Bucharest Holidays

Bucharest is a bit of a box ticker when it comes to city breaks. First up, there’s its small-scale city centre, which means wherever you make your base you’re never too far away to stroll to the sights. Its restaurants and bars come with low price tags, meaning that dining and drinking out in the city is often cheaper than in other European capitals. Plus, if you need to take a time out from all the hustle and bustle of a major city, its surrounding countryside can help to flip the coin.

Bucharest was long known as the Paris of the East, a name that has stuck since the early 20th century thanks to elegant architecture and museum-lined avenues. These days, that’s been knocked aside and replaced with New Berlin – which we reckon is pretty good going seeing as Germany’s head honcho is probably the cool kid among the capitals. A trendy art scene and a café on every corner has given this place a new lease of life, and made it a big hit for hipsters. The city’s raising the bar on European nightlife too, with many of its uber-modern clubs drawing in big name DJs from across the continent.

Sightseeing in Bucharest feels a bit like stepping in and out of a time machine, with neighbouring buildings flicking from the 19th century to the modern day. One of the best lookers of the bunch is the Palace of the National Bank of Romania – its marble staircase and Corinthian columns stamp this place with the wow factor from head to toe. With a build date closer to the present the day, Carturesti Carusel – AKA the most beautiful bookshop in the world – is well worth a visit even if you’re not in the business of buying books. There are plenty of spots in the way of museums, too. The Village Museum is a great pick, it’s pitched in the super-sized Herastrau Park and shines a spotlight on rural life in Romania.