Where We Be
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| We returned to Lipscani Street on a Friday evening and found nearly every outdoor table occupied. This is the place to come for some al fresco drinking and dining. |
| Bucharest, Romania |
Bucharest's most famous sight, the Palace of
Parliament, is also its most infamous. Dictator
Nicolai Ceausescu essentially starved his own
people in order to build it. It's the third-largest
admin building in the world (#1 is the Pentagon)
and is said to be 70% vacant! It's also the heav-
iest and most expensive admin building in the
world per Guinness. Worth starving for? Um, no.
The best part of Bucharest these days, in our
opinion, is Old Town, with its pedestrian-only
streets and vibrant cafe culture. Lipscani Street
is at the heart of Old Town, and it's here you'll
find modern-day Romanians celebrating the end
of the work week in proper TGIF fashion. We
joined them on a Friday and had a great time
sharing in the convivial al fresco atmosphere.
Two other sights worth checking out in Old
Town: Stavropoleos Monastery, a tiny jewel of a
church with faded frescoes and a lovely cloister
filled with birdsong (free); and the "Little Paris
Museum," a charming recreation of Ottoman-
and French-style interiors that pays tribute to
Bucharest's status as the "Little Paris of the
East" between the two world wars (~$7 pp).
Parliament, is also its most infamous. Dictator
Nicolai Ceausescu essentially starved his own
people in order to build it. It's the third-largest
admin building in the world (#1 is the Pentagon)
and is said to be 70% vacant! It's also the heav-
iest and most expensive admin building in the
world per Guinness. Worth starving for? Um, no.
The best part of Bucharest these days, in our
opinion, is Old Town, with its pedestrian-only
streets and vibrant cafe culture. Lipscani Street
is at the heart of Old Town, and it's here you'll
find modern-day Romanians celebrating the end
of the work week in proper TGIF fashion. We
joined them on a Friday and had a great time
sharing in the convivial al fresco atmosphere.
Two other sights worth checking out in Old
Town: Stavropoleos Monastery, a tiny jewel of a
church with faded frescoes and a lovely cloister
filled with birdsong (free); and the "Little Paris
Museum," a charming recreation of Ottoman-
and French-style interiors that pays tribute to
Bucharest's status as the "Little Paris of the
East" between the two world wars (~$7 pp).
| Robin looks light as a feather in front of the Palace of Parliament -- the heaviest and most expensive admin building in the world |
| Just off of Lipscani is the delightfully cluttered "Little Paris Museum," which recreates the feel of Old Bucharest between the two world wars |
| For dinner that evening, we enjoyed a fine meal at Hanu lui Manuc, a painstakingly restored inn located close to our hotel. The odd-looking dish in front of me is the Transylvanian bean soup in a bread bowl. |
| Beautiful Romanian window shop |
| Cismigiu Gardens has been described as the "green lungs of the city" |
| If you're looking for a break from the city, just pop over to Cismigiu Gardens for a little taste of nature |
| Stavropoleos offers that little break from modern life we all need now and again |
| Photos are allowed inside and out -- and the cloister outside is so peaceful |
| And just around the corner is Stavropoleos Monastery, a small jewel of a church |
| Lipscani Street is at the heart of Old Town. This is the place to come if you're looking for some al fresco dining and want to rub elbows with the locals -- especially on a weekend evening. |
| Across the street from Stavropoleos is Caru cu Bere -- one of the most atmospheric restaurants in all of Bucharest. We enjoyed a delightful lunch here while listening to an excellent violinist. |
| Speaking of the Europa Royale -- it offers a hard-to-beat Old Town location for about $115 per night (as of 2025) |
| Back in Old Town, we visited St. Anthony's Church, located right next to our Europa Royale Hotel |
| Boulevard Uniri -- the broad avenue leading to the Palace of Parliament -- boasts some interesting architecture and an endless array of bridal shops |
| On the way to the Palace of Parliament, we passed these pretty fountains at Piata Uniri |
| We originally intended to take the inside tour of the Palace of Parliament, but the building was so big we couldn't find the main tourist entry point! (We later learned it's on the right-hand side of the building from here.) |
| Lipscani also has some beautiful architecture along its less-touristed western section |
| Robin managed to find us a small table tucked into a corner. Time to party with the locals! |
| What a great way to wrap up our time in Bucharest! |
