This winter we have decided to spend a few days cold visiting Romania.
March 29th
We left Malaga at 11:10 in the morning with the Romanian low-cost company Blue Air. He was on time and the plane was relatively comfortable with plenty of room for the seats. About 16.00 we landed in Bucharest 4 hours later. Although Romania belongs to the European Union, you have to go through the slow passport control, so don’t forget it at home.
Do not forget to always travel with good insurance, such as that of IATI, specialists in travel insurance. Also, if you are our reader, you will get a 5% discount through the following link:
Bucarest
To get to the hotel we took bus 783 which (supposedly) takes about 45 minutes to get to the center. The ticket is bought in a small booth next to the stop and you must first purchase a rechargeable card called Cardul MULTIPLU for 1.60RON (0.34€-0.40$) and then recharge at least 2 journeys. Each journey costs 3.50RON (0.75€-0.89$) and you can recharge it as many times as you want. You always have to validate the ticket when you enter. By the way, the card is not sold inside the bus.
We got on the bus which is full. It makes a million stops before reaching the city. Already entering the city… PAM! jam! Of about 45 minutes that the bus should take to get to the center, it took us almost two hours, it was exasperating. I haven’t seen anything like this since our trip to Hanoi in Vietnam.
If you do not want to suffer these devilish traffic jams, you can always hire a transfer service, faster and to the door of your hotel in Romania.
We finally got off and headed to the hotel. We chose the Novotel Bucharest City Center. A 4-star hotel in the heart of Bucharest’s golden mile. It sounds pompous but hotels in Bucharest are very cheap. This cost us €56 ($66.20) per night. In Spain it would have been a fortune.
As it was quite late, we left our things and went for a short walk through the old town and to find something for dinner. It was quite cold and as we were tired, we went to bed early as we had to get up early the next day to make the most of the day.
March 30th
We get up very early and go outside in the cold of the morning.
The hotel is located on Calea Victoriei (Victory Street), the oldest and most important street in Bucharest, dating from the year 1692, made to unite the former court of the Principality with the Mogosoaia Palace and inaugurated by the Lord of Wallachia: Constantin Brâncoveanu .
It stretches from United Nations Square (from the intersection with Splaiul Independenței) to Piața Victoriei and is 2,700 meters long. In it are many historic buildings and luxury shops.
Formerly, before the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu (1654-1714), the street was called Drumul Brașovului and it was outside Bucharest. The section leading from United Nations Square (former Senate Square) and Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta was known at the time as Ulița Mare to Sărindar because it led to the Sărindar Church, located in what is now the Palatul Cercului Militar National.
After the victory in the War of Independence, on October 8, 1878, it was renamed Calea Victoriei, after the triumphal entry of the Romanian army.
In two minutes walking we reach the Piaţa Revoluţiei (Revolution Square). In this square, in December 1989, the dictator Ceausescu’s regime came to an end after the massacre of the civilian population in the Timisoara protests. Formerly the square was first called Piața Palatului (Palace Square) and later Piața Republicii (Republic Square). More recently, during the communist times, it was called Piața Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej.
In the square we find the Presidential Palace in whose building the Senate and several ministries are now located.
In the Piaţa Revoluţiei there is also the Biserica Kretzulescu, a small Orthodox church built between 1720 and 1722 in red brick by order of Chancellor Kretzulescu Safta and his wife.
In front of the church, in the center of the square is the Memorialul Renașterii (Renaissance Memorial) that commemorates the struggles and victims of the 1989 Revolution, which marked the end of the communist regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu.
Next to the small church is the Muzeul Național de Artă (Romanian National Museum of Art).
The building in which it is located is the former Royal Palace built between 1812 and 1815. In 1837, the Wallachian prince Alexandru Ghica moved his residence here.
Between 1859 and 1866, after the union of the Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza used the house as a ceremonial palace and residence.
In 1882 King Carol I hired the French architect Paul Gottereau and the Czech Karel Liman to expand and decorate the palace and in 1906, the palace became the winter residence of the Royal Court.
After the abdication of King Miguel I in 1947 and the takeover of the government by the communists, the palace was nationalized and turned into an art museum and the council of ministers.
The museum was opened in 1948 and has in its heritage one of the largest collections of paintings in Romania, with an important collection of King Carol I, originally housed in Peles Castle in Sinaia.
At the rear of the museum is the Sala Palatului (Palace Hall). It is a concert and conference hall built between 1959 and 1960 during the regime of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej.
