Airport Details
Airport Full Name
Bucharest Airport
IATA Code
OTP
Location:
The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) north of
Bucharest.
Airport Facilities
There are banks, bars and restaurants at the airport. Other facilities include a bureau de change, left luggage, a hairdresser, business facilities (fax and internet), duty-free shops and a post office. Disabled facilities are good; those who need a wheelchair or have other special requirements should contact their airline in advance.
Transfers
An express bus service 783 leaves every 15 minutes for the city centre; the journey takes around 40 minutes; it costs 5L for a prepaid magnetic card, which can be bought in the arrivals terminal and can be used for two trips. Taxis and Sky Services minibuses are also available 24 hours to take passengers anywhere in Bucharest or to any other region in the country. Passengers should avoid cabs that do not display the price and have no meters.
Contact
Tel: + 40 (0)21 204 1000, +40 (0)21 201 4000
Climate Details (C)
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
| Min | -6 | -3 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 1 | -3 |
| Max | 1 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 18 | 10 | 3 |
Travel Guides: Bucharest
General Information
The nation's capital since 1862, Bucharest is the country's largest and wealthiest metropolis. Tree-lined boulevards, classical buildings and extravagant public structures lie in juxtaposition to untidy, congested streets, unsightly Stalinist apartment blocks and incomplete constructions. It is a city that most people either love or hate at the first encounter.
Once considered the 'Paris of the East' for its long leafy avenues and grand buildings together with its distinguished social scene enjoyed by the extravagant Romanian aristocracy, the city's elegance and beauty soon deteriorated under the harsh era of communism. The notorious redevelopment project by Nicolae Ceausescu, leader of the Communist Party in 1965, was a scandalous affair; in order to create an imitation Champs Elysee, a Civic Centre and 12-storey palace for himself together with a parliament building, he demolished an immense area of historic architecture in the old city, including 26 churches. The parliament building was designed to be the largest building in the world. It is now known as the Palace of Parliament, second in size to the Pentagon, and has become one of the city's prime tourist attractions.
Bucharest offers a number of superb museums, galleries, exquisite Orthodox churches and architectural surprises and its political legacy provides a fascinating selection of sights where visitors can rediscover the events and emotions of its history. It is experiencing renewed vigour; historic buildings have been restored and there is plenty of nightlife and an increasing amount of cultural events. Traditional Romanian cooking can be savoured alongside international cuisine, and in summer festive beer gardens and picturesque parks are filled with cheerful crowds.
Getting Around
Public transport in Bucharest is cheap and generally reliable. The metro is the best way to get around the centre as not many bus and tram routes go through the central zone, apart from some express buses on major thoroughfares; these are the quickest way to reach outlying areas, and cost about double the standard bus fare. The metro is fast, and despite some poorly signed stations, easier to navigate than the bus system. Buses, trolley buses and trams are well integrated and tickets are valid on all three networks, but they are usually crowded and pickpockets are a problem. There are also private minibuses that travel along the major thoroughfares and can be hailed anywhere along their route.
Taxis in Bucharest are reasonable, but foreigners are more than likely to be overcharged. Hotels or restaurants should know the approximate fare, which can then be negotiated and a fixed price agreed before getting in. Car hire is targeted at business visitors and is quite expensive; drivers need to be 21 years of age and have a passport, international insurance policy, international driving permit and valid driver's license. Driving in the Bucharest can also be a harrowing as locals drive erratically, and roads are not well signposted.
Activities
National History Museum, Bucharest
Housed in the former 1900 Post Office building is one of Bucharest's most important museums, the National History Museum. Spread throughout 41 rooms the exhibits recount the country's development from prehistoric times to the 1920s. The highlight is the basement National Treasury crammed with a dazzling display of gold, jewellery and valuable Neolithic curios. It is the biggest and best museum in the country and affords an excellent opportunity to get to grips with the exciting history of Romania.
Opening Times:
10am-6pm in summer, 9am-5pm in winter. Closed Mondays
and Tuesdays.
