Bucharest Holiday

Traditions and culture in Bucharest

The cultural scene in Bucharest is continually growing, with visual and performing arts playing a pivotal role and a number of architectural attractions decorating the city.

It differs from other regions of Romania such as Transylvania or the Black Sea coast in the sense that it is markedly eclectic, incorporating both domestic and international trends.

This is perhaps best demonstrated through its buildings, which range from the traditional Romanian to those influenced by French architects - something which once saw the city labelled as the 'Paris of the east'.

The best-known museum is the National Museum of Art of Romania - which is located in the former royal palace - while the neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum, which hosts classical music concerts, is also world-renowned.

Things to do in Bucharest

Although Bucharest lost much of its beauty after being bombed during the second world war, there is still plenty to check out for anyone taking a holiday in the city.

Any holiday guide would point to the appeal of the Palace of the Parliament, which was built during the reign of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in the 1980s and is the largest building in Europe.

There are a number of other landmarks and monuments worth taking in, such as the Arcul de Triumf and the Memorial of Rebirth, which was unveiled in 2005 to commemorate the victims of the 1989 revolution to overthrow Communism.

Bucharest's parks are also fairly pleasant, but they only serve to hint at the greater beauty in the countryside - which is why most travellers claim that two to three days in the city is sufficient.

In terms of accommodation, staying in a cheap hotel is possible, although it may be cheap for a reason - however, the Hotel Duke on the Bulevard Dacia represents good value.

Weather in Bucharest

Bucharest has a continental climate which means that the summers are hot and dry and winters can often be very cold, with temperatures dropping below freezing.

The summers tend to be very pleasant, with temperatures capable of hitting 30C, while the rainiest seasons are in autumn and spring.

Destination checklist for Bucharest

Bucharest has a population of around 2,000,000.

The city is two hours ahead of GMT/UTC time.

The official currency is the leu.

Romanian is the official language spoken.

The country's international dialling code is +40.