In front of the museum is the equestrian statue of Carol I and just behind it, the Central Library of the University of Bucharest. Built between 1891 and 1893 and founded in 1895, it is the oldest university library in Bucharest.
In July 1948 the Library of the University Foundation becomes the Central Library of the “CI Parhon” University of Bucharest.
During the 1989 Revolution, the building burned down and much of its content was lost, around 500,000 volumes were destroyed.
In front of the library is the Statuia Ecvestră a lui Carol I, the equestrian statue of King Carol I, inaugurated on May 10, 1939, Romania’s National Day, in the presence of King Carol II and Grand Duke Mihai (the future King Mihai of Romania), the Centenary of the birth of Carol I.
On the night of December 30-31, 1947, immediately after King Mihai signed the forced abdication and Romania became the Romanian People’s Republic, the communists removed the statue from the pedestal. Later it was melted down and with the bronze the statue of Lenin in Bucharest was created.
The current statue was made in 2010.
A little further on is the Ateneul Român (Romanian Athenaeum). The Athenaeum is one of the most important monuments in Bucharest. Built between 1886 and 1888 in neoclassical style and is home to the “George Enescu” Philharmonic.
The Romanian Athenaeum was built on the Garden of the Episcopate, a land that belonged to the Văcăreşti family and was heavily criticized as it was too far from the city center.
We continue walking and we reach Bulevardul Nicolae Bălcescu, one of the main avenues of Bucharest that leads us to the old part of the city. Along the avenue we can see the combination between classical buildings combined with buildings from the Soviet era. It’s not that the mixture is particularly pretty, but it has its charm.
You can enjoy a beautiful experience hiring a free tour of the city and discover its secrets.
Passing in front of the Biserica Italiană we arrive at the National Theater of Bucharest and the kilometer 0 of Romania.
Directly opposite is the Piața Universității (University Square). In 1989, during a peaceful student demonstration, the army fired on the demonstrators, causing a real bloodbath. To remember the dead, ten crosses were erected on the avenue next to the square.
Next to the square there are also several buildings of the university’s faculties. The Piața Universității is one of the most popular meeting places in the city.
To the south of the square we can see the small Russian church Biserica Colței surrounded by a large French-style building. This is the Spitalul Clinic Colțea, the first hospital in Bucharest, built in 1704.
Walking through the area, we saw some golden domes at the end of a street that caught our attention. We got closer and it turned out to be the Biserica Sfântul Nicolae fostă Rusă (Church of Saint Nicholas) which we didn’t see in any guidebook. The pity is that it was practically completely covered by scaffolding but from the photos I’ve seen on the internet, it looks very good and it’s worth visiting.
We continue walking through the old town and we begin to understand why Bucharest is called little Paris. The classical buildings are very similar to the Parisian ones, only hindered by some Soviet-era buildings built between them.
After a while, we reach the Biserica Mănăstirii Stavropoleos. This church is one of the essential tourist places in Bucharest. Built in 1724, it was about to be demolished due to its poor conditions in the 19th century. It is known for its architectural beauty and its Byzantine music choir. The interior of the enclosure is a haven of peace that does not seem to be in the middle of a capital.
A little further on we find ourselves in front of the Palatul CEC, the palace of the savings bank. The palace was built in 1897 and the foundation stone was laid in the presence of King Carol I of Romania and Queen Elisabeta. It was built by the French architect Paul Gottereau after the demolition of the monastery of San Juan el Grande, from the 16th century and which was in this place until its demolition in 1875 to build the savings bank.
The palace has one of the most impressive neoclassical facades in all of Bucharest.
Directly opposite the Palatul CEC is the Natural History Museum of Romania. It is the most important museum in Romania and contains objects discovered in the current territory of Romania from prehistory to contemporary times. It was founded in 1970 in the Palacio de Correos building.
The Post Office Palace building was built between 1894 and 1900 in neoclassical style according to plans by Romanian architect Alexandru Săvulescu and the foundation stone was laid in the presence of King Carol I of Romania, Prime Minister Lascăr Catargiu, cabinet ministers, the prefect of police and the mayor of the city.
It functioned as a post office until 1970. Posting a letter in such a palace must have been quite an experience.
We retrace our steps a bit and find the Pasajul Macca Vilacrosse, a beautiful glass-covered horseshoe-shaped passageway built by the architect Felix Xenopol in 1891. The passageway was built to connect the National Bank with the busiest commercial artery of that time, and contained many small shops inside. It was also the seat of Bucharest’s first stock exchange, before the construction of the stock exchange building on Strada Bursei.
