rather old fashioned fairground, an open-air theatre, gar-dens, promenades and the central lake (which offers boat trips during the summer), the main entrance, recently tidied up and beautified, is from Piata Charles de Gaulle. You can rent bikes from La Pedale, close to the entrance. Rental is free but limited to two hours. You will need ID.

Tineretului Park (Parcul Copiilor, Parcul Va-caresti) B-dul Tineretului, MTineretului. A large, mostly lovely park featuring the best playgrounds in the city. Divided into two parts, the main section (closest to Tineretului metro) offers a few rides for kids, trampolines and dodgems, as well as playgrounds and plenty of tree-lined avenues great for strolling. There is free bike hire (bring ID) too. In the middle of the park is the Sala Polivalenta - a popular venue for concerts, exhibitions and big indoor sporting events - set above a large artificial lake on the shore of which is a great terrace, Cafeneaua Actorilor de Vara, which serves some of the best mici in the city. Up by Sala Polivalenta you will also find the entrance to Oraselul Copiilor, a children’s funfair. It is currently being renovated, but some rides are open. The best part of Tineretului however is Parcul Vacar-esti / Parcul Copiilor, on the corner of B-dul Tineretului and Calea Vacaresti. Vast amounts of money have been spent on the biggest childrens’ playgrounds in the city. There is also an old steam engine, inflatables, a go-kart track, tennis courts, football pitches, volleyball and bas-ketball courts.

Parks & Gardens

L’elisir d’amore (18:30); 24 The Magic Flute (11:00), Don Quixote; 28 Le Cantarice Villane (19:30); 30 The Masked Ball; July 1 The Masked Ball. The opera closes for July and August.

16 CULtUre & eVents


30.06 Saturday - 07.07 SaturdaySergiu Celibidache Festival 100C-5, Str. Franklin 1 (Romanian Atheneum). This year Romania celebrates the centenary of the birth of Sergiu Celibidache, a man whose vision in conducting changed the sound of music. A week-long series of concerts at Romania’s finest concert hall, the Atheneum, will mark the event. First, however, a few words about this great Romanian musician are in order... A child prodigy, Sergiu Celibidache didn’t speak at all in his first years of life, but instead, at the age of four, he started playing the piano and later took lessons, always with astonishing results. After his family left Roman, his little hometown in the north-east of Romania, he started studying mathematics, philosophy and music in Iasi, to where his family had decamped. In 1935 he moved to Paris to continue his studies and, inspired by Heinz Tiessen, a professor from the Faculty of Music in Berlin, he composed his first string quartet. On hearing this remarkable composition, Tiessen invited Celibidache to Berlin to explore his talent further. Accepting the invita-tion, he joined the Music Faculty at the Friedrich-Wilhelm University and soon after met the Buddhist priest Martin Steinke, who would be a major influence throughout his life. From 1945 to 1952 Celibidache served as principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. In great demand, he also lead some of the finest orchestras in the world: the Copenhagen Royal Chapel, Scala Milan, Santa Cecilia’s Academy in Rome, the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, ORTF National Orchestra in Paris, Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, the London Symphony Orchestra being just a few. A defining aspect of Celibidache’s creative vision was that he believed in something called a ‘transcen-dent experience’ which can only be achieved during a live concert: he therefore rejected the idea of recorded music. The New York Times critic John Rockwell once described a Celibidache concert at Carnegie Hall to have been the best experience of his twenty-five year career. Sergiu Celibidache believed that ‘teaching is the noblest human activity’, and dedicated an important part of his life to passing his knowledge and experience on to the younger generation. As an honorific professor at the Johannes-Gutenberg University in Mainz he held his famous ‘Phenomenology of Music’ seminars: accessible without charge to anybody interested. He gathered a huge following from all over the world, and some of his students are taking part in this year’s festival. Q The festival will take place at the Romanian Atheneum from the June 30 until July 7, with a different concert each night; all concerts start at 20:00. Tickets cost 65 - 75 lei and are available at www.eventim.ro.

Sergiu CelibidacheApostles’ Church (Biserica Sfintii Apostoli) B-6, Str. Sfintii Apostoli 33A, MPiata Unirii. One of the old-est churches in Bucharest (with parts dating 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.

Colţea Church (Biserica Colţea) C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 1, MUniversitate. To the left (face on) of the Colţea hospital, the church of the same name was built from 1701-2 on the site of a much older, wooden construction. Renovation has restored much of the rich ornamentation of the interior.

Creţulescu Church (Biserica Creţulescu) C-5, Calea Victoriei 47, MUniversitate. Biserica Creţulescu was raised from 1720-2 by Iordache Creţulescu and his wife Safta, a daughter of Romanian humanitarian 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 Gheorghe Tattarescu.

Domniţa Balaşa Church (Biserica Domniţa Balaşa) B-6, Str. Sfintii Apostoli, MPiata Unirii. Built in 1885, the church is named after Constantin Brâncov-eanu’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.The current, Neo-Romanesque building went up in the 1870s.

Mihai Vodă Monastery (Mănăstirea Mihai Vodă) B-6, Str. Sapienţei 2, MIzvor. Another 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 rebuilding was carried out from 1827-38. In 1985 it was moved 285 metres east - on rails - and hidden in its present location behind the apartment blocks.

New St. George’s Church (Biserica Sf. Gheorghe Nou) C-6, Piata Sf. Gheorghe, MPiata Unirii. The larg-est 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.

Patriarchal Cathedral (Patriarhia) C-6/7, Str. Dealul Mitropoliei, MPiata Unirii. Known as Mitropoliei, the Patriarchal Cathedral has been the centrepiece of the Romanian Orthodox faith since the seventeenth century. Built to a design based on the Curtea de Arges, near Pitesti, it has undergone a number of facelifts, 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.

Radu Vodă Monastery (Mănăstirea Radu Vodă) C-6, Str. Radu Vodă 24A, MPiata Unirii. There was originally a wooden church on this site, built during the reign of Mihnea the Bad, around 1508. The present church dates from 1613-4, though it was extensively rebuilt during the 19th-century, when the frescoes (all the work of peerless painter Gheorghe Tattarescu) were added.

Historic Churches

Divan C-6, Str. Franceza 46-48, tel. (+4) 021 312 30 34, www.thedivan.ro. The best Turkish restaurant in the city puts on live oriental music and dancing, and a Turkish DJ, every Friday and Saturday night.Q Show starts 21:30.

Oriental Music & Dancing


18 roManian roCKIt would be an understatement to suggest that Romanian rock music is far from being world-renowned (amongst non-Romanian speakers at least), so it comes as something of a surprise to many foreigners in Romania to learn that the country has a decent record of producing good rock music. Certainly, the country’s most successful recent musical exports have all been strictly pop or dance-inspired (think of the incredibly successful Inna, whose hits The Sun is Up, Déjà vu, Amazing and Un momento have been summer anthems for the past two or three years, or Mihai Traistariu’s Tornero, which came fourth in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006) and when it comes to Romanian rock, it’s rather hard to put a name or a face to it. As such, and given our commitment to bringing our readers as much of a cultural background to the country they are visiting as possible, we have decided to put that right. So in the name of the pure and sweet sound of Romanian rock - neglected and disregarded for way too long by way too many – here is our guide to the best Romanian rock bands that ever walked the earth...

PhoenixAt the top of any list of Romanian rock bands must be Phoenix (also known as Transsylvania Phoenix), a band with an overwhelming history befitting its name, having risen from the ashes of the communist regime, then enduring constant instability caused by its members forever coming and going before finally being consumed in a massive discharge of ego. Formed in the western Romanian city of Timisoara in 1962 by two schoolboys, Nicu Covaci and Bela Kamocsa, under the name of Sfintii (The Saints), vocalist Florin ‘Moni’ Bordeianu joined the band soon after and their journey began with them performing anywhere they could: at school, at local clubs. Covering the hits of famous western bands (including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and The Who), they rapidly became popular amongst teenagers, and in 1965 they were big enough to attract the attention of the communist authorities, who objected to the name of the band, due to its religious connotations. To avoiding being banned completely, The Saints took the name Phoenix, the composition of the band also changing, with Covaci – very much the leader of the band - adding Claudiu Rotaru, Ioan Stefanovici and Gunther Reininger to the lineup. With an enforced name change and with the band expanding Phoenix held their first big concert in Bucharest in 1965, a performance that first brought them in touch with record producer Cornel Chiriac, who would collaborate with

the band on their first original songs, Vremuri (Old Times) and Canarul (Canary), influenced by the beat style that was popular at the time. Yet a speech by Moni Bordeianu during a concert protesting censorship again attracted unwanted attention from the communists, forcing Bordeianu to emigrate to the United States and the band to suspend its activity. It was only after a hiatus that Phoenix was revived from the ashes, in a new formula (widely considered the best), with Covaci playing the electric guitar, Josef Kappl as bass player, Mircea Baniciu guitar and vocals, and Ovidiu Lipan, nicknamed Tandarica, as drummer. Romania’s communist authorities were actually never comfortable with Pheonix’s music, since their lyrics were often metaphors that spoke about the iniquities of the regime. Each time the band released a new song, the authorities would find something to criticise, and ban it. Each time the band would adapt, and the whole thing became


19roManian roCK

PhoenixVremuri (1968); Floarea stâncilor (1969); Cei ce ne-au dat nume (1972); Meşterul Manole (1973), Mugur de Fluier (1974); Cantofabule (1975); Transsylvania (1981); Ballade for you – the Lark (1987); Remember Phoenix (1991); SymPhoenix Timisoara (1992); Evergreens (1992); Aniversare 35 (1997); Vremuri, anii 60... (1998); Ora – Hora (1999); Baba Novak (1999); În umbra marelui URSS (2000).

Essential: Cantofabule and Cei ce ne-au dat nume

Iris Iris I (1983); Iris II (1987); Iris III (1988); Iris IV (1990): Iris 1993 (1993); Best of Iris (1993); Luna Plină (1996); Iris – 20 de ani (1997); Mirage (1998); Casino (1999); Iris 2000 (1999); Atheneum live Vol. I (2000); Atheneum live Vol. II (2000); De vei pleca (2000); Da da da eu ştiu (2001); Mătase albă (2002); 4Emotion (2003); Iris Maxima (2005); 12 Porţi (2010).

Essential: Luna Plină and Mătase Albă

Celelalte CuvinteFormaţii Rock 8 (1984); Celelalte cuvinte (1987); Celelalte cuvinte II (1990); Se lasă rău (1992); Armaghedon (1994); Vinyl Collection (1996); Ispita (1997); NOS (2004); Stem (2008).

Essential: Armaghedon and Celelalte cuvinte

Discographiessomething of a ritual. For example, when the censors took exception to the Western-style music the band was playing, Phoenix adapted the beat sound to include Romanian folklore, pagan rituals, mystic animals and old traditions. They started collaborating with the Institute of Ethnography and Folklore and the results turned out to be even better and more impressive than anything they had produced before. Combining traditional wooden instruments with modern sounds, Phoenix created rock poems, something never heard of before. The albums Mugur de Fluier (Bud Whistle) and Cantafabule were born out this mix and they remain unique in the story of Romanian rock: nobody else has ever been able to combine the ancient and the modern quite so well. Despite their new folklore sound – born out of the need to adapt to the political climate of the time – the band’s well known opposition to the regime and their massive popularity had by now begun to be perceived as a real threat by the communists. Constantly harassed by the Securitate, the band members, except Baniciu, left the country in 1980 and went into hiding in West Germany, risking prison for crossing the border illegally. Phoenix disbanded soon after arriving in Germany, and though their would be reunions after the revolution of 1989, their glory days were behind them. Internal conflicts, especially between Covaci and Baniciu, made it impossible for the band to have anything like the success they had enjoyed before, even after getting together to record two more albums. Their back catalogue however, especially the albums recorded with the golden formula of Covaci, Kappl, Baniciu and Lipan, will never be forgotten. I f Romania had a dissident band whose concerts represented a small glimpse of freedom in an otherwise closed society, then Phoenix was it.

IrisThe second Romanian rock band on our list is Iris. Less controversial than Phoenix, the band didn’t suffer as much from communist censorship, and in 1992 they became the first band to perform at Sala Polivalenta in Bucharest, in front of 10,000 people, a record audience for a Romanian band, unequalled since then. The story of Iris began in 1977, with Nutu Olteanu, Emil Lechiteanu and Nelu Dumitrescu. Three years later Cristi Minculescu joined the band as vocalist and together with other new members such as Florin Ochescu (guitar) and Marty Popescu (bass player) they released their debut album called Iris I. Some of the songs released then remain amongst the most popular Romanian rock songs of all time: Doar pentru voi (Only for You), Trenul fara nas (The train without a ticket-collector), Pe ape (On Water) and Cei ce vor fi (The ones to come) are examples of such. Though Iris wrote songs more about their life experiences and less about ideals such as freedom, you shouldn’t think

for one moment that their lyrics are meaningless, for they are not: they are merely concentrated on different themes and aspects of life. Regarding their sound, they adopted a more bluesy rock feel, with insertions of heavy metal and symphonic rock. To date Iris have released no fewer than 19 albums, won an MTV Award for a single recorded with Uriah Heep, Lady in Black, and were decorated by Romanian president Traian Basescu for 30 years of cultural activity.

Celelalte CuvinteThe third band in our list is Celelalte Cuvinte. With a more heavy metal sound behind more elaborate music, this underground band caught the attention of the public right from the word go in the early 1980s. Formed in fact in 1981, Celelalte Cuvinte was the first Romanian rock band to explore the heavier side of the genre. Albums such as Armaghedon and Destin (Destiny) even incorporated doom metal, a unique sound in Romanian music. Fans of the band are usually divided in two: those who prefer their first albums, that had a more lyrical, soft approach and those who thought that Armaghedon was the album that brought them to where they are today in the music industry. We like all of their material, although we do believe Armaghedon is their richest album in terms of instrumental complexity. Regardless, more than 30 years on, the band is still playing with its original line-up, a testament to their music and friendship. We were there at their last concert held in Bucharest, in April, and we enjoyed it a lot. Călin Pop’s voice still rocks, and the instrumental parts sounded better live than they do on record.

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Bucharest In Your Pocket bucharest.inyourpocket.com June - July 2012bucharest.inyourpocket.com

21aroUnd BUCHarest on a BUs20 aroUnd BUCHarest on a BUs

While Bucharest does not pack the tourist punch of some European capitals, there is nevertheless plenty to see in the Romanian capital, and last summer - for the first time - a Ministry of Tourism initiative meant that visitors were able to take in the city’s major sights from the top of an open-top double-decker bus. Called the Bucharest City Tour, we have to admit that we gently mocked the initiative at the beginning: more fool us. The tour proved to be very popular, with locals, expats and visitors (when we last took the tour it was interesting to note that most of the other people on the bus were locals: tourists were thin on the ground). Anyway, as you may expect for a city that lies under a blanket of snow for four months, the open-top bus service was suspended for the winter with promises that it would return once the weather was good enough. And so it did. In fact, the moment the sun came out for more than five minutes (back at the beginning of April) the buses were back on the streets. Easy to spot: they are bright and colourful and the only double-deckers in the city, the buses run from 09:00 to 20:00 at 15 minute intervals. The tour bus costs 20 lei for adults, 10 lei for children, with under sevens riding for free. (The bus is ‘hop-on, hop-off’, and your ticket is valid all day). Though you can climb aboard at any of the tour’s stops, the official route of the bus starts up at Casa Scanteii in the north of the city and runs down to Casa Poporului, before returning via a slightly different route. In all there are 14 stops (which are well signposted) and every one is directly outside or very close to a major sight. Leaving Casa Scanteii (officially now called Casa Presei Libere) the bus follows Soseaua Kiseleff, passing Herastrau park and the Village Museum on the left, and Romania’s national rugby stadium on the right, before arriving at the Arc de Triumf. The Arc, which is due to be fully refurbished this year (and a pedestrian underpass built so that people can get to it without being run over) is currently, alas, not open to the public. From here the bus continues along Soseaua Kiseleff, passing some of the most expensive real estate in Bucharest. Most of the splendid houses on this street are now embassies, including those of Belarus, Columbia, Peru and Russia (on the left, about half-way down: it’s the grand, yellow building). Pavel Kiseleff by the way, for whom the street is named, was a modernising Russian general who was the de facto governor of Bucharest and Wallachia in the 1830s. The street was in fact opened to traffic during Kiseleff’s stay in Bucharest, in 1832. A trio of good museums await at the next stop, at the bottom of Soseaua Kiseleff where it meets Piata Victoriei. The best is the newly renovated Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History, while the National Peasant and Geology Museums are also well worth your time. On your right, behind the Peasant Museum, you will see what is currently the city’s

tallest building, the Bucharest Tower Centre. We write at length about Calea Victoriei elsewhere in the guide (see pages 24-26), but from the top of bus you get a much different perspective than you do at street level. The vast number of architectural styles on show is immediately obvious, from the Brancovenesque houses at the northern end to the art-deco, 1930s apartment blocks further south. The biggest attraction on Calea Victoriei is probably Piata Revolutiei, where the bus conveniently stops. On this huge square you will find the Atheneum, the Athenee Palace Hilton, the Former Royal Palace (now the National Museum of Art), the Former Central Committee Building and the Revolution Memorial, which locals call ‘an olive on a stick.’ The next stop is the amazing CEC building, home of Romania’s national savings bank, CEC. Built from 1896-1900, the interior cupola is stunning. Opposite is the Post Office Palace, a neoclassical gem built as the home of the Romanian post office, but since 1970 the site of the National History Museum. Behind the museum is the Old Town area of the capital, also known as Lipscani. At the bottom of Calea Victoriei is the river Dambovita, now more a canal than anything, its embankments little more than ugly concrete slabs. Until the 1970s the river was a more natural-looking affair, its embankments covered in trees and foliage. Concrete-fan Nicolae Ceausescu deemed it untidy, however, and its fate was sealed. In a similar way the whole area that the bus now enters was also ‘tidied up’: hundreds of houses, churches, schools and even hospitals were razed in order to make way for the Civic Centre, of which the most important building is of course the Casa Poporului, where the bus stops. It is almost impossible to imagine how this area looked before the demolitions began (in 1984), but you can get an idea by peering behind the blocks on Bulevardul Unirii at some of the few surviving houses and at the church of the Antim Monastery, built in 1715 and which survived demolition only by being moved 25 metres from its original location. Piata Unirii, where the bus stops next, is one of the largest public squares in Europe. That does not, however, make it one of the nicest. In fact, the square is an awful place, all concrete and traffic, with only the Hanul lui Manuc on the northern side to distinguish it. Until the early 1980s the square was home to a huge produce market, which now hides behind the huge Unirea Shopping Centre, originally built as a showpiece socialist department store, yet which spent much of the 1980s empty as there was little on sale inside. Respite from all this can be found up the hill leading southwest from the square, home of the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral, known Mitropoliei. From Unirii the bus makes its way along Bulevardul Ion Bratianu. Bratianu was twice prime minister of Romania

(in the 1870s and again in the 1880s), and also served at various times as Foreign Minister, Finance Minister and Minister of the Interior. Look out for the Baratiei Church on your right, which sticks out quite literally. First built in 1590 it is one of the oldest churches in Bucharest. Next stop is Piata Universitatii (the bus stop is in fact outside the Coltea hospital and church - well worth a short visit). Opposite is the much-overlooked Museum of the History Bucharest in the Sutu Palace, while on the other side of the square is the university building itself. the InterContinental hotel and the National Theatre (currently being renovated). The statue in front of the National Theatre is the Caruta cu paiate. As you travel north along Bulevardul Magheru towards the next stop, Piata Romana, look out for two art deco hotels, the Lido on the left (currently closed) and the Ambassador on the right. Both built in the 1930s they are crying out for five-star refits. The swimming pool at the Lido, by the way, boasted - when opened - one of the first wave machines in Europe. Gheorghe Magheru, for whom the street is named, was a Romanian general and politician who was instrumental - both militarily and politically - in bringing about the independence of Wallachia and Moldavia in the 19th century. Piata Romana is another of Bucharest’s large public squares that is today little more than a mess of cars and concrete. On the right hand side is the ASE building, home of Bucharest’s economics university, the facade of which was recently renovated. Close by is the Museum of Literature: another of Bucharest’s often overlooked yet very good little museums. It’s well worth a visit. From Piata Romana the bus makes its way along Bulevardul Lascar Cartagiu towards Piata Victoriei. Smart villas and apartment blocks line the avenue, named for another former Romanian prime minister, Lascar Cartagiu. A large statue of Cartagiu can be spotted about half way along the street, on the right hand side. Until the fall of communism the street had another name: Bulevardul Ana Ipatescu, and many people still in fact use the old monicker. At Piata Victoriei, yet another Bucharest square that is little more than concrete and traffic (are you noting a theme?) the only point of any real interest (other than the museums) is the 1930s Italianate building on your right, once the foreign ministry but now home to the Romanian government. Look out too for the kitsch mansion a little further along, on your right, the unmistakable home of George Becali, one of Romania’s most controversial businessmen, the owner of Steaua Bucharest and serving Euro MP. Next door is the headquarters of the PDL, until recently Romania’s ruling party. A little further along, on your left (in the middle of the road, in fact) is the Aviators Monument, dedicated to the many aviation pioneers who hailed from these parts. (A small exhibition on the upper floor of Otopeni Airport offers more detail about Romania’s proud record in the development of commercial aircraft, should you have ten minutes to kill while waiting for your plane home). Arriving at Piata Aviatorilor, the bus rejoins Soseaua Kiseleff, stopping once more (at the Village Museum) before ending its circuit of the Romanian capital back at Casa Scanteii. When you get off, take a look at the text on the back. Written in English, we quote (sic):

‘Strolling along the streets of Bucharest you may find yourself lost in a time of forgotten past. The building walls will tell you the story of horse and carriage, long fascinating dresses and soldier uniforms. Keep walking and you will discover the power of a dominating era transformed into a place of freedom. The little streets will invite you to experience their flavour; the boulevards will dazzle you with their shine.’

Who said satire was dead?


buildings have been lovingly restored to the original Austro-Hungarian style by Count Tibor Kalnoky, who runs the property on behalf of the prince. Cleverly integrated into the old fashioned rooms are bathrooms, discreet lighting and small kettles with little sachets of tea and coffee. The Prince of Wales’s official site describes it as follows: ‘The property in Zalanpatak is characterized by its rich biodiversity with native plants, mushrooms, insects and birds. Large mammals including bears are often seen and wolves can be heard howling during the winter nights.’ The best thing about staying in one of Count Kalnoky’s guesthouses (he has five more in the nearby village of Miclosoara) is that every day you are offered a different type of local tour: to see the bears in the local wood, to travel in a horse and cart, to visit the gorge, to go to the Saxon villages and Sighisoara. Most of his clients come directly from the UK and stay for one to two weeks. And the food is good.

While Prince Charles and Count Kalnoky don’t promote their guest houses in Bucharest as well as perhaps they should, they do have a good website and the international press do a fine job of promoting the place for free: the Daily Mail were agog earlier this year when Prince Harry flew to Tirgu Mures (the nearest airport) with Wizz Air for his Easter holidays. You might be wondering what on earth is the next British king doing in a remote village in Transylvania, but anyone who knows about Prince Charles knows that he’s always yearning for pristine, unspoilt environments - away from all those ghastly people in the big city. And there is a serious purpose behind his investments in Romania. Romania has one of the most pristine biospheres in Europe, consisting of vast tracts of virgin forest and Europe's biggest swamp (the Danube Delta). Prince Charles is campaigning to keep it that way. ‘Ever since I first visited Romania in 1998,” says the prince on his official site, I have been doing my utmost to ensure a sustainable future for the Saxon villages of Transylvania and their people. Tourism clearly has a vital role to play in this.’ To find out more or book a room, visit the website www.transylvaniancastle.com.

22 tHe PrinCe’s GUestHoUse

Many people would argue that there’s not much to do in Bucharest at weekends - especially if you have kids. But two hours to the north is the vast Carpathian mountain range and there are scores of great places to stay, plenty of things to do and the Prahova Valley (including the resort towns of Sinaia, and Busteni where you can get a cable car up to 2000 metres) are easily accessible by car or train. But it’s hard to find any information in Bucharest about exactly where you can go for your weekend in the mountains. For some reason none of the resorts in the Prahova Valley distribute those leaflets you see in every bar, restaurant and hotel in Bucharest. You can find endless offers of erotic massage, hire a car, find a dentist or read about an industrial park - but you have almost no chance of finding any useful information about where you could go next weekend. This is one of the charms of Romania - you have to discover it for yourself. Or get hold of an In Your Pocket guide... Perhaps aware of this gap in the market, Prince Charles has made available to us commoners a couple of charming guesthouses in some of the most attractive countryside in Romania. He only charges about €50 a night, a price which is steep by local standards (you can get a room in a village for €10 a night), but it’s really good value considering you get fed and taken around the area by local guides. (For an extra fee somebody will come and meet and greet you at any Romanian airport or railway station). The heir to the British throne has two properties that can be rented. His first cottage is in the relatively well known Saxon village of Viscri (Weisskirch in German). We haven’t stayed there, but we’ve seen the photos and it looks nice. Viscri has one of those ancient Saxon churches with a big fortress-type wall round it to keep the Turks out. It is located near the main road between Brasov and Sighisoara and is one of the few villages in Romania that live off tourism. The location we have been to - and can fully recommend - is Zalanpatak (Valea Zalanului in Romanian) - which is an incredibly remote village located in the middle of the county of Covasna. The village has a population of about 100 self sufficient farmers (and a mayor), over 95 per cent of whom are ethnic Hungarians. At the end of the muddy road (getting there involves a lot of bumpy roads) is the house of the former judge of Zalanpatak, a man whose role (under the Austro-Hungarian Empire) was to run the glass factory, as well as dispense justice. Prince Charles bought the three renovated cottages, a barn and a main house which has been converted into a dining room and kitchen. The

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24 CaLea ViCtoriei


25CaLea ViCtoriei


No street in Bucharest has a history to match that of Calea Victoriei, the city’s most famous thoroughfare which runs - much as it has for more than three centuries - from Piata Victoriei in the north of the city all the way down to Piata Na-tiunilor Unite and the Dambovita river. Lined with fine houses, palaces, churches, hotels, upmarket shops and museums, it remains perhaps the most prestigious address in the city. Calea Victoriei was first opened in 1692, originally part of the route from the Old Court (Curtea Veche, see page 74) to Mogosoaia, where Constantin Brancoveanu, that great ruler of these parts who did so much to modernise the country during his long and distinguished reign, had his main palace. The street has had many names over the years, including Ulita Sarindar, Drumul Brasovului and Drumul Mogosoaia, which was its name until 1878 when it became Calea Victoriei in honour of victories won by Romanian armies fighting to preserve the country’s newly won independence from the Ottoman Empire. The street - originally covered with logs, as was the norm in those days - was fully paved by 1825, one of the first in the city (Strada Franceza, in Old Town, closer to the Old Court, was in fact the first). There followed a blossoming of construction as the street became a magnet for wealthy merchants who built homes along its length, keen to be spared the ignominies of the mud streets which persisted elsewhere. Though much has changed since, and not a few majestic buildings have fallen victim to earthquake, war, socialist planning or modernisation, many of the buildings which went up along Calea Victoriei in the first part of the 19th century remain. Orientation: modern Calea Victoriei can be split more or less neatly into two sections: the residential northern part, noted mainly for its fine houses and palaces and the more commercial southern part. To start a walk of the full length of the street at the northern end (which we recommend, as you can then end up by relaxing in one of the cafes of Old Town), simply take the metro to Piata Victoriei.

