Strolling through Little Paris - Bucharest

Bucharest boasts an abundance of extraordinary attractions and can offer even the most demanding tourists many interesting things. Today, I want to share my stroll through Little Paris. I'll share some of the most intriguing tourist spots, delicious restaurants and a tropical paradise.

When we gathered all the stereotypes about Romania, it seemed like a grim gypsy Dracula driving a luxury car through the narrow streets of Bucharest. We tried to determine how true these stereotypes were. As for the grim part, Bucharest is a city of positive vibes. It is often referred to as the City of Joy. This name is not a coincidence. In the Romanian language, bucurie means joy. This place is also a city of history and parks. History is at every corner: from medieval remains, old churches and Parisian-style houses to communist buildings, the Palace of Parliament and modern skyscrapers. Moreover, you don't have to traverse the entire city to see this architectural diversity; you can find it even on a single street. At the same time, Bucharest is quite a large city. Among all the cities in Eastern Europe, it ranks second in population. About two and a half million people live here, including the suburbs.

And yes, there are indeed gypsies living in Bucharest and they are the second-largest ethnic group after Romanians, but the truth is, they make up only about 1.5% of the population. So the stereotype that there are many gypsies in Bucharest is greatly exaggerated. As for luxury cars, we did see quite a few. While prices here are above the Romanian average, they are still significantly lower compared to other European capitals. This is pleasing, as there are many beautiful places we would like to visit in Bucharest and such wealth could be overwhelming. If you plan to visit, I suggest starting to explore the city from a pleasant and relaxing location.

We went to an interesting place in Bucharest where you can relax with children. This place is the largest thermal complex not only in Romania but in all of Europe—Therme Bucharest. It's a true tropical paradise in the midst of a modern metropolis. Here, there are dozens of different pools, jacuzzis, saunas, salt rooms, restaurants, a city beach, various slides and all of them are surrounded by lush greenery. There are about 500 palm trees and over 800,000 plants in total. The beauty of Therme is that it is enjoyable to visit at any time of year. In the summer, you can escape the heat at the local beach and in the winter, you can hide from the weather in the indoor tropical complex. Swimming in the pool, having a few cocktails and watching the starry sky through the transparent dome in the evenings is delightful. I also really liked the outdoor pools. It's possible to leave the main complex and swim outdoors. In winter, it's fantastic to relax in the hot transparent water while cold little snowflakes fall on you. Overall, Therme is a very pleasant and beautiful place.

We could have easily spent the whole day here, but we returned to explore the city a few hours later. We then went to the center of Bucharest. We visited the Romanian Athenaeum. It is not just a concert hall but also a landmark of Bucharest. Its high dome and elegant columns in the style of Greek temples make the building one of the capital's ornaments and one of the most recognizable tourist spots. In front of us stood an elegant neoclassical structure built in the late 19th century. At least, that's the first association you get when you see it—the Greek temple! The dome, on the other hand, is richly decorated with elements reminiscent of Byzantine churches.

Our next stop was the main concert hall of the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra. There is a small square in front of the building and just behind it is Romania's most famous square, Revolution Square. Although the square had a different name before: Palace Square, because it once contained the old Royal Palace, now the Romanian National Museum of Art. Opposite the palace is another elegant structure, the university library building. On the front, there's an equestrian statue of Romania's first king, Carol I, standing as if he is watching the library being built from the windows of his palace.

In the square, there is also this unique obelisk. The monument symbolizes the Romanian people's transition to freedom. Among other interesting places in the square are the old Crezulescu Church, the European Art Gallery and the unique building of the Union of Romanian Architects. We visited the church. It is considered one of the most unique and oldest churches in Romania's capital and was built in 1722 by order of Chancellor Kretzulescu. Crezulescu is also remembered by the people for making Bucharest the capital of Romania. Therefore, this seemingly insignificant church is very important to the local population. All the Orthodox Christians in the city love it and often visit it on special holidays. The church has a unique appearance. Long arches contrast elegantly with the solid brick walls.

In the square, there are also two large parking lots. However, this might be considered a major issue for Bucharest. The city has a lot of cars and they often park randomly. I was annoyed by the many tow trucks in Bulgaria, but here there certainly aren't enough. By the way, about parking in Bucharest: There are plenty of paid parking lots but not many payment terminals. After our experience with parking in Sofia, we didn’t want to take any chances, so I found an app for pre-payment. I think it’s a pretty useful solution and I'd like to share it with you. The app is called AmParcat and you can use it without being tied to the country's mobile operator. All you need to do is enter your car information into your account and link a card. An added bonus to this payment method is the payment history. If you suddenly get confused and forget where you left your car, you can check the parking code in the app's history and then find it on the map. Handy.