Today it contains many restaurants and cafes inside.
We continue walking and arrive at the Piaţa Constituţiei, where the extremely exaggerated Palace of Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului) is located. The pharaonic building ordered to be built by Ceausescu in 1984, suffered a stoppage in its construction after the death of the dictator in 1989 and the works began again in the 90s. Today it is still not finished being built.
Today it is a multipurpose building and conference room. It can be visited through guided tours by paying 15 RON (€3.14-$3.72). Since 2004 it houses the National Museum of Contemporary Art of Romania in its west wing.
From the Parliament Palace starts the Bulevardul Unirii, another of the pharaonic works of the dictator Ceausescu. The Bulevardul Unirii is a 4km promenade that goes from the parliament to Alba Iulia square. The street is lined with socialist realist apartment blocks and was built half a meter wider than the Champs Elysées in Paris to taunt them.
What struck us the most was the number of fountains in the middle of the boulevard and the Piaţa Unirii, all without water. I don’t know if it was because of the high cost of having them all turned on or because they could freeze in the cold weather.
Walking back to the center, after passing an alley, we ended up in a small church that we were unaware of its existence. It is the Biserica Domnița Bălașa, built between 1881 and 1885, in neo-romantic style. Romanian churches are very curious and different.
We return back to the Piaţa Unirii and sit down to have a coffee and rest a bit. With our energies a little renewed, we headed to the Choral Temple. The temple is the largest synagogue in Romania and is a copy of the Vienna Leopoldstadt-Tempelgasse synagogue. It is one of the only religious centers that still exist from ancient times, built between 1857 and 1867.
You can visit it by paying 10RON (€2.09-$2.45) and we coincided exactly with a guided tour in Spanish. The temple has a very rich history and is gorgeous inside. It really is worth the visit.
After a morning well spent, it was time to eat. We went to a restaurant that was recommended in numerous forums called Hanul lui Manuc, which in addition to being a restaurant is a hotel and a historical monument. Built in 1808 as a place where caravans stopped to rest and feed the animals. The place has a huge patio and since it was sunny and warm, it was quite full, but there were about a million tables.
The menu of the day costs 23.50 RON (€4.90-$5.80) and consists of a starter, a main course and a side dish. All typical Romanian food and for 12.50 RON more (€2.60-$3.08) a pitcher of craft beer made by them. exquisite.
Yes, Romania is like the USA. Salaries are extremely low and it is mandatory to leave between 5 and 15% tip.
After regaining strength, as soon as we left the restaurant we came across Curtea Veche (Old Court). It is believed that it was built by Vlad Tepes (of whom there is a bust) between 1458-1459 on the old fortress on the banks of the Dambovita River. Between a great fire in 1718 and an earthquake in 1738, the court was destroyed and forgotten. Today only ruins and the church, the Biserica Sfântul Anton, which is the oldest in Bucharest (1545-1554), remain.
From here, we went directly to pick up our luggage at the hotel to go to the north train station, which around 4:30 p.m. we left for Brasov. When buying the ticket the day before we had the small problem that there were no tickets left on any of the afternoon trains, but on the 16.30 there were still seats in 1st class for a whopping €3 ($3.55) more per person and route… well signed. The final price was 63 RON per head (€12.72-$14.35).
We arrived at the station early so we took a walk around but there is nothing remarkable.
The train is late, we started well. When it appears, the train was made of remnants, the cars different from each other, and each one more dusty than the previous one. We located ours and got on. If that was 1st class, how should it be 2nd. It had been a long time since a mop and the WC had passed through that car… ugh! The car is filling up, and when I say that it is filling up, it is literally, the aisle overflowing with people standing. We left a little late and along the way people are getting off little by little.
Once we start to cross the mountains, the landscape becomes more and more spectacular. Really pretty little villages and snowy forests.
As we went up, more and more snow until we start to go down and it starts to disappear.
Brasov
About two and three quarter hours later we finally arrived in Brasov. A friend who had already been there told me that Brasov was a rich city, that you could tell there was money there for the ski resorts and so on. Well, we got off the train and the station is to see it. Old and falling apart. For a city with pasta, the first impression is not very good.
In front of the station we took bus number 4 to get to the old town, which is where we had the hotel.
We chose the Casa Wagner, a small independent hotel in the heart of Piața Sfatului, the central square of the old town. A simple but very clean and well-appointed hotel. The price was €61 ($72.20) per night. The only downside is that the heating was on full blast and we had to sleep with the windows open in the dead of winter because we couldn’t find the regulator. I guess it was central heating.