Piata Victoriei to Calea GriviteiFor all its history, Calea Victoriei does not start well. Piata Victoriei is an awful place, all cars and traffic, smoke and (in Summer) dust. The modernist building on the far side is the Palatul din Piata Victoriei, home today of the Romanian government (though when it was built in the 1930s it was the Foreign Ministry). On the other side of the square is the excellent Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History, built in 1906 (see page 67). Elsewhere, Piata Victoriei is a socialist nightmare, with its more recently built office blocks barely more attractive than those built before 1989. Heading off from here along Calea Victoriei itself, the first building of any real interest is the Palatul Cantacuzino at No. 141, usually referred to (mistakenly) as the Casa Enescu. The building does house the Romanian Museum of Music (which carries the name of George Enescu, the country’s finest com-poser) but - contrary to popular belief, Enescu never lived here, although there is a connection. The vaguely baroque, Louis XVI-style building dates from 1898, when it was built for the wealthy politician Gheorghe Cantacuzino. On his death in 1913 the palace

Anthony Frost English Bookshop B-4, Calea Victoriei 45, tel. (+4) 021 311 51 38, contact@librariaengleza. ro, www.anthonyfrost.ro.QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 14:00.Cărturesti C-5, Str. Pictor Arthur Verona 13-15, tel. (+4) 021 317 34 59, [email protected], www.carturesti.ro.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Also at (C-5) Str. Edgar Quinet 9, tel. (+4) 021 311 06 46, Open 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 18:00, Closed Sun.Cellini C-5, Calea Victoriei 102-108, tel. (+4) 031 432 90 41, [email protected], www.cellini.ro.QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 - 16:00. Also at B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 16, tel (+4) 021 312 22 02, Plaza Romania and many other locations.Humanitas Kretzulescu B-4, Calea Victoriei 45, tel. (+4) 021 313 50 35, [email protected], www.librariilehumanitas.ro. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00.Emporio Armani C-5, Calea Victoriei 60-64, tel. (+4) 021 310 81 31/(+4) 0721 23 30 47, [email protected], www.emporioarmani.com. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Sun 11:00 - 16:00. PErmenegildo Zegna B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81, tel. (+4) 021 316 89 75, www.zegna.com. Q Open 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun closed.Gerard Darel B-4, Calea Victoriei 118, tel. (+4) 0316 20 53 93, [email protected], www.gerard-darel.com. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.Gucci C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3, tel. (+4) 0734 45 05 50, [email protected], www.gucci.com. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. PHelvetansa B-4, Calea Victoriei 68-70, tel. (+4) 031 226 22 02, [email protected], www.helvetansa.ro.QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Also at (B-4) Calea Victoriei 88, tel. (+4) 021 310 38 00.Hugo Boss B-4, Calea Victoriei 145, tel. (+4) 021 311 88 97, www.hugoboss.com. Open 10:00 - 20:00, Closed Sun.Max Mara C-5, Calea Victoriei 83, tel. (+4) 021 316 89 77, www.maxmara.com.Q Open 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Closed Sun.Mengotti C-5, Calea Victoriei 48-50, tel. (+4) 021 305 59 57, [email protected], www.mengotti.ro. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.Micri Gold C-5, Calea Victoriei 56, tel. (+4) 021 312 00 57, [email protected], www.micrigold.ro. Gold jewellery imported from Italy. QOpen 10:30 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.Romartizana B-4, Calea Victoriei 16-20, tel. (+4) 021 313 14 65, [email protected], www.romartizana.com.ro. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. Also at P-ta Montreal 10 (World Trade Plaza) tel. (+4) 021 319 12 16.Sepala by Mihaela Glavan C-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 9, tel. (+4) 0722 52 52 72, (+4) 0730 09 73 23, [email protected], www.sepala.ro.QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.Victoria 46 C-5, Calea Victoriei 46, tel. (+4) 0728 10 60 68, [email protected], www.victoria46.ro. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 11:00 - 21:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.

Shopping on Calea Victoriei

became the property of Cantacuzino’s eldest son Mihai, who in turn left it to his wife, Maruca, when he died in 1929. Maruca subsequently married Enescu - in 1939 - but they chose to live in a smaller house at the rear of the palace. Crossing Strada Gheorghe Manu, you will come across two gorgeous houses next to each other: the Neo-Classical yet very French Casa Nenciu, was built in the 1830s for a Wallachian princess, the exotically named Cleopatra Trubetkoi. In 1847 Franz Liszt stayed here while on an extended visit to Bucharest. Next door at No. 192 is the Casa Manu, completed in 1843 for the modernising administrator Alecu Florescu, but named for the man who bought it in 1848: the legendary general and politician Gheorghe Manu. The Casa Lens-Vernescu at No. 133 (to give the man-sion its full name) is one of the finest on Calea Victoriei, built around 1820 in an eclectic style incorporating many of the architectural trends of the time. For years it was regarded as the most beautiful house in the city, and belonged initially to Filip Lens, a lawyer and politician. On his death in 1852 the house became a residence for military officers, the Ministry of War moving in shortly afterwards. Another politician, Gheorghe Vernescu, bought it from the state in 1886, and had it extensively remodelled over a two-year period from 1887-9. Today the building houses a casino and a restaurant, which is currently being renovated. The house on the south-western corner of the Calea Victo-riei/Bulvardul Dacia intersection (opposite the new-ish Golden Tulip hotel) is the Casa Monteoru. One of the oldest on Calea Victoriei it dates from around 1810, although it was almost entirely reconstructed in the 1880s (to designs by Ion Mincu - an architect whose name you come across a lot in Bucharest). The building is distinguished by its uneven character: the ground floor is much smaller than the upper floor, the gorgeous balcony of which is supported by two broad, Corinthian columns. Eclectic both inside and out the building is today one of a number in the city owned by the Romanian Writer’s Union. Next door is a fine palace, known as the Palat Romanit which hosts the Museum of Art Collections. The central corp was built in 1834, then rebuilt and extended in 1883, when the wings were added. For much of the 19th century the building was home to the Ministry of Finance, becoming an art museum in 1948, when the wealthiest families in Romania were made an offer they couldn’t refuse by the communist government, and forced to donate much of their extensive art collections to the state. It is currently closed for renovation. Speaking of the state, the elegant, modernist (if ne-glected) linear building opposite, at No. 152, is another Duiliu Marcu design, built from 1936-40 and from 1948-1989 home of the State Planning Committee. Looking every inch a 1930s Italian railway station, the clock on the main tower is a gem.

Frey Wille C-5, Calea Victoriei 118, tel. (+4) 031 620 13 54, www.frey-wille.com. Frey Wille boutiques are found in the most exclusive locations around the world, including Bucharest’s very own street of style and luxury, Calea Victoriei. Expect to find only the finest jewel-lery and accessories here, and there is a good selection for both men and women. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Frey Wille

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 Transyl-vania). Romania as a nation state is relatively new: while Moldavia and Wallachia have been united as a single country since 1859, Romania took on its modern form only on December 1st, 1918, when the Romanians of Transylvania voted to join in the fun. The official population of Bucharest is just over two million people, but as many migrants from the rest of the country 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 ( just 69 kilometres to the south), which serves as 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 if you are at a loose end. 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, but as the A2 motorway only goes as far as Cernavoda, even the maddest of drivers fail to do the trip in much under three hours. Like most trains in Romania, the Bucharest - Constanta service is slow and it takes four and a half hours. 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.

So where am I exactly?

27CaLea ViCtoriei


Commercial Calea VictorieiIt is at the crossroads with Calea Grivitei that you notice a real change in the mood of Calea Victoriei. The road and pavements narrow, and houses, palaces and small parks give way to blocks - many of which are nevertheless elegant if run down - with shops on the ground floor. Yet the first building of real interest on this part of Calea Victoriei will for most people be the little white church set back from the street in a small square on the corner of Str. George Enescu. Known colloquially as the Biserica Alba (White Church), it is officially the Biserica Sf. Nicolae and is one of the oldest in Bucharest, being founded in 1700. The current structure dates from 1827, however (the original was destroyed in an earthquake), with the interior frescoes for which it is famed having been restored a number of times, most recently in 1988. The glass and steel opposite belong to the Radisson Blu hotel, opened in 2008 after a refit of several years had turned the tired, old and often infamous Hotel Bucuresti into the five-star wonder the rich and famous throng to today. In what is very much Bucharest’s Hotel Row, directly across the road from the Radisson is the Athenee Palace Hilton, one of few hotel’s in the world whose history is so intriguing that books have been written about it (Rosie Waldeck’s Athenee Palace details the intricate diplomatic discussions - official or otherwise - which took place here in the 1930s and 1940s). The hotel opened in 1912 (it was designed by a Frenchman, Teophile Bradeau) and was built on the site of an old inn, the Hanul Gherasi. The Calea Victoriei wing was added in the 1960s, and the hotel was entirely renovated again in 1997 when it became a Hilton property. Most recently the ground floor brasserie was remodelled and reopened as the Cafe Athenee. The Athenee Palace vies for attention on Piata Revo-lutiei with the Atheneum, the Former Royal Palace, the University Library, the Former Central Committee Build-ing, the Revolution Monument the Cretulescu Church, and the statue of Carol I. You should take a look at the building just behind and to the left of the University Library: the modern green office block inside the ruins of an old house. What hap-pened here is simple: the building was all but destroyed during the 1989 revolution (this square saw most of the action: it was from the low balcony of the grey Former Central Committee Building that Nicolae Ceausescu gave his last public speech, before fleeing the next day from the roof in a helicopter). It was taken over by the Architects’ Union who then created the rather splendid mix of old and new we admire today. The Revolution Monument is a less impressive affair, mocked by locals who call it an olive on a stick. Shops of the classy and expensive kind occupy the ground floor of the buildings that line Calea Victoriei as it closes in again, at least as far as the two hotels - historic both for differing reasons - that greet you at the crossroads with Ion Campaneanu. The Grand Continental Hotel was reopened in 2009 after being almost totally rebuilt. Opposite is the Novotel, whose faux Neo-Classical entrance is an exact replica of that of Bucharest’s original National Theatre,

which stood here from 1852 until it was destroyed in an allied bombing raid in August 1944. Next to the Novotel is the art deco Palatul Telefoanelor (Telephone Palace). Built over three years from 1929-32 to serve as the headquarters of Romania’s national telephone company it was the first building in the country to be constructed in the manner of an American skyscraper: concrete reinforced by a steel frame. There are three other hotels on this part of the street: the Majestic, the Capitol and the Casa Capsa - the latter being one of the oldest in the city, dating back to 1886. Opposite the Telephone Palace is the Pasajul Victoriei. Built in the 1830s, it was home for a long time to the Bucharest’s most luxurious brothel, immortalized in Ion Matei Caragiale’s 1929 novel Craii de Curtea Veche. The Cercul Militar was completed in 1912, on the site of a former monastery, the Sarindar. A recently renovated fountain in front of the build-ing preserves the Sarindar name. Opposite is the Hotel Bulevard, built in the 1860s and the first in the city to have running water in the rooms. It was closed in 2005 ahead of a five-star refit that is approaching completion. On the opposite corner, find the little courtyard next to Pizza Hut which leads through to one of Bucharest’s many hidden churches. Dating from 1683 the church’s name is a mouthful: the Biserica Intrarea Maicii Domnului în Biserică (the Church of the Entrance of the Mother of God into Church). From here Calea Victoriei heads gently downhill, passing the Bancorex building at No. 15 (now called the Bucharest Financial Plaza) the first modern office block to be built after 1990. Next door is the far more satisfactory CEC building (the ornate national savings bank, built in 1900) while opposite is the National History Museum (see page 68). The Old Town/Lipscani area lurks behind the History Museum. At the very bottom of the street, facing the river, are the Gloriette Buildings, neither of which is in the best of shape. Designed by local architect Petru Antonescu and completed in 1926, they are worth noting for their design (particularly the belvedere at the top), which was used as a blueprint for the apartment buildings which went up in the Civic Centre along Bulevardul Unirii in the 1980s (see box on page 90, and which, it should be said, have weathered no better).

Beba Art Gift Shop C-5, Str. Nicolae Golescu 20, tel. (+4) 0746 22 22 27, [email protected], www.beba.ro. Just behind the Atheneum this is a gorgeous little shop selling all sorts of artistic creations, from paintings to glass and ceramics, clothes and jewellery. Impossible not to find something to buy. QOpen 12:00 - 20:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Art Gift Shop

A network of stores around the city selling only the biggest names in high fashion: Tom Ford, Scabal, Brioni, Salvatore Ferragamo, Loro Piana, Jacob Cohen etc.

Casa Frumoasa JW Marriott B-6, Calea 13 Sep-tembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 0731 03 65 63/(+4) 0733 73 59 35. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00.Casa Frumoasa Store B-4, B-dul Lascar Catargiu 40, tel. (+4) 0723 33 17 30/(+4) 0724 35 30 08. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.Elegance Boutique B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 0722 45 48 82/(+4) 031 437 02 48, www.elegance-paris.ro. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 17:00.J. Kristensen Store Bucuresti B-4, Calea Vic-toriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 0724 35 30 06. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 17:00.

Casa Frumoasa

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P Air conditioning A Credit cards accepted

O Casino H Conference facilities

T Child friendly U Disabled facilities

R Internet (Standard) L Guarded parking

F Fitness centre G Non-smoking rooms

M Nearest metro station J Old Town location

K Restaurant D Sauna

C Swimming pool W WiFi Internet

Symbol KeyCream of the CropAthenee Palace Hilton C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77, www.hiltonbucharest.com. Much spoken of in the past tense (this place has a seriously long and legendary history; a home of intrigues and adventure for more than a century) it is less often referred to in the pres-ent. This is a shame, as to dwell on the past ignores the fact that this is a great, modern hotel. Luxuriously furnished, the immense rooms offer the latest in gadgetry and perhaps the fluffiest bathrobes in Romania. Ask for a room with a view over Piata Revolutiei for best effect. Fine dining on site courtesy of one excellent restaurant and the brilliant Cafe Athenee. Q 272 rooms (175 singles/doubles, 96 suites and apartments. Prices from €110-250). Prices do not include breakfast, taxes or VAT. POTHR6UFLGKDCW

Crowne Plaza Bucharest A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1, tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.crowneplaza.com/bucharest. Contemporary and welcoming, the Crowne Plaza Bucharest 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. Q 164 rooms (130 singles/doubles 690-780 lei, 26 suites 990 lei, 8 apartments 2100 lei). Extra bed 120 lei. Prices include buffet breakfast. VAT not included. PTHRUFGKDCW

Epoque B-5, Str. Intrarea Aurora 17C, tel. (+4) 021 312 32 32, www.epoque.ro. Now here’s a hotel we have no prob-lem 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 impression of a retreat. Rooms are large and tastefully furnished, there are plenty of extras (not least a plunge pool), breakfast is good and for what you get, the prices are a steal. Q 45 rooms (16 junior suites €150, 27 executive suites €170-200, 2 apartments €320-420). Extra bed €20. Prices do not include breakfast, VAT or local taxes. PTHRUFLGKDCW

Grand Hotel Continental C-5, Calea Victoriei 56, tel. (+4) 0372 01 03 00, www.grandhotelcontinental.ro. Making 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 example are state of the art. For the great location and for a change from the big chains, it’s well worth trying out.Q 59 rooms (singles from €120, doubles from €140). Breakfast, VAT, local taxes, internet and SPA ac-cess included. PTHR6UFLGKDW

Howard Johnson Grand Plaza Bucharest Hotel B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 201 50 00, www.hojoplaza.ro. This is a high-rise hotel in the busy centre of Bucharest, where the sleek, modern exterior is matched by the interiors, 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 (for those who enjoy such things in the morning), and the dining opportunities 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. Q 285 rooms (268 singles/doubles, 15 suites, 2 apartments). Prices from €130-380 (June) and €120-370 (July). Prices do not include breakfast, VAT or taxes. POTHR6UFLGKDW

InterContinental C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 2-4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20, www.intercon-tinental.com/bucharest. Still the tallest hotel in Bucharest (complete with a small swimming pool and - during the summer, 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 remains something of a first choice for journalists and business 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 man-agement is commendably hands-on. The new Club Lounge on the 21st floor is the best in the city, offering great views of Bucharest, cocktails, meeting rooms, internet, a library and an all round exclusive atmosphere. Non-guests can use

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the Club Lounge for €35 per day. It’s open 06:30-22:30. Q 257 rooms (236 singles/doubles, 20 junior suites, 1 apart-ment). Prices from €114 - €338 (June) and €114 - €329 (July). Prices include breakfast, but not local taxes (9%). POTHR6FLGKDCW

JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90, tel. (+4) 021 403 00 00, JWMarriott-Bucharest.com. To the south of Casa Poporului the JW Marriott occupies something of a palatial building that at first glance probably makes it the most immediately impressive of Bucharest’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 op-tions, and home to the biggest swimming pool in the city (we think).Q 401 rooms (379 singles/doubles 700 - 950 lei; 22 apartments 1500-5000 lei). Extra bed 50 lei. Prices do not include breakfast and VAT. Local taxes not included. POTHR6UFLGKDCW

Novotel Bucharest City Centre B-4, Calea Victoriei 37B, tel. (+4) 021 308 85 00, www.novotel.com. Few locations are better than this, right on fashionable Calea Victoriei. The entrance is impressive: a replica of the old neo-classical National Theatre which stood on this exact 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. Excel-lent, lively lobby bar and a big indoor swimming pool are other added benefits of staying here. Q 258 rooms (242singles/doubles €190-215, 16 suites €240-340). Extra bed on re-quest in the apartment. Prices do not include breakfast, VAT or taxes. POTHR6UFLGKDCW

Pullman Bucharest World Trade Center A-1, P-ta Montreal 10, tel. (+4) 021 318 30 00, www.pullman-hotels.com. The 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-meterage-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. Q 203 rooms (188 singles/doubles €205-225, 15 suites / apartments €305-800). Prices do not include VAT and breakfast. PO�THR6UFLGKDW

Radisson Blu B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81, tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00, www.radissonblu.com/hotel-bucharest. A gleaming temple of steel and glass amongst the more classical buildings of Calea Victoriei, the Radisson excels in playing the role of futuristic Bucharest hotel of choice. As you walk in the glass bar strikes you as daring and modern, and the rooms themselves are 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 Seafood. Q 718 rooms (385 singles/doubles 500-750 lei, 333 suites/ apartments 730-8500 lei). Prices include breakfast (except single, double and extra bed rates). PJHRUFLGKDCW

Over €150Duke C-4, B-dul Dacia 33, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 317 41 86/(+4) 021 317 41 87, www.hotelduke.ro. 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. Q 37 rooms (33 singles/doubles €75-95, 4 suites €115-145). Extra bed €20. Prices include VAT and breakfast. PRGKW

Golden Tulip Times E-6, B-dul Decebal 19, tel. (+4) 021 316 65 16, www.goldentuliptimes.com. This, 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 furnished 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 fantastic breakfast. The on site restaurant is one of the best hotel-based eateries in the city. Q 70 rooms (38 singles/doubles €120-136, 32 suites €140-150). Extra bed €29. Prices include VAT, all taxes and breakfast. PTHRLGKW

K+K Elisabeta C-5, Str. Slanic 26, tel. (+4) 021 302 92 80, www.kkhotels.ro. We loved this place for a number of reasons, not least the fact that the huge breakfast buffet stays open until 11:00, meaning late starters can still get breakfast. The hotel is located in a huge, renovated period house just behind Piata Universitatii. The discretion of the location betrays the fact that this is the kind of place you come to if you like old fashioned luxury, good service, and possess exceptional taste. Q 67 rooms (59 singles/doubles €83-110, 8 triples €125-135). Prices include VAT, local taxes and breakfast. PTHRFGKDW

NH Bucharest D-6, B-dul Mircea Voda 21, tel. (+4) 021 300 05 45, www.nh-hotels.com. 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 making them feel welcome. Q 76 rooms (76 singles/doubles €150). Prices include VAT. Breakfast not included. PTHRUFLGKW

Ramada Bucharest Parc A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 3-5, tel. (+4) 021 549 20 00, www.ramadabucharestparc.ro. The 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 big - are comfortable and boast brightly coloured décor and gorgeous, soft cotton sheets on the beds. Great buffet breakfast included in the price. Q 267 rooms (180 singles €139, 79 doubles €159, 8 apartments €210). Prices include breakfast. PHRGKW

Ramada Hotel & Suites Bucharest North C-6, Str. Daniel Danielopolu 44A, tel. (+4) 021 233 50 00, www.ramadanorth.ro. Well named, for it is indeed in the north of the city. It has great rooms - amongst the biggest, on average, in Bucharest - and the bathrooms are tremendous: all have bath-tubs. The hotel boasts a good spa centre (with excellent Turkish bath), big fitness room with loads of equipment and has a good lobby bar. The on-site dining is decent too. Q 232 rooms (164 singles/doubles €75-84, 24 triple and 31 suites upon request, 13 apartments €99.48). Extra bed €10. Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHR6UFLGKDCW

Ramada Majestic B-4, Calea Victoriei 38-40, tel. (+4) 021 310 27 72, www.ramadamajestic.ro. Standing (dare we say it) majestically on Calea Victoriei, the Majestic has long been one of Bucharest’s best hotels. It offers very big rooms with glorious bathrooms, a great breakfast and - a real bonus - a swimming pool

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(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. Q 111 rooms (85 singles/doubles €240-290, 26 suites and apartments €350-1200). Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHRUFLGKDCW

Ramada Plaza Bucharest B-dul Poligrafiei 3-5, tel. (+4) 021 549 30 00, www.ramadaplazabucharest.ro. Slightly more upmarket 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 futur-istic, 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. Q 298 rooms (293 singles/doubles €159-179, 2 suites €240, 3 apartments €270). Prices include breakfast. PHRUFGKW

Scala Bucuresti C-5, Str. C. A. Rosetti 19, tel. (+4) 031 104 11 11/(+4) 031 104 11 13, www.hotelscalabucur-esti.ro. As central as they come, this gorgeous conversion of a glorious ancien regime Bucharest house is as fine a place to stay as now exists in the Romanian capital. You will love the grand, classically furnished rooms, which come complete with high ceilings and restored, original wooden flooring. The loft suite, complete with skylights, is a special treat if you can splash the extra cash. Q 11 rooms (11single/double €159-199, 1 suite €259). Extra bed upon request. Prices include VAT, all taxes and breakfast. PTHRLGKW

Z Executive Boutique Hotel C-5, Str. Ion Nistor 4, tel. (+4) 031 140 02 00, www.zhotels.ro. You want central? Well this place is central. In 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 central Bucharest. Rooms are big and modern, tastefully furnished

what is the city’s best residential area, and the food in the restaurant better than most of Bucharest’s restaurants: it is really that good. Q 33 rooms (15 singles/doubles €90-100, 18 suites/ apartments €110-120). Prices include breakfast. VAT not included. PTHRLGKDW

Starlight Suite B-4, Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 89-97, tel. (+4) 021 211 34 13, www.starlighthotels.com. Every room here is a suite, complete with separate living and sleeping areas; some have two bedrooms. All have air conditioning, the latest in home entertainment systems, and kitchenettes complete with microwaves. The fitness centre is free to guests, and a continental breakfast is included in the price. Excellent value for money. Q 78 rooms (71 suites €81, 7 apartments €115). Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHR6UFLGKDW

Venezia B-5, Str. Pompiliu Eliade 2, tel. (+4) 021 310 68 72, www.thhotels.ro. Expect some unique rooms, some with real character provided by the shape of the building, lovely staff and some thoroughly reasonable prices. Add in speedy internet connections, air conditioning in all rooms and a non-smoking environment, and you have a winner. Q 49 rooms (41 singles/doubles €130-140, 2 suites €150, 5 apartments €170). Extra bed €20. Prices include all taxes and breakfast. PTHR6UGW

Under €100Amzei B-4, P-ta Amzei 8, tel. (+4) 021 313 94 00, www.hotelamzei.ro. Want a room in the heart of Bucharest? This place is for you. A delicious villa conversion in the middle of Piata Amzei, close to, well, everything. The rooms are all enor-mous, all are individually furnished and have bags of character,

totally renovated last year and is now one of the best (and best value) stays in the city. We like the staff who are always friendly, and who go out of their way to make sure you do not get ripped off by dodgy taxi drivers: such attention to detail is to be applauded. Q 62 rooms (57 doubles €140, 1 suite €170, 4 apartments €180). Extra bed €20. Prices include all taxes and breakfast. PTHR6UGW

NEW

Europa Royale Bucharest C-6, Str. Franceza 60, tel. (+4) 021 319 17 98, www.groupeuropa.com. 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 could ever hope for. Inside the rooms are big, classy and we found the staff exemplary. A genuinely wel-come addition to Bucharest and the Old Town, and not as pricey as you might think. Q 92 rooms (72 singles/doubles €85 - 90, 20 suites €125 - 140, triple room upon request). Breakfast, VAT and local taxes included. PTH6ULKW

Opera B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 37, tel. (+4) 021 312 48 55, www.thhotels.ro. You could quite literally throw a stone from the rooms here into Cismigiu Park (though we do not recommend it), and as such we think this is a great place for families with children to stay when visiting the capital. Not cheap, we think that you get value for money, especially given the size of the rooms and the terrific breakfast spread they lay on every morning for guests. Q 33 rooms (26 singles/doubles €130-140, 4 suites €150, 3 apartments €170). Prices include all taxes and breakfast. PTHR6UGKW

Residence Arc de Triomphe A-3, Str. Clucerului 19, tel. (+4) 021 223 19 78, www.residencehotels.com.ro. Fantastic 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 international cuisine. Q 35 rooms (25 singles/ doubles €90-100, 10 suites/ apartments €110-120). VAT not included. Prices include breakfast. PTHRLGKDW

Residence Domenii Plaza A-2, Str. Al. Constantinescu 33, tel. (+4) 021 224 50 44, www.residencehotels.com.ro. A wonderful villa, this place offers real luxury and a quiet, understated atmosphere. All the rooms, studios and apart-ments 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 relaxation. The rooftop terrace has fine views of

and come with comfortable beds and good bathrooms. Plenty of little luxuries, not least full, free Wifi throughout. The break-fast room is great, and there’s an on site bistro with great views of the busy streets outside. Q 21 rooms (21 singles/doubles €99-129). Extra bed €20. Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHR6ULGKW

€100-150Angelo Airporthotel Bucharest Calea Bucurestilor 283, tel. (+4) 021 203 65 00, www.angelo-bucharest.com. The hotel closest to Bucharest’s Otopeni airport. The Angelo is oper-ated by Vienna Hotels, 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 com-plimentary. Great buffet breakfast. Q 177 rooms (105 standard singles/doubles €100-110, 67 executive singles/doubles €120 - 130, 5 apartments €150 - 170). Prices include VAT, local taxes and breakfast. PTHR6UFLGKDW

Berthelot B-5, Str. General Berthelot 9, tel. (+4) 031 425 58 60, www.hotelberthelot.ro. 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. Q 43 rooms (5 singles €109, 38 doubles €129). Prices include VAT, all taxes and breakfast. PTHRLGKW

Central B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 13, tel. (+4) 021 315 56 36, www.thhotels.ro. Central by name, central by nature. Slap, bang on Bucharest’s version of Broadway (it’s all relative), amongst cinemas and theatres, the Central was

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many with sloping ceilings and hidden nooks and crannies. The bathrooms are a little more modest, but are a decent size and very well decorated. The hotel’s website claims that the location is 30 minutes from Otopeni Airport. Not on a Monday morning it isn’t. Q 22 rooms (14 doubles €119, 4 singles €89, 4 suites €129). Extra bed €20. Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHRLGKW

Andy A-4, Str. Witing 2, tel. (+4) 021 300 30 50, www.andyhotels.ro. You can see Gara de Nord from your bedroom window if you stay here: you can decide for yourself if that’s good or bad. It’s a decent hotel, especially compared to those surrounding it, and if you are in two minds as to which station hotel to stay in, make sure you choose this one. It even has a sauna and jacuzzi. Q 49 rooms (48 singles/doubles €30-40, 1 triple €50). Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PHR6FLGKDW

Boutique Hotel Monaco C-5, Str. J. L. Calderon 74, tel. (+4) 021 310 56 68, www.hotelmonaco.ro. A 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, 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. Q 8 rooms (2 singles €50, 6 doubles €55-65). Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTLW

Charter Drumul Odaii 1D, Otopeni, tel. (+4) 021 352 87 19/(+4) 021 352 87 21, www.hotelcharter.ro. For what you pay at this hotel, you get a large amount of room indeed. Really: these must be the biggest 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 services to match anywhere, and at prices as low as these, we doubt anyone will be complaining. Q 21 rooms (16 singles/doubles €35-40, 5 suites €55). Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTRLGK

Class Bucharest Str. Garlei 30A, tel. (+4) 037 213 57 00, www.class-hotel.ro. Close to Baneasa Airport what this place lacks in city centre-ness it more than makes up for with comfort. This is to all intents and purposes a five star hotel, complete with luxurious bathrooms and perhaps the best indoor swimming pool in the city. Really. If you are looking for a leafier location than the city centre can offer, and a little luxury at a decent price, then it’s a decent choice. Q 63 rooms (59 doubles/triples €59-79, 4 suites €140). Prices include VAT, all taxes and breakfast. PHRFGKDCW

Dan B-4, B-dul Dacia 125, tel./fax (+4) 021 210 39 58, tel. (+4) 0727 59 95 99, www.hoteldan.ro. Smart addition to Bucharest’s enormously popular three-star scene. The location is central without being noisy, and the rooms themselves are all well-sized and well-equipped. Staff are friendly, befitting a small hotel, and ready to see to your every need. Q 15 rooms (14 singles/doubles €58-67, 1 apartment €88). Extra bed €25. Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTRULGW

DoubleTree by Hilton D-7, Str. Nerva Traian 3A, tel. (+4) 021 200 62 70, www.doubletree1.hilton.com. This hotel is a decent place offering big-ish rooms, with commend-ably big bathrooms. Happy, multi-lingual staff are a bonus not always found in Bucharest’s hotels. Good cafes (there are two) to choose from on the ground floor: one has a covered

terrace. Q 87 rooms (66 singles/doubles €150-170, 7 suites €185, 14 apartments €205). Prices include local taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHRUFLGKDW

Golden Tulip Bucharest B-4, Calea Victoriei 166, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 212 55 58, www.gold-entulipbucharest.com. Half-way along Calea Victoriei, a pleasant walk to both Piata Victoriei and Piata Universitatii, the Golden Tulip is a fine hotel that makes great use of the space available. The bathrooms 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. Q 81 rooms (79 singles/doubles €85-95, 2 suites €105). Prices include VAT, all taxes and breakfast. PTJHRUFLGKW

Hello Hotels B-4, Calea Grivitei 143, tel. (+4) 0372 12 18 00, www.hellohotels.ro. Two stars never looked so good. For your paltry amount of cash you are getting a lot of hotel 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. Q 150 rooms (150 doubles €35). Extra bed €10. Prices include VAT and taxes. Breakfast not included. (€5 per person). PR6ULGKW

Ibis Gara de Nord A-4, Calea Grivitei 143, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 021 300 91 00, www.ibishotels.ro. 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 (break-

fast costs extra) and all in all a good value stay. The name is not misleading: it is dead opposite the station. Q 250 rooms (234 singles/doubles €49-54, 16 apartments €79). Prices include VAT and local taxes. Breakfast not included. PHR6ULGKW

Ibis Palatul Parlamentului B-6, Str. Izvor 82-84, tel. (+4) 021 401 10 00, www.ibishotels.ro. If 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 (or otherwise!) from anywhere else on the planet. Not entirely ideally located if you are not driving, it does boast non-smoking rooms and very good staff. Q 161 rooms (154 singles/doubles €49-70, 7 apart-ments €95). Prices include VAT and local taxes. Breakfast not included. PTHR6ULGKW

Minerva B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, MVictoriei, tel. (+4) 021 311 15 55, www.minerva.ro. It 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. Q 147 rooms (138 singles/doubles €75-95, 9 apartments €111). Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PHRFGKDW

Rembrandt C-5, Str. Smardan 11, tel. (+4) 021 313 93 15, www.rembrandt.ro. Always full (reserve well in advance) you will see why when you arrive. The Rembrandt is what happens when people with taste renovate buildings in Old

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Apart Homes C-6, Str. George Valentin Bibescu 33, bl. X/2, sc. A, ap. 6, tel. (+4) 021 232 04 06, fax (+4) 021 232 17 04, [email protected], www.aparthomes.ro. These people have been offering great apartments in central Bucharest since 1996: they were one of the first players in the market, and are still the best. They have a range of city-centre apartments, from studios to two-bedroomed places, as well as a villa in Baneasa. What’s more, they have someone on call 24 hours for any emergencies, maid service twice a week and offer a variety of other services, from city tours to laundry. Magic. Q 20 rooms (5 singles/doubles €50, 5 triples €85, 5 suites €100, 5 apartments €150). Prices include breakfast and local taxes. VAT not included. PT6GW

Cert Accommodation B-5, Piata Walter Maracin-eanu1-3, tel. (+4) 0720 77 27 72, [email protected], www.cert-accommodation.ro. A good selection of fully furnished, elegant, serviced studios, one, two and three bedroom apartments in and around the city centre. Children and babies are welcome: cots can be supplied on request. Q 20 rooms ( 5 studios €40, 15 apartments €55 - €80). Prices include local taxes and VAT. Breakfast not included. PTLGW

Short Term Rental

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. Q 9 rooms(4 singles/doubles €22-34, 1 twin €28, 2 multibed dorms €12.50/bed, 1 triple €45, 1 suite €65). Prices include breakfast, VAT and local taxes. 6GW

X Hostel C-6, Str. Balcesti 9, tel. (+4) 021 312 76 13/(+4) 0785 21 15 15, [email protected], www.xhostel.eu. Bucharest’s newest hostel, and already forging for itself something of party-central reputation. As such it is probably not the best place in town for a quiet night in, yet the young crowd that frequents the place hardly mind that. Good, clean dorms and bathrooms, and a number of singles for those who can splash the extra cash. Free Wifi, but breakfast not included. Q 13 rooms (7 single €50, 6 dorms €12). Prices include local taxes and VAT. Breakfast not included. PGKDW

Trianon B-5, Str. Grigore Cobalcescu 9, tel. (+4) 021 311 49 27/(+4) 021 311 49 28, fax (+4) 021 316 22 81, [email protected], www.hoteltrianon.ro. If location really is everything then you can’t do much better than this cracking place on Str. Cobalcescu, next to the Ministry of Defence and opposite Cismigiu Park. The building is a superb Seces-sion renovation on a street that boasts some extraordinary buildings: it is a shame not all are up to this standard. Inside the rooms are simple, tastefully decorated and offer excellent value for money. Bathrooms have either a bath or a shower. Q 26 rooms (24 singles/doubles €85-103, 2 apartments €133). Extra bed €18. Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTHR6UGKW

Hostels & VillasDoors Hostel C-7, Str. Olimpului 13, tel. (+4) 021 336 21 27/(+4) 0726 45 42 03, www.doorshostel.com. Clean, colourful and rather spacious hostel a short walk south from Piata Unirii. Located in a classic Bucharest house it benefits from a gorgeous garden/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. Q 5 rooms (6 bed dorm €12, 2 x 8 bed dorm €11, 4 bed dorm €13, double king size bed €35). Breakfast, VAT and local taxes included. PTLGKW

Flower’s B & B D-5, Str. Plantelor 2, tel./fax (+4) 021 311 98 48, [email protected], www.flowersbb.ro. Very close to Piata Unirii this place is exactly what it claims to be: a proper, homely bed and breakfast. Few frills, little fuss, just first class hospitality from great staff who will make your stay as comfortable as possible. In warmer months you can have

Town Bucharest (the gorgeous cafe next door belongs - unsur-prisingly - to the same people). Luxurious without overdoing it, expect to find original 1920s wooden floors and period furnishings complimented by up-to-the-minute technology. The hotel celebrated its sixth birthday in January 2011: long may it go on. Q 16 rooms (6 single €75, 8 doubles €95, 2 triples €118). Extra bed available. Prices include all taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTRUGKW

Sarroglia C-5, Str. Vasile Lascar 59, tel. (+4) 031 412 60 00/(+4) 031 412 61 32, [email protected], www.sarrogliahotel.com. Bright, contemporary hotel that looks expensive yet costs relatively little. The rooms are minimalist yet chic and pack a real punch in the comfort stakes, and each comes with an individual feel to it, often in the form of a full-wall mural. The location is close enough to the centre to be attractive while remaining residential: this is a quiet area of town. The hotel’s restaurant and lunge provide colour and panache. Recommended. Q 33 rooms (20 single/double €69-74, 1 disabled €74, 12 suites €89-99). Extra bed €10. Prices include breakfast, VAT and local taxes. PHUFLGKW

Tania-Frankfurt C-6, Str. Selari 5, tel. (+4) 021 319 27 58/(+4) 031 104 20 83, fax (+4) 021 319 27 56, [email protected], www.taniahotel.ro. 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. Q 13 rooms (11 singles/doubles €49-59, 2 suites €89). Prices include local taxes and VAT. Breakfast not included. PJRGKW

your breakfast outside in the lovely courtyard. Q 18 rooms (16 singles/doubles €35-48, 2 suites €55). Prices include taxes, VAT and breakfast. PTR6LGW

The Funky Chicken B-5, Str. Gen. Berthelot 63, tel. (+4) 021 312 14 25, [email protected], www.funkychicken-hostel.com. Offering free cigarettes may appear to be a good idea when the bulk of your clients are penniless students, but it sounds like irresponsibility to us. Anyway, this wacky! crazy! hostel will appeal to the kind of person who enjoys puns like ‘clucking good atmosphere’ or being told that the staff are ‘friendly but smelly.’ Students, who’d have them? Q 4 rooms (1 twin private €12, 1 private for 4 €9.5, 2 mixed dorms €8 ). Prices include VAT and local taxes. Breakfast not included. TUNGW

Vila 11 A-4, Str. Institutul Medico Militar 11, MGara de Nord, tel. (+4) 0722 49 59 00/(+4) 0722 49 59 01, [email protected]. Located in a lovely 1920s house close to Gara de Nord (one block east of Strada Vespatian and Dinicu Golescu) Vila 11 has a variety of private rooms, dorm facilities and family suites available for backpackers and

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of the best, as its longevity (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 Bulevardul Lascar Cartagiu. You will find the Nan Jing on the ground floor of the Minerva hotel. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLVBSW

NEW

Restaurant 5 Elemente C-5, Str. Icoanei 15, tel. (+4) 0766 33 15 11, www.cincielemente.ro. Suddenly Bucha-rest has a choice of great Chinese restaurants. This place is brought to you by the team behind the uber-successful Imperial, on the coast in Mamaia, which foodies have been raving about for years. Expect superior, mainly northern Chinese food made of the finest ingredients, many of which are specially imported. The crispy duck is perhaps the best in the country, and the even serve lobster. Get there now. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PSW

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 A-1, P-ta Presei Libere 3-5, tel. (+4) 0733 50 14 01, www.18lounge.ro. Lunch or dinner with a view? On the 18th floor of one of the newest 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 though 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 locations in the centre of town) and the vibe is always a little trendy but never kitsch. We like it. QOpen 10:00 - 24:30. €€€. PBSW

AmericanChampions B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 17, www.championsrestaurant.ro. Still serving the very best burger in Bucharest, 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 mici. Famously good cocktails, and more televisions showing sport than you could ever hope for.Q Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTLSW

Hard Rock Cafe A-2, Sos. Kiseleff 32, tel. (+4) 021 206 62 61, www.hardrock.com/bucharest. Wham, Bam, thank you Maam. Americana gone berserk in the very best sense of the word. Nobody can knock this place and it is easy to see why. Feast on top level, upmarket-burger bar and Tex-Mex food, served in huge portions by perky Bond girls who have a smile for everyone. Then sit back with great cocktails and listen to some very good rock and roll supplied by some of Bucharest’s best live acts. Seriously good. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLEBSW

AsianThe Gang Restaurant & Lounge C-3, Calea Floreasca 111-113, tel. (+4) 0721 51 22 91, www.thegang.ro. Very nice indeed. Though probably more famous as being the top people’s club, The Gang also has a restaurant serving some fabulous Asian/Fusion food prepared by not one but two (count them: you will see them as the kitchen is open, how refreshing) Nepalese chefs. What’s more, though its location in Dorobanti/Floreasca screams fitze, the place itself is understated and decorated with incredible restraint and good taste. Add in some eclectic live music and you have a winner. QOpen 07:00 - 05:00. €€€€. PLEBSW

BelgianLe Bistro B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00. Could be the best thing to happen to Bucharest dining for a while. After all, for how long have we pined for a decent Belgian restaurant? Well, Le Bistro is it, serving great big portions of freshly imported mussels and fries (and much else besides) at prices we consider more than reasonable given the quality. See you there. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PLG

BritishThe Trafalgar Pub C-4, Str. David Emmanuel 4A, tel. (+4) 021 211 31 51, www.trafalgarpub.eu. 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, QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLVBSW

ChineseNan Jing B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, tel. (+4) 021 318 12 85/(+4) 0726 10 34 07, www.restaurantnanjing.ro. Dating back to 1980s this little piece of Bucharest foodie his-tory was the first Chinese restaurant in the land. It is still one

Market 8 B-3, Str. Serban Petrescu 8, tel. (+4) 0734 80 80 80, www.market8.ro. Have we been along this road before? Yes, there was once a Market 8 in Lipscani: it didn’t last very long, so let’s hope this one lasts longer, for it’s nice. Using much the same concept as before (designer goodies alongside designer Fusion - and then some - food), the new location is perhaps bet-ter suited to the crowd it wants to attract (monied, trendy) and despite initial doubts we were more than won over on our first visit. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PBSW

Poolside GrillB-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00. The Radisson’s hidden, almost secret terrace is - as the name subtly suggests - situated at the side of the hotel’s big outdoor swimming pool, in a courtyard at the rear. Come for barbequed meats, terrific bar food - including a genuinely great burger. The cocktail list is good too, and prices are reasonable - reflecting the quality. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00. Sunday Blu Lagoon Brunch from 12:30 - 16:30, 190 lei/pers, 95 lei for children under twelve. €€€. BW

P Air conditioning 6 Animal friendly

T Child friendly N Credit cards not accepted

U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking

V Home delivery E Live music

M Nearby metro station G Non-smoking

J Old Town location S Take away

W Wifi

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Loft Lounge C-4, B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 56-60, tel. (+4) 0756 38 56 38, www.loftlounge.ro. It might be too fashionable for some tastes, but the truth is the food is amongst the best in the land, cooked by perhaps the best chef in the land. 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 magnificent food (seafood domi-nates), 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. Q Open 12:00 - 16:00, 19:00 - 02:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PLESW

GermanDie Deutsche Kneipe C-3, Str. Stockholm 9, tel. (+4) 021 233 94 62, www.diedeutschekneipe.ro. Really, one of our favourite places in Bucharest, now as ever (and it has been around for more than a decade). Serving giant portions of great German sausages (all made on the premises) as well as 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. QOpen 15:00 - 23:30, Sat 14:00 - 23:30. Closed Sun. €€. PNBSW

IndianHaveli D-4, Str. Episcop Radu 3, tel. (+4) 021 211 03 90/(+4) 0721 72 16 40, www.haveli.ro. Convincingly authentic Indian cuisine served in a brightly decorated villa, where the sauces are by nature toned down for locals but where chef will - with pleasure - spice things up for the more experienced diner. We like the long list of vegetarian dishes, of which the Bhangan Bharta (aubergine with tomato and onion) is a particular favourite. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Mon 19:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLVBSW

Roberto’s on La Strada C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Ath-enee Palace Hilton, access from Calea Victoriei)., tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77. La Strada has been the setting the standard for Bucharest terraces for years. Serving a menu slightly differ-ent to the main Roberto’s inside, the Hilton’s terrace remains a great place to come for a burger and a beer, a few cocktails, or something more formal. Brilliant location and comfy sofas a bonus. Q Open 11:00 - 23:00. €€€. UBSW

The Garden B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 17, www.the-garden.ro. First-class terrace to the right of the big hotel. A tasteful water fountain, enough greenery for you to feel like you’re in a garden and tables placed at a discrete distance apart so you don’t have to listen to anyone else’s tedious conversation. We need hardly add that the service is good, and the prices are not as high as they might be. There is also a kiddie’s play area. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00. In case of bad weather, The Garden will be closed, but Champions will be open instead. €€€€. TULBSW

The Harbour B-4, P-ta Amzei 10-22, tel. (+4) 021 319 72 57/(+4) 0724 38 86 86, www.harbour.ro. 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. QOpen 11:30 - 01:00, Sun 13:00 - 24:00. €€. PLVEBSW

FrenchBoutique du Pain C-5, Str. Academiei 28-30, tel. (+4) 0728 44 33 00, www.boutiquedupain.com. 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 pastries 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. Serving great coffee and a magnificent hot chocolate, we (and our kids!) love this place. QOpen 08:30 - 22:00, Sun 08:30 - 20:00. €€. PSW

Escargot Bistro D-4, Str. Toamnei 101, tel. (+4) 021 201 71 33/(+4) 0746 79 50 29, www.escargot.ro. Bu-charest foodies: this is the place for you. A little non-descript from the outside, it is a sensational 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, outstand-ing wines and all served in minimalist surroundings: the food is king here. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. BSW

French Bakery Le Restaurant C-5, Str. Nicolae Goles-cu 17, tel. (+4) 021 310 33 02, www.frenchbakery.ro. It had to happen. A French restaurant that actually delivers the goods time after time yet does so in an atmosphere that begs you to spend more time here. The menu features a number of simple, new-wave French cuisine which - for this city - is very well-priced. The tasty duck dishes stood out for us, as did the desserts and the excellent wine list which - while featuring a great list of French grape - for once acknowledges that the New World can make decent wine too. In short, this place is a mini-revolution on the Bucharest dining scene and worthy of your time. QOpen 10:00 - 24:30. €€€. PBSW

Ici et La C-4, Str. Mendeleev 43, tel. (+4) 0731 45 36 08/(+4) 0731 35 26 08, www.icietla.ro. 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 homemade 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 magnificent creme brulee. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PVESW

La Cantine de Nicolai B-4, Str. Povernei 15-17, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 0725 21 06 08, www.lacantinedeni-colai.ro. Those who know their food know that this place is one of the top ten restaurants in the land. Beyond the Warhol prints on the walls this is French du terroir, where simple yet perfect flavours are allowed to breathe by a gifted chef who cooks for his customers as though he is cooking for his best mates. It is not cheap, but then dishes like scallops with mash potatoes and a truffle and veal sauce never can be. Special. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PBSW

FusionAvalon B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7 (Howard Johnson Grand Plaza), MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 201 50 30, [email protected], www.hojoplaza.ro/ro/avalon-restaurant. At Avalon, the jewel in the HoJo’s dining crown, knowing diners come to enjoy the flavours and smells of the superb Fusion cuisine. Every time we visit (and we visit as often as we can) we find something new and interesting - and usually inventive - on the menu (which changes regularly) and a good new wine to go with our meal. Q Open 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 23:00. Sunday Brunch 12:00 - 16:00, 180 lei/pers, children under seven free, children between seven and 12 years half price. €€€€. PLSW

Karishma D-5, Str. Iancu Capitanu 36, tel. (+4) 021 252 51 57, www.karishma.ro. This place, by warrant of its bits and pieces layout, is perhaps the closest thing you will find to a classic British/Indian curry house in Bucharest. No less than three Indian chefs cook up the treats out back, with the lamb rogan josh - ordered extra hot - never failing to hit the spot. In fact, we counted no fewer than 10 lamb dishes on the menu, a rare treat in these parts where the raw material is so hard to find. QOpen 13:00 - 24:00. €€€. PVBSW

InternationalBalkan Bistro C-5, Calea Victoriei 56 (Grand Hotel Con-tinental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0372 01 03 00, [email protected], www.grandhotelcontinental.ro. Very interesting indeed. A a restaurant brave enough to admit that food in this part of the world is truly Balkan, and that the edges between Serbian, Turkish, Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian food can sometimes be very blurred indeed. You will find a rich range of dishes on offer: all presented on the menu in their original language. See you there. Q Open 12:30-15:30, 18:30-22:30. €€€. PLGW

Barbizon Steak House A-1, P-ta Montreal 10 (Pullman Bucharest World Trade Center), tel. (+4) 021 318 30 00/(+4) 021 202 16 35, www.pullmanhotels.com. This is the latest restaurant to open up in the Pullman, and is the best eatery we’ve been to at this particular five star. 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. Q Open 12:00 - 15:30, 18:00 - 23:30, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PLW

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Gargantua C-5, Str. J.L. Calderon 69, tel. (+4) 021 211 40 41/(+4) 0722 70 25 60, www.restaurantgargantua.ro. Bright and airy place that gloriously lets the light in through its huge windows. Fine food, including a luscious fried brie with onion marmelade, an outstanding 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. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLVBSW

La Brasserie A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.laveranda.ro. Redesigned and reinvented, La Brasserie is now less about fine dining (pop over to The Vineyard 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. QOpen 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

Le Theatre B-5, Str. George Enescu 2-4, MP-ta Victo-riei, tel. (+4) 021 318 28 74/(+4) 0733 97 64 71, www.letheatre.ro. A bit of food with your jazz? Or a bit of jazz with your food? There is always usually something happening at Le Theatre, and even if there isn’t, the food is enough to keep you here for most of the evening. The lamb chops we ate were terrific: pink and tender, and they went down well with a plate of fresh spinach. Great atmosphere, good people, a decent choice for dinner. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PEBSW

Omnivore’s Dilemma B-4, Calea Victoriei 214, tel. (+4) 021 212 56 66, www.omnivores.ro. Brilliant! Tiny place serving 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. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €€. PVGBSW

Phill Str. Drumul Potcoavei 120, tel. (+4) 0743 17 20 17, www.phill.ro. This place, located in Bucharest’s northern suburbs, takes restaurant design in the Romanian capital to new heights: we have not seen its like before. Contemporary, bright, modern yet with a traditional twist it is a sensational place to eat. What’s more, the food, which could easily be overwhelmed by such surroundings, is as fresh and inventive as the design. Great place to impress clients or dates. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLVW

Restaurant La’ Teral C-6, Splaiul Unirii 6, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 021 455 44 00/(+4) 0751 13 31 33, www.restaurantlateral.ro. Food with a view on the top floor of a block opposite the newly opened National Library. While it is the rooftop terrace that brings the punters in, the food is excellent too, with something for everybody on the varied

stroganoff are good efforts, but if you simply want a ceafa de porc with fries, they will rustle that up too. Good drinks list and the place itself is rather nice. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW

Collage A-3, B-dul Ion Mihalache 10-12, tel. (+4) 0758 10 10 40, www.collageworld.ro. Opposite the Peasant Museum this is a designer restaurant, lounge and bar where white furniture is in abundance, 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 its got just the right amount of attitude. And we love the dogs on chains outside keeping the parking spaces for the rich and famous, QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLEBSW

Concerto Fine Dining C-5, Calea Victoriei 56 (Grand Hotel Continental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0372 01 03 00, www.grandhotelcontinental.ro. The fine dining stakes in Bucharest got notched up even further with the appearance of the Grand Continental’s showcase dining room, a match for any other in the city. This is the place to come for highly creative nouvelle cuisine, accompanied by a long list of the world’s finest wines (from Romania, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, North and South America). The setting is ‘to die for’, and the staff are knowledgeable about both food and wine and will talk you through everything on the menu.Q Open 12:30 - 16:00, 19:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLEGW

Dacia Felix B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson BLU), tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00, www.radissonblu.com/hotel-bucharest. The best thing about this place is that the cracking breakfast is open to allcomers: simply turn up before 10:30, pay your money and fill up for the day (we would have liked to have stayed for the day such was the wealth of goodies on offer, but they had to get ready for lunch...). The Dacia-Felix is also the set-ting for the Radisson’s excellent Sunday Brunch which, though it goes on for four hours, is not long enough to savour everything on offer. Bags of pink sparkling wine too... Q Open 06:30 - 10:30, Sat, Sun 07:00 - 11:00. €€€. PLEGSW

Doncafe Brasserie B-3, Str. Ankara 7, tel. (+4) 0746 22 24 44, [email protected], www.doncafe-brasserie.ro. Magnificent 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 lunching 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. QOpen 08:30 - 24:00. €€. PLSW

Barka Saffron A-2, Str. Av. Sănătescu 1, tel. (+4) 021 224 10 04/(+4) 0745 00 36 60. 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 Bucha-rest’s best. First class cocktail list. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PESW

Chez Marie C-4, Str. Dionisie Lupu 48, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 031 107 20 33/(+4) 0730 34 48 10, www.chezmarie.ro. A wider variety of dishes you are unlikely to find in a Bucharest restaurant, and most of the time everything on the menu is available. We have always stuck with the beef dishes: both the steak with gorgonzola and the beef

menu. Pasta, salad, steaks and seafood. The daily menu deal is one of the best value in Bucharest. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. €€€. PVSW

Sofa Restaurant & Bistro Cafe C-2, B-dul Barbu Vacarescu 241A, tel. (+4) 0756 10 05 00, www.gosofa.ro. Sensational contemporary restaurant which caters during the day to the movers and shakers in the nearby office build-ings, while in the evening it becomes the eatery of choice for Bucharest’s foodie set. Everything on the menu, from the duck with foie gras to the saffron risotto with tempura prawns is fan-tastic, and worth every penny. There’s a cheaper but no less tasty bistro menu too. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00 (Restaurant), 08:00 - 24:00 (Bistro Cafe). €€€€. PLVEBSW

The Vinyard A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.laveranda.ro. 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 and his highly experienced 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. QOpen 18:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €€€€. PEGSW

(Based on a good meal with wine)

€€€€ Expensive(More than €30 per person)

€€€ Not cheap(€20-30 per person)

€€ Middling(€10-€20 per person)

€ Cheap(Less than €10 per person)

Price Guide For details of restaurants, cafes,

bars and clubs in Bucharest’s

Old Town, see pages 72-87.

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

Veranda Casa Frumoasa B-4, Str. Clopotarii Vechi 5, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 0733 73 59 32, www.veranda-casafrumoasa.ro. Simply put, this one of the top five restaurants in Bucharest. Combining a contemporary setting with fine food, this is a gourmet’s delight. The frequently changing menu is a mix of cuisines and flavours and always - no matter how often you come - features something new and exciting to try. The conservatory-esque setting is terrific, and there are outstanding wines and champagnes to complement the food. A top, top place. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PLVESW

ItalianCaffe Citta B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson Blu), tel. (+4) 021 601 34 36/(+4) 021 311 90 00, www.caffe-citta.ro. Styled as a Northern Italian city centre cafe/bistro the emphasis here is on good, simple, urban food. Try the risotto with saffron, the saltim bocca and the tiramisu: all signature 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. QOpen 11:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PLGBW

Capricciosa B-dul Ion Ionescu de la Brad 2, tel. (+4) 021 233 06 35/(+4) 0722 22 47 99, www.restaurantca-pricciosa.ro. 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 Bucharest. Well worth making the journey uptown for both the food and the atmosphere, which demonstrates that top restaurants don’t have to be fitze. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW

Cucina B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bu-charest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 02, www.cucinarestaurant.ro. Bright and breezy, Cucina at the JW Marriott is a wonderful Italian restaurant where you can find probably the best (and perhaps only) swordfish steak in the city. The veal cutlets are incredibly expensive but worth every penny, while for a simple reminder of great cooking and intense flavours, the pumpkin and goose liver soup is a masterpiece. No fewer than 19 good Italian reds grace the wine menu. Q Open 12:30 - 16:00, 18:00 - 23:00, Sun 18:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PLESW

Modigliani Pasta/ Carne C-5, Str. Batistei 9 (Hotel InterContinental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0730 64 48 06, [email protected]. A new menu this spring means that you just have to get along here, to what is the InterContinental’s showpiece restaurant. Boasting top chef Alfonso Salvaggio in the kitchen, the Italian stakes continue to get ratcheted up another notch, and it is 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, and the wine is a selection of the best the world has to offer. The warm foie gras with onion confit starter was probably our favourite dish, however. Prices are high-ish, but reflect

By 1989, communist Romania was a failed country. It had a leader and a government, but little else. Schools closed early in winter for a lack of heating, nobody worked as people spent all day queuing for basic foodstuffs, and a rampant black market saw speculators and corrupt officials make small fortunes. Yet even as late as November 1989, when the Communist Party held its four-yearly congress, electing Nicolae Ceauşescu as president for another four-year term, there was no sign that the regime was in any trouble. As communist regimes crumbled all over Eastern Europe, Ceauşescu held on. Then came Timişoara. Always a city whose people were better informed than the rest of the country (they could watch Yugoslav television) the population of Timişoara staged their first demonstration on December 16, initially in protest at the demotion of a local Hungarian priest, Laszlo Tokes. Quickly however, the demonstrations became political, and spread. On December 17, tens of thousands gathered in front of the city’s Orthodox Cathedral. Ceauşescu ordered the army to fire on the protestors, which it did. The protestors dispersed and the next day the city was calm, with soldiers and secret policemen everywhere; Ceauşescu proceeded with a planned two-day state visit to Iran. Ceauşescu returned from Iran on December 20, and the next day a rally in Bucharest was organized to reassure the population that he was still in control. He wasn’t. On the morning of December 21, 1989, a large crowd brought in to dutifully cheer him was jeered him on live television during a rally in Piaţa Revoluţiei (C-4). The rally quickly became an anti-communist riot, and the square was soon out of all control. The crowd was eventually dispersed by gunfire, though to this day it is unclear if the gunfire was ordered by organs of the Ceauşescu regime, or by the Ion Iliescu group of former communist nomenklature - known as the National Salvation Front (FSN) - that was about to sieze power. It may also have simply been the result of mass confusion. Later on the night of December 21, the crowd moved on to Piaţa Universităţii, where it stayed until dawn, before again being fired upon, and, as morning broke, dispersed: there were hundreds of arrests. But by now the pendulum had swung. Revolutionaries returned the next day to Piaţa Revoluţiei, while others headed for the headquarters of Romanian television. A fierce battle was fought here, but by the evening of December 22 revolutionaries – after the army had ditched Ceauşescu during the day and sided with them - had gained control of the building. Poet Mircea Dinescu made the first speech on free Romanian television, ending with the immortal words ‘Dictatorul a fugit. Am învins! Am învins!’ (‘The dictator has gone. We’ve won! We’ve won!’) By this stage Ceauşescu and his entourage had indeed gone, fleeing in a helicopter from the top of the Central Committee building (today the Senate). They were caught a few hours later, and shot on Christmas Day, 1989. The power vacuum he left was quickly filled, with Iliescu, a one-time loyal lieutenant of Ceauşescu and life-long socialist forming a provisional government. It is important to note here that though this new government was allegedly an independent body representative of every sector of Romanian society, Iliescu refused to allow any surviving members of Romania’s pre World War II governments join. Important figures - including Corneliu Coposu, a leading liberal politician of the 1930s and 1940s who had served time in Romania’s brutal communist prisons – were prevented from entering the Central Committee building.

