Bucharest

Romania

Things to do in Bucharest:

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Bucharest Restaurants

Affordable (27)

Brauhaus

A perfect spot for groups looking for a raucous night out, this bar serves the biggest selection of German and local sausages in the Old Town and a great selection of beers with which to wash them... read more
Fine dining (27)

Le Bistro

The Radisson Blu's latest restaurant is as sensational as you would expect. Mix with the local jet-set as you feast on huge portions of fresh mussels, flown in daily from Belgium. There's a top... read more

Bucharest Nightlife

Chilled (32)

Atelier Mecanic

On one of the liveliest streets in the Old Town, this place gets livelier as the evening wears on, transforming from Parisian caf� to sophisticated cocktail bar. There's a DJ at weekends spinning... read more
Clubbing (25)

Kulturhaus

This lively arthouse club attracts a young, friendly crowd of party people. Expect a different event each night of the week, from live rock and folk bands to DJs and themed parties of all shapes... read more

This Month in Bucharest:

By Craig Turp

Shopping: Ethic Wine is the best place in Bucharest to pick up Romanian and Moldovan wines. The shop is run by an Englishman and his wife who know their grapes and love talking wine (55 Strada Banu Antonache).

Sightseeing: See the oldest house in Bucharest, the Casa Melik, built in 1750 and today the Theodor Pallady Museum (22 Strada Spatarului, tel. 021 211 4979).

Key areas: Go for a walk along Calea Victoriei. Bucharest's oldest and finest street has a number of hidden architectural treasures to reward those who explore its full length.

Bucharest News & Gossip

Neighbourhood Watch: Lipscani

Sonia Ursu 18, Basketball Player and Blogger

What's your favourite local restaurant? "Ever since I was a kid, I've gone to Trattoria Il Calcio [36 Strada Delea Veche; tel: +40 (0)726 010 383], so it's become my favourite. It's Italian, and the food is fresh and delicious."

What characterises the area? "It's the most charming, lively part of the city, with a contrast of old and new, developed and decrepit, bohemian and chic."

Can you give us one secret style tip? "Buy simple clothes and mix them with different retro accessories."

Mihaela Bulearca, 26, Beauty Adviser

What's your coolest shop? "I love Thomas Antiques [19 Strada Covaci; tel: +40
(0)752 440 818]. It's part antique shop, part caf� and part historical bookstore."

Your favourite neighbourhood bar? "Atelier Mecanic [12 Strada Covaci, tel: +40
(0)726 767 611], a cool bar with high windows and mismatched furniture, which sells great coffee and cocktails."

What's so great about Lipscani? "It's like the soul of the area has been given a well-needed surgical makeover to make it the most fashionable district in town."

Ana Banica, 26, Interior Designer

What's your favourite shop? "The Silueta hat shop [57 Strada Lipscani; tel: +40
(0)21 315 513], is owned by some old ladies who make the hats there. The dusty windows and hats are charming."

Your favourite neighbourhood bar? "La Comedie [2 Strada Sfantul Dumitr u; tel: +40 (0)21 313 1791], which is the bar of the Comedy Theatre. It's quite small, but when people gather there before a play, the atmosphere is lovely."

What characterises the area? "It has a real vibrancy and an interesting mix of ruins next to fancy bars and restaurants."

By thisismysuit.com

Bucharest Trivia

January: During the urban renewal of the 1980s, a number of Bucharest's churches were moved on rails to make way for new buildings. One example is the Mihai Voda Church, moved 285m east of its original location.
December: The Last Hundred Days by Patrick McGuinness - one of very few English novels set in Bucharest - made this year's Man Booker Prize longlist.
November: Bucharest is entirely surrounded by a ring of (sadly long abandoned) 19th-century forts, built to defend the city in case of attack.