Arriving in this area we already realized that even if it was a city with a good economy since there was a high rate of high-end cars and not the very popular Dacias of all times that were all over Bucharest.
Since it was getting late, we left our things at the hotel, took a little walk around the square and sat down to dinner. In the same square there was a nice looking burger place with good reviews called Old Jack Burger House so we didn’t think about it. They had a fairly wide variety of burgers and the truth is that they were very good and relatively cheap.
As it was right next to the hotel, we went directly to rest because we had to get up early the next day.
March 31st
Today it was time to get up very early. We are going for a walk to Bran to see the castle of «Dracula». We took the bus very early in search of the bus station. We arrived and there was no one there to ask. After wandering around for a while, a lady finally appeared at one of the lockers. It turned out that we were in the wrong station. We had to go to Autogara 2. What a waste of time. At the gate we take a taxi and after the approximately €1 ride, we arrive at autogara 2.
If the train station looked like it was going to fall apart, this one was already falling apart. We went to the box office and bought the tickets. I think I remember that it cost us 10RON (€2.09-$2.47). There was a stall where we bought some sweets for breakfast and a coffee machine from which we got a couple of coffees that were so bad that we had to throw them out. There was no way to swallow that. Luckily, they cost us about 20 cents ($0.24).
Finally our bus arrives at platform two. That was to see. Dilapidated no, the following. When we entered we discovered that it was an old Spanish bus, since the signs were in Spanish including one for Paco buses.
At 9 o’clock we leave for Bran. 45 minutes later we got off at the Bran stop next to the castle. The first impression of the castle is good, quite spectacular in appearance. On top of a big rock, small but well kept.
To get to it we passed through a small “theme park” with a multitude of restaurants and stalls related to Dracula and some attraction. We arrive at the door of the castle and there we make our queue to enter.
The entrance fee is 40RON (€8.40-$10) which, for Romania, seems quite expensive to me. The castle has about 60 rooms which are practically empty. In some there was information about the history of the castle and of Transylvania, and in another room at the top there was a small exhibition with information about Dracula in the cinema.
The interior patio is quite cool but in general terms, for us who were there for a few days, we believe that it is not worth coming here to see it.
Since we were there for a few days we had to choose between visiting Bran and Sighișoara, and I think we made a mistake choosing Bran. Well, we have an excuse to go back to Romania. Since it was quite early, we still decided to go to Rasnov, a town on the way to Brasov that looked good looking through the forums.
We took the bus in Bran and in about 15 minutes we got off in Rasnov.
We crossed the village on our way to the base of the mountain where the lift to the citadel is located.
The town looks very well-kept and the old town is very pretty, we suppose it is because of the influx of tourists as we passed several souvenir shops, although the streets were empty that day.
The cable car costs 12RON (2.50€) and the views on the way up were spectacular. By the way, we were alone in the cabin.
The citadel was built between 1211 and 1225 for Teutonic knights to defend Transylvania from Turkish and Tatar invasions.
It is well worth a visit and admission is free.
We walked downhill and on the way down we picked up a freshly made kürtős kalács at a stall. A sweet that we saw everywhere and which turned out to be of Hungarian origin, although I don’t remember seeing it in Hungary. To me it was similar to doughnut dough, but instead of fried, it was grilled.
If you prefer comfort, you can hire a fantastic excursion with a guide at Civitatis:
By lunchtime we are back in Brasov. We ate at a place that had been recommended to me called Sergiana. Apparently it is one of the most famous restaurants in the city. It is located in a basement of grotesque dimensions.
As soon as we sat down, they gave us a plate of natural pork rinds to snack on, which were very good.
To eat we ordered a plate of pastrami and a smoked knuckle with beans. Everything was great. We ended up full and it cost us about €8 ($9.50) per person.
With a full belly we went to visit the old part of the city. We walk up the lively street full of cafes and restaurants Strada Republicii to the Piata Sfatului, the main square of the old town.
On the square is the old town hall, now converted into the Brasov history museum. Also here is the Biserica Sfânta Adormire a Maicii Domnului, the Merchant’s House and Mureseanu Family Memory Museum.
Piata Sfatului also hosts the Golden Deer Festival, a famous summer music festival.
We continue on our way to the base of Tampa Mountain and the park that is located there, from which there are beautiful views of the city. Unfortunately we arrived too late to take the cable car and we couldn’t get to the top of the mountain, so we took a nice walk around the old town passing through the different fortifications that are preserved from medieval times, such as the Weavers’ Bastion (Bastionul Ţesătorilor).