Romania’s Revolution

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quality, and by no means reach the levels of a few other places we could mention. QOpen 18:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PLW

Osteria Gioia A-3, B-dul Ion Mihalache 16, MVictoriei, tel. (+4) 021 311 37 50/(+4) 0734 04 46 42, [email protected], www.osteriagioia.ro. One of very few genuinely brilliant Italian eateries in Bucharest. Everything is done properly, from pasta made on the premises to the correct oils for the different dishes. We ate the excellent troffi-ette with smoked pancetta, porcini mushrooms, truffles and pecorino, which was followed by slow-cooked veal shanks in wine and aromatic herbs. Even the place itself is wonderful: long, narrow, with a great bar it is a foodie’s heaven. Go there. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLBSW

Ristorante Il Calcio A-3, Str. Clucerului 7, tel. (+4) 0729 57 48 02, [email protected], www.trat-toriailcalcio.ro. As opposed to Trattoria Il Calcio? Yes. For this is a ristorante, a notch up from trattoria. Expect a more refined menu and surroundings, but the same warm, friendly service and great value (if pricier) food you’ve come to expect from the Il Calcio boys. This first Il Calcio restaurant is in a lovely house on Strada Clucerului, quickly becoming something of a magnet for great places to eat. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLBSW

Roberto’s C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77. After a complete refit Roberto’s is bigger and better than ever. It now boasts an open kitchen, three distinct dining areas and a private dining room. The food is simple, classical, with the menu boasting the best dishes from a number of Italian regions. The Gualtiero Machesi risotto with gold leaf is amazing, and the baccala’

with mash sensational. It’s not cheap, but prices reflect the high quality. In a nutshell, it’s worth every penny: this is one of the top five restaurants in the land. Q Open 06:30 - 10:00, 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 24:00. Sunday Brunch from 13:00, 195 lei/pers, 92 lei/children between six and 18, free for children under six. €€€€. PTGSW

Trattoria Buongiorno C-6, Str. Franceza 52, tel. (+4) 0733 11 04 64, www.trattoriabuongiorno.ro. We have always loved Trattoria Buongiorno, and have quickly become big fans of its new location in the Old Town. Decent Italian food (there is a small but good selection of fish dishes which are well worth looking out for). and one of the biggest and busiest terraces in Bucharest 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). QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 02:00. Also at Baneasa Shopping Center, 1st floor, tel. (+4) 0731 49 66 59. €€€. PJEBSW

Trattoria Don Vito Ristorante C-4, Str. Mendeleev 1, tel. (+4) 0735 33 30 21, www.trattoriadonvito.ro. They get a lot right here, not least the bean soup that is a meal in it-self. 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. Commendable. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLGBSW

Trattoria Il Calcio C-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 1-3, tel. (+4) 0732 52 81 40, www.trattoriailcalcio.ro. What we have here is the best use of perhaps the best terrace space in the city. As with the original Il Calcio, service can be a bit hit and miss but

the good - if not outstanding - Italian food at fantastic prices makes this a good default choice for dinner. Stick to the pizzas, salads, have a little patience and you will love the place. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. Also at (C-4) Str. Mendeleev 14, (+4) 0722 13 42 99;(I-4) Str. Delea Veche 36, tel. (+4) 0726 01 03 83; (C-3) Calea Floreasca 118-120, tel (+4) 0728 63 99 06, Soseaua Nordului 7-9, tel (+4) 0724 70 66 65. €€. PBSW

Trattoria Roma D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 114-116, tel. (+4) 021 210 81 57/(+4) 0722 36 87 45, www.trattoria-roma.ro. Brilliant, truly brilliant, and we rarely give praise that high. It might nominally be an Italian but what people come to this place for is the seafood. The huge plates of steaming mus-sels are top value, and there’s fresh lobster (fresh as in ‘they pick it live out of a fish tank’). Add in decent house wine at giveaway prices, good pasta (a classic aglio, olio is recom-mended) and you have a winner. The Eminescu location is our favourite place in the city right now, and that from a city guide not meant to have favourites... QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. Also at (A-6) Str. Dr. Lister 1, tel. (+4) 0766 33 42 24, (+4) 021 441 63 30. €€. PLSW

JapaneseBenihana B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7 (Howard Johnson Grand Plaza), MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 201 50 30, [email protected], http://www.hojoplaza.ro/en/benihana. With cracking new menus specially put together for the season, this is a great time to come and try the vast array of terrific Japanese specialities on offer at Benihana. A staple on the Bucharest dining scene for some years now, it is a tremendous mix of the new, the daring and the tradi-tional. Expert chefs and staff will explain Japanese cuisine to

newcomers, and the chances are you will want to come more than once. Great value, and perfect for big groups. Q Open 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PTULSW

Sushi Ko Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 42D (Baneasa Shopping City, ground floor), tel. (+4) 0744 34 44 44, www.sushiko.ro. Two wonderful restaurants. The food is fantastic, and the extensive menu covers every area of Japanese cuisine, from sushi to sashimi. The vibe is casual, the set menus are great value, and there is an Old Town location too. Staff are friendly and helpful, taking time out to explain the finer points of Japanese dining to beginners. Both locations are well worth a visit, and if you can’t get there in person, there’s home delivery too. QOpen 11:30 - 22:30. Also at (C-6) Str. Stavropoleos 8, tel. (+4) 0758 08 84 00, [email protected], open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLVSW

LebaneseAl Wady C-4, Calea Dorobanti 18, tel. (+4) 0730 96 66 66, [email protected]. A new entry that goes straight to the top of the Lebanese in Bucharest charts. Superbly cooked and presented authentic Lebanese food in a fabu-lous villa located close to Piata Romana, at prices that are more than accessible to all pockets. Service is good, staff friendly and at this time of year you can enjoy it all al fresco. Perfect. QOpen 10:00 - 24:30, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:30. €€€. PLBSW

Chez Toni C-2, Str. Glodeni 3, tel. (+4) 021 242 02 04/(+4) 0740 00 78 78, www.cheztoni.ro. Terrific Lebanese food in the leafy, away-from-it-all setting of the Pescariu Tennis and Sports Club. All your Middle Eastern favourites are here, from Antaki, Adana and Beiti kebabs to sujuk (those tangy, spicy little

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sausages) and simple yet perfectly grilled sea bass (and a ton of other fresh fish). Everything is cooked by the resident Lebanese chef. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW

Grenadine B-5, Str. George Enescu 23, tel. (+4) 0732 98 47 38, www.grenadine.ro. Bucharest’s most centrally located Lebanese might just be its best yet. The decor is a step up from other restaurants of the genre, and the Leba-nese menu is both authentic and extensive. We loved the sambusik - the cheese and spinach ones especially - the lamb chops and the signature Grenadine salad, packed with olives and nuts. For the less adventurous there are a few international stand-bys to choose from. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PEBSW

Piccolo Mondo A-3, Str. Clucerului 9, tel. (+4) 021 222 57 55/(+4) 0722 20 50 20, www.piccolomondo.ro. Lebanese food that is both filling (with plenty for vegetarians to choose from) and well made. Kebabs are one of the chef’s strong points, and are very tasty indeed. After your meal you can enjoy a smoke on a hookah pipe. Always packed so re-serve a table. QOpen 11:30 - 24:30. €€€. PVBSW

MediterraneanCerisiers A-2, Str. Al. Constantinescu 33, tel. (+4) 0722 59 98 05/(+4) 0372 15 06 00, www.restaurantcerisiers.ro. We attended a Christening at this place recently, 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. As for the rooftop terrace, there is no more romantic place to eat in the city. In the right weather of course. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLVBSW

Novi Aquarium Calea Floreasca 111-113, tel. (+4) 031 405 05 97/(+4) 0730 07 77 23, www.noviaquarium.ro. From the people who brought you what was for years the city’s best Italian restaurant, Aquarium, is Novi Aquarium, an even better place to eat and be seen, this time located on one of the most fashionable streets in the city. The food has moved from Italian to Mediterranean, with a heavy accent on superior seafood, as well as a few dishes we have not seen on other menus in Bucharest. The lamb risotto for example: simple yet fantastic. Great wine list too, with something for all pockets. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PLEBW

Restaurant Tortuga D-5, Str. Traian 234, tel. (+4) 0733 07 74 82, www.tortugarestaurant.ro. Mediter-ranean restaurant with a heavy accent on seafood, and lots more besides. Great, big salads, huge plates of mixed meze (perfect for big groups to share) and no fewer than four lamb dishes, including some of the best lamb chops we’ve eaten in Bucharest. Modern, contemporary yet understated design adds to the joy of dining here. We like it. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLSW

Studio 80 Aleea Privighetorilor 80, tel. (+4) 0749 78 83 46/(+4) 031 437 97 29, www.studio-80.ro. For some-thing a bit different in a location well away from the bustle of the city centre it is worth trying the fare on offer here at Studio 80. A good range of food on offer, from good meats to fish and sea food, and all done with a genuine Mediterranean twist. Top wine list and prices are certainly reasonable. Worth the trip. QOpen 12:00 - 01:30. €€€. PLVBSW

Villa Rodizio C-5, Str. I. L. Caragiale 32, tel. (+4) 021 211 80 78/(+4) 0755 04 14 81,www.villarodizio.ro. A brand new South American churrascaria (that’s a steak

house to you and me) serving prime Brazilian steaks alongside a fine selection of Mexican and Argentinian dishes. The place itself is a splendid turn of the century (the 19th, that is) villa renovated to within an inch of its life and looking quite stunning. The interiors have to be seen to be believed. The stained-glass skylight being the (quite literal) highpoint. There’s live music and even tango some evenings - phone to check when. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTLEBW

Mexican/Tex MexEl Torito C-4, Str. Iancu Capitanu 30, tel. (+4) 021 252 66 88/(+4) 0728 17 60 59, www.eltorito.ro. Expect the biggest and best burrittos in the city, topped with lashings of tangy cheese; sizzlingly hot fajitas, no fewer than eight types of taco and - best of all - that splendid Mexican staple so often forgotten or passed over as being dull: cream of corn soup. The super nachos are worth trying too: filled with ground beef the portion is big enough to serve as a main course. In fact, beware: all the portions here are supersized. Though you would be a fool to forego a nosh here, if you just fancy a drink at the bar nobody seems to mind. Let the margaritas and the mojitos flow. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PVEBSW

La Tortilla A-3, B-dul Ion Mihalache 23, tel. (+4) 0743 44 22 11, www.latortilla.ro. A short walk north from the Peasant Museum along B-dul 1 Mai is this fairly good Tex-Mex joint serving passably good fast-food style burritos, tacos and quesadillas. Decent prices, attracts a lot of lunching office workers as well as late night clubbers. Q Open 24hrs. €€. PVBSW

Modern EuropeanCafe Athenee C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77, www.hiltonbucharest.com. The village pub, where the city comes to meet and have a terrific lunch. The menu boasts a burger long considered one of the best in the city, and a couple of desserts that will have you loosening your belts. There is also a bites menu of substantial 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. Live jazz every Thursday, DJs on Fridays. Q Open 08:00-24:00. €€€€. PESW

Prime Steaks & Seafood B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson BLU), tel. (+4) 021 311 90 00, www.prime-restaurant.ro. Boasting a menu put together by Executive Chef Bernd Kirsch, who has been in charge of the kitchen here since Prime opened more than two 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 pineapple, the grilled scallops and the lobster bisque. (And just about everything else). It’s genuinely amazing this place, and worth every last penny. Q Open 12:30 - 15:00, 18:00 - 23:30, Closed Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun (lunch); closed Sun (dinner). Note that Prime Steaks & Seafood will be closed from July to early September. €€€€. PLG

For details of restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs in Bucharest’s Old Town, see pages 72-87.

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PizzaHoroscop C-7, B-dul Dimitrie Cantemir 2, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 021 335 72 65, www.restauranthoroscop.ro. One of the original Bucharest pizza parlours, this place has been around since before we began publishing Bucharest In Your Pocket; that’s a long time. Still serving thin, crispy pizzas, along-side the best calzone in Bucharest, it is a winner worth seeking out. Find it in the same place as the Horoscop hotel, next to the Harp on the southern side of Piata Unirii. During the summer it has a terrace. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00. €€. PBSW

Sale E Pepe B-5, Str. Luterana 3, tel. (+4) 0720 35 16 26, www.saleepepe.ro. Lovely little cafe and pizzeria slap bang in the centre of the city. The smells as you walk past beg you to come in and taste the deliciously thin and delicately crispy pizzas as they come hot off the stove, covered in lashings of fresh top-pings. Super-friendly staff, and incredibly cheap prices. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. €. PSW

RomanianBistro Jaristea B-4, Str. Henri Coanda 5, tel. (+4) 021 650 50 00, www.bistrojaristea.ro. From the people who have long brought you some of the city’s finest Romanian food comes this place, a contemporary eatery for friends. Duck breast with sweet cabbage, smoked fish and potato salad, baked carp with garlic and mamaliga are just a few of the great dishes you will find on the menu. Add in a bright, breezy setting, good service, visinata by the glass and you have a terrific place to eat. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PLEBSW

Bistro La Taifas B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 16, tel. (+4) 021 212 77 88, [email protected], www.bistrotaifas.ro. The thinking man’s La Mama. La Taifas means ‘having a chat’ and that’s exactly what you and your friends will feel like doing at this tres jolie venue. We remain convinced that the original venue behind the Hilton on Str. Episcopiei was better, but the new location is spacier, and hosts more regular musical accompaniments. The food is great, and booking is still es-sential. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€. LEBSW

Burebista Vanatoresc C-5, Str. Batistei 14, MUni-versitate, tel. (+4) 021 211 89 29, www.restaurant-vanatoresc.ro. The smell of the wooden fixtures and fittings could convince you that you’re in the countryside, not metres away from the city centre. Portions are good, the food tastes super (good smoked meats, such as the smoked sausage and white beans, and lovely fresh sarmale) and all have a personal touch to their taste. Prices are more than reason-able. The live, loud folk band add to the party atmosphere. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PLEBSW

Casa Doina B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 4, tel. (+4) 021 222 67 17, www.casadoina.ro. Alma mater of Romanian restau-rants, an integral part of the city’s rich tapestry. This classy place pulls in the cream of Bucharest society, served by charming, 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. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. €€€. PLEBSW

Corso Brasserie & Terrace C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel InterContinental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20. Breakfast, lunch or dinner on the boulevard; Magheru, that is. If this place doesn’t occupy the best people-watching spot in the whole of the city, then we don’t know where does. The menu has gone more local of late: you can now enjoy exemplary sarmale and mamaliga here, as well as a brilliant iahnie de fasole with ciolan (pork knuckle with beans to you and me). Also still home of the best brunch in town. Q 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 Hotel) E-6, B-dul Decebal 19, MPiata Muncii, tel. (+4) 021 316 65 16, www.timesevents.ro. The prawn spring rolls we ate here were just about the crispiest, lightest and tastiest we have come across in Bucharest. We couldn’t make better at home (and we tried). There are plenty of other treats on a varied international (with a hint of Romanian) menu here too. This is a real surprise of a restaurant: do not let the hotel location put you off. Note the last kitchen order is at 22:30. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PLGSW

Hanu’ Berarilor Casa Soare B-6, Str. Poenaru Bordea 2, tel. (+4) 021 336 80 09, www.hanuberarilor.ro. This place is the new ‘must visit’ restaurant in Bucharest. Housed in the former 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. Seri-ously: only in two or three other places in Bucharest will you find carnati de oaie (mutton sausages) or bors de peste. If you are feeling really hungry go for the platou mioritic: a huge plate of meaty treats. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 02:00. €€. PJEBSW

Locanta Jaristea B-6, Str. George Georgescu 50-52, tel. (+4) 021 335 33 38, www.jaristea.ro. This is that rarity in Bucharest (and indeed Romania): an upmarket Ro-manian restaurant. The surroundings, location, exquisitely decorated dining rooms, service and choice of high quality food will convince 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 then to start preparing it a day in advance) and sample some of the best vintage wines Romania has ever produced. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. €€€€. PLESW

Nicoresti C-5, Str. Maria Rosetti 40, tel. (+4) 021 211 24 80, www.restaurantnicoresti.ro. Maybe we have been harsh in the past with our reviews of Nicoresti. It is, after all, one of the most celebrated 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! QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 23:00. €€. PEBSW

Rossetya C-5, Str. Dimitrie Bolintineanu 9, MUniver-sitate, tel. (+4) 031 805 91 99/(+4) 0748 22 02 20, www.rossetya.ro. Romanian food is never going to win any awards for originality, it being a mix of various Balkan cuisines, yet Rossetya tries harder than most to take it to new levels. As such this is as upmarket as you 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 iah-nie de fasole: a Romanian bean stew that packs something of a kick and proof that Romanian does do vegetarian food. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PSW

Vatra Restaurant B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 19, MUniversi-tate, tel. (+4) 021 315 83 75/(+4) 0721 20 08 00, [email protected], www.vatra.ro. We have been eating here for years and we can’t recommend 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. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PBSW

Violeta’s Vintage Kitchen C-5, Str. Batistei 23, tel. (+4) 021 310 06 81, (+4) 0722 52 56 43, www.violetas.ro. The concept is great: very good Romanian food with a nod towards the vegetarian served off a menu that changes daily. You can check it online and then decide if you fancy anything before setting off. Alas, the service can be a little hit and miss. On one visit we were given our menus, then ignored. We gave them five minutes, then ten, then 15... then we got up and left. Next time though all was well. We hope the second experience was the regular experience, for the place is lovely and just so un-Bucharest you want to squeeze it and hug it. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Mon 12:30 - 22:00, Sat 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. €€. PBSW

SeafoodNEW

Fishbone Lunch & Pub C-4, Str. Gen. Ernest Brosteanu 2, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 0722 48 77 57/(+4) 0721 98 28 48, www.fishbonegrill.ro. 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. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW

La Veranda A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), tel. (+4) 021 224 00 34, www.laveranda.ro. One of three new places opened recently at the Crowne Plaza. This one is housed inside a glass terrace offering wonderful views of

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including broiled lobster and Australian lamb chops. There is a great selection of new world wines, and they open early for breakfast: the JW steak and eggs is a great way to start the day. Q 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, 185 lei/pers, children between six and twelve half price, children under six free. €€€€. PLSW

Osho B-2, B-dul Primaverii 19-21, tel. (+4) 021 568 30 31, (+4) 021 568 30 32, [email protected], www.osho-restaurant.ro. 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) and tangy lamb chops, and take note that all the meat is Romanian. Plus, there’s a kid’s menu. We also have to admit 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. QOpen 10:30 - 23:30, Sat 09:00 - 01:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. €€€€. PVBSW

SwissMica Elvetie St. Moritz Str. Sandu Aldea 64, tel. (+4) 021 224 50 17, www.micaelvetie.ro. In a lovely villa on a quiet residential street in the north of the city the Bucharest cooking legend Jakob Hausmann is still delivering the goods more than a decade after opening his first restaurant. The menu changes regularly, with a wide variety of daily specials, all based around the season’s freshly available ingredients. If you are a foodie who cares about subtle, simple flavours you are going to love this place. QOpen 13:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PBSW

TurkishGolden Falcon C-5, Str. Hristo Botev 18-20, tel. (+4) 021 314 28 25, www.goldenfalcon.ro. Still packing in the punters. There are no menus here: instead the waitresses will parade a trolley-full of meze before you to pick from, before coming round with the kebabs: pick which one you want then send it to be cooked in the open kitchen. We usually always go for the lamb kebabs, but in our experience all of them are well worth trying. Great desserts too. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLSW

Urban ContemporaryRestaurant Madame Pogany C-3, Str. Banu Antonache 40-44, tel. (+4) 0744 10 56 13, www.madamepogany.ro. Fine, upmarket yet casual restaurant in Floreasca/Dorobanti. The spacious, modern, well-lit dining 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. QOpen 09:00 - 24:30, Fri 09:00 - 04:00, Sat 11:00 - 04:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW

VegetarianCasa Satya A-3, B-dul Banu Manta 25, tel. (+4) 0736 39 25 87, www.satya.ro. Everything on the menu is toxin free, so no meat, but there is plenty of seafood, and every-thing is made with only fresh, organic ingredients. Amazingly, 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. QOpen 12:00 - 22:30. €€€. PTVGBSW

it to expenses if you can, for this is a faultless establishment we have grown rather fond of. Get in there. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:00. €€€€. PVBSW

Taverna Pescareasca La Zavat E-5, Str. Popa Nan 16, tel. (+4) 021 252 29 56/(+4) 0766 52 67 91, [email protected], www.taverna-lazavat.ro. Top little place with more atmosphere in its small toe than most other restaurants have in their entire bodies. Cracking menu of primarily fish and seafood, though there are local Romanian and international favourites too. An exemplary wine list (for all budgets) makes it a super place for vineyard fans: all of Romania’s top wineries are represented. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€. PBSW

Slow FoodThe Kitchen C-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 9, tel. (+4) 0740 05 55 49. ‘Slow food to take home’ is the slogan of this place, which pretty much says it all. You will find good, fresh food at decent prices, and as there are a couple of tables and a kitchen bar you do not even necessarily have to take it home. They serve excellent coffee too. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. €€. VGBSW

Steak HousesJW Steakhouse Bucharest B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), MIzvor/Eroilor, tel. (+4) 021 403 19 03, www.jwsteakhouse.ro. You can expect a very American steakhouse experience, right down to the Black Angus beef imported from the US. The Tomahawk steak - weighing in at nearly a kilo and costing almost €100 - is the pick of the steaks, but there is much more besides,

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. Q Open 06:30 - 10:30, 12:30 - 16:00, 18:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 06:30 - 11:30, 12:30 - 16:00, 18:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PLEBW

NEW

Mercado Fish & Grill B-2, Str. Prof. Ion Cantacuzino 8, MAviatorilor, tel. (+4) 021 260 29 60/(+4) 0753 99 93 33. It’s all change at Mercado, the restaurant formerly known as Arcade. With a new name, new look )both inside and out) and superb new menus it looks set to hang on to its long-earned reputation as one of the city’s best eateries. The big terrace is one of the finest in Bucharest, the location on a relatively quite street helping to give it an exclusive, secluded atmosphere. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLBSW

Mesogios C-5, Str. J.L. Calderon 49, tel. (+4) 021 313 49 51, (+4) 0727 23 92 39. 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 wallet allows). Join us and enjoy squid, lobster, prawns of all sizes, mussels, oysters, giant sea bass and a host of other wet treats. QOpen 12:30 - 24:00. €€€€. PSW

Osho Fish B-2, B-dul Primaverii 19-21, tel. (+4) 021 311 88 26, www.osho-restaurant.ro. Doing for Bucharest’s fish supper scene what Osho did for meat. Expect fine pieces of fresh fish and prime, fresh seafood cooked and prepared simply, with real class and with great care for the natural flavour of the fish. Prices reflect the high quality of the raw material, so charge

Cafe Antipa by Artex A-3, B-dul Ion Mihalache 1, tel. (+4) 0730 03 01 40. Bucharest’s best museum (well, a contender for that title, anyway) also has its full-on cafe, right inside the museum building. Currently attracts a cool, trendy crowd of young arty types and coffee-break mums, you will love it and want to stay all day: it could just be the most peaceful, relaxing coffee fix destination in the land. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. PLW

Cafe Times E-6, B-dul Decebal 19, tel. (+4) 021 316 65 16, www.timesevents.ro. 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... Having 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. Q Open 07:00 - 24:00. PLESW

Green Tea D-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 24, tel. (+4) 021 320 93 96/(+4) 0749 09 02 02, www.greentea.ro. Magnificent. We know that there have been tea houses in Bucharest before, but none were ever like this. 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 can buy just about all of the teas in the shop. Brilliant, find someone special and go there immediately. QOpen 15:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. PVGBSW

Music Rooms Cafe D-4, B-dul Dacia 32, MP-ta Ro-mana, tel. (+4) 0726 53 73 78, [email protected]. Three rooms offering three different kinds of music: jazz/

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afternoons reading a good book with a great cup of tea or two. Oh, and we should point out that the coffee menu is not bad either. QOpen 15:00 - 23:00, Mon 17:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. TGBW

Tekaffe B-4, Calea Grivitei 143 (Hello Hotels), tel. (+4) 0372 12 18 00. The in-house cafe at the Hello Hotel is as smart, cheap and good value as the hotel itself. Serves good coffee, pastries and the like, and all with added Wifi. A more than decent meeting place. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. PLSW

The Livingroom Cafe C-5, B-dul Hristo Botev 3, tel. (+4) 0758 07 08 84, www.thelivingroomcafe.com. Always been a favourite place of ours, not least because it does look a little like, well. a living room. It is the kind of place that you want to stay all night in, feet up on the sofa watching television and knocking back coffee and cocktails. They also do a great breakfast, and a superb club sandwich. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PLBSW

Tonka Soul Cafe B-4, Str. Biserica Amzei 19, MP-ta Ro-mana, tel. (+4) 0723 44 80 80, www.tonka.ro. This place has indeed got soul, and plenty else besides. Warm and quiet coffee house by day, it becomes the perfect aperitivo spot when the sun goes down, then gets really wild as the music gets louder and the hours get shorter. There’s a good internet cafe in the basement. Q Open 24hrs. PREBW

Una B-5, Str. Dona Nicolae 18, tel. (+4) 0743 09 59 65, cafeneauauna.wordpress.com. Not a cafe, not a bar, not a pub. This is a bright, happy place for all sorts of events, from karaoke evenings to children’s craft fairs, poetry evenings to film nights. Oh, and we forgot to mention the dance classes and exhibitions. Check their website to see

CaFÉsCaFÉs

Remember: there are loads more

Cafes restaurants in Bucharest’s

Old Town, see pages 75-76.

rock, Cuban and chillout. There is funky decor in all three, the prices are very good considering the location (just off Piata Romana, opposite the Howard Johnson hotel) and the crowd that congregates here is fun and trendy yet never tiresomely so. Definitely worth checking out at any time of day. QOpen 08:00 - 22:30, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 22:30. PBSW

Readers Cafe B-4, Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 89-97, tel. (+4) 0737 32 33 77, www.readerscafe.ro. This place is one of the great things about the Metropolis Centre, of which the Starlight Suites and Loft restaurant also from 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 expect. 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 smoking and non-smoking sections. Nice. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PEBSW

Serendipity Tea House C-4, Str. Dumbrava Rosie 12, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 021 211 31 00, www.serendipity-tea.ro. Tea, and lots of it. There are more than 55 types of tea available, including the trademark Serendip-ity, an aromatic yet fruity green tea with more than a hint of strawberries. A quiet location just off an otherwise busy central street make this a superb choice for long, peaceful

Paul B-2, Str. Radu Beller 1, tel. (+4) 021 230 17 33, (+4) 0754 08 17 75, [email protected], www.paul.fr. Sandwich shop par excellence. The finest, crispiest bread gets wrapped around upmarket fillings. There are pastries too, and even soups. A couple of tables inside, but it is mainly a takeaway-place for the office workers of the area. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. PGBSW

Sandwich Factory B-4, Calea Victoriei 12A, tel. (+4) 031 620 12 77, [email protected], www.snackattack.ro. The best thing to happen to lunchtime in Bucharest... ever. Sandwich Factory, now with more than eight outlets around town, stocks well made, well filled sandwiches of all shapes and sizes, from baguettes to bagels to classic English doorsteps. Ignore all other sandwich shops and get here immediately. Q Open 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (D-4) Str. Batistei 17, tel. (+4) 031 620 12 43; (C-4) Str. Ion Campineanu 10, tel. (+4) 031 620 12 39 and many other locations around the city. S

Sandwiches

what’s on when: chances are it will be something well worth checking out. QOpen 14:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. G

Verona Garden / Cafe Verona C-5, Str. Pictor Arthur Verona 13-15, tel. (+4) 0732 00 30 60, [email protected]. Sublime. The brilliant Carturesti bookshop has long served coffee with its books, and now there is wine; and cocktails too. And if there is a better place to sit in the shade this close to the centre of Bucharest than the Verona Garden then we know not of it. For lunch, long lazy afternoons or laid-back evenings with friends it is great, while for weekend brunch it makes a brilliant alternative to the big, expensive hotels. Always packed, a reservation is a good idea. If the weather does not behave, head inside. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00. BW

Vienna Lounge B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 19 01, [email protected], viennalounge.ro. 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 enjoying the occasional live piano music, plus the sight of business types buzzing about to conferences. What’s more fun than leisurely watching others work when you don’t have to? QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. PLESW

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Fabio Pizza Tel. (+4) 021 311 71 22/(+4) 021 322 07 22, [email protected], www.fabiopizza.ro. Currently our favourite home-delivery pizza company. Great prices, cheerful delivery chaps and terrific pizza (if you choose the thin and crispy base, baza subtire in Romanian). QOpen 10:00 - 23:00.

