Romania definitely retains a lot from its communist past in the way of bland rectangular buildings and ‘traditional’ style government buildings which spread across Eastern Europe after WWII. But you can now see signs from numerous multinational companies spread across the city. The tallest buildings are now commercial office towers, showing the importance capitalism has brought to the economy.
I was told by some travelers they did not like Bucharest much, and along with the reputation of Roma, that gave me some preconceived notions of how the city would be. I was pleasantly surprised to find a bustling city with lots to offer its visitors and residents. The museums were large and seem well kept. I liked how they had photos of various parts of the city during the Soviet invasion, with the actual buildings now as the backdrop. There are some great parks, especially in the north part of the city, which are very accessible by public transport; rent a bike to easily explore the bike paths around the lakes.
The bus system seemed easy enough to get around and the metro system was easy to navigate as well. Overall, I got the feeling that I was in Poland 10 years ago, just before the economy really started to pick up there. I am happy to say that I would recommend heading there, even for just a few days to take in the sights before heading to the Carpathian mountains or Transylvania. The city can be easy on the wallet as there are numerous hostels and hotels with budget accommodation. Food, beer and transportation costs are cheap as well… If you are travelling short distances in the city, taking a taxi can be almost as cheap as by bus.
I was told by some travelers they did not like Bucharest much, and along with the reputation of Roma, that gave me some preconceived notions of how the city would be. I was pleasantly surprised to find a bustling city with lots to offer its visitors and residents. The museums were large and seem well kept. I liked how they had photos of various parts of the city during the Soviet invasion, with the actual buildings now as the backdrop. There are some great parks, especially in the north part of the city, which are very accessible by public transport; rent a bike to easily explore the bike paths around the lakes.
The bus system seemed easy enough to get around and the metro system was easy to navigate as well. Overall, I got the feeling that I was in Poland 10 years ago, just before the economy really started to pick up there. I am happy to say that I would recommend heading there, even for just a few days to take in the sights before heading to the Carpathian mountains or Transylvania. The city can be easy on the wallet as there are numerous hostels and hotels with budget accommodation. Food, beer and transportation costs are cheap as well… If you are travelling short distances in the city, taking a taxi can be almost as cheap as by bus.
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