Then we moved from Revolution Square to University Square. It's named so because Bucharest University is located here. The National Theater, Colțea Hospital, Sutu Palace, now the Bucharest History Museum and the university building are located here. Under the square, there is a metro station and an underground passageway with cafes and shops. There are no huge parking lots in the square; the empty spaces are usually filled with students, a few sculptures and cheap cafes. The square often becomes the center of youth parties, gatherings and rallies. University Square is not only the central square of the city but also an important symbol for Bucharest residents. This is where the Romanian revolution that ended Ceaușescu's dictatorship began in 1989 and ended in victory.

We then moved on to the most bustling and lively corner of Bucharest the Lipscani district. It's one of the most popular spots among visitors to the city. It's become one of Bucharest's landmarks, with a very interesting appearance thanks to a mix of different architectural styles. There are art galleries, boutique shops, jewelry and souvenir stores, clubs and many cafes.

In the evenings, the entire area is illuminated with vibrant lights and staff trying to attract customers can't stop praising their businesses. In the summer, the street becomes a continuous party. Everyone is dancing, having fun and drinking delicious alcoholic beverages. For young people, this might be the most attractive place in the city because Bucharest's nightlife really comes alive here. There are many interesting things for those who love nightlife in Bucharest. They say they're planning to add a bunker grandpa room soon, like the iDracula restaurant, which is clearly vampire-themed. There's no bloodshed here, but you can find delicious cocktails. Overall, everyone can easily find something to their liking in Lipscani.

What impressed me the most was the old restaurant Caru' Cu Bere. And this is the coolest and most popular spot in the city, so if you want to go, book a table in advance. This restaurant has over 140 years of history and has always been a symbol of Bucharest and continues to be so. Initially, it opened as a small brewery named La Carul cu Bere (On the Beer Cart). It's easy to guess where the name comes from, as beer was transported from the brewery by horse-drawn carts back then. The service in Bucharest's hotel and restaurant industry wasn't always great. For example, the Caru' cu bere restaurant on Strada Stavropoleos was notorious for its poor service. But people kept coming because they loved the fantastic interiors, the dance floor and the excellent homemade beer. Fortunately, the interiors, dances and beer haven't changed, but the service improved significantly in the 2000s. There's even a sign outside that says, Probably the best restaurant in Bucharest.

After being there, I'm ready to agree with this statement. The restaurant is truly wonderful. There's an antique interior in Romanian style, delicious freshly brewed beer and a truly magical atmosphere. In the evenings, there's a real show in the restaurant, always full of surprises. Sometimes it's girls dressed in national costumes, inviting all guests to a joyful circle dance. Other times, everything freezes and even the waiters and chefs start dancing.

And of course, the food is fantastic. We weren't very hungry when we visited the restaurant, so we asked the waiter to bring us something national and delicious. We were quite surprised when 20 minutes later, the waiter reappeared with a huge tray of desserts. This was the restaurant's signature dish, a delicious pork knuckle with pickles and hominy corn porridge on the side, called Greetings from the Beer Cart. The dish is a real work of art. Aromatic spices and well-chosen garnishes give this dish a unique taste. I also appreciated the design and presentation of the meal. The dish had a special card with a reminder that we were the 189,058th guest in the restaurant's history, along with best wishes. It might seem like a small detail, but after such a note, I enjoyed the food twice as much.

Once the food was off the tray and into our stomachs, we wished the next interesting place to be nearby. About 10 meters later, we came across a small but quite elegant church—Stavropoleos Church. It's one of the oldest and most interesting religious sites in Bucharest. It's very small, elegant and almost like a toy. The church smells like fairy tales and ancient Byzantium. The facade is surrounded by an elegant gallery with thin stone columns and images of saints sit on top. Inside the church, there's beautiful artwork and old icons. But what caught our attention the most was the small and cozy courtyard behind the church. This courtyard is filled with ancient artifacts and is surrounded by lush greenery.
We enjoyed the beauty and coolness by strolling through the three-sided covered gallery and resting on the courtyard benches. In southern monasteries, these types of galleries were common for monks to stay in the shade and rest on hot days. Now everyone can enjoy the peace and tranquility of this church. It's a real oasis of calm in the midst of the vibrant social life of the Lipscani district.

We also arrived at perhaps the most beautiful building in the old city. This wasn't a temple or a royal palace, it was the CES Bank building. The bank's headquarters is a magnificent neoclassical mansion with a large central dome, smaller side domes and monumental columns. The building was constructed in 1885 as the headquarters for Romania's oldest bank. After 106 years of service, the building was deemed unsuitable for modern banking, leading to its sale to the Bucharest City Council. Despite the sale, the bank still rents the building for its headquarters and offices. There's also a small museum here that houses ancient banknotes and coins.

If you aren't a fan of ancient architecture, I suggest visiting the modern gem of the Lipscani district. This time it's not a restaurant or a bank, but a truly enchanting place. Along a long and busy street filled with cafes, pubs, cozy restaurants and expensive fashion boutiques, you'll find Carturesti Carusel, or the Carousel of Light, possibly the most captivating bookstore in the world.