Jerry’s D- -6, B-dul Octavian Goga 24, tel. (+4) 021 327 40 40/(+4) 021 425 15 15, www.jerryspizza.ro. Though still delivering good pizza, there is much more to Jerry’s than pizza though these days. Hot chicken wings, subs and salads, for a start. Friendly delivery boys in our experience: always worth an extra mark. QOpen 10:00 - 04:00. Jerry’s at Night Open 23:00 - 04:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 24:00-04:00, tel. (+4) 0722 33 41 41. PVS

Nan Jing B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, tel. (+4) 021 318 12 85/(+4) 0726 10 34 07, [email protected], www.restaurantnanjing.ro. Yes! The Nan Jing now does home delivery. Just head to their website for the full home delivery menu. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PLVSW

Orasul Interzis D-5, Str. Silvestru 3, tel. (+4) 0733 50 07 50, [email protected], www.orasul-interzis.ro. Home delivery arm of the excellent Chinese restaurant of same name. QOpen 12:30 - 24:00. PVB

Trenta Pizza , tel. (+4) 021 9645, www.trentapizza.ro. This is the real deal. Thin, crispy pizzas served piping hot to your door for peanuts. They do the thick-style piz-zas too: make sure you ask for baza subtire - thin base. They will also bring you a tomato sauce to accompany the pizza: the hot one is genuinely hot. QOpen 09:30 - 23:00, Fr, Sat, Sun 09:30 - 24:00.

Wu Xing Tel. (+4) 021 222 21 26/(+4) 0722 83 03 30, [email protected], www.wuxing.ro. Profes-sional, if slightly pricey Chinese delivery service. It’s not quite Chinese as you know it from home, but pretty close. Good option when you can’t be bothered to cook or leave the house. You can even order online. And it all comes in funky white boxes. Q Open 11:00 - 01:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:45, 17:00 - 01:00, Sun 12:00 - 15:45, 17:00 - 23:00. PVS

Home Delivery Terminus B-5, Str. George Enescu 5, tel. (+4) 021 318 16 67/(+4) 0730 22 25 55, www.terminus.ro. Pub/bar on the ground floor, while downstairs there is a basement bar which becomes more a nightclub with an industrial feel as the evening wears on. There’s a big bar and getting a drink - once not easy - is now a joy thanks to top staff. The central loca-tion right between the Radisson and Hilton guarantees it a steady flow of thirsty visitors. Guinness on tap. QOpen 09:30 - 04:00, Sat, Sun 09:30 - 06:00. PEBW

Victoria Club C-5, Calea Victoriei 56 (Grand Hotel Conti-nental), tel. (+4) 0372 01 03 00, www.grandhotelcontinen-tal.ro. Elegant English bar and cigar lounge that - with its gorgeous leather armchairs - immediately reminded us of our favourite bar in Vienna (which shall rename nameless). And that’s exactly what we’ve found ourselves doing here: it’s a great place to get away from the bustle of the city for a bit, to enjoy the fine selection of English teas (there’s good coffee too) and later on one of more than 100 spirits. Oh, and they have a top selection cigars too, we should add. Q 24Hrs PLGW

PubsCafeneaua Actorilor C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 2, MU-niversitate, tel. (+4) 0721 90 08 42, www.cafeneauaacto-rilor.ro. Eternally popular late night choice of the actors who work in the National Theatre next door, this legendary bar remains a favourite of ours too. Loads of quiet corners for secret tete-a-tetes, you could conduct all sorts of affairs from down here. Not easy to find, the entrance is on the northern side of the National Theatre (opposite the InterContinental). They serve a great pizza. QOpen 10:00 - 03:00. PLNBW

Dreamer’s B-5, Str. Gen. Berthelot 111, tel. (+4) 0723 11 22 00/(+4) 0744 36 63 50, [email protected], www.dreamers.ro. As Spock might say, ‘it’s Dream-ers Jim, but not as we know it.’ For if you remember the old location as always being a bit cramped (though we have to admit it was not without its charms) then you are in for a nice shock at the new place. Everything you would expect from a pub is here, from football on the television to Guinness in the taps. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Fri 10:00 - 05:00, Sat 13:00 - 05:00, Sun 13:00 - 02:00. PENBSW

Dubliner A-4, B-dul N. Titulescu 18, tel. (+4) 021 260 26 78. Legendary boozer in the sense that it was the first real pub to open in Bucharest (back in 1995), the Dubliner remains a favourite of many old school expats, although the location makes it a bit of a trek for Old Town or city centre-based visitors. Serves a good chicken pie and English breakfast, an exemplary Guinness and offers a wide range of sports courtesy of Sky TV. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PEBSW

Edgar’s Pub C-5, Str. Edgar Quinet 9, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 314 18 43. At lunchtime office boys and students mix happily as they tuck into great sandwiches and salads, while in the evening a similarly mixed crowd of good time people enjoys the laid back atmosphere always on offer here. It gets crowded downstairs at weekends, but that just adds to the fun. Recently given a thorough makeover. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. PNSW

Energiea B-6, Str. Brezoianu 4, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0736 37 44 32, [email protected], www.energiea.ro. The latest industrial-esque bar to open in Bucharest. We like this place though: the high ceilings and big windows make it a good choice day and night, the original (we think?) floor looks great and there are a number of different rooms, not all of which carry the industrial-chic look. Best of all though

BarsBy Bars we refer to places where you are likely to do little else other than drink and be merry (though bar snacks may be available). By Pubs we mean venues where you can drink and get half-decent food.

English Bar C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77 ext. 6759. 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 with business leaders and expats most evenings it is hard not to love it. It is one of our regular haunts. Q Open 11:00 - 02:00. PLW

Intermezzo Piano Bar C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel InterContinental), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20. Legendary hotel bar in the lobby of the Eenter, which was a den of iniquity and intrigue during the commu-nist period, all spies and journalists, plots and honey traps. Now its merely a very cool place to meet and have a drink in superb surroundings. Another one of the many reasons why the InterContinental is once again a decent place to spend time. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00. PLEW

Pillow Bar & Lounge C-4, Str. Comanita 5, tel. (+4) 0730 88 33 77, www.pillow.ro. The odd Ikea coffee table aside (and let’s face it, who hasn’t got at least half a dozen Ikea coffee tables these days?), Pillow is the kind of place we like to see opening up. It is cool without being pretentious, serves Illy coffee and has a couple of tables that double as beds, hence the name. It is in fact the kind of place where you could happily enjoy an exotic smoke, though as this is Bucharest, not Amsterdam, the smoke will be limited to tangy middle eastern tobaccos taken through a narghilea. QOpen 19:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 19:00 - 05:00. PLW

Ramayana Cafe A-5, Str. Baldovin Parcalabul 11, tel. (+4) 021 317 16 81, www.ramayana.ro. Looking like a cross between a Maharaja’s bedroom and the most luxuri-ous hotel in Delhi, this cafe and cocktail bar is quite frankly unique. You will not find anywhere in Bucharest quite so star-tling in design, nor will you find a better place to bring a secret date for a little tete-a-tete. With more nooks and crannies than your grandmother’s country house, pull up a cushion, sup on a hookah pipe and drink a green tea. Exceptional. Q Open 24 hrs. PBSW

Sky Bar B-3, Calea Dorobanti 155, tel. (+4) 0724 75 92 27, [email protected], www.skybar.ro. Leaving aside the disappointment that Sky Bar - despite being on the roof - is

actually only on the fifth floor, it’s a classy little place for the monied set which comes here to drink cocktails and dine on very good food. The salads are outstanding, as are the steaks and there is plenty of buffet-style finger food if you just want nibbles with your drinks. It’s corporate and business like but makes a change from drinking in yet another cellar in Old Town. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. PVBSW

Stadio Sports Bar C-5, Str. Ion Campineanu 11, tel. (+4) 021 312 24 92, www.stadio.ro. Bright new sports bar (what else?), although note that the sports in question are more than likely to be Romanian: if a Premier League match clashes with a Romanian game you will be watching the local excuse for football. The food here is far better than you might expect for a sports bar: the salads especially are big and packed with fresh, tasty ingredients. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PJBSW

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we like the raised interior balcony. Top cocktail-sipping territory. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00. PLEBSW

Happy Pub B-4, Str. Caderea Bastiliei 36, MP-ta Victoriei, tel. (+4) 0729 89 27 68/(+4) 0742 03 49 90, www.happypub.ro. What could be termed as a good, solid, no frills pub that eschews clutter and trendy crap and concentrates on the beer, the cocktails and treating its cus-tomers well. There’s a regular crowd of locals and foreigners, and it’s the kind of place where you never feel too young or too old. Top selection of brews (including several imported British beers and stouts), decent music and bar food. We like it. QOpen 14:00 - 01:00, Sat 18:00 - 01:00, Sun 18:00 - 24:00. PSW

La Calderon 80 C-5, Str. J.L. Calderon 80, tel. (+4) 021 212 48 86/(+4) 0728 92 06 20, www.lacalderon80.ro. With its wooden interior, inoffensive music and gangs of young people clustered round big tables, La 80 does little to distinguish itself from a swathe of similar establishments. Reasonable food and prices, and the little terrace opposite Gradina Icoanei is a nice retreat from more frantic places elsewhere. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. PEBSW

Old Nick Pub C-4, Str. Dionisie Lupu 88 (Piata Lahovari), MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 0733 52 51 50, www.oldnickpub.ro. Three-level venue in Piata Lahovari, featuring a club downstairs (open until 4am), with a pub on the ground floor and a cafe on the first. The pub is great, unsurprising when you find out that it is run by the same people who have for ten years operated the legendary Old Nick Pub in Sinaia. Besides decent drinks at decent prices there is a good bar food menu, and the cafe upstairs comes complete with art on the walls (for sale, we believe) is well worth a visit. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. PESW

Shift C-4, Str. Eremia Grigorescu 17, tel. (+4) 021 211 22 72, www.shiftpub.ro. It’s doubtful that you’ve seen any-thing like this place in Bucharest before. Shift is a Bohemian restaurant/bar/club of some style. It is, in a word, gorgeous, and has been packed since opening day with the hippest and coolest people in the land. Late at night this is the smartest chill-out venue in the city, and we (and just about everybody else) love it. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PBSW

White Horse B-3, Str. George Călinescu 4A, tel. (+4) 021 231 27 95, www.whitehorse.ro. The White Horse has been around so long it should probably consider going out to stud. Or should it? On a recent visit we found it to be in

surprisingly good shape, and packed with both locals of the ‘ordinary people’ variety, as well as group of rowdy expats. There is still good food in the more formal part upstairs, with bar snacks served down, and though we have always loved the square bar. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PLSW

Clubs & DiscosBucharest’s club scene is dynamic and one of the best in this part of Europe. There is just about something for every taste, from mega-clubs bringing in top foreign DJs each week to local live music venues.

Barletto Club Str. Oltetului 30, tel. (+4) 0751 04 04 06, www.barletto.ro. It has now had a few names this place, but it remains one of the city’s best, most exclusive and of course most expensive uber-clubs. Featuring some of the sexiest danc-ers in Romania Friday and Saturday nights here are wild. The music is supplied by the world’s best DJs. You will need to take a taxi here, but then this is not the kind of place for people who use public transport anyway... QOpen 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PLECW

BOA (Beat of Angels) B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 32, tel. (+4) 0736 30 07 00, www.boaclub.ro. From the outside a fairly non-descript building that looks vaguely like a warehouse, but once in, Wow! It is an enormous place that mixes luxury with great music courtesy of two top local resident DJs. There is plenty of space to dance, plenty of places to chill out and even the toilets are spacious and damn well luxurious. You will leave wanting to go back and cursing your luck that it is only open twice a week. Oh, and wear sunglasses, everybody else seems to! QOpen 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PLB

Control Club C-5, Str. Academiei 19 (Pasajul Victoriei), tel. (+4) 0733 92 78 61, www.control-club.ro. This place tops our list of ‘clubs for people who do not like clubs.’ It’s big, bigger than most in the city, and the two different zones (one especially for live music) have been laid out well. The music in the evenings is always live, be it a band or DJ, and it is always a pleasing, non-clubby mix of indie hits, a bit of rock and 70s disco. Where else in Bucharest will you see a Joy Division tribute band? Recent improvements in bar efficiency also now mean it does not take all night to get a drink. We love it. Q Open 14:00 - 06:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 06:00. EW

Deja-vu C-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 25, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 311 23 22, www.dejavu-club.ro. A 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 wearing 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. QOpen 20:00 - 04:00. PENW

El Comandante Grande D-4, Str. Viitorului 26, tel. (+4) 0728 55 60 43, www.elcomandante.ro. Socialists with an interest in rock music of the world unite! Despite killing lord knows how many people, Che remains cool, and all those who blithely wear his t-shirt will love this little rock club, dedicated to the man’s memory, with portraits at 10, 12 and 2 o’clock. If you can leave aside the politics, then it’s actually quite good. It is nice to hear music which doesn’t thump, thump, thump,

Last year, flying in the face of what the rest of the civilised world is up to, Romania actually softened its existing anti-smoking legislation. In fact, to all intents and purposes, there will soon be no more anti-smoking rules in Romania. This really is The Smoking Section of Europe. You see, while smoking will – as planned – now be theoretically outlawed in all public spaces (that’s the headline which they will send to the EU), the owners of those public spaces will now be able to override the law and decide for themselves if a place is to be designated smoking or non-smoking. If a place decides to designate itself as a smoking venue (and let’s face it, they almost all will) under the new law it will not even have to have a non-smoking section. As such, in our listings we have only included a non-smoking symbol where a venue is completely non-smoking. (There aren’t many). Otherwise, assume that venues will allow smoking almost anywhere. While most will - for now - retain at least a token non-smoking section, this can often be just one table in a corner somewhere.

Europe’s Smoking Section

and the warren of little rooms is probably great for plotting the downfall of the capitalist system. QOpen 21:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Sun. PLW

El Comandante Primer D-5, Str. Sf. Stefan 13, tel. (+4) 0729 73 30 42, www.elcomandante.ro. El Comandante’s empire continues to grow apace. This is the latest venue to carry the name, below the La Historia 2 bistro which belongs to the same people. Expect live music acts a couple of nights a week of a very high quality, the same young, successful but non-fitze crowd as at La Historia and up at the original El Comandante, and reasonably priced drinks. QOpen 18:00 - 05:00, Closed Sun, Mon. PLEW

Expirat & OtherSide Club B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 4/Str. Lipscani 5, MP-ta Unirii/Izvor, tel. (+4) 0733 97 47 28, www.expirat.org. A club with two faces. Expirat is home to some of Bucharest’s most eclectic sounds, and as it has an OtherSide (Expirat’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 sometimes thrown in for good measure. (Check the venue’s Facebook page to see what’s on the night you fancy going). Drinks are well priced, and there are two bars meaning that you never have to wait too long to get served. Top notch. QOpen 20:00 - 06:00. Closed Tue, Sun. PEW

Fratelli Str. Glodeni 1-3, tel. (+4) 0731 03 62 22, www.fratelli.ro. Calling itself a bar and lounge, there are certainly enough comfy sofas here to qualify it in the lounge category. That is if you can get in of course. Though we can usually blag our way past the nice fellas on the door, we know people who have been refused entry, although mainly because it is full. For it isn’t really a fitze kind of place. It has its Starck furniture

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and resident posers of course but in general the crowd that makes it in is a good one. Worth trying to get in. Not wearing a cap or trainers will help. QOpen 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PEB

Joy Pub B-5, Str. George Enescu 25, tel. (+4) 0755 56 97 82, www.joypub.ro. Club which hosts all sorts of events from stand-up comedy to theatre and live music of all stripes: rock, folk, jazz. Definitely a sound choice for those of you looking for a more cerebral, grown up and less rowdy crowd than found elsewhere. Drinks are a decent price and service is surprisingly good for these parts. QOpen 12:00 - 03:00. PEW

Jukebox Club E-6, Str. Turturelelor 11, tel. (+4) 0720 12 34 96, www.jukeboxvenue.ro. Smashing live music club. Ex-pect good - mainly local but often foreign - live acts most nights of the week, 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. QOpen 20:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PLEBSW

Kristal Glam Club B-dul Regina Elisabeta 34, tel. (+4) 0722 79 51 84, www.clubkristal.ro. It’s moved. A bit further out of town than it used to be, it is still the number one venue in the city for top international DJs, who play here before they play anywhere else in Romania. The cavernous interior doesn’t have the intimacy or the garish decor of the old place, but the size of the new Kristal, and the concave roof, mean it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic even when half the city turns up to dance. QOpen 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PEW

Kulturhaus C-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 4, tel. (+4) 021 313 55 92, www.kulturhaus.ro. Good riddance Twice, wilkommen Kulturhaus. A nakedly non-commercial club that attracts a nakedly (though not naked, except on fetish nights!) non-commercial 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. QOpen 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PLEB

Music Club C-6, Str. Baratiei 31, tel. (+4) 0720 88 71 15, www.music-club.ro. Just about the best live music venue in Bucharest right now, Music Club is where you’ll find a great resident band most evenings performing credit-able covers of all your favourite classic hits. They are more often than not joined on stage in the early hours by leading

Wth more brothels, massage parlours and sex shops per square inch than most places in Eastern Europe, you could be forgiven for thinking Bucharest was the sex capital of the continent. You could also be forgiven for thinking that prostitution was legal: we can assure you of the fact that it certainly isn’t, despite any and all appearances. This being Romania however, the law is more a minor obstacle to be overcome than a serious impediment, so you can indeed get away with sin, sin and more sin anytime you like, though discretion remains essential. If you are looking for sins of the flesh, you basically have three options: one legal, one not exactly legal but not exactly illegal either, and one completely illegal. The legal option (and the only option we recommend) is erotic massage at a reputable massage parlour. You will almost certainly not be offered any sexual encounters at these places, but there is still much fun to be had, from simple hand assistance to full body massage from one, two or even three nubile young ladies. Prices start at around €50 though climb higher at the more central, luxurious establishments. The second (and not-always-above-board) option is to simply head for a brothel (surely ‘erotic nightclub?’ – Ed). These establishments advertise themselves in seedy publications as legitimate strip clubs, but act mainly as fronts for whorehouses, usually run by very dodgy, and often quite dangerous businessmen. After sitting yourself down at a table you will be served expensive drinks, before being joined by some very bored and not always attractive young ladies (most of Romania’s best-looking prostitutes are allegedly plying their trade in Germany and the Czech Republic). These girls sometimes lap dance for you, and always try to convince you to buy them ‘cocktails’ (in fact orange juice with an umbrella, usually costing about €15). After half an hour of bored conversation you will be asked if you would like to retreat to a more intimate location, usually a room above, or even in, the night club itself. For an hour of whatever it is you fancy expect to pay a minimum of €100, as well as the obligatory bottle of sparkling wine, which usually costs at least another €50. All this on top of the tab you have already run up of course. But be careful. Not all of these ‘night clubs’ are worth your time. Indeed, some can allegedly cause you physical harm. One such establishment, allegedly, is Stars Night Club on Strada Ion Campineanu, opposite the Novotel. A recent Romanian newspaper report claimed that a group of American soldiers were recently beaten up here after refusing to pay a bill of €3,000. Approach all night clubs with caution. The third (and entirely illegal) option is to call one of the escorts who advertise in many of the poor quality city guides found around town. These escorts are usually unattractive prostitutes who charge €150 upwards for sex. Bait and switch operations (you order an 18 year-old with large breasts and you get a 48 year-old with large everything) are commonplace, and you should really think twice before calling them.

Vice Advice

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Casino Bucharest C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (InterContinental Hotel), MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0728 83 38 28/(+4) 021 312 26 00, [email protected], www.casinobucharest.ro. QOpen 18:00 - 06:00. PLVK

Grand Casino B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 403 08 00, [email protected], www.grandcasinoromania.com. Q Open 24 hrs.

Havana Princess Casino C-5, B-dul Regina Elisa-beta 13, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 310 39 10, www.worldofprincess.com. Q Open 24 hrs. PL

Palace Casino B-4, Calea Victoriei 133, MVicto-riei, tel. (+4) 021 311 97 44/(+4) 0722 66 57 88, [email protected], www.casinopalace.ro. Q Open 24hrs. PLKW

Platinum Casino B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81, tel. (+4) 031 710 22 34, (+4) 0720 22 74 66, [email protected], www.platinumcasino.ro. Q Open 24 hrs. PLK

Queen Casino B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7, MP-ta Romana, tel. (+4) 0372 76 34 45, www.queen-casino.ro. Q Open 24 hrs. PRULKW

Casinos Romanian musicians who have quickly made this place their preferred haunt. Very nice indeed. Be prepared to have a very good time. QOpen 22:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PEW

Player Summer Club Str. Primo Nebiolo 1/Piata Montreal, tel. (+4) 0720 73 47 34, www.theplayer.ro. There are clubs in Bucharest, and then there is this place, which is probably why it is packed most nights until dawn. Always heaving with beautiful, successful yet never over-the-top people dancing around the swimming pool to top sounds direct from the dance capitals of Europe or chilling on the chic terrace, The Player is the kind of place that puts the hedonism back into Bucharest nightlife, but in the right way. QOpen 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun. PLBW

The Silver Church A-5, Calea Plevnei 61, MIzvor, tel. (+4) 0723 37 90 26/(+4) 021 313 55 92, [email protected], www.tscarena.ro. Currently the best place to see good local bands. Looking (inside) very much like a, well. silver church (albeit one which has dropped plenty of acid), it’s a cavernous venue with terrific acoustics and it is this mix of big club/small concert hall that gives it the edge over some other venues. So good is the sound that the biggest local bands are playing here simply for the hell of it. A winner. QOpen 22:00 - 05:00. Entrance 20 lei. PUE

Chances are you’ve seen this statue, admired it, but then walked on hav-ing failed to grasp what it actually is, or what it signifies. Centrally locat-ed in front of Romania’s National Theatre (C-5, which is currently being rebuilt), not 20 yards from the Bucharest Inter Con-tinental Hotel, the bronze

Caruta cu paiate was created by sculptor Ioan Bolborea in honour of Romania’s favourite playwright, Ion Luca Caragiale. It was unveiled in December 2010. The statue features characters (Domnul Goe, Nae Catavencu, Tache Farfuridi, amongst others) from Cara-giale’s most famous plays, and was unveiled in December 2010. Next to the Caruta cu paiate is a seated bronze of another character: Nenea Iancu – Caragiale himself. Or is it? Even Romanian literary academics argue as to whether Nenea Iancu was or was not based on Caragiale himself. It’s worth noting that for a while (from 2002-2006), a rather different statue of Caragiale stood here, one which can today be seen in front of Caragiale’s old house, on Strada Maria Rosetti. Many locals claim that the statue is in fact an old Lenin, with the Russian revolutionary’s head having been replaced with that of Caragiale. You can read about it (in Romanian) here. We ourselves have no idea if this urban myth is true or not. We kind of hope that it is. Caragiale - whose face appears on Romania’s 100 lei banknotes - was born in 1859, and is probably best remembered for his masterpiece of political manners, O Scrisoare Pierduta (A Lost Letter). Other plays of note include O Noapte Fortunoasa (Stormy Night) and O Soacra (A Mother-in-law) The reopening of the National Theatre later this year - the centenary of his death - will feature major new productions of many of Caragiale’s plays

Caruta cu paiate

66 wHat to see


67wHat to see


Essential BucharestThe first port of call for any visitor to Bucharest these days should probably be the Historic Centre, or Old Town. Once you have ticked off Old Town, you can head for the sights, museums, churches and buildings we list here. The Peasant and Village Museums should take priority, 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, mainly due to the stilted nature of the compulsory guided tour. Art lovers - especially fans of religious art - 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.

Bellu Cemetery (Cimitirul Bellu) Calea Serban Voda 249, MEroii Revolutiei, tel. (+4) 021 636 35 71, www.bellu.ro. Founded in the 1850s, this is Bucharest’s most historic cemetery, 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 monu-ment (our favourite is that devoted to the comic actor Toma Caragiu, tragically killed in the Bucharest earthquake of 1977). You could spend half a day here wandering between the grave-stones, memorials and statues (the graves are grouped by profession: scientists in one part, actors in another etc). You should also be sure to visit the central chapel (which keeps the same hours as the cemetery itself), built in the 1880s in the style of the cathedral at Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary) and boasting stunning interior paintings. Next to the cemetery is

the Cimitirul Eroilor, where those killed in Bucharest during the 1989 revolution are buried. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00.

George Enescu Museum (Muzeul National George Enescu) B-4, Calea Victoriei 141, tel. (+4) 021 318 14 50, fax (+4) 021 312 91 82, www.georgeenescu.ro. 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 Palace. It became state property in 1955, the year of Enescu’s death, and a year later opened as a musuem dedicated to his life and work. You will find rooms full of the usual memorabilia and artefacts from the eventful life of Romania’s most famous composer, as well as a full telling of the story of Romanian music in general. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission 6 lei, students/children 1.50 lei.

Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History (Muzeul de Istorie Naturală Grigore Antipa) B-3, Şos. Kiseleff 1, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 312 88 26, fax (+4) 021 312 88 63, www.antipa.ro. Romania’s finest museum, and one of the best natural history museums in Europe, now reopened after a three year, €14 million refit. Packed with terrific exhibits (including the obligatory dinosaur skeletons) 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 itself 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. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Last admission 19:00. Admission 20 lei, pensioners 10 lei, children 5 lei.

National Art Museum (MNAR; Muzeul National de Arta) B/C-5, Calea Victoriei 49-53, tel. (+4) 021 313 30 30/(+4) 021 314 81 19, fax (+4) 021 312 43 27, www.mnar.arts.ro. 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. When his sons fell into financial ruin some years later, they were forced to sell the building to the state, which carried out huge modifications, adding a number of new wings. It became a royal residence in 1859, when it became the sight of the court of the first prince of the united principali-ties, Alexandru Ion Cuza. Although slightly remodelled in the 1930s, the building we see today is more or less the original, revolutionary damage notwithstanding. Indeed, some parts of the building have only recently been reopened after the mindless vandalism of those mad days in December 1989,

when the building was ransacked by the iconoclastic mob, which saw the building (named the Palace of the Socialist Republic during the communist period) as a symbol of the regime. There are three permanent exhibitions, one on each of the three floors of the main building: Medieval Romanian Art, featuring icons, carved altars, illustrated manuscripts and bibles, and fragments of frescoes; 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 European Masters. The museum‘s Kreţulescu Wing plays host to increasingly daring and original exhibitions by contemporary European artists, as well as more traditional fodder. Essential. Q Open 11:00 - 19:00. 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). P

Peasant Museum (Muzeul Taranului Roman) B-3, Şos. Kiseleff 3, MAviatorilor, tel. (+4) 021 317 96 61, fax (+4) 021 317 96 60, [email protected], www.muzeultaranuluiroman.ro. In most people’s opinion, the Peasant Museum is the best museum in Bucharest, and one of the best in the country. Housed in a wonderful red brick building designed by Nicolae Ghica-Budeşti, dating from 1912, the museum offers well laid out and presented exhibits which tell you all you need to know about the diverse and fascinating history of life around the country over the past four centuries. There are exhibitions covering all aspects of Romanian peasant life, from hand painted Easter eggs to terracotta pottery, from colourful religious icons to traditional clothing. Replicas of much of what is on display can be bought in the excellent museum shop. Fittingly for the building that from 1948-89 was home to the catchily-titled Museum

B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 1, intrarea A3, MIzvor, tel. (+4) 021 311 36 11, www.cdep.ro. What is unquestionably Romania’s most famous building, Palatul Parlamentului (known universally as Casa Poporului) was built during the darkest 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 to house almost all the organs of the communist state, it today plays host to the Romanian parliament and a modern, well equipped conference centre, as well as Romania’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Much of the building, however, remains unused. The public tour of the building is thoroughly recommended (it is the only way to see the building, in fact) though the commentary consists of little more than a bored 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 even now take a trip into the bowels of the building down below, though again this costs extra. To join one of the tours, you should make reservations a day in advance as parliamentary business means the official opening hours are subject to change. You will also need to bring your passport, driving license or other form of internationally accepted ID. Use the entrance on the right-hand side of the palace (if you’re looking at it front-on). Izvor is prob-ably the nearest metro station, but you’ll get a better view from Piata Unirii. Q Open 10:00 - 16:00. Admission 25 lei (standard tour), 30 lei (standard and basement), 35 lei (standard and terrace), 45 lei (standard, terrace and basement). All tours include access to the Palace’s terrace cafe. An additional fee of 30.00 lei is payable by those with cameras.

Casa Poporului

68 wHat to see


69wHat to see


European Capital of Culture in 2007, the Transylvanian city of Sibiu has long been considered one of Roma-nia’s best destinations to visit. It is no surprise therefore that some of the biggest names in the hotel busi-ness have opened up shop there, as has In Your Pocket: we now publish a quarterly Mini-Guide to the city, available at all good Sibiu hotels or at any of the city’s three Tourist Infor-mation Offices.

Sibiu In Your Pocket

of the Communist Party and Romanian Revolutionary Workers Movement, there is a Collectivisation exhibition in the basement. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Last admission 17:00. Admission 8.00 lei, students and children 2 lei, pensioners 3 lei.

