10 important things to learn before visiting Bucharest, Romania

It is the 'new Berlin.' The Little Paris.' Or, quite simply, Bucharest. Romanian's trendy capital city is more than just a reference.

 

It's a remarkable city of contradictions, mixing more than 500 + years of heritage with a fairly new image, magnificent Belle Époque architecture with two blocks of the Communist period, countless beautiful parks with soulless town squares, and stunningly egalitarian residents among a small, democratic few.

I landed in Bucharest without realising what to do, but wide-eyed and eager to explore. And I've experimented. At the end of the day, I fell in love with the area, its history, and its citizens, and we feel like you are.                                                                                      

To help you prepare for a visit to this hip and happening city of contrasts, I’ve put together a list of useful things to know before visiting Bucharest.

 

 

1. THE CURRENCY IS THE ROMANIAN RON

 

Romania became a member of the EU in 2007.                                                                            

As a result, it is not really possible to use the Euro's here. Instead, you are going to change your currency to the Romanian Ron. The exchange rate is actually 1GBP-5.46 RON, which ensures you'll feel fairly comfortable with cash when you arrive.

 

2. BUCHAREST IS VERY ACCESSIBLE

 

That helps Bucharest stand out as an up-and - coming tourism destination is the fact that it is quite cheap relative to its storied peers in Western Europe. Yeah, we were continually amazed by how fast our money went.                   Accommodation, whether it's a hostel, a motel is accessible, varying from 20 GBP to 150 GBP based on the expenditure. Food and drink is where you do the most of your money, though-a two-course dinner with two pints sets us back 15-20 GBP.                                                                                                                                                   Attractions and amenities are still quite cheap; the admission to Bucharest's major attractions would cost no more than 8 GBP, whilst a 10-way ride to the city 's vast public transit network would cost only 3 GBP.

 

3, BUCHAREST IS NOT STUNNING, BUT THAT IS THE CHARM.

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I'll going to be blunt with you-Bucharest isn't aesthetically stunning, but I guess that's its charm.

Formerly regarded as the "Paris of the East," all that remains of this past period are the magnificent French-style civic buildings found in the old town (district of Lipscani). The whole of Bucharest is a true hodgepodge of the bureaucratic blocs of the communist period.

Luckily, Bucharest has a lot more to it than a few nice buildings. It's got the heart and the soul. I considered the people some of the friendliest in Europe, the spacious parks equivalent to any I visited, and the hipster garden bars so great that Bucharest 's iconic ruin bars seem claustrophobic.

Bucharest, like Paris, is host to a vibrant cultural community of trendy coffee shops , bars, concerts, markets and street art.

 

4. SHOULD READ ABOUT THE COMMUNIST HISTORY OF ROMANIA BEFORE VISITING

 

I came to Bucharest a bit ignorant when it came to the communist history in Romania.

It wasmy disadvantage, because there is so much past, particularly the recent one, that defines the city and its citizens. Spend some time studying before you visit and your time in Bucharest is going to be that much richer.

 

5. BUCHAREST IS COOL

 

Nice, innovative, fragile, dark, trendy, dirty, radical.

So while Bucharest is a city of its own, I can't help but feel like I've gotten off the wrong flight and finally landed in Berlin.

Nice cafes, beautiful bars and pubs, a vibrant music scene, excellent street art, and innovative, young people, render Bucharest very trendy.

 

6. PUBLIC TRANSPORT

 

I was warned about the Bucharest taxi drivers, who tend to harass naive visitors (very usual in every big city around the world).                                                                                    

So, I've got Uber anywhere. Besides being inexpensive, effective and convenient, Uber drivers have become my source of knowledge about the city-what to see, learn and do. I can't say more about Uber, and in Bucharest, the service was excellent.        

Depending about who you're referring to, Bucharest's public transit is both fantastic and awful. The city runs buses, trolleybuses, trams, and Subway. Tickets can be bought at city stalls, which are usually situated next to bus stops, or at Metro stations, with different multi-day choices available. Seek to ride after the rush hour because the network can be very busy!

 

7.THE FOOD IS PREDOMINANTLY MEAT BASED

 

The food in Romania is delicious, but mainly meat based. Indeed, the national dished of Romania is "sarmale" ground meat covered in cabbage.

Still, most of the restaurants had a wide range of vegetarian options, so those of you who are vegetarians won't go hungry.

While we're on the topic of food, for those who want to taste the cuisine of Romania, I suggest venturing beyond the old town. Mahala (Calea Rahovei 147-153, Bucharest, Romania), one of the best restaurants in Bucharest, is your strongest choice.

If you are a vegetarian, we suggest that you try bean soup in bread and "papanasi", a national dessert with doughnuts, ice cream and sour cherries.

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8. OLD TOWN THE BEST PLACE TO STAY IN BUCHAREST

 

Although Bucharest's public transit network is comprehensive and very strong, I advocate remaining in the old town (or inner city districts). It makes it much simpler because much of the big attractions are clustered in the downtown area. There are a lot of great AirBnB listings in Bucharest.

 

9. LEARN THE BASICS OF ROMANIAN

 

The Romanians I've met seemed to love it, because every "Salut" or "Mulţumesc" was met with the greatest smile of appreciation.

When you visit, try learning the basics below:

 

Hello | "Salut." (sah-LOOT)

 

How are you? | "Ce mai faci?" (chey my FAHTCH)

 

Thank you | "Mulţumesc" (mool-tzoo-MESK). "Merci" is also popularly used.

 

Nice to meet you | "Încântat" (oohn-koohn-taht) or "Îmi pare bine" (OOHM pah-reh BEE-neh)

 

Please | "Vă rog" (vuh ROHG; usually follows the request.)

Ticket | "Bilet" (Be let)

 

10. BUCHAREST IS SAFETY

 

You will felt extremely secure in Bucharest, and every local we spoke to was lyrical about how secure Bucharest is; no extremism, low violent crime, low petty crime (no annoying pickpockets!).

Can marched around the city day and night and never felt insecure.

As usual, take care of yourself as a visitor. Don't flaunt your valuables, watch your wallets, be careful of anything.