I have never been to a bookstore as beautiful as this. You can spend hours wandering across the floors and admiring the surroundings. Lovely large windows, pure white spiral staircases, columns and balconies—all are very elegant and white. The store is filled with bright lights and the illumination in the halls is exquisitely arranged, which adds to the unique charm of the place. The bookstore has reading tables on the upper floors where you can explore books before deciding to purchase them. Even if you don't like reading, you can still come here to take stunning photos or sit in a café on the upper floor. From the top floor, you get a beautiful view of the Carousel's interior. They also sell souvenirs here. So if you want to take home a small memento from Bucharest, this is a perfect place to do so. You can find souvenirs to suit every taste: magnets, postcards, notebooks, quote books, kitchen utensils, candles, keychains, stationery and much more. Since it's in the heart of the old city, I think this is a must-visit spot.

Another Instagram attraction is near the bookstore. Honestly, this place left a lesser impression on me. We turned into a street near the bookstore and reached the Macca-Vilacrosse Passage. Essentially, it's a small, elegant covered alleyway built in Art Nouveau style, similar to those in Western European cities. It has a horseshoe shape. From the main entrance, the passage splits into two smaller paths. Inside, you'll find clothing and jewelry stores, along with a countless number of cafes and restaurants. Because the tables are so close together, the passage is quite narrow. It can be delightful on a sunny day when the bright sun rays pass through the yellow glass roof. But in winter, with everyone bundled in warm clothes and navigating through the crowded narrow alley, it is not as pleasant. Overall, I can't say I'm too thrilled about the Passage. It's too crowded and there's too much hookah smoke. Also, the tourist crowds and closed roof don't encourage long stays, prompting us to want to get out for some fresh air.

Fortunately, in Bucharest, that's not difficult, as the city is renowned for its vast green spaces. I won't try to count how many parks there are, but there are over forty parks here! Plus, there's a luxurious botanical garden. Even scenes from the series Wednesday were filmed here. I must say with confidence that Bucharest has plenty of beautiful green spaces. So if you visit the Romanian capital in the warmer season, you should definitely take a walk through the parks with your children.

Bucharest is home to many lakes, cafes, entertainment venues and statues. The most popular park in Bucharest is Herăstrău Park, also known as King Mihai I Park. The park has a lake, a village museum and even a small palace. And there's a monument dedicated to the king of pop music, not a monarch. Once, Michael Jackson performed a concert in the city. When he came to the city in 1990, he greeted the crowd with, Hello, Budapest! At the time, everyone was so delighted to have him in Romania that they forgave this careless slip of the tongue.

As we walked through Michael Jackson Park, we reached a large intersection with the Arch of Triumph in the center. Yes, you heard right. This is a complete replica of the arch in France's capital. In this way, Bucharest starts to look like Little Paris. There's a staircase inside the arch, allowing you to climb up and see the city panorama. However, it's only open on weekends and during the warmer season. The Arch of Triumph is a monumental structure dating back to the Roman Empire. These arches were built to commemorate victorious military leaders' entry into the city. But this arch was built for a slightly different reason and became a symbol of the Romanian Kingdom. In my last write-up, I talked about Ferdinand and Mary's coronation in Alba Iulia. Right after the coronation, the royal couple, accompanied by nobility and diplomats from other countries, came to Bucharest and walked under the arch as a symbol of a new chapter in the country's history. Although, at that time, the arch was built of wood in haste for the coronation, it was later rebuilt with stone.

In the distance, we saw a massive building. That concrete behemoth is the House of Free Press, a legacy of the socialist era. It stands 104 meters tall and has a volume exceeding 700,000 cubic meters. It was constructed as the country's largest building. The Palace of Parliament holds two Guinness World Records. The Palace contains 1,100 rooms, 12 floors and four underground levels. Now, many of these rooms remain unused. The building houses the Romanian Parliament, branches of several universities, the Constitutional Court, a contemporary art museum, restaurants and libraries. Overall, the building is interesting, but it's a bit grim. I wouldn't prefer to spend too much time there.

From the Parliament, a wide and beautiful boulevard begins and at its center, there are 44 fountains, representing Romania's 44 counties. At night, they are beautifully lit, giving the boulevard a unique appearance. The fountains are not just ordinary; in addition to the beautiful lighting, they have another surprise feature. Several times in the evening, a synchronized dance show begins and continues up to the main fountain in Unirii Square. The show is quite spectacular.

Romania's capital, Bucharest, is also known as Little Paris. However, the resemblance is debatable because the city has endured two world wars, many bombings and natural disasters. In the great earthquake of 1977, the western part of Romania was shaken and the country's most seismic capital was brought to its knees. Thousands of houses and 26 churches were destroyed in the process. However, some churches that were slated for demolition were saved thanks to the ingenuity of local engineers.

Our city tour seems quite long. Bucharest is beautiful, interesting, but not a very compact city. If you're considering visiting for a trip, you should definitely set aside at least a few days for walking tours. There are many locations here and it's nearly impossible to visit them all in one day.