Village Museum (Muzeul Naţional al Satului Dimi-trie Gusti) A-2, Sos. Kiseleff 28-30, tel. (+4) 021 317 91 10, www.muzeul-satului.ro. Outstanding. Founded by Royal Decree in 1936, and covering some 15 hectares on the shores of Lake Herăstrău, Muzeul Satului is one of the greatest outdoor museums in the Balkans. There are more than 60 original houses, farmsteads, windmills, watermills and churches from all of Romania’s historic regions: Transylvania, Oltenia, Dobrogea and Moldavia. Every exhibit has a plaque showing exactly where in Romania 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, or the brightly painted dwellings of the Danube Delta. The museum has a great souvenir shop, and a stall sell-ing traditional Romanian sweets and cakes. Children love the museum, and it makes for a perfect family day out. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Mon 09:00 - 17:00. Last admission 16:30. Admission 6.00 lei, students/children 1.50 lei.

MuseumsAs well as those listed here, do not forget the Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History, the National Art Museum, the Peasant and Village Museums, which we list under Essen-tial Bucharest.

Collectivisation Memorial B-3, Inside the Peasant Museum, MPiata Victoriei. Our favourite part of the Peas-ant Museum; a small but stunning and moving cellar room featuring a collection of communist-era busts, paintings and nostalgic memorabilia. Called ‘a reminder of the pain caused by collectivisation’ there are a number of paintings of Stalin and Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, but none of Ceausescu. Be sure to take a Romanian speaker along to translate the often chill-ing newspaper articles reporting the ‘progress’ being made towards full collectivisation that are stuck on the walls.

Cotroceni Museum B-dul Geniului 1, tel. (+4) 021 317 31 07, www.muzeulcotroceni.ro. Constructed from 1888-93 at the behest of Romania’s first king, Carol I, Cotroceni Palace has since 1991 been the official residence of the Romanian President. Built on the site of a former monastery

Military Museum (Muzeul Militar National) B-4, Str. Mircea Vulcănescu 125-127, tel. (+4) 021 319 59 04 int. 107. Tucked away on a side street not far from the main railway station, the Military Museum is housed in a former officers’ college, built in 1885. Popular with older children, the most interesting sections of the museum include a range of military hardware (missiles, helicopters and tanks) as well as an excellent display that focuses on the army’s role during the revolution. Not to be missed is the Soyuz-40 capsule in which Dumitru Prunariu became the first - and so far only - Romanian in space, in May 1981.QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission 5.00 lei, children, students 2.50 lei.

National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC; Muzeul National de Arta Contemporana) B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 1, entrance E4 (Palatul Parlamentului), MIzvor, tel. (+4) 021 318 91 37, www.mnac.ro. Mak-ing excellent use of the wide open spaces on the Parliament Palace, this vast gallery displays the work of Romania’s finest contemporary artists. There are also works on display by international artists, and regular topical exhibitions. It’s all mostly installations, clever symbolism and grand gestures as opposed to real talent, but you may enjoy the humour. The museum has a great cafe, and its terrace offers fantastic views of the city. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5.00 lei. Free entrance for children and artists. .

National Technical Museum (Muzeul Tehnic Dimi-trie Leonida) C-7, Str. Gen. Candiano Popescu 2, tel. (+4) 021 336 93 90. Often unfairly derided as an outdated (if amusingly so) museum of technology, 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

(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 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. During the communist period it was used as a guest house for visiting heads of state. The part that serves today as the president’s office, and official home, however, was added after the great Bucharest earthquake of 1977, and bears the stamp of lo-cal architect Nicolae Vladescu. Part of the palace is open to the public, and can be visited as part of a tour. You will see a number of function rooms, many of which were decorated to the whims of Marie, the English wife of Carol’s heir, his nephew Crown Prince Ferdinand. You will also be able to view her as-tonishing art collection. During the construction of the new wing in the 1980s, ruins of the original monastery church were discovered, including part of the original interior frescoes. The church has been partially rebuilt and can be visited without joining the full palace tour. QOpen 09:30 - 16:30. Closed Mon. Admission 27.00 lei, students and children 21.00 lei. Admission includes entrance and the compulsory guided tour. Tours are available in Romanian, French and English. Last tour begins at 16:30.

Geology Museum B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 2, MPiata Victo-riei, tel. (+4) 021 212 89 52, www.geology.ro. 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 building 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 impressive than its red-brick neighbour, the Peasant Museum. The museum’s permanent collections are a bit old fashioned but impressive in size and clarity, with a decent number of English captions.QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admis-sion 8.00 lei, students and children 4.00 lei.

History Museum (Muzeul National de Istorie) C-5, Calea Victoriei 12, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 315 82 07, www.mnir.ro. The beautiful, monumental and simply superb Neo-Classical building that houses Romania’s National History Museum was constructed from 1894-1900 to the de-signs 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, and include a fine collection of antiquities, including statues brought from a Bronze Age necropolis close to present day Cernavoda. The finest exhibit is the replica of Trajan’s Column in the central lapidarium. The bizarre statue on the museum’s steps - which appeared during May 2012 - allegedly represents the emperor Traian holding a wolf. It has not unsurprisingly been the subject of much ridicule, and is a popular object for both locals and visitors to ironically have their photo taken with. Q Open 10:00-18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 8 lei, students and children 2 lei.

Minovici Museum of Ancient Western Art (Muzeul de Arta Veche Apuseana ‘Ing. D. Minovici’) Str. Dr. Minovici 3, tel. (+4) 021 665 73 34, www.minovici.ro. This amazing red brick, mock Tudor house holds the small and dusty renaissance art collection of Dumitru Minovici, who made barrels of lei in the oil business in the 1930s. Inside are fine collections of Belgian tapestries, Dutch furniture, Swiss stained glass, a complete library and Italian paintings from the 16th/17th centuries. To get there, walk north-east from Piaţa Presei Libere or take bus No 301 to the Mioriţa Fountain. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed. Free admission.

in something of a cherished relic itself: the original pavilion built to host the 1906 Romania Fair, a showcase of everything great about Romania at the time. QOpen 10:30 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 4.00 lei, students, children 2.00 lei.

Storck Museum (Muzeul de Artă Frederic Storck şi Cecilia Cuţescu-Storck) B-4, Str. Vasile Alecsandri 16, tel. (+4) 021 317 38 89. In a delightful house designed by French architect Andre Clavel is this eclectic and quite superb museum dedicated to the work of the Storck family. Cecilia Cuţescu-Storck (1879-69) was the most celebrated member of the family, and there are more than 150 examples of her work here, from monumental paintings to avant garde sculpture. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5 lei.

Sutu Palace / Museum of Bucharest C-5, B-dul I.C. Bratianu 2, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 315 68 58, www.muzeulbucurestiului.ro. Much overlooked museum,

Zorzini Gallery C-5, Str. Thomas Masaryk 31, tel. (+4) 0727 89 07 20, [email protected], www.zorzinigallery.com. Fine contemporary art gallery working with both established and emerging Romanian artists that correspond to the gallery’s aesthetic agenda, which includes graphics, painting, installation and mixed media. Currently represents Nicolae Comanescu, Andrei Gamart and Oana Lohan. QOpen 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. PLBSW

Contemporary Art Gallery

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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 Mogo-soaia: the forerunner 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 for the wealthy merchant Cos-tache Şuţu. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 6 lei, 3 lei children, students and pensioners. Children under seven free. Some temporary exhibitions cost extra.

Theodor Pallady Museum (Casa Melik, Muzeul Theodor Pallady) D-5, Str. Spătarului 22, tel. (+4) 021 211 49 79. Theodor Pallady (1871-1953) was an early Cub-ist artist widely regarded as Romania’s most influential 20th century painter. Alas the small museum that today bears his name has only six of his paintings, a couple of his sketches and assorted other art. The museum’s saving grace is the house in which it is hosted: the oldest in Bucharest. Originally called the Casa Melik, it was built around 1750 by the rich Armenian Hagi Kevork Nazaretoglu. Walk over the enchant-ingly creaky wooden floors and admire the decorated tavane (ceilings). Q Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5.00 lei, students and children 2.50 lei.

Zambaccian Museum (Muzeul Zambaccian) B-3, Str. Muzeul Zambaccian 21A, tel. (+4) 021 230 19 20. A chance to see the large collection belonging to the now deceased patron Zambaccian (you’ll see the requisite portraits) that includes the only Cezanne in Romania, as well as the best of Romanian painters Luchian, Tonitza, and Pallady. Q Open 11:00-18:00. Closed Thu, Fri. Admission 7 lei, children, students 3.5 lei.

As recently as 1937 there were over 100,000 Jews and more than 80 synagogues in Bucharest: today there are around 4,000 Jews and just three working synagogues. Yet though it may be small, the Jewish community is incredibly active in the city, and besides the synagogues has a theatre, a school and a museum. There is also now a Holocaust Memorial - built in 2009 - which has gone a long way towards finally drawing a line under Romania’s involvement in the Holocaust. For a thorough account of the Holocaust in Romania, we recommend Radu Ioanid’s book Holocaust in Romania: The Destruction of Jews & Gypsies by the Antonescu Regime. For a slightly different look at life as a Jew in 1930s and 40s Romania, you can do no better than the brilliant Journal: The Fascist Years, by Mihai Sebastian.

Choral Temple C-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 9-11, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 312 21 96. Built in 1857, the red brick temple has a memorial in front of it (visible from the street) that com-memorates the Romanian Jews sent to their deaths during the Holocaust. Usually the busiest Bucharest synagogue, it is currently closed for extensive renovation.

Holocaust Memorial B-6, Str. Ion Brezoianu/Str. Ilfov, MEroilor. Unveiled in October 2009, Romania’s Holocaust Memorial finally recognises the country’s role in the genocide of Europe’s Jews. The Romanian Holocaust and the deporta-tion of the country’s Jews was ignored by the Communists, and was minimized by subsequent governments after the collapse of Communism.

Jewish Cemetery (Cimitirul Evreiesc de Rit Sefard) C-7, Calea Serban Vodă, MEroii Revolutiei. Fascinating though harrowing cemetery, full of monuments to those who died during Romania’s pogroms (of which there were many at the turn of the 19th century) and the Holocaust. As with all of the city’s cemeteries and parks, beware stray dogs. Q Open from noon to dusk.

Jewish History Museum (Muzeul de Istorie a Evreilor din Romania) C-6, Str. Mămulari 3, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 311 08 70. Seperate exhibitions display how the once vibrant Jewish community of Bucharest used to live. Housed in an old synagogue built in 1850, the main display is in fact a sculpture that mourns the 350,000 Romanian Jews sent to their deaths at Auschwitz in 1944 and 1945.QOpen 09:00 - 14:00, Fri, Sun 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sat. Admission free.

The Great Synagogue C-6, Str. Vasile Adamache 11, MPiata Unirii. Bucharest’s Great Synagogue was built from 1845 -1846 by the Ashkenazi Polish-Jewish community. With an impressive mixture of baroque and rococo architectural styles, the Great Synagogue remains the most important Jewish building in the country. The synagogue hosts an excel-lent exhibition dedicated to Romania’s Jewish martyrs, and to Dr. Moses Rosen, who served as Romania’s Chief Rabbi for 30 years until his death in 1994. QOpen 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) C-4, Str. Tache Ionescu 9, MPiata Romana. In a busy side street off Bulevardul Magheru is Bucharest’s second temple. Q Services take place when Sabbath commences on Friday evenings, as well as on Saturdays at 09:00.

Jewish Bucharest

Buzz Travel Tel. (+4) 0758 99 00 33/(+4) 0758 99 00 32, [email protected], www.buzztravel.ro. Guided tours of Bucharest - including the Village Museum, one-day excursions to Sinaia, Bran and Peles Castles, and longer trips to Transylvania, including Sighisoara.

Carpathian Travel Tel. (+4) 0785 24 02 47, fax (+4) 0269 21 13 44, [email protected], www.carpathian-travel-center.com. Tours of historic Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, as well as the surrounding areas. Carpathian Travel also organise hiking tours, biking tours and trips to the Danube Delta.

Cultural Travel & Tours Tel./fax (+4) 021 336 31 63, tel. (+4) 0724 71 88 48, [email protected], www.cttours.ro. CT&T provides tailor-made heritage sightseeing tours of Bucharest (from €29), one day cultural trips to Sinaia-Bran-Brasov (from €69) and nationwide tours. Other flexible services and guides in a variety of languages are available on request.

Travel Maker Str. Elena Vacarescu 9, bl. XXI-2, tel./fax (+4) 021 232 03 31, tel. (+4) 0735 52 57 10, [email protected], www.travelmaker.ro. Travel Maker operate escorted group tours from Bucharest, as well as sightseeing tours of/from Bucharest and an airport shuttle service and private transfers. They also provide hotel accommodation all over Romania, city break packages and short trips. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Sightseeing Tours

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While much of Bucharest has changed beyond recognition over the past two decades, nothing compares to the recent transformation of Old Town/Lipscani, which in the past three years has turned what was very much a no-go area with almost nothing to offer into the Romanian capital’s liveliest entertainment district. The area is still something of a work in progress, but it’s a rewarding place to explore, one of the few areas of the capital that is. You will certainly not want for things to do, to see, or for places to eat, drink and dance.

Old Town: A Brief HistoryThe area of Bucharest described by the Dambovita river to the south, Calea Victoriei to the west, Bulevardul Brătianu to the east and Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta to the north is more or less all that’s left of pre-World War II Bucharest. What the war didn’t destroy (and it destroyed a fair bit: allied bombing was fierce during the early part of 1944) communism did, most notably in the form of the grandiose Civic Centre project (see box on page 90) that saw almost a fifth of the total area of the city flattened to make way for Bulevardul Unirii and Casa Poporului. That anything survives at all is little short of a miracle. While we at Bucharest In Your Pocket tend to call the area Old Town, many will know it better as Lipscani, with most locals calling it the Centru Istoric (Historic Centre). The area is historic in the main because this is where Bucharest was founded. Kind of. According to legend, Bucur the Shepherd founded the city in the 1300s, when he built a church somewhere on the eastern bank of the Dâmboviţa river: nobody is sure exactly where this church was (or even if it actually existed). What we do know is that by the first reign of Vlad Ţepeş (1459-1462) there was a palace and court (the Palatul Curtea Veche) in the area we today call Old Town, and that the city grew quickly around the palace. By the middle of the 17th century the area was Bucharest’s merchant district, which it to all intents and purposes remained until the end of World War II, when many of the rightful owners of the houses

Retrace your steps past the Russian Church and you will come to the Czech Cultural Centre (Ceske Centrum), a lively hive of cultural activity which has regular film screenings and exhibitions. Carry on to the far end of Str. Ion Ghica and you will see in front of you the unmistakably Neo-Classical exterior of the National Bank of Romania (BNR). It 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 Bernard and Albert Galleron in 1885. The building boasts a facade with Corinthian columns, and an enormous central banking hall. The passing of time has seen the building become rather hemmed in, but it remains a classic worthy of admiration. On the bank’s far side (on Str. Lipscani) look out for the remains of another 17th century inn: visible below street level through hardened glass. Str. 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 commercial 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. It also has some hidden treasure: if you walk through the little alley opposite Str. Selari (an alley now packed with cafes and bars) you will come to Str. Blanari, home to the St. Nicolas Church. 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. The icon itself is said by churchgoers to have magical healing powers. Back on Str. Lipscani, the Hanul cu Tei is a wonderful courtyard (once part of a large inn) which today houses art galleries, antique shops, second-hand book shops, gift and souvenir shops, studios and portrait artists, as well as a lively and bar/restaurant. Head next for Str. Stavropoleos, named for the eponymous church found along its length (Biserica Stavropoleos; Open 08:30 - 18:00. Services (in Romanian) on Sunday at 09:30, 10:30). The church was built in 1724 at the insistence of a Greek monk, Ioanikie Stratonikeas. It is characterized by its beautiful stone and wood carvings, of which the finest are on the main doors. The courtyard outside (beautiful on

Souvenir Shop C-6, Str. Blănari 5, tel. (+4) 021 310 32 25, www.souvenir-shop.com.ro. Everything you would want from a decent souvenir shop - with both Romania and Bucharest 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.’ We bought two. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00.

Thomas Antiques C-6, Str. Covaci 19, tel. (+4) 0752 44 08 18, (+4) 021 310 43 89, www.thomas-antiques.ro. By common consent the best antique shop in the city. Stocks everything from furniture 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 an-tique chair and picture yourself doing the same at home. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 23:45.

Old Town Shops

and businesses which lined the area’s streets were arrested by the communist authorities, and their property confiscated and left to rot. The entire area - viewed as being far too bourgeois for communist tastes - was then neglected for decades, with many of the empty buildings being occupied over the years (legally or otherwise) by Gypsies. Many of these Gypsies remain today, and add real character and colour to the area.

Old Town’s SightsThe best place to start any exploration of Old Town is at Universitate, at the twin semi-circular buildings opposite the university. The buildings (one is a bank and the other houses a casino) were originally built (in 1906) to serve as the headquarters of Romania’s largest insurance company. The fenced-off area in front of them will soon be an underground car park. Archaeological finds however - including the remains of inns, houses and shops - brought excavation and building work to a halt for some time. Best then to leave the building work behind you and head into Old Town proper: the first sight that will probably grab your attention (it will be difficult to miss it) is the colourful St. Nicholas (Students’) Church. Built in 1905-09 with a 600,000 gold rouble donation from Tsar Alexander II, this 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 Arhangelsk Cathedral, in Moscow’s Kremlin. On your right as you exit the church - at the end of the street - is the Neo-Gothic Şuţu Palace, home of the Museum of the History of Bucharest (Muzeul de Istorie al Municipiului Bucureşti; Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5.00 lei, students and children 2.50 lei), a rather bland exhibition of neolithic artifacts uncovered from around the city and the region. The palace was built from 1833-4 for the wealthy merchant Costache Şuţu. Old postcards and costumes depict life in the Romanian capital in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Old Town, looking towards the Old Court Church. Photo by Bogdan Carstina @ Dreamstime.com

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of what remains today was uncovered 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 exhibited. Next door to the palace is the Old Court Church, the oldest in Bucharest, 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. The church’s exterior was recently renovated, and it looks better than ever. Opposite is the Hanul lui Manuc. Built in 1808 by an Armenian merchant, it was bought and sold many times throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries before being nationalised in 1949. It remained state property until 2006, when Constantin Şerban Cantacuzino – the heir of its last private owner – won an epic legal battle (which had lasted the best part of ten years) to recover ownership. Closed a year later ahead of renovation, part of the inn (the restaurant/bar, courtyard and some function rooms) was finally reopened last year. The inn’s hotel (the Dacia) remains closed but is poised to reopen soon.

Old Town CafesAtelier Cafe C-6, Str. Selari 7, tel. (+4) 021 318 28 54, [email protected], www.ateliercafe.ro. Cafe and gallery, where you can enjoy an artistic coffee while browsing some fine contemporary Romanian art from the likes of Ion Silisteanu, Sorin Ilfoveanu and Mihai Cismaru. QOpen 10:30 - 20:00, Sat 10:30 - 16:00. Closed Sun. PJ

Cafe Manuc C-6, Str. Franceza 62, MP-ta Unirii, tel. (+4) 0769 07 58 44/(+4) 021 313 14 11, www.hanulluimanuc.ro. The Hanul lui Manuc’sclassic cafe is one of the best places in the city to sit and enjoy either coffee - and there is a huge range - or cocktails (both with and without alcohol). Sit by the window and watch the world pass by outside on busy Piata Unirii. QOpen 07:30 - 24:00. PEBW

Cafeneaua Carada C-6, Str. Eugeniu Carada 5-7, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 0766 35 86 54/(+4) 021 310 48 20. Large, impressive new cafe next to Romania’s national bank, where the big win-dows looking out onto one of the city’s few busy pedestrian streets are what will have you heading inside. Great coffee and cocktails, it is the perfect meeting place and works well as either coffee house or bar. Add in a gallery (what you see is on sale) and you have the kind of place Bucharest re-ally needs. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PJEBSW

French Bakery C-6, Str. Smardan 13, tel. (+4) 021 316 10 27, www.frenchbakery.ro. I t had to happen. Bucharest’s smartest chain of bakeries comes to Old Town, complete with its fine selection of sandwiches, delicious tarts and cakes, great coffee and a super, covered (at this time of year) terrace outside on the sexiest part of Old Town. Could be just about the best place in Bucharest for coffee, regardless of the time of day. QOpen 09:30 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 09:30 - 01:00. PJNBSW

Gio Cafe C-5, Str. Toma Caragiu 3, tel. (+4) 021 313 97 40/(+4) 0730 03 07 64, www.giocafe.ro. Something of a Bucharest legend now, this is a perennialy popular cafe that hosts business types in the mornings, who come here to talk big numbers over coffee and pastries, giving way as the day moves to a stylish, hip clientele that comes for the good light meals - pasta, soups and the like - and a cracking list of cocktails. There is another big, vibrant Gio Cafe on P-ta Alba Iulia. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 24:00. Also at (E-6) B-dul Burebista 2, tel. (+4) 0730 03 07 64, Open 09:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PJBSW

Grand Cafe Van Gogh C-6, Str. Smardan 9, tel. (+4) 031 107 63 71, www.van-gogh.ro. Amazing how quickly this place became the default Bucharest ‘meet you there’ venue. 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 or out on the terrace, 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. They now do a great brunch, on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00-16:00. QOpen 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. PJBSW

Iguana Caffe C-6, Str. Blanari 12, tel. (+4) 021 310 57 53/(+4) 0784 38 51 88. A bright, modern cafe in Bucha-rest’s Old Town. As new as a shiny button expect some of the city’s best home-made lemonade - at a decent prize, we hasten to add - as well as a raft of other drinks. Good company usually guaranteed. All in all, a winner. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. PJESW

Klein Cafe C-6, Str. Smardan 11, MUniversitate, tel. (+4) 021 313 93 15/(+4) 021 313 93 16, www.rem-brandt.ro. 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. Q Open 07:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 23:00. PJGSW

Leonidas C-6, Str. Doamnei 27, tel. (+4) 021 314 13 77/(+4) 0723 18 02 68, www.leonidas-mb.ro. What started as (the city’s best) choclaterie selling fine Belgian chocolates, pralines and marzipans in a variety of wonderful guises has over the years become far more: it is now a wonderful cafe too, where you can enjoy the caramels and liqueurs and such like in peace and quiet and in the company of fine coffee. You would expect them to serve an exemplary hot chocolate, and they of course do not disappoint. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 11:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun. PJVBSW

Les Bourgeois C-6, Str. Smardan 20, tel. (+4) 021 310 60 52/(+4) 0720 13 29 94, www.lesbourgeois.ro. Les Bourgeois was one of the first places to open on Strada Smar-dan, long before the street became fashionable. It remains

a sunny afternoon) has a curious collection of tombstones dating from the 18th century, and you might often see skilled craftsmen working on restoring them. For a beer, coffee, bite to eat or simple jaw dropping experience (the interior is astonishing) head for Caru cu Bere, a beer hall and restaurant dating from 1875. It is on the other side of the road to the church a little further up. Church fans might also want to venture out on to Calea Victoriei. A few steps to the right is the Zlatari Church (Biserica Zlatari) built in the 19th century on the site of an earlier church and featuring interior frescoes by Gheorghe Tatarescu. They were painted from 1853-6. The ornate building on the other side of the road is the headquarters of CEC, the national savings bank, while the Neo-Classical giant facing it is the National History Museum, now of course boasting a bizarre statue of Emperor Traian on its steps. On the far side of the museum is Str. Franceza, another Old Town street now blessed with more restaurants, cafes, bars and such like than you could wish for. About half way along look out for the Sf. Dumitru Church: Sf. Dumitru is the patron saint of Bucharest. On the other side of the church is Bucharest’s comedy theatre. The busiest street in the Lipscani area is Str. Smardan, home today to any number of bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants. History buffs might like to know that in January 1859 at No. 42 (then the Hotel Concordia), Wallachian deputies elected Alexandru Ioan Cuza as their Prince. As Moldavian deputies had already done likewise a week earlier, the election that took place here created the first unified Romanian state since Mihai Bravu’s short-lived reign of 1600. At the bottom of Str. Smardan turn left in order reach the birthplace of Bucharest, the Old Court Palace and Church (Palatul şi Biserica Curtea Veche; Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon). The Old Court, first built on this site in the second part of the 15th-century by Vlad Ţepeş, was considerably extended during the 16th century, by Mircea Ciobanul, and again a century later, this time at the hand of Constantin Brancoveanu, who added a splendid voievodal palace, decorated with marble and icons. The palace was by and large destroyed by a series of fires in the 19th century however, and subsequently neglected. Much

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popular because of its ability to keep coming up with great food, and because it works both as a café, bar and restaurant. Two dishes we particularly enjoyed were the risottos: one with chicken and vegetables and the other one with mushrooms. For dessert, the pears in white wine are a real autumn treat. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 10:00 - 04:00. PJBSW

Valea Regilor B-4, Calea Victoriei 16-20 (Pasajul Vil-lacrosse), tel. (+4) 021 311 29 69, www.valearegilor.ro. Thick Turkish coffee served in one of Calea Victoriei’s grand old passages. Alongside the coffee and cakes - sweet and sickly but irresistible - you can also get you hands on a Nargile, those Turkish water pipes that offer an allegedly much healthier way to smoke tobacco. QOpen 09:00 - 03:00. JNBSW

Old Town RestaurantsBoutique Restaurant Chocolat Createur de Gout C-5, Calea Victoriei 12A, tel. (+4) 021 314 92 45, www.chocolat.com.ro. Hard to pin this place down. Is it a cafe serving 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 possibly list. From May 1st there will be a terrace, too. Find it next to Caru cu Bere. QOpen 08:00 - 24:30, Fri, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 02:00. Also at (B-3) Str. Radu Beller 13, tel. (+4) 021 230 23 83 and (D-4) Calea Mosilor 217, tel. (+4) 021 211 44 64. €€€. PJBSW

Brauhaus 41 C-6, Str. Smardan 41, tel. (+4) 0725 52 30 81. If you like a tasty bit of German sausage (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) then this is the place to head for if you are in Old Town. There is much else besides on the menu, however, and if you add in tremendous beer and good prices you have another reason to hail Strada Smardan as the city’s top entertainment street. Worth checking out. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 04:00. €€€. PJVEBSW

Charme C-6, Str. Smardan 12, tel. (+4) 0737 50 38 90, www.charme.ro. 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.QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 01:00. €€€€. PJEBW

Coco Bongo C-6, Str. Covaci 1, tel. (+4) 0754 02 04 34, www.coco-bongo.ro. 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. QOpen 11:00 - 04:00. €€€. PJVEBSW

Divan C-6, Str. Franceza 46-48, tel. (+4) 021 312 30 34, www.thedivan.ro. From the Middle Eastern atmosphere and superb decor to the great service, Divan is a lesson in creating a good restaurant. 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. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. €€€. PJBSW

La Bonne Bouche C-6, Str. Franceza 30, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 0731 24 78 76, www.labonnebouche.ro. The best little bistro to open in these parts for many a year. Does 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. QOpen 09:00 - 24:30, Mon 18:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PJLEBSW

Embassy Hanul cu Tei C-6, Str. Lipscani 63-65, tel. (+4) 0733 50 03 03, www.embassy-hanulcutei.ro. 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 reasonable prices. For those in the know, this is the sister establishment of the original Embassy on Piata Lahovari. QOpen 10:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 05:00. Also at (C-4) P-ta Lahovari 8, Open 11:30-03:00. €€€. PJEBSW

Grill N’ Roses C-6, Str. Smardan 18, tel. (+4) 021 310 39 80, www.grillnroses.ro. We love the name so we will not hear a word said against this place. It’s a rock pub that serves some very good, simple, grill food, including a great Memphis Cheeseburger and very tasty mici (which, at three for 11 lei, are not overpriced). You can even have grilled pineapple or banana for dessert. Well worth a visit. QOpen 11:00 - 04:00. €€. PJBSW

Himera Cafe Lounge & More C-6, Str. Selari 26, tel. (+4) 0727 78 18 55, [email protected]. Stay early, leave late. Very late, as in the next morning. That’s the kind of place this Old Town locale is: all things to all people. You can eat very good food here: there is a wide range of terrifically well presented food, from simple steaks to fancier creations, as well as great coffee, cocktails and as the night wears on, music. To be honest, you could very easily live here. Well worth a look. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00, Mon, Tue, Wed 12:00 - 02:00. €€€. PJVBSW

Il Peccato C-6, Str. Franceza 30, tel. (+4) 021 310 90 13/(+4) 0758 10 50 27, www.ilpeccato.ro. It shouldn’t take too long to find this place: it is the restaurant with a motorbike in a glass display box parked outside. Really. Inside it is a well-decorated and comfortable venue, worthy of your time, serving standard Italian food of the pizza, pasta variety, Has an excellent selection of Italian wines and is a great place to sit and enjoy a decent bottle or two. QOpen 10:30 - 24:00, Mon 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PJBSW

La Bonita C-6, Str. Selari 24, tel. (+4) 0758 66 05 00, [email protected], www.labonita.ro. Not the world’s greatest Tex-Mex food, but in a city which has very few Mexican restaurants worth your time, this place should be on your list. It is actually a five-level extravaganza of a venue, with food on the

