Bucharest holidays

How to reach Bucharest

Flight time: Flights to Bucharest from London and other major UK airports typically take around 3 hours.

Transfer time: From Bucharest’s Henri Coandă International Airport, 17km north of the city centre, the quickest way to get to the city is by train to Gara de Nord station, which takes about 20 minutes. There’s also express bus #100, which takes about 45 minutes.

Price:

• Bus: Costs around 4 RON (approximately £0.70) for a one-way ticket.

• Train: Costs around 5 RON (around £0.90).

• Taxi: Fare from the airport to the city centre is usually between 30 to 40 RON (roughly £6 to £8).

Best time to visit Bucharest

Bucharest experiences a continental climate, which means very hot summers and very cold winters. Think about how the weather might play a role before booking your holidays to Bucharest.

April to June: Spring is one of the most pleasant times to visit Bucharest, when the softest of blue skies blankets the city. Temperatures range from 15°C in April to 25°C in June, making it ideal for hitting the streets and exploring the city’s many parks. Rainfall is moderate, around 40-60mm, with about 7-10 hours of sunshine each day.

July to August: Summer in Bucharest can be extremely hot, with temperatures often reaching up to 30°C or higher; the heat can be intense, especially in the afternoons, so protection is essential. Rainfall is minimal and you can expect long days with 11-12 hours of sunshine daily.

September to November: Autumn is the perfect time to investigate the city’s sights. Temperatures gradually drop from 25°C in September to around 10°C in November, while rainfall increases to 50-70mm, but there are still plenty of dry, crisp days to enjoy.

December to March: Winters can be brutal – snow blankets much of the city, temperatures hover around 0°C to 5°C but can get as low as -15°C, and a strong, icy wind (the crivaţ) sweeps down from Russia. It’s a quiet season for tourism, so you’ll have the city’s attractions largely to yourself, but be prepared for shorter days, with only 3-5 hours of sunshine.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Romanian is the official language, but English is widely spoken throughout the city.

• Local habits and customs: Generally speaking, Romanians tend to be very open and friendly people. When visiting churches or monasteries, dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.

• Currency: The official currency is the Romanian Leu (RON), although many things are priced in Euros. ATMs are readily available throughout the city, and credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops.

• Getting around: Public transport is a little chaotic and often overcrowded, but the network is extensive and incredibly cheap. Apart from some express buses on the main axes, most bus and tram routes avoid the central zone, though this is covered by the metro system.

• Electricity and plug types: Romania uses the standard European two-pin plug with 230 volts. UK travellers will need a plug adaptor to use their devices.

• Time zone: Bucharest operates on Eastern European Time (EET), which is 2 hours ahead of GMT.

Best things to do in Bucharest

By turns chaotic and compelling, the Romanian capital features Stalinist architecture, fascinating museums and ancient churches, and a fast-improving gastronomic scene.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Parliament Palace: Not only is the sheer scale and opulence of one of the world’s largest buildings quite extraordinary, but the views from its elevated balcony are something else.

• Revolution Square: A key site in Romania’s history, this large, irregularly shaped square is home to some of the city’s most important buildings, including the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum of Art, and the balcony of the Communist Party HQ, from where Nicolae Ceaușescu gave his final speech.

The best districts

• Lipscani: Escape the downtown concrete jungle with a ramble around the crumbling streets of Bucharest’s old quarter, awash with cafés and bars.

• Cotroceni: The city’s leafiest neighbourhood is home to some of Bucharest’s most beautiful architecture, including Cotroceni Palace, the official residence of Romania’s president.

Museums

• Museum of the Romanian Peasant: A must-see, giving an insight into the country’s varied rural traditions, with exhibits on everything from costume and textiles to painted glass icons.

• Village Museum: A fabulous ensemble of wooden houses, churches, windmills and other structures from various regions of the country.

Parks and gardens

• Cişmigiu Park: Bucharest’s oldest green space, containing a boating lake, playgrounds, summer terrace cafés and elderly gentlemen battling it out over games of chess.

• Herăstrău Park: Combine a leisurely stroll through Bucharest’s largest and greenest park with a cruise on the adjoining lake.

Historical monuments

• Arc de Triumf: Inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, Bucharest’s own triumphal arch is a symbol of Romania’s independence; originally made of wood, it was more fittingly rebuilt in stone from 1935 to 1936.

• Romanian Athenaeum: A magnificent neoclassical structure fronted by six elegant columns behind which, in the peristyle, are five circular mosaics, each one depicting a Romanian ruler.

