Bucharest City Breaks
Don your most comfortable walking shoes to explore Bucharest's highlights as many are conveniently located in the city centre. First stop has to be the sprawling Parliament Palace, second only in size to the Pentagon. Such Communist excess contrasts with the wealth of Belle Epoque buildings, the glorious old quarter, Lipscani, also the centre of the city's pulsating nightlife, and the green lung of the city, Cismigiu Gardens, whose lake you can row across in the summer and skate on in the winter. Browse designer shops, attend a concert at the Romanian Athenaeum and sample some down-to-earth Romanian fare.
Bucharest City Breaks
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Taking to the streets is the best way to get under the skin of this intriguing city. In the Old Town chic boutiques coexist with Communist mementos. Elsewhere grand Belle Epoque buildings are home to trendy cafes, lively bars and shops selling everything from ball gowns to religious icons. Blur fact and fiction by tracking down the home of Vlad the Impaler, reportedly the inspiration for Dracula.
When to go
Every May, Bucharest steps back in time for the Bucharest of Old festival, which celebrates the city as it was 200 years ago. The festivities include parades of 19th-century costumes, rides in horse-drawn carriages, traditional food and musical performances. For music lovers don't miss the Johann Strauss International Festival. This week-long celebration of classical music is held at various venues around the city, including the George Enescu Museum.