€1 = 4.45 lei, £1 = 5.58 leiUS$ = 3.55 lei

(As of May 31, 2012)

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ground and first floors, drinks on the second and a terrace on the top. Down in the basement there is a club, complete with karaoke. QOpen 12:00 - 03:00. €€. PJBSW

La Fondue Restaurant C-6, Str. Franceza 56, tel. (+4) 0722 51 12 99, www.lafondue.ro. Oh la la. Real French fondue, both cheese and meat, on - what else - Strada Franceza. The first fondue restaurant to open in Bucharest we think, and from what we cold tell it is already popular with groups of friends looking for something just a bit different to the Old Town norm. You would do well to make a reservation. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PJEBW

Malagamba C-6, Str. Sf. Dumitru 2, tel. (+4) 021 313 33 89/(+4) 0748 50 25 43, www.malagamba.ro. What a name, what a place. An Italian (with a twist) restaurant of the old school (in that the food is what counts first and foremost), this Irish-owned eatery next to the Comedy Theatre is terrific. Wanting to stand out from the crowd the team behind it have gone to great lengths to do so, coming up with all sorts of treats, such the as lime and basil sorbet: already a legend amongst Bucharest foodies. Malagamba by the way was a Romanian musician, composer and director who frequented these parts in the 1930s and 40s. QOpen 13:00 - 01:00, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PJVBSW

Manuc Levantin C-6, Str. Franceza 62, MP-ta Unirii, tel. (+4) 0769 07 58 44/(+4) 021 313 14 11, www.hanullu-imanuc.ro. Good Lebanese food, upstairs at Hanul lui Manuc, the city’s last surviving caravanserai. There is a huge range of dishes to choose from, and it’s difficult to go wrong: we ordered a load of food, and loved it all, being especially impressed by the lahme bahjeen (minced beef and lamb in pitta bread), the kafta kebab and the marinated lamb cutlets. Well priced too. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PVEBSW

Musafir C-6, Str. Covaci 12, tel. (+4) 0742 01 05 10, www.bucatariaindiana.ro. Old Town’s first Indian, which immediately becomes one of the best in the city. There are three great lamb curries on the menu, including a rogan josh which came as hot as asked it to be, as well as plenty for vegetarians. There are also set menus for those who want an introduction to Indian food. The place itself is a little spartan, but that’s because the food is what counts, not the decor. Oh, and we should mention that you can wash it all down with Cobra beer. Get in there. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PJVGBSW

Negresco C-6, Str. Stavropoleos 3, tel. (+4) 0720 66 77 66, www.negresco.ro. This place is classically French, serving a terrific onion soup, two fabulous duck dishes (the duck breast with fennel and coriander is amazing), fresh pate, snails and a super apple tart with vanilla sauce to finish. There is a wide range of wines (many available by the glass) and it is all served in a well-restored, classy Bucharest house dating from the 1890s. Downstairs is a bar perfect for private parties or retiring to after eating. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. €€€€. PJEBSW

Red Angus Steakhouse C-6, Str. Franceza 56, MP-ta Unirii, tel. (+4) 0734 88 44 99, www.redangus.ro. Does exactly what the name suggests: serves great steaks to cus-

tomers who like their meat cooked to order. The steaks come from all over the world, from the US to New Zealand, and there is more than just classic steaks (like the Rib-Eye): there are great baby back ribs too, a magnificent burger, and the desserts - if you still have room after a big meaty feast - are well worth trying, not least the lemon merengue pie. And they have a children’s menu. Admirable. €€€.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00

Restaurant Excalibur C-6, Str. Blanari 9, tel. (+4) 0722 34 31 18, [email protected], www.res-taurantexcalibur.ro. Brilliant, just brilliant. Plates, knifes and forks are dispensed with at this enjoyable Medieval-themed restaurant, where you can sit down at huge round tables and enjoy King Arthur’s Dinner or Sir Lancelot’s Lunch direct from a wooden platter. It’s very good Romanian grill and barbeque fare presented as Medieval cuisine, and the prices are more

Art Jazz Club B-4, Calea Victoriei 52, MUniversi-tate, tel. (+4) 0731 64 59 18, www.artjazzclub.ro. Sometimes packed and bubbling over, at other times less so but always smoky, Art Jazz Club puts on as many jazz concerts as it can every week (usually three or four). The quality of the music is almost always good, and the drinks are amongst the cheapest in the area. Entrance is actually through a small door next to a little car park behind the Senate, rather than on Balcescu as the address suggests. QOpen 18:00 - 08:00. Closed Mon, Tue. PENW

Green Hours 22 Club Jazz Café B-4, Calea Victo-riei 120, tel. (+4) 0788 45 24 85, www.greenhours.ro. Legendary, trendy, atmospheric jazz club, where it’s almost impossible to find a table. Make sure you reserve in advance if you want to sit down. There is live music and other arty stuff - including theatre, comedy, book launches and the like - most evenings. Popular with a crowd that encompasses all ages, from 18-80, it’s definitely a place you should visit once before leaving Bucharest. Q Open 24hrs. PENBW

Bucharest’s Jazz Clubs

than decent and both the atmosphere and service are fan-tastic. Kids love it. Finger licking good. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. €€€. PJVEBSW

Restaurant Mago C-6, Str. Nicolae Tonitza 13, tel. (+4) 031 106 17 22, www.magorestaurant.ro. Anywhere serving foie gras with figs is always going to be a winner in our opinion, and Mago is just such a place. Perhaps the best, real foodie restaurant to open in the Old Town for a while, Mago does the simple things very well, from polite and unfussy decor to superior service and a menu which gets the mix of traditional and adventurous just right. A place for friends, long evenings and copious amounts of food and wine. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PJBSW

St. George C-6, Str. Franceză 44, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 021 317 10 87, www.stgeorge.ro. The food is excel-lent, authentic Hungarian cuisine, featuring a wealth great dishes - try the mutton stew with dumplings - and a wine list that offers the very best Hungary’s vineyards have to offer. Cracking open a bottle of Tokaji Aszu is the perfect way to end an evening here. Live music is provided by a happy, table wandering troupe every night. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. €€€. PJEBSW

Bun de tot Str. Franceza 52, tel. (+4) 0733 11 04 64, www.citygrill.ro. The name means good for everything and everything is what they have here, from kebabs (which are OK) to hot dogs, burgers and the like. Find it on the corner of Selari and the river at the bot-tom of Old Town: it’s open 24 hours. Q Open 24 hrs. €. PVSW

Divan Express C-6, Str. Selari 19, tel. (+4) 021 310 15 62, www.divanexpress.ro. Probably the best of the kebab joints that have sprung up to serve the Old Town clubbing crowd. Serving much the same delicious food as over at the main Divan restaurant only at cheaper prices, this take-away is very much the one to beat. The queues speak for themselves. Q Open 24 hrs. PJLGS

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

McDonald’s C-6, P-ta Unirii 1 (Unirea Shopping Cen-tre), www.mcdonalds.ro. The good news is McDonalds has finally brought breakfast to Romania, so that much sought-after Sausage and Egg McMuffin can now be yours at most central Bucharest McDonalds outlets. But only un-til 10:00, alas. We do wish they would serve them all day. Q 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. €. PTJG

Wu Xing C-6, Str. Covaci 14, tel. (+4) 0729 77 75 00, www.wuxing.ro. Professional, if slightly pricey Chinese delivery service, which now has a fast-food outlet in Lipscani. It’s not quite Chinese as you know it from home, but pretty close. And it all comes in funky white boxes. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. PVBSW

Late Night Food

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Sindbad C-6, Str. Lipscani 19, tel. (+4) 021 317 77 88/(+4) 0735 22 28 88, www.restaurantsindbad.ro. Newish Lebanese restaurant in Old Town serving 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 and interior terrace, and the decor is vaguely Middle Eastern without over-doing it. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. €€€. PJBSW

The Barrel British Restaurant C-6, Str. Smardan 27, MP-ta Unirii, tel. (+4) 0726 41 26 46, www.thebarrel.ro. Pub serving food, or restaurant serving drinks? We will go for the former. This good Smardan venue has far more the feel of a pub than anything else, but there is plenty of food on offer. The menu is certainly British inspired, offering fair Fish & Chips, Shepherd’s Pie and jacket spuds amongst much else. They also have Newcastle Brown and Strongbow on offer, but neither on tap. A Union Jack above the bar reminds you of the British connection.QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 04:00. €€€. PJEBSW

NEW

Trattoria Buongiorno C-6, Str. Franceza 52, tel. (+4) 0733 11 04 64, www.trattoriabuongiorno.ro. We have quickly become big fans of this new location in the Old Town. Decent Italian food (there is a small but good selection of fish dishes which are well worth looking out for). and one of the biggest and busiest terraces in Bucharest 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). QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 02:00. Also at Baneasa Shopping Center, 1st floor, tel. (+4) 0731 49 66 59. €€€. PJEBSW

Vecchio 1812 C-6, Str. Covaci 16, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 031 430 95 77, www.vecchio.ro. We 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. QOpen 12:00 - 24:30. €€€. PJBSW

Old Town BarsAtelier Mecanic C-6, Str. Covaci 12, tel. (+4) 0726 76 76 11. You will like it the minute you walk in the door. Perhaps even before that. Old Town has needed something a bit differ-ent for a while, and this place is it. A modernist, minimalist bar/cafe where every chair and table is different, and which has

business, affairs and anything else that springs to mind. Drinks and coffees are reasonably priced, the staff are friendly and it’s worth checking out: if only to show off to someone just how well you know Bucharest and its backstreets. QOpen 15:00 - 02:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 15:00 - 04:00. PJNBW

Klein Bar & Bistro C-6, Str. Smardan 11, tel. (+4) 021 313 93 15, www.rembrandt.ro. Bar and bistro in-side 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, everything comes at very reasonable prices. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 23:00. PJGW

Laboratorul de Cocktailuri C-6, Str. Stavropoleos 8, tel. (+4) 0722 52 80 40. 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 Collins 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. Trendy without overdoing it. Commendable. QOpen 17:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 06:00. PJNW

Open Door C-6, Str. Covaci 8, tel. (+4) 021 310 78 11, www.cafebaropendoor.ro. Boasting one of the best selec-tions of exotic coffees in the city (try the After Dinner Mint), Open Door is something a bit different for the Old Town area. Best place to sit is upstairs, and though it can get awfully smoky when it is busy, what venue in Bucharest doesn’t? QOpen 11:00 - 03:00. PBW

Orient Express Bar Bistro C-6, Str. Smardan 37, tel. (+4) 0725 92 75 07, www.orientexpressbarbistro.ro. Pub and bistro of not enormous proportions on Smardan. Serves a decent pint, good coffee and mixes its cocktails well, but what most impressed us were the big salads. The photos of the eponymous train (and a map of its original route) on the walls kept son of In Your Pocket happy for an hour. QOpen 12:30 - 01:30. €€. PJBSW

Papiota C-6, Str. Lipscani 43, tel. (+4) 021 315 40 43, www.papiota.ro. Well, we guess it had to happen. The madcap bar Atelier Mecanic has proven to be so popular that quasi-clones are starting to appear. Papiota is therefore much like Atelier, packed with odd chairs, tables and industrial bits and bobs, but (whisper it) might actually be preferable given that it is a bit bigger and that late on a Friday you stand a chance of getting in the door. 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. QOpen 17:00 - 01:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 04:00. PJW

Revenge C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, tel. (+4) 0722 33 12 26, www.revenge.ro. It is the music that we like best about this pub and club in the heart of the Lipscani area. A mix of every-thing from the sublime to the ridiculous, it hardly matters that you might not like what’s playing: you will not have to wait long to hear an old favourite. Add in a casually-dressed, non-fitze crowd and you have a winner. QOpen 17:00 - 07:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 09:00. PJNW

Shakespeare C-6, Str. Blanari 21, tel. (+4) 021 311 19 92/(+4) 0723 88 63 71, www.shakespearebar.ro. A cracking pub on Strada Blanari, right opposite the big church, where from day one they appear to have got it right. A bit spacier and a bit more comfortable than your average

something of a ‘What communist Britain might have looked like’-chic about it. The price of beer is good, and they serve a variety of wines by the glass. Brilliantly simple it is anti-fitze Bucharest at its best and as a result you can expect to see us here often. QOpen 10:00 - 05:00. PJBSW

Beer O’Clock C-6, Pasajul Vilacrosse, tel. (+4) 0767 23 33 35, www.beeroclock.ro. 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. We prefer the tiny original. QOpen 16:00 - 02:00. Also at (C-6) Str. Gabroveni 4. Open 17:00 - 02:00. PJBW

Beraria Kovaci C-6, Str. Covaci 3, tel. (+4) 021 312 05 52/(+4) 0722 80 01 86, www.berariakovaci.ro. Beer and very good pizza (and fair bit else besides) in a rather nice setting on Strada Covaci, which, with the recent opening of a few other decent places is quickly becoming the new Lipscani street-to-be. Boma is a sweet little place, decked out with wood and boasting perhaps the comfiest chairs of any pub in the city. Drinks are well priced and service comes with a smile. An excellent place for a livener or two. QOpen 14:00 - 02:00. PJBSW

Interbelic C-6, Str. Selari 1, tel. (+4) 0722 10 01 93, www.interbelic.ro. A cosy little speakeasy in a well-hidden location (find it in the alleyway which links Str. Blanari to Str. Lipscani) and the perfect place to conduct all sorts of secret

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Clate C-6, Str. Smardan 30, tel. (+4) 0756 09 71 98, [email protected], www.clate.net. Best ice cream in town, and more besides: pancakes, juice and the like. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. PJNBSW

Gelato Mio C-6, Str. Selari 17, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 021 311 13 21, [email protected]. Might just be the best thing to hit Old Town this summer. A great little ice cream bar selling not just terrific ices (the ice cream is very, very good) but juices and sandwiches too. There are a few tables outside on the street where you can enjoy your cornet or sundae. Q Open 08:00 - 03:00, Sat, Sun 24 hrs. PBW

Ice Cream

Lipscani venue, expect to find comfy sofas in the windows, strange but rather fetching art on the walls and decent staff who know how to pull a decent beer. The crowd tends to be studenty during the day, getting a bit smarter and sophisticated as the evening wears on. We like it. QOpen 11:00 - 04:00. PJBW

Thomas Antiques Bar C-6, Str. Covaci 19, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 0752 44 08 18, www.thomas-antiques.ro. 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 admiring. 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. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PJW

Old Town PubsArcade Cafe C-6, Str. Smardan 30, tel. (+4) 0727 25 70 22, (+4) 0722 77 76 74/(+4) 021 314 50 66, www.arcadecafe.ro. One more reason to hail Strada Smardan as the new Messiah of nightlife destinations. This little place is a cool mix of cafe, DJ bar and deadly serious club, though the music is always at the right volume and never stifles conver-sation. Basically there are two parts to this place: upstairs is the cafe (serving hot milk: our kids liked it!) and downstairs is the club. The cafe is open from (around) 10am. QOpen 10:00 - 03:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 05:00. PJEBSW

Bordello’s C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, MP-ta Unirii, tel. (+4) 0748 88 10 85, www.bordellos.ro. Always plenty going on here. From quiz nights to live music and Burlesque every Friday, this is a great pub, complete with excellent bar food,

Heineken, Murphy’s and Paulaner on tap and Sky Sports on four screens. Great food: tapas in the pub (the ribs are just about the best we’ve ever had in Bucharest) and more sophisticated fare in the Mulanruj restaurant bit. You can’t miss this place by the way: just look for the ‘tarts’ in their underwear beckoning you in. No wonder it is always full. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00, Thu, Fri 12:00 - 05:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 05:00. PJEBSW

Curtea Berarilor C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 021 313 75 32, www.curteaberarilor.com. Once upon a time the whole of the Curtea Sticlarilor was given over to ar-tisans - especially 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. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 04:00. PJBSW

D’eight C-6, Str. Franceza 2-4, tel. (+4) 021 311 40 10/(+4) 0721 33 35 33, www.deight.ro. Serving a very good pizza - and plenty more besides - this place is nice. Occupying the site of the old Picasso Cafe D’eight does far more with the space, and does it much better. Has cleverly placed the obligatory TV screens just so that if you do not want to watch them, you do not have to. Other places should look and learn. Comfy sofas, armchairs, good staff and a huge terrace: perhaps the biggest in the Old Town. QOpen 09:30 - 24:00, Fri 09:30 - 02:00, Sat 11:30 - 02:00, Sun 11:30 - 24:00. PJBSW

Elephant Pub & Live Music C-6, Str. Gabroveni 16, tel. (+4) 021 311 22 67, www.elephantpub.ro. Live music pub and club that launches itself into direct competition with

the more established Mojo next door. Besides the music there are plenty of screens for watching sports and the like, the beer is well priced and the crowd a very casually dressed mix of rockers in leather and rollers in jeans. Make of it what you will. Q Open 14:00 - 01:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 06:00. PJEBW

Gang Lads Pub C-6, Str. Lipscani 66, tel. (+4) 0721 56 69 09, (+4) 0722 60 27 92, www.gangladspub.ro. The opening night party at this new pub was one of the wildest (and simply one of the best) Bucharest has seen for some time. We hope that having set such a cracking standard nothing will change. Early signs are good: this place serves a decent pint of Guinness (on tap, note, unlike a few other places in this town) and has regular live music. There’s food too: of a somewhat overwhelming variety. Punches above its weight this place; see you there. QOpen 10:00 - 04:00. PJESW

Halftime C-6, Str. Gabroveni 14, tel. (+4) 021 312 29 16/(+4) 0768 58 51 48, www.halftimepub.ro. Half-hearted attempt at creating a football-themed pub. If you do make it inside it is not bad, good service, good beer and plenty of screens to watch whatever match is on, though note that in our experience Romanian football takes priority: if you want proper football nip round to Bordello’s or Mojo. Q Open 10:00 - 24:00 PJBW

Oktoberfest C-6, Str. Selari 9 -11, tel. (+4) 0724 33 32 33, www.oktoberfest-pub.ro. 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 that truns up elsewhere. The owners try to make something happen every night, whether its football on the television or

Caru’ cu Bere C-6, Str. Stavropoleos 5, tel. (+4) 021 313 75 60, (+4) 0726 28 23 73, [email protected], www.carucubere.ro. Should be the first stop on the list of any visitor to Bucharest. Wonderful 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 apple a simple, tasty treat. Good beer, good service (now: it never used to be) and a great terrace in summer. Q Open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. €€€. PJEBSW

City Grill C-6, Str. Lipscani 12, tel. (+4) 0729 62 62 62/(+4) 021 314 24 89, www.citygrill.ro. They call these places ‘your dining room in the city,’ and given the homely food and cheap prices (the lunchtime deals are just about unbeatable) they might just be right. Don’t expect haute cuisine, but do expect big portions of simple Romanian food. We like the carnati de plescoi, tasty smoked sausages made with mutton and pork. There’s a good selection of local beers to choose from too. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 02:00. Also at (B-2) B-dul Primaverii 3, tel. (+4) 021 233 98 18 and many other locations. €€. PJVEBSW

Crama Domneasca C-6, Str. Selari 13-15, tel. (+4) 0726 32 20 04/(+4) 0722 29 11 95, [email protected], www.cramadomneasca.com. 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 (if it is not, send it back) 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. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€. PJVEBSW

Lacrimi si Sfinti C-6, Str. Sepcari 16, tel. (+4) 0372 77 39 99, [email protected], www.lacrimis-isfinti.com. Romanian poet, revolutionary and raconteur Mircea Dinescu’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 though a little spartanly furnished and decorated the ambience is good: you want to stay way after you have finished your meal. QOpen 12:30 - 02:00, Mon 18:00 - 02:00. €€€. PJEBSW

Manuc Bistro C-6, Str. Franceza 62, MP-ta Unirii, tel. (+4) 021 313 14 11/(+4) 0769 07 58 44, [email protected], www.hanulluimanuc.ro. Bucharest’s oldest inn (and one of only two surviving caravanserai in Europe - the other is in Albania) which reopened its doors last summer. A new bar has been put in on the ground floor, and the place had been spruced up rather nicely. Sit in the gorgeous courtyard (when the weather allows, of course) and enjoy a beer or good, simple Romanian food. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PJVEBSW

Romanian Restaurants in Old Town

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impromptu drinking competitions. The house Oktoberfest beer is very good and a genuine bargain at 4 lei a glass. Up-stairs is Oktoberfest 2, which has a small terrace.Q Open 24hrs. PJNBW

Old City C-6, Str. Lipscani 45, tel. (+4) 0729 37 77 74, www.oldcity-lipscani.ro. Good pub on Lipscani with a huge beer garden out the back. Serves very good cocktails (a sweet as you like mojito went down very well with Mrs. In Your Pocket) and some pub grub that is far better than you would assume. The burger was great: try it with the roast potatoes in fresh rosemary for something a bit different. A big screen shows football and the like. QOpen 10:00 - 05:00. PJBW

S. A. L. T. C-6, Str. Blanari 21, tel. (+4) 0724 33 57 75, www.saltpub.ro. S. A. L. T. stands for Societea de Asigurare a Libertatii Tale (impossible to translate but something along the lines of ‘The Society to Insure your Freedom). In fact this is basically a sports bar serving decent salads, pizza and finger food (chicken wings, etc.). If you judge a place by the number of plasma screens it has, then you will like it here. QOpen 16:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 16:00 - 03:00. PJNSW

Sankt Petersburg Pub C-6, Str. Gabroveni 55, tel. (+4) 021 311 89 68/(+4) 0729 19 18 55, www.sanktpeters-burgpub.ro. At the end of a well-marked passageway on Strada Gabroveni is this place, a bright, colourful bar and club that puts on something different every night of the week. Be-sides the long cocktail list there are also - as you would expect for a Russian-themed placed - now fewer than seven kinds of vodka, and they even serve caviar pancakes. Definitely a first in Bucharest! QOpen 12:00 - 04:00. PESW

Team Pub C-6, Str. Lipscani 36, tel. (+4) 0760 32 34 17/(+4) 0723 72 94 29, (+4) 0760 32 34 17, www.teampub.ro. Decent enough pub on the corner of Lipscani and Selari, with good proper bar stools and a decent range of beers. Efficient waitresses in red tops serve the custom-ers well. It’s popular too: first time we came here (just after they had opened) it was empty: now (especially on a Friday or Saturday night) you can barely get through the door for revelers. QOpen 12:30 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 13:30 - 03:00. PJBW

Trinity College C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, tel. (+4) 0747 50 75 07, www.trinitycollegepub.ro. Upmarket burgers, tapas and the like served in an all-American atmosphere to an (almost) all-Romanian crowd. Good ribs, good pizza, good cocktails and Leffe on draught. Stays open late, and at weekends often has DJs on duty to make sure the music is good. QOpen 11:00 - 03:00. PJBW

Vintage Pub C-6, Str. Smardan 43, tel. (+4) 0743 79 71 73, www.thevintagepub.ro. Another Smardan drinking den. And it’s not bad. Staff are incredibly hospitable, and the interior décor is pub-ish without overdoing it. The Vintage aspect is provided by the hanging of various antiques on the walls. Cheapish drinks, salads, sandwiches and a big terrace attract a young, studenty crowd. Q Open 10:30 - 05:00. PJEBW

Old Town Irish PubsArthur Irish Pub C-6, Str. Gabroveni 20, tel. (+4) 0736 85 84 30, www.arthuririshpub.ro. Another Irish pub in Old Town. Looks like a huge advert for Guinness, with black-stuff branding all over the place, complete with portraits of old Arthur Guinness himself. Needless to say they serve a faultless pint, the bar (and sufficient bar stools) are the business and we think it will be a real winner. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 04:00. PJEBSW

O’Hara’s C-6, Str. Franceza 13, tel. (+4) 0724 23 95 77, www.ohara.ro. Amazingly, this place has already been around for two years. (Feels like only yesterday that it opened). Expect a decent pint of Guinness, live Irish music and a grand welcome from some fine staff make this very much the thinking man’s Irish pub in Bucharest. The Lipscani venue (on one of the area’s pedestrian streets that has actually been finished) is a bonus. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PJENBSW

Oscar’s C-6, Str. Covaci 19, tel. (+4) 021 310 32 61, www.oscarspub.ro. Wow, it’s like a new place. Forget what you read or thought of this place before and get there immediately. It’s a big Irish pub showing all the right sports on television and serving an exemplary pint of Guinness and a top chicken pie. There is also karaoke, live music and hands-on manage-ment. There is a great courtyard and sublime raised seating area, and now that they’ve finished repaving Strada Covaci you can get here without getting your shoes dirty. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. PJEBSW

Scarlet Pub C-6, Str. Smardan 41, tel. (+4) 0729 05 62 54, www.scarletpub.ro. Big pub on Strada Smardan serving a decent Guinness and attracting a good crowd of ordinary locals out for a decent night. Drinks are well priced compared to a few other places in the area and it doesn’t take all night to get a drink here either: always a bonus. Often has events, including live music and DJs at the weekends. Big terrace at this time of year. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. PJBSW

St. Patrick C-6, Str. Smardan 23-25, tel. (+4) 021 313 03 36/(+4) 0755 11 00 08, www.stpatrick.ro. Big, well located and quite frankly cracking Irish pub in Lipscani: it really sets the standard for the many others in the area. Looking every inch just like a proper Irish boozer, it’s a real pub all right with decent pub grub, Guinness and Kilkenny on tap, and more than efficient staff who ensure you do not have to wait long for a drink. It’s a brilliant addition to the Old Town area and has a load of regulars who have quickly made it their home from home. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 05:00. PJEBSW

The Gin Factory C-6, Str. Lipscani 37, tel. (+4) 021 311 38 36, www.theginfactory.ro. Enormous and gorgeous, this is an Irish pub well worth taking a drink in, not least for its very nice booths and break-out areas perfect for private chats and the like. The big bar is well-manned and it never takes long to get a drink regardless of how busy it is. There’s a DJ on-site spinning tunes of all sorts after about 8pm, and although the Guinness is only by the bottle, they do have Ursus Black on tap, so at a stretch we can live with that. besides, you will have such a cracking time here you will hardly care about the lack of Guinness.QOpen 10:00 - 05:00. PJBSW

Old Town Clubs & DiscosBastards C-6, Str. Lipscani 28, tel. (+4) 0723 20 34 63, www.bastards.ro. Is that really what it is called? Yes: that is really 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 karaoke, it could be rock night, it could be DJ Andrei Nicolescu spinning his old school electro tunes. Regardless of what is going on you probably enjoy it. QOpen 18:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Sun. PJENB

In the immediate aftermath of the Revolution of De-cember 1989, members of Ion liescu’s new regime had stated a number of times that the National Salvation Front (FSN) would be nothing more than a transitional government which would hold on to power only until elections could be held. At the end of January 1990 however, Iliescu announced that he would stand for election as president, and that the FSN would field candidates for parliament. Given that Iliescu and the FSN had complete control of every facet of government, including an almost total media-monopoly, their crushing victory in the subsequent elections (held in April 1990) was hardly surprising. Unhappy with what they viewed as one dictatorship replacing another, large numbers of people began demonstrating against the new regime in Piata Universităţii early in May. Led by students from Bucharest University the dem-onstrators soon occupied the entire square, declaring that it was the only part of Romania free of communism. As support for the students grew, they and their protest became an embarrassment to Iliescu and the FSN. On June 13, 1990, Iliescu therefore ‘requested’ miners from the Jiu Valley come to Bucharest to ‘reoccupy the square.’ Over the next three days the miners killed or injured more than 100 people. Incredibly, Iliescu then went on television to thank them for their ‘revolutionary zeal and spirit.’ Those student demonstrations of 1990 should have acted as a catalyst for real change in Romania. It can be argued that their revolt was in fact the real Romanian Revolution; one quashed, however, by the neo-communist Iliescu regime.

