…So you came to Bucharest for Product Camp and would like to afford a few or more hours to explore the city.
Fine! Where to start?
Here is a pocket guide for a visitor to explore our Capital city in one day.
Coffee
It’s always a great start of a day with a good coffee.
There are plenty of tiny spots to serve a good Expresso around the city Center.
I personally do not drink much coffee nevertheless here are some nice places near Romana-Ateneu area:
What’s Next?
How about a stroll down the Calea Victoriei until the Old Town?
Calea Victoriei and the Old Town are a must-see for every visitor in Bucharest.
A good start is in front of the Atheneum.
Here the echoes of the Enescu Festival are fading out after two weeks of concerts inside and also in the open air.
By Mihai Petre – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro, Link
Going down the street the traveler will notice some newly renovated old buildings like Hotel Continental, Casa Capsa.
It’s probably time for a stop for a refreshment. Yeah, I know the hot days of summer are gone, nevertheless I can’t help to recommend one of the best Ice Creams in town:
https://goo.gl/maps/K5ENkifbXX92 Puro & Bio.
Enjoy!
Also, for the creative part of us, let’s enter shortly ColorIt art supply store, one of my favorites.
What about Museums?
A chilly end-of September morning can be perfect to visit a museum.
And there are plenty on or near Calea Victoriei: National Museum of Art (The old Royal Palace), City of Bucharest Museum (Palatul Sutu), National History Museum (with Traian Column 1:1 copy and National Treasury), or at the opposite end (Piata Victoriei, accesible via M2 from Piata Unirii) Antipa Museum and Peasant’s Museum.
But where is the largest building? I want to visit “Casa Poporului”!
Well, the visit inside must be pre-scheduled 24 hours before here.
There is also the Museum of Modern Art well worth a visit.
It resides in the same (HUGE) building, and the entrance is from Mariott Hotel side.
If you just want to go round in front of the building there is a Tourist Bus Hop-on, Hop-off and will take you on a city tour for 25 lei. It’s an open double decker, an interesting experience.
Lunch
Here visitor, you have plenty of choice depending on your preference.
There are traditional places like Caru cu Bere, Hanu’ Berarilor Interbelic or little restaurants in the Old City.
There are some posh experiences like Nomad Sky Bar
I personally like Journey Pub (very close to Atheneum) and Trattoria il Calcio
Afternoon
In the afternoon, depending on your lifestyle I recommend enjoying a film or taking a longer walk off the beaten path.
Animest Festival
This is a well-known festival of animation that takes place this weekend in Bucharest.
You can also go visit one of the Shopping Malls – the best place to see a movie in town.
They are a bit further from the City Center and I can recommend AFI Palace Cotroceni, accessible via Metro M3 from Piata Unirii 1, direction Preciziei. Get off at Politehnica then taka a short walk towards the big blue sphere (the IMAX) and huge business and shopping park.
Walk in the Ioanid Quartal
For the more romantic and adventurous I recommend a walk I did a few weeks ago “Cu bastonul prin Bucuresti” through an old and untouched part of the town. I recommend that you start the visit from Cafe Verona – a nice place to serve the tea, do a round trip and be back to experience the Carturesti bookstore in the very building where the concept started about 10 years back.
The End
That’s about it for a one-day pocket guide.
Please forgive my biased approach, since I am not a professional guide. I have just shared with you my favourite places and I kindly invite other Bucharest residents to add their own recommendations in the comments.
Thank you!
See you on Sunday at the first edition of Product Camp Bucharest