The bastion was built by the linen weavers guild between 1421 and 1436. In this first stage the two lower levels. Between 1570 and 1573 the upper levels and two watchtowers were built.
A major earthquake in 1710 destroyed the northwest tower and it was decided to rebuild it, resulting in the current bastion. At the end of the 18th century it fell into disuse and was abandoned, but in 1910 it was decided to restore it and convert it into the Brașov County History Museum.
From here we can see the Cetățuia de pe Strajă (Strajă or Watchtower Fortress), located on the Strajă hill. Construction began in the early 15th century as a single defensive tower, expanding to a four-towered wooden bastion in 1524. It was destroyed in 1529 by Petru Rareș’s army during the Battle of Feldioara.
It was rebuilt in the mid-16th century but in 1618 it was partially destroyed by fire. Rebuilt again in 1625, it underwent various modifications until, in 1773, Emperor José II ordered the renovation of the Citadel, renewing it to its current appearance.
We went down the Șirul Plăieșilor street passing by a small and pretty church surrounded by a cemetery called Biserica Sfânta Parascheva, built between 1874 and 1876 as a chapel for the cemetery, until we reached the Poarta Șchei. This is the wall entrance to the Schei Quarter. The current gate dates from 1827 since the old one was destroyed by a fire.
Nearby is the Poarta Ecaterinei, which is the only surviving original medieval gate in the city. It was built in 1559 by the weavers’ guild and is named after the monastery of Santa Catalina, which previously stood on this site.
Here we sat down to rest on a bench, taking advantage of the fact that the sun had risen and it was very comfortable
After the break we approach the nearby Bastionul Fierarilor (Blacksmith’s Bastion), another of the city’s strongholds.
The original was built of wood in 1521 but was destroyed by the floods of 1526. It was rebuilt but was destroyed again during the floods of 1667. The current one dates from 1668 and is built in a pentagonal shape. Today they are the archives of the city of Brasov.
We continue along După Ziduri Street to come across the Turnul Negru (Black Tower), one of the city’s four defensive towers, built in the 15th century.
A little further on we come across the Bastionul Graft (Gate Bastion) built between 1515 and 1521 by the saddlers’ guild, intended to connect the soldiers in the fortress and the White Tower.
Next to it we find the Turnul Alb (White Tower), another of the city’s defensive towers, built between 1460 and 1494.
We went down George Barițiu Street until we reached the impressive Biserica Neagră.
The Biserica Neagră (Black Church) is one of the main monuments of Brasov. Built between 1383 and 1477, it is the largest Gothic church in Romania. The name of black church is due to a fire in 1689 that blackened the walls. The truth is that it is spectacular.
After visiting the church, we sat down to have a hot chocolate in the Coffeöl cafeteria, it tasted great and was warm.
When we finished, night had already fallen, so we went for a quiet walk through the old part of the city. Since we had to get up very early the next morning to catch the train back, we decided to have an early dinner.
As we had really liked the hamburger from the night before, we repeated. But that night, the experience was not good at all. They took a long time to serve us. After a long time my partner was brought his hamburger; not mine… now they will bring it. Minutes passed and he did not arrive. I tell the boy. Keep hanging out. My partner finishes his burger and I’m still waiting. More than an hour after ordering it, I already tell the person who seemed to be the owner what was going on with my food. He told me that it seems that there had been a mistake and that he immediately asks for it and leaves. Still, it took about half an hour. The man asked us for a thousand pardons but even so, the discontent was maximum. Needless to say, they ran out of the “obligatory” tip. Not a single leu. With the nonsense they had given us almost 11 at night and we had to go to bed.
Here we leave the map with the points we visited in the 3 cities:
April 1st
At 9.45 we took the train to Sinaia. There we make a stop to see the Peleș castle.
Sinaia
About an hour later we arrived at the Sinaia station. If you are carrying suitcases, you can leave your things with the lady who collects and cleans the bathrooms, who takes them to a room that she has locked. I seem to recall that she charged us like €5 ($5.92) per bag. It is totally reliable.
When we left the station, we found ourselves with a hell of a cold.
Since we hadn’t had breakfast yet, we entered the first cafe we saw, Ramayana Cafe. It appears to be an Arabic themed cafe. The coffee and waffle were very good.
After gaining strength, we went for a walk to the Mănăstirii Sinaia, an Orthodox monastery founded in 1695 by Prince Mihail Cantacuzino, after his pilgrimage to Mount Sinai, in Egypt, where he fell in love with the great monastery of Santa Catalina.
