Bucharest - Experience
From communist excess to Belle Époque beauty, Bucharest bares its uneven past on every corner. Neo-classical palaces sidle next to crumbling tower blocks in this rich, and unashamedly raw, mix of a capital.
Surrounded by wide avenues, Ceausescu's megalomaniacal Palace of Parliament sprawls in the south. The majestic Romanian Athenaeum music hall and the world-class National Art Museum cluster just north of the old quarter. Follow the tree-lined Sos Kiseleff boulevard to the Arcul de Triumf.
Head to the renovated Palace of Justice, a Renaissance treasure on the banks of the Dambovita River. Glimpse Bucharest's budding art scene at a dedicated exhibition space for up-and-coming artists in Bucharesti Mall.
Search out hand-made jewellery, rare Romanian books and all sorts of dust-covered antiques in the small shops of Lipscani, the city's old quarter. Upmarket designer shops and fashion labels live around the Calea Victoriei Boulevard. For original souvenirs, from ceramics to costumes, check the local crafts shop in the Museum of the Romanian Peasant.
Mingle with Bucharest's locals in the beautifully landscaped Cismigiu Garden, the city's most central green space. Relax with a sweet lacosi pastry on a bench in front of the National Theatre. In the elegant Herastrau Park, stretching from the Arcul de Triumf to the north, Bucharestis like to saunter in their Sunday best.
See Romanian ballet at the Opera House or catch the city's acclaimed Philharmonic Orchestra, residing underneath the golden ceilings of the Romanian Athenaeum. Bucharest's real love is the stage – join locals at the National Theatre, for everything from Shakespeare to Tolstoy.
Take your pick from Bucharest's ever growing list of international eateries: French-inspired cuisine off Calea Victoriei Boulevard, Lebanese kebabs on Clucerului Street, Italian dishes on Schitu Magureanu. Don't miss Bucharest's own down-to-earth fare: spicy ciorba soup with meat balls or the hearty muschi de porc with potatoes and cabbage.
Wear your comfortable shoes and walk around the Palace of Parliament – the only way to get a sense of the real dimensions of this communist colossus (in width, it's second only to the US Pentagon).