The Mineriada of June 1990

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and welcoming crowd and general mayhem to the site of former concept store Market 8. Drinks are well priced for the area and there is always something going on. A decent bet for a good night out any night of the week. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00. PJNW

El Dictador C-6, Str. Sf. Dumitru 3, tel. (+4) 0729 04 10 43, www.eldictador.ro. The latest venue in the growing collection of the El Comandante crowd. You know what to expect: a young crowd dancing to good, upcoming local DJs playing a mix of music. Expect a bit of New Wave (Thursdays) alongside more traditional dancehall sounds (Friday and Sat-urday). Well priced drinks keep the crowd well-oiled. QOpen 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue. PJW

Freddo C-6, Str. Smardan 24, tel. (+4) 0722 37 33 36, www.freddo.ro. 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. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00. PJNBSW

La Muse C-6, Str Lipscani 53, tel. (+4) 0734 00 02 36/(+4) 0745 02 42 17, www.lamuse.ro. Last 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. QOpen 09:00 - 03:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 06:00. PJEBW

Mojo C-6, Str. Gabroveni 14, MPiata Unirii, tel. (+4) 0760 26 34 96/(+4) 0767 34 34 10, www.mojomusic.ro. 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. When ace local bands are not playing, the resident Mojo band usually is. Also now puts on regular quiz nights and live British stand-up comedy too. Top notch. QOpen 14:00 - 04:00. PJEBW

Opium Stage B-4, Calea Victoriei 16-20 (Pasajul Vil-lacrosse), tel. (+4) 0720 68 12 02, www.opiumstage.ro. Interesting, very interesting. A cellar in one of Bucharest’s grand old passages has been transformed into a lounge/club, complete with kitsch decor and leather sofas. What makes it work is that they’ve left the original brick work exposed, leav-ing you with the sense that all that kitsch is pure irony. Prices are decent for the location and the cocktail list tremendous. Now all they need is a regular crowd and they’ll have a great place on their hands. QOpen 15:00 - 05:00. PJN

The Floor C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, tel. (+4) 0721 60 06 76, www.thefloor.ro. The first floor, to be exact, the first floor of Curtea Sticlarilor on Strada Selari. A bar, meeting place and live music venue, you can expect a bit of everything on the music front, from jazz to rock from mainly local acts. Even when there is no live music, there is usually a theme party or suchlike: the Latino parties are well recommended. QOpen 15:00 - 03:00. PJEBW

The Vault C-6, Str. Lipscani 29-33, tel. (+4) 0723 19 99 77. Smooth. Smooth people, smooth vibes and smooth cocktails. We love the (long) nights we spend in this place, not least because you never know what to expect on the music front: it could be a night of pop, a night of disco classics, a night of indie beats or a night of up-to-the-minute clubby sounds. We suggest you take a chance and delve inside. Chances are you will enjoy yourself. Q Open 22:00 - 07:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PJBW

True Social Club C-6, Splaiul Independentei (corner with Str. Selari), MUnirii, tel. (+4) 0727 48 80 87, www.trueclub.ro. In that wonderful location once known as Temple (on the corner of Strada Selari and Splaiul Independentei) is True Club, an exclusively live music venue well worthy of your time. When the resident covers band or top local act isn’t performing you will find karaoke, and the sheer variety of themed nights and parties usually means that there is always something here for everyone. Drinks are a decent price and there are plenty of them to choose from. QOpen 20:30 - 05:00, Fri, Sat 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PJEW

NEW

Bound Club & Bar C-6, Str. Smardan 30, tel. (+4) 0721 76 27 56, www.bound.ro. A new Old Town club has to be a bit special these days to grab our attention: Bound is certainly that. We like the grown up vibe it gives off, the smooth sounds and the nice long bar that the staff actually let you sit at. Drinks are a decent price and as an alternative to the rowdier places in the area, it’s a winner. You will see us there. QOpen 10:00 - 03:00. PJBW

Chat Noir C-6, Str. Blanari 5, tel. (+4) 0740 10 07 97, www.clubchatnoir.ro. Club where a young crowd of locals dresses well (especially the ladies) and dances to a very good if sometimes strange mix of sounds until the very early morning. There are various other events too, such as Romanian stand-up comedy and the like. You might want to check out the excellent if eclectic artwork on the walls before you start dancing. We have yet to find out if any of it is for sale! QOpen 18:00 - 06:00, Sun 18:00 - 02:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed. PJW

Club A C-6, Str. Blănari 14, tel. (+4) 021 316 16 67, www.cluba.ro. Selling the cheapest Red Bull vodka in the world, this place is a legend. If you want a local, unpretentious, 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. QOpen 12:00 - 05:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 06:00. PJENW

El Comandante Junior C-6, Str. Stavropoleos 8, tel. (+4) 0728 55 50 43, www.elcomandante.ro. El Coman-dante moves its mix of live music, a young, raucous but happy

Bucharest is now dotted with hundreds of Wifi hotspots, and the vast majority are free. It is rare in fact that you will come across a venue which does not have Wifi. Usually, all you will need is a password (divulged as you order something) though many venues in Old Town don’t even bother: you can simply sit down and start surfing away. In our listings, we have used the Wifi symbol W to denote all venues which have Wifi.

WiFi W

Golf Planet C-6, Str. Franceza 60, MUnirii, tel. (+4) 021 310 64 69/(+4) 0753 87 65 42, www.golf-planet.ro. An 18-hole crazy-golf course, with added cafe, cocktail bar and comfy sofas. And it is all in the dark. Kind of: the lights are all fluorescent and futuristic. Brilliant for families during the day, at night grab a group of mates and get down here for a game of golf and a few beers. (We should add that you are under no compulsion to play golf: you are welcome to watch everybody else try). It really is the definitive answer to the perennial ‘What shall we do tonight?’ question. Unique. Find it under the (soon to be open) Europa Royale Hotel. QOpen 14:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 02:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. PNW

Crazy Golf in Old Town

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Clinics & HospitalsEmergency Clinic Hospital (Spitalul de Urgenta Floreasca) C-3, Calea Floreasca 8, tel. (+4) 021 599 23 00, fax (+4) 021 599 22 57, [email protected], www.urgentafloreasca.ro. If you’re squashed by a tram or fall victim to a dodgy sausage, you’ll be in good hands here in what is the best state-run hospital in Romania. Efficient, clean, and well-run.Q Open 24hrs.Medsana A-6, Str. Dr. Nanu Muscel 12, tel. (+4) 021 408 78 00, fax (+4) 021 402 80 76, www.medsana.ro. Another welcome addition to the privately-run medical sector.

QOpen 07:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Also at (B-2) B-dul Primaverii 9, tel. (+4) 021 408 78 00.Unirea Medical Center C-6, B-dul Unirii 57, bl. E4, tel. (+4) 021 327 11 88/(+4) 021 9268, www.cmu.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (B-5) Str. George Enescu 12 tel. (+4) 021 316 58 76, (A-3) Str. Clucerului 55 tel. (+4) 021 222 92 26 and many other locations.

DentistsB.B. Clinic - German Dentist D-6, Str. Ionescu Gion 4, tel./fax (+4) 021 320 01 51, www.germandentist.ro. Probably the best dentist in the city. What’s more, you can bring the kids too, as they now have special rooms equipped just for them. Q Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. For emergencies (24hrs) tel. (+4) 0744 49 91 99. Also at (B-2) Calea Dorobantilor 208, tel. (+4) 021 231 88 56. PTADent-A-America B-3, Str. Varsovia 4, tel. (+4) 021 230 26 08/(+4) 021 230 28 26, fax (+4) 021 230 28 27, [email protected], www.dent-a-americainc.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.Denta G D-5, B-dul Carol I 37, tel. (+4) 021 313 87 14/(+4) 031 805 99 97, fax (+4) 021 313 33 06, [email protected], www.dentag.ro.Dental Standard E-5, Str. Fluierului 17D, tel. (+4) 0726 42 94 72, [email protected], www.dentalstan-dard.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Velvet Medical C-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 29 (Bectro Center), tel. (+4) 021 317 39 97/(+4) 0722 45 30 12, www.velvetden-tal.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Bucharest’s main shopping areas are the malls and com-mercial centres listed below, as well as historical Calea Victoriei, home to the most luxurious shops in the city (see pages 24-27). Little Str. Ion Campineanu, between Balcescu and Calea Victoriei, is also becoming a funky little place to shop, with lots of boutiques and delicatessens. The Peasant and Village museums (see page 67=68) are good places to pick up Romanian handicrafts and souvenirs, as well as the Old Town souvenir shop listed on page 73.

Shopping in Bucharest

MarketsPiata Obor E-4, Piata Obor, MObor. Bucharest’s biggest and perhaps most famous market. Colourful, huge, and always lively, it is not what it once was: where once you could buy al-most anything, it is now a strictly meat, dairy produce, fruit and vegetable market. Watch your wallet. QOpen 06:00 - 20:00.

Targul Vitan-Barzesti Sos. Vitan-Barzesti/Splaiul Unirii. Every Sunday morning this huge piece of wasteland becomes Sodom and Gomorrah. From allegedly stolen mobile phones and fake Ralph Lauren shirts to cheap, sandpaper-rough toilet paper, everything can be found here, all prices negotiable. Bus 123 will get you here. Be brave. Q Open 08:00-16:00. Closed Mon-Sat.

Shopping centresAFI Palace Cotroceni B-dul Vasile Milea/B-dul Ti-misoara, MPolitehnica, tel. (+4) 031 425 75 10, www.aficotroceni.ro. Bucharest’s best mall, now with an IMAX cinema. It also has ice skating (year round) and you can get here easy: it is just a short walk from the Politehnica metro station. Q Open 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 23:30.

Baneasa Shopping City Şos. Bucureşti-Ploieşti 42D, tel. (+4) 021 305 71 95, www.baneasashoppingcity.ro. This place was the first real mega-mall in Bucharest.Q Open 10:00 - 22:00, Restaurants Open 10:00 -22:00.

Bucuresti Mall E-7, Calea Vitan 55-59, tel. (+4) 021 327 67 00, www.bucurestimall.com.ro. Recently ex-tended in a major redevelopment, this is now a real shopping centre, with plenty of stores you can actually spend money in.

Debenhams is the biggest pull, but hundreds of other brands also help to bring the punters in. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00.

Sun Plaza Calea Vacaresti 391, tel. (+4) 021 386 06 00, www.sunplaza.ro. All the big name international high street stores are here, as well as a few local outfits. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Food Court Open 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00. P

Unirea Shopping Centre C-6, Piata Unirii 1, www.unireashop.ro. Once socialist Romania’s showpiece depart-ment store, this place is now the best mall in the centre of the city. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00.

See also the Old Town Souvenir Shop and Thomas Antiques (both listed on page 73).

Muzeul Taranului Roman (Peasant Museum) B-3, Şos. Kiseleff 3, MPiata Victoriei, tel. (+4) 021 317 96 61. The shop at the Peasant Museum has an great selection of souvenirs and gifts. Of particular note are the traditional peas-ant clothes, as well as the icons and naive art. Not cheap, but good quality stuff. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

Romartizana B-4, Calea Victoriei 16-20, tel. (+4) 021 313 14 65, www.romartizana.com.ro. Good place to buy some traditional souvenirs. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. Also at P-ta Montreal 10 (World Trade Plaza) tel. (+4) 021 319 12 16.

Local Souvenirs

Ethic Wine C-3, Str. Banu Antonache 55, tel. (+4) 0722 63 37 89, www.ethicwine.ro. 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 lo-cal grape, as well as a good selection of wines from Cricova in the Republic of Moldova. QOpen 13:00 - 21:00, Mon 15:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.

The Winery Outlet Sos. Mihai Bravu 132, tel. (+4) 021 252 10 32/(+4) 0757 84 68 74, www.halewood.com.ro. Bucharest outlet of leading Romanian winery.QOpen 09:30 - 21:30, Sun 09:30 - 14:30.

Specialist Wine Stores

Bucharest is not the greatest city in the world to visit with children. The major problem is that the vast majority of the city’s museums – with a few honourable and notable exceptions - are dull, offer no interactivity and little to captivate little minds. The exceptions are the outstanding Village Museum (see page 68), which children love, as they can scurry around the houses, explore and generally be kids without worrying too much about grump security guards telling them off. The confectionery stand at the entrance selling tasty Romanian sweets helps too.

The Peasant Museum (see page 67) will please older children, especially those who know a little Romanian history (and note that the Clubul Taranului, around the back of the museum, has puppet shows most weekend mornings at 10:30am and 12pm), while the Geology Museum (see page 68) across the road is a must for families: it is one of only two museums in Bucharest that puts on exhibitions specifically for kids. The other is the excellent Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum, see page 68.

We recently took the In Your Pocket kids to the curious little place that is the National Technical Museum at the entrance to Parcul Carol. While very old fashioned and a bit dusty, the kids loved it, as it is packed with models and exhibits of things which are right up their street: trains, cars, engines, jet packs, planes and such like.

The Circus Globus (C-3, Parcul Circului) has performances most weekends (morning, afternoon and evening) and is always a hit with kids. You will find details of its performances at the website circulglobus.ro.

Bucharest’s Zoo on Aleea Priveghetorilor (turn left at the

Police Academy) is better than it has been for years, if still not perhaps offering the range of animals you would expect to find in Europe’s better zoos. They do have a fine collection of exotic birds, and it is a good half-day out for kids. Entrance costs 13 lei for adults, 6.50 lei for kids. The zoo is open daily from 09:00-17:00.

And then of course there are the parks. Cismigiu (B-5) and Herastrau (A/B-2) are the best and most central, but Tineretului (take the metro to Tineretului), with its fabulous playgrounds, are also worth exploring.

An excellent indoor playground can be found at Funland Romania: a cracking place to take the kids on days when it rains. Featuring the biggest indoor playground we have seen (15 lei), bowling, billiards, arcade games and plenty of space for Mums and Dads to relax and have coffee in, it is a weekend-must. Find it on the fourth floor of the Unirea Shopping Centre in (C-6) Piata Unirii.

For kids who want to swim there is Daimon, a good sports club in Parcul Tineretului, where under fives swim for free. There are also pools open to the public at the InterContinental and Ramada Majestic hotels, as well as at the World Class Health Clubs. For more on Swimming in Bucharest see the box on page 93.

Most restaurants in Bucharest are child-friendly, even if the amount of smoke in some of them means that you will probably not want to enter with your kids. Those deserving a special mention include Malagamba, which has face painting and such like on weekend lunchtimes and afternoons, the big hotels - all of which have kids entertainers during their fabulous brunches, the Hard Rock Cafe: always happy to see kids, and Osho, which has a great kids’ menu.

Bucharest With Children

Anthony Frost English Bookshop B-4, Calea Victo-riei 45, tel. (+4) 021 311 51 38, www.anthonyfrost.ro. Stocks a good range of fiction, and a decent selection of books about Romania and Bucharest. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 14:00.

Cărturesti C-5, Str. Pictor Arthur Verona 13-15, tel. (+4) 021 317 34 59, www.carturesti.ro. Marvellous bookshop, gallery and small cafe, with good selection of English books. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00.

Humanitas Kretzulescu B-4, Calea Victoriei 45, tel. (+4) 021 313 50 35, www.librariilehumanitas.ro. Large bookshop selling a wide range of both Romanian and foreign language books. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00.

Libraria Bastilia B-4, Piata Romana 5, tel. (+4) 021 315 43 14, www.librariabastilia.ro. On Piata Romana, in a huge villa dating from 1913 this is a fine bookshop with a cafe in the attic.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 20:00.

Nautilus A-3, Str. Arh. Ion Mincu 17, tel. (+4) 021 222 50 30/(+4) 021 223 32 56, www.nautilus.ro. Good English bookshop. Specialises in fantasy and science fiction but has much else besides. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:30 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Bucharest Bookshops

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Dry cleanersImmaculate Cleaners C-4, Str. Polona 76, tel. (+4) 021 211 44 13, www.immaculate.ro. The best dry-cleaners in town offers free collection and delivery. QOpen 07:30 - 20:30, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.

Foreign representationsAustria C-4, Str. Dumbrava Rosie 7, tel. (+4) 021 201 56 12.Belgium D-4, B-dul Dacia 58, tel. (+4) 021 210 29 69.Bulgaria B-3, Str. Rabat 5, tel. (+4) 021 230 21 50.Canada A-3, Str. Tuberozelor 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 307 50 00.Chile B-4, Calea Griviţei 24, et. 4, tel. (+4) 021 312 72 39.China B-1, Sos. Nordului 2, tel. (+4) 021 232 17 32.Croatia D-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 1, tel. (+4) 021 313 04 57.Czech Republic C-5, Str. Ion Ghica 11, tel. (+4) 021 303 92 30.Denmark D-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 3, tel. (+4) 021 300 08 00.Egypt D-4, B-dul Dacia 67, tel. (+4) 021 211 09 38.European Union Delegation C-5, Str. Vasile Lascăr 31, tel. (+4) 021 203 54 00.Finland B-3, Str. Atena 2bis, tel. (+4) 021 230 75 04.France B-4, Str. Biserica Amzei 13-15, tel. (+4) 021 303 10 00.Germany B-3, Cpt. Av. Gh. Demetriade 6-8, tel. (+4) 021 202 98 30.Greece E-5, Str. Pache Protopopescu 1-3, tel. (+4) 021 209 41 73.Hungary C-4, Str. Prof. Dr. Dimitrie Gerota 63-65, tel. (+4) 031 620 43 00.Ireland B-4, Str. Buzesti 50-52, et. 3, tel. (+4) 021 310 21 61.Israel C-7, B-dul Dimitrie Cantemir 1, tronson 2+3, bl. B2, et. 5, tel. (+4) 021 318 94 17.Italy B-4, Str. Henri Coanda 9, tel. (+4) 021 305 21 00.Lebanon B-3, Str. Andrei Muresanu 16, tel. (+4) 021 230 81 75.Macedonia D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 144, tel. (+4) 021 210 08 80.Moldova B-3, Aleea Alexandru 40, tel. (+4) 021 230 04 74.Netherlands B-3, Str. Aleea Alexandru 20, tel. (+4) 021 208 60 30.Norway B-3, Str. Atena 18, tel. (+4) 021 306 98 00.Philippines A-6, Str. Carol Davilla 105-107, et. 5, ap. 10-11, tel. (+4) 021 319 82 52.Poland B-3, Aleea Alexandru 23, tel. (+4) 021 308 22 00.Portugal B-3, Str. Paris 55, tel. (+4) 021 230 41 36.

Russia B-3, Sos. Pavel Kiseleff 6, tel. (+4) 021 222 31 70.Serbia B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 34, tel. (+4) 021 211 98 71.Slovakia C-5, Str. Otetari 1, tel. (+4) 021 300 61 00.Spain B-3, Aleea Alexandru 43, tel. (+4) 021 318 10 80.Sweden B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 43, tel. (+4) 021 406 71 00.Switzerland B-4, Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 16-20, tel. (+4) 021 206 16 00.Syria B-4, B-dul Lascăr Catargiu 50, tel. (+4) 021 319 24 67.Turkey B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 72, tel. (+4) 021 206 37 00.UK & Northern Ireland C-4, Str. Jules Michelet 24, tel. (+4) 021 201 72 00.USA B-dul Liviu Librescu 4-5, tel. (+4) 021 200 33 00.

For a full list of foreign embassies and representations in Bucharest, visit inyourpocket.com.

B/C/D/E-6, B-dul Unirii, P-ta Unirii. Of all the atroci-ties commited on Romanian territory in the name of so-cialism, few rank as monstrous as the destruction of an entire district of the capital to make way for the Centru Civic, or Civic Centre, in English. But that is what hap-pened in 1980s Bucharest, as the entire Uranus district (and much else) was completely razed to the ground, with little regard for the people living there, or for the historical importance of the buildings destroyed. For example, the centrepiece of the Civic Centre, Casa Poporului (see page 67), stands on the site of the Republicii sports stadium, a wonderful art deco construction built in the 1930s. A tiny part of terracing remains in the park to the north of the Casa Poporului. Apart from the stadium, numerous churches, houses, hospitals and even a monastery were demolished to make way for Casa Poporului, Piata Unirii and for the five kilometre-long Bulevardul Unirii, which stand today as little more than monuments to madness. The northern end of Bulevardul Unirii (the original name of which was Bulevardul Victoria Socialismului - Victory of Socialism Boulevard) has become a bit of a ghost town, while Casa Poporului is now the site of the Romanian parliament, and is the city’s most popular attraction.

Centru Civic (Civic Centre)

Even if your experience of Romania’s roads has so far been limited to a taxi ride from the airport into town, then you already know that you are not dealing with the most thoughtful and considerate drivers on the planet. Quite what happens to the usually placid Romanian male when he gets behind the wheel is anyone’s business. Romanians are by and large an intelligent bunch, so quite why they think that vast queues of traffic can magically disappear at the prolonged sound of their horn is a mystery. Roma-nian women in general drive far better, less aggresively and more carefully, though the fiţe crowd (blonde tarts in sunglasses who drive jeeps bought for them by their sponsors) are an exception. If driving in Romania - especially in Bucharest - you will need to have nerves of steel, and bags of patience. The

rules of the road as you know them simply do not apply. In Romania, a good rule of thumb is that the bigger and more expensive the car, the fewer rules of the road the driver has to obey. One-way signs, for example. are purely for decoration. People in Bucharest ignore them if they are inconvenient.Pedestrians are not taken into consideration when they are crossing the road, even if the priority is theirs. Even at pedestrian crossings, drivers will disregard anyone crossing the street. If a frail old lady is crossing too slowly, she can expect to be aggressively hounded. Drinking and driving is technically against the law, though it depends on who you are and how much money you have to offer. Many people in Bucharest - expats included - drink and drive as a matter of course. And if you think the people of Bucharest drive badly, wait until you see them park: anywhere and everywhere is a parking space in Bucharest. Though you can in theory have your car towed away for illegal parking, people rarely do. Our editor even has a website devoted to such things: visit bucharestlife.net/badlyparkedcars for a rogues’ gallery of idiots who have left their cars in often bizarre places. As with so many aspects of Romanian life, much of the fault for this (though not all) lies with the police force. Widely considered to be corrupt from top to bottom (a huge exaggeration, in fact), some policemen can sometimes appear to be in awe of the wealthy and their big cars. Indeed, some strata of Romanian society, such as the celebrated Manele singers, have allegedly driven unhindered for years even though they have never bothered taking driving tests, and have no driving license.

Driving in Bucharest

Mih

ai C

onst

antin

eanu

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For Mums and Dads who live here in Bucharest, the good news is that the city has some outstanding schools: both state and private. Indeed, there are a handful of state schools in Bucharest (both primary and secondary) which regularly meet an outstanding academic level, even if their facilities are somewhat lacking (few state schools have sports fields and such like). There are huge differences between state schools however, and competition for places at the best is tough. There is also of course the fact that unless your kids can speak Romanian, the state system will be practically closed to them. Fortunately, the private sector has jumped in to fill this breach, and there are now a number of excellent private sector schools in Bucharest offering a high level of education to children of all nationalities (and not just expats: many wealthy Romanians choose to send their children to these private schools). We provide a list of the best private schools below. All boast outstanding academic records and modern facilities, native English speaking teachers, and a vast range of extra-curricular activities.

International SchoolsAmerican International School Sos. Pipera-Tunari 196, Comuna Voluntari, tel. (+4) 021 204 43 00/(+4) 021 204 43 01, fax (+4) 021 204 43 03, [email protected], www.aisb.ro.

British School of Bucharest Erou Iancu Nicolae 42, tel. (+4) 021 267 89 19/(+4) 0728 13 34 33, fax (+4) 021 267 89 69, [email protected], www.britishschool.ro.

Bucharest Christian Academy D-7, Str. Vasile Voiculescu 26, tel. (+4) 021 323 58 87/(+4) 021 323 54 08, [email protected], www.bcaro-mania.org.

International British School E-5, Str. Agricultori 21-23, tel. (+4) 021 253 16 98, fax (+4) 021 253 16 97, [email protected], www.ibsb.ro.

International School for Primary Education (INS) Str. Petre Aurelian 72, Green Lake Residence, tel. (+4) 021 380 35 35/(+4) 021 380 36 36, fax (+4) 021 380 38 38, [email protected], www.insb.ro.

International School of Bucharest Sos. Gara Catelu 1R, tel. (+4) 021 306 95 30, fax (+4) 021 306 95 34, [email protected], www.isb.ro.

Japanese School in Bucharest A-2, Str. Alexan-dru Constantinescu 61, tel. (+4) 021 222 19 85, fax (+4) 021 222 19 86, [email protected], www.jpschool.ro.

Lauder-Reut C-6, Str. Iuliu Barasch 15, tel. (+4) 021 320 15 38, fax (+4) 021 320 15 75, [email protected], www.lauder-reut.ro.

Mark Twain International School Str. Erou Iancu Nicolae 25B, tel. (+4) 021 267 89 12/(+4) 0724 00 09 00, fax (+4) 021 267 89 85, [email protected], www.marktwainschool.ro.

Schools in Bucharest

Daimon Sport Club D-8, Parcul Tineretului (Opposite Sala Polivalenta), tel. (+4) 021 330 50 71, www.daimon-sportclub.ro. Tennis club, with a big indoor and outdoor swim-ming pool. QOpen 06:00 - 24:00. Pool costs 40 lei per person, children under twelve 25 lei. Sauna included.

Hilton Health Club C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Ath-enee Palace Hilton), tel. (+4) 021 303 37 77. Indoor pool, sauna, weight room, and a host of top facilities. Call for membership prices.QOpen 06:30 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 21:00.

Intercontinental C-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 4, tel. (+4) 021 310 20 20. Probably the highest swimming pool in Romania, located on the 22nd floor of one of Bucharest’s tallest buildings. Q Open 06:00 - 22:00. Adult day entrance 85 lei, children 35 lei; Under fives free. Call for membership prices.

World Class Health Academy B-6, Calea 13 Septem-brie 90 (JW Marriott), tel. (+4) 021 403 09 00, www.worldclass.ro. Massive fitness centres all over the city with gyms, pools, squash courts and aerobics facilities. Call for details of special membership packages. Day tickets avail-able. QOpen 06:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 21:00. Also at (B-5) Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Centre Ville Hotel), tel. (+4) 021 313 11 04; Jolie Ville Galleria (Pipera) Str. Erou Iancu Nicolae 103 bis, tel. (+4) 021 269 01 60; Calea Dudesti 188 (InCity Residences), tel. (+4) 031 432 86 00; B-dul Timisoara 26 (Plaza Romania), tel. (+4) 021 318 36 81; Str. Fabrica de Glucoza 9-11 (Upground), tel. (+4) 0729 618 700.

Swimming Pools & Health Clubs

Van Gogh Spaces C-6, Str. Smardan 9, tel. (+4)

021 313 93 15, www.vangogh.ro. More than a mere

conference suite, the spaces on the upper floors of the

buildings above the Van Gogh Cafe are multi-purpose

suites available for standard conferences, but also featur-

ing a number of instant offices.Q PJW

Old Town Conference Suites

Key cutsEl Chei C-5, Str. Coltei 6, tel. (+4) 021 311 14 18/(+4) 0722 20 51 10, www.elchei.ro. Call the (+4) 0722 20 51 10 number of you get locked out of your apartment late at night.QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.

OpticiansOptiblu C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 7, tel. (+4) 021 305 73 15, www.optiblu.ro. Sensiblu - the chemists - now also offers an optician in some of its outlets. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun.Optiplaza B-dul Timisoara 26 (Plaza Romania), tel. (+4) 0372 71 10 00, [email protected], www.optiplaza.ro. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Also at (E-7) Bucuresti Mall, Baneasa Shopping City and many other locations.

PharmaciesHelp Net A-3, B-dul Unirii 27, www.helpnet.ro. Q Open 24hrs. Also at (B-3) Str. Av. Radu Beller 8, and many other locations around the city.Sensiblu C-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 7, www.sensiblu.com. QOpen 24hrs. Also at (B-3) Str. Radu Beller 6, tel. (+4) 021 233 89 61, and many other locations.

Removals & StorageAGS Worldwide Movers B-dul Basarabia 256 (Faur Industrial Park, entrance from B-dul 1 Decembrie 1918), tel. (+4) 021 345 06 66.Euro Mini Storage B-dul Theodor Pallady 42 J, tel. (+4) 031 100 18 88, www.euroministorage.com.

Bucharest is now dotted with hundreds of Wifi hotspots,

and the vast majority are free. It is rare in fact that you

will come across a venue which does not have Wifi.

Usually, all you will need is a password (divulged as you

order something) though many venues in Old Town don’t

even bother: you can simply sit down and start surfing

away. In our listings, we have used the Wifi symbol W

to denote all venues which have Wifi.

WiFi W

€1 = 4.45 lei, £1 = 5.58 leiUS$ = 3.55 lei

(As of May 31, 2012)

Northern Bucharest

Central & Southern Bucharest

98 street reGister & HoteL MaP indeX


13 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 D6Cornescu, Str. C3

Cotiturii, 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, G-ral, 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, Poet, 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. B3

Praporgescu 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

INDEX TO HOTEL

NUMBERS ON MAP

H1 HelvetiaH2 Casa VictorH3 Picollo MondoH4 Hello HotelsH5 Andy’sH6 MoxaH7 StarlightH8 DukeH9 Golden TulipH10 Residence Arcul de TrimfH11 Hotel DanH12 JW MarriottH13 ParliamentH14 Ibis ParlamentH15 VoloH16 BerthelotH17 Centre VilleH18 OperaH19 PalaceH20 CentralH21 Carol ParcH22 HiltonH23 NovotelH24 CapitolH25 Grand ContinentalH26 Lido (closed)H27 AmbasadorH28 Radisson BluH29 RembrandtH30 TaniaH31 Relax Comfort SuitesH32 IntercontinentalH33 K+K ElisabetaH34 HoroscopH35 Tempo HotelH36 RoyalH37 International BucharestH38 Hotel Confort TraianH39 Double Tree by HiltonH40 Ramada MajesticH41 Ibis Gara De NordH42 Suter InnH43 NH BucharestH44 Howard JohnsonH45 ScalaH46 TrianonH47 EpoqueH48 Z BoutiqueH49 BruxellesH50 Boutique Hotel MonacoH51 Minerva

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Bucharest