It was designed to serve as a monastery, as well as a fortress on the way between Braşov and Bucharest and, in principle, it was only going to house twelve monks, inspired by the twelve apostles, although that number was increasing. It currently houses thirteen.
Despite the cold, the visit is very pleasant and calm since there was hardly anyone.
Starting from the monastery, the climb to the Peleș Castle is via a walk through the forest.
Starting from the monastery, the climb to the Peleș castle is via a walk through the forest.
The trees on the path were bare but the path was quite attractive due to the snow that was on it and, as a good native of the Canary Islands, snow fascinates me.
The landscape in spring and summer, while the trees are lush, must also be spectacular.
Arriving at the venue, some craft stalls had been set up where you could buy some souvenirs.
We arrive at the castle grounds and we can already observe the spectacular nature of both the castle and its surroundings.
Peleș Castle was started in 1875 by King Charles I of Romania as a summer palace. In 1993 it was opened to the public as a museum.
The visits are guided in several languages and luckily, as soon as you arrived, one came out in Spanish.
The ticket price is 60 RON (€12.60-$14.90) plus another 35RON (€7.35-$8.70) if you want to take photos.
Unlike Bran Castle, Peles Castle is a real wonder and I think it’s a must-see on any trip to Romania. A little further up is the Castelul Pelișor, a small castle built between 1899 and 1902 by King Charles I of Romania for his heirs Ferdinand and Maria.
The entrance to Pelișor Castle is not included in the Peleș Castle entrance fee. To enter you have to pay another 20RON (4.20€-5$).
Since we didn’t want to pay more and it was getting late, we went back to the town for a walk and to find somewhere to eat.
On the way and with nowhere to go, such a blanket of water fell on us from the sky that the umbrellas were useless and the shoes, which are supposed to be the ones that are difficult for the water to pass through, got soaked. What a way to rain.
We ate at La Cerdac restaurant, a traditional Romanian food restaurant located on the main street of Sinaia. We ate quite well and cheap.
To make time for the train to leave, we took a walk along the main street until we reached the casino. The houses were amazing, impressive mansions, some restored, others ruined.
It looks like a haunted mansion from a movie. I like it.
The Casino was built in 1912 by order (of course) of King Charles I of Romania and is located in Dimitrie Ghica Park, very close to the train station.
We return to the station and the same lady was still there many hours later, who returns our bags and at 6:16 p.m. we take the train back which, like the one to go, was also to see it.
Here you can see a map with the points visited in Sinaia:
Bucharest
Around 8:00 p.m. we arrived at the north station and we went straight to the hotel, which was the same as the first night, and to find something for dinner.
We had dinner near the hotel at a place called Noa Restoclub. We ate very well, although somewhat expensive for Romania. On the way to the hotel we passed through a street that really caught our attention: a street completely covered by open umbrellas. It is the Ubrellas street.
And to bed you have to get up early to take advantage of the last morning in Romania.
If you want a deeper experience in Sinaia, you can hire a guided tour from Bucharest with Civitatis.
April 2nd
We get up early again and on the march to the street. We walked closer to Cişmigiu Park. It is the oldest park in Bucharest, opened in 1854. It is also the largest in the central area with more than 14 hectares. The park is very popular, especially in summer where tourists and locals come together as many activities are organized.
We continue taking a short walk through the old town making time to go to the airport.
To get back to the airport, we took the metro at the Universitate station to Piaţa Victoriei 1, to avoid most of Bucharest’s hellish traffic. There we take the 783 bus directly to the airport.
The bus passed by the impressive Arcul de Triumf (Arch of Triumph). Located on one of the most important streets in Bucharest, Şoseaua Kiseleff, it was built in 1922 to commemorate the end of the First World War. In 1935 it was demolished and the following year the arch that we can see today was rebuilt.
Here we leave the map with the points we visited in Bucharest:
The flight left at 3:50 p.m. so we arrived at the airport with some time and had to eat. Since the places in the airports are expensive, we decided to eat at the burger king, which we don’t like at all but is usually the cheapest. Big mistake. The most expensive meal we had in Romania, twice as much as in any restaurant we had eaten at. Wow… shit at the price of gold. So as a tip, take a sandwich before going to the airport.
This is the end of our visit to Romania. Before going we had some doubts but we were really surprised. Very friendly and open people, spectacular landscapes and a gastronomy to frame. We liked it so much that the idea is to return one day.
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