Admission:
RON 8; concessions available.
Stavropoleos Church and Monastery, Bucharest
The tiny but remarkable Stavropoleos Church was built in 1724, designed by a Wallachian prince renowned for his religious architectural accomplishments, and is one of the oldest churches in Bucharest. Built using a combination of Romanian and Byzantine architecture it has a beautiful façade and a delicately carved columned entrance. Surrounded by a peaceful garden, it is an architectural jewel, with beautiful frescoes and religious icons. Attached to the church is Stravropoleos Monastery. The Monastery specialises in Byzantine music and has an impressive choir and Romania's largest collection of Byzantine music books. The monastery's library contains more than 8,000 books including a significant number of old manuscripts and printed works.
Opening Times:
Daily 8:30am-6pm.
The Village Museum, Bucharest
One of Bucharest's finest sights is the Village Museum, situated within the Herastrau Park alongside a lake. It is a fascinating outdoor museum with a collection that spans more than 300 buildings representing the history and design of Romania's rural architecture including peasant homes, barns, wooden churches and Transylvanian houses from all regions of the country to recreate a village setting. Traditionally dressed peasant workers portray life during the 16th and 17th centuries along with everyday tools and accessories. Traditional crafts are also for sale around the site.
Getting There:
Metro Aviatorilor station, or bus 331 or 131 to
Herastrau Parc
Opening Times:
Daily 9am-5pm (open exhibition); Wednesday to Sunday
9am-5pm (exhibition hall).
Admission:
RON 6 (adults)
Palace of Parliament, Bucharest
Built by Communist Party leader, Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Palace of Parliament is the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. It is an immense structure that took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build, and cost billions. It has 12 storeys, 1,100 rooms, a 328 foot-long (100m) lobby, and four underground levels including an enormous nuclear bunker.
Started in 1984, the dictator intended it to be the headquarters of his Communist Government, but it was still unfinished when he was executed in 1989. Today it houses the seat of Romania's Parliament and is an international conference centre. Widely viewed as a personification of his obsession with grandiose things and actions, the construction entailed the demolition of a quarter of Bucharest's historic centre, including 26 churches, and the relocation of 40,000 inhabitants from their 19th century homes to new developments on the outskirts.
Built and furnished exclusively from Romanian materials, the building reflects the work of the country's best artisans. A guided tour takes visitors through a small section of dazzling rooms, huge halls and quarters used by the Senate (when not in session). The interior is a luxurious display of crystal chandeliers, mosaics, oak panelling and marble, gold leaf and stained glass windows, and the floors are covered in rich carpets. The largest room has a sliding roof wide enough for a helicopter to enter. Tour guides delight in recounting tales of the vast amounts of money that went to waste in decorating and re-decorating its rooms.
Getting There:
Metro Izyor or Unirii, or bus 136 or 385
Opening Times:
Daily 10am-4pm.
Admission:
RON 20 (foreign adults). Must present valid
ID/passport.
Events
EuropaFest
This is Romania's main cultural event, attracting performers and festival goers from over 50 countries. The main event is centered around concerts by top classical musicians, jazz, blues and rock acts held at some of Bucharest's finest venues. Over 300 artists are expected to perform live at EuropaFest and there are also competitions, master classes and a prize-winners' gala on the final evening.
Date:
May 2012 TBA
Bucharest Street Music Festival
The Bucharest Street Music Festival takes place against the backdrop of the cobbled alleys and winding roads of the medieval old city. The event and the skilled artists involved evoke the music and traditions of the troubadours by performing Romanian folk music and medieval pieces.
Date:
June annually
Bucharest International Film Festival
Also known as B-EST IFF, this festival was started in 2005 by the Romanian Ministry of Culture, and offers a selection of winning films from big festivals like Sundance and Cannes along with a full week of screenings, master-classes and retrospectives.
Date:
19 - 25 March 2012
Venue:
Various venues throughout Bucharest