• Stavropoleos Church: This fine church has a gorgeous, almost arabesque, facade, including a columned portico carved with delicate tracery – stalks, leaves and stylised flowers - while the interior harbours a splendid iconostasis.

Day trips in the area

• Snagov Monastery: Just 40km north of Bucharest, this is the most popular weekend destination for Bucharestians, its beautiful 19km-long lake home to an island occupied by a monastery said to hold the tomb of Dracula.

• Mogoșoaia Palace: A beautiful example of Brâncovenesc architecture, a style unique to Romania, this understated palace occupies some lovely gardens.

• Peleș Castle: Once a refuge for Ceauşescu and visiting dignitaries, Peleş - in the Carpathians about two hours north of Bucharest - remains the country’s most opulent palace.

Activities for families in Bucharest

Surprisingly perhaps, Bucharest caters brilliantly to all ages, with plenty geared towards younger members of the family too.

• Lake cruises: There’s stacks of family fun to be had at Herăstrău Park, but nothing beats getting out on the water; rent rowing boats from the landing stage or take a 30-minute lake cruise.

• Circus: Circul Metropolitan is a fabulous big-top circus that also hosts a range of variety shows, with performances mostly at weekends, though it’s closed through the summer months.

• Puppet shows: With the emphasis very much on the visual, the Tăndărică Puppet Theatre is a lovely venue that puts on productions that might just surmount the linguistic barrier; intriguingly, they have shows for adults too.

Free things to do in Bucharest

Bucharest is a cheap city by European standards, but if you really want to save those pennies, there are many ways you can do this.

• Free events: Bucharest has a lively cultural scene with numerous free events throughout the year. During the summer months, you can enjoy open-air concerts in parks and squares across the city. Keep an eye out for traditional celebrations, such as Romanian National Day on 1st December, which features parades and festivities.

• Free bike hire: Enjoy a two-hour ride for free if you’re a pensioner or under 16. There are iVelo centres at the entrance to Tineretului Park, Herastrau Park, the Arc de Triumf and Titan Park.

Nature and outdoor activities in Bucharest

Although Bucharest is essentially one big urban jungle, and it’s quite a way from the coast and mountains, its many huge parks do offer a surprising number of active possibilities.

• Hiking: Not far from Bucharest, you’ll find the Bucegi Mountains, part of the Carpathians, which offer excellent hiking opportunities; trails vary from easy walks to more challenging routes.

• Cycling: Bucharest has several parks that are perfect for a leisurely bike ride. Bike rental options include La Pedale, with outlets in Herăstrău Park and Kiseleff Park; and i’Velo, which has bike rental at Alexandra Ion Cuza Park and Tineretului parks (bring some ID).

Local dishes in Bucharest

Romanian cuisine tends to be filling and wholesome, with menus dominated by meat, in common with the rest of the Balkans, but there is now a genuinely exciting gastronomic scene to discover on your Bucharest holidays.

Some typical dishes

• Sarmale: Cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, meat and herbs, usually served (or sometimes baked) with sour cream or horseradish; they are sometimes also made with vine leaves.

• Ciorbă: Romanian soups, known as ciorbă, are a staple in local cuisine; variations include ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup) and ciorbă rădăuțeană (chicken soup with vegetables), though all are usually served with sour cream and a dash of vinegar.

Meat dishes

• Tochitură: A rich dish made from diced pork, sausages and liver, cooked in a tomato sauce and served with mămăligă and a fried egg on top.

• Muşchi ciobanesc: “Shepherd’s sirloin” is pork stuffed with ham, covered in cheese and served with mayonnaise, cucumber and herbs.

Street food

• Covrigi: Plain or seeded bread rings straight from the oven, sold as a bunch and tied to a piece of string, you’ll find these everywhere.

• Mittitei: More commonly known as mici, these are succulent grilled beef rissoles served with a dollop of mustard and a hunk of bread.

Sweets and desserts

• Papanasi: Sweet, rich and utterly indulgent, these are fried or boiled doughnuts served with sour cream and topped with fruit preserves, typically made from blueberries or cherries.

• Cozonac: A sweet, leavened bread filled with nuts, poppy seeds or Turkish delight, often enjoyed during holiday seasons.

Local drinks

• Tuică: A tasty, powerful brandy usually made of plums, taken neat. In rural areas, homemade spirits can be fearsome stuff, often twice distilled to over 50 percent!

• Wine: Romania’s best wines are Grasa (white) and Feteasca Neagră (red), and the sweet dessert wines of Murfatlar.