Romania’s capital is attracting a huge influx of visitors thanks to the promotion of the Therme Bucharest spa, but the real gems are found in the heart of the city.
My fate was sealed when Leeds Bradford Airport added a new one to its limited flights. In a spontaneous move, I booked a round-trip flight for less than £150 (€178), stuffed a few T-shirts into a small bag that barely met Ryanair’s hand luggage requirements, and booked two nights at the first hotel I arrived at. I learned that it does not belong to an American holding company.
You only have 48 hours to explore BucharestHaving a tight travel schedule was essential. So I scoured TikTok for my to-do list and pinned everything on Google Maps that strangers on the internet insisted I see.
I’m ashamed to admit that I knew next to nothing about the city I’d suddenly landed in, except that it had long been a kind of Transylvanian base camp: home of the world’s second most famous vampire, after Edward Cullen.
However bran castle and their spooky Dracula tales are more than 150 kilometers from the airport, a five-hour round trip on what was supposed to be a quick holiday. Does this bother me? No. Do I have a driver’s license? None of them. I too was shattered after my dreams of seeing a bloodsucking monster were dashed. I arrived late (shout out to Ryanair for their impossible flight schedule), which meant the only thing on my to-do list was to order chips and a Diet Coke to my room and fall asleep listening to the cars beeping.
Kick off your boots with brunch and books in the city center
Brunch the next morning was at Bread and Butter, an Instagrammable café with lots of houseplants, and I had a hard time finding a table there.
If you don’t want to risk waiting, don’t worry. The city is brimming with trendy cafes, themed cafes and breakfast joints that can easily compete with Via London, Bruges or Milan.
It’s true that places like the Van Gogh Cafe can be a bit gimmicky and you’ll be in every tourist’s photo if you sit inside, but they’re practical stops for a caffeine fix or a light lunch. Moreover, even tourist traps are not overly expensive.
When you turn the corner, carousel scholars Maybe the most stylish bookstore I’ve ever seen. The English department is small, but there are many contemporary titles and a wide range of gifts, stationery and lovely trinkets.
After stopping to buy a book, it was time to get away from the crowded main street and the Dracula souvenir shops. Surrounded by a dizzying mix of antique jewelery shops, fur shops and tobacco stalls, I wandered the cobblestone streets and less visited areas of the city.
It strikes me as having a sort of faded Hollywood glamor: a mash-up of Britain’s gritty seaside resorts. communist era architectureimpressive 18th-century churches and a coffee shop that clearly isn’t interested in Starbucks’ copyright lawsuits. I found it fascinating and original and before I knew it I was at my next stop.
A glimpse into Romania’s rich history at the Palace of Parliament
I had reserved Visit to the Palace of Parliament. Me and the 11am tour group were told to leave any items that might cause security problems at the meeting point, as a “crazy man” had recently brought knives into the building in response to tax increases. “They change the rules all the time,” the tour guide warned as he put out his cigarette. “Do not carry anything that could be seen as a weapon.”
With one lighter missing, we head towards the Palace, which suddenly appears before us after a sharp turn in the street. It’s a bit of a scary sight.one that instantly casts you into its shadow and leaves you feeling a little cold. Brutal but impressive. Magnificent but shocking.
The order of the construction, which started in 1984 and has not been completed yet Nicolas CeaușescuRomania’s second and last communist leader. He was overthrown and executed in the 1989 Revolution, but his concrete vision endures and he remains fiercely proud. It is the second largest administrative building in the worldThis facility, second only to the Pentagon, was built using 550,000 tons of cement and more than one million cubic meters of marble.
Entry is only through a guided tour, and even then you’ll only be able to catch a glimpse of this huge monolith. With more than 3,000 rooms. But the interior is much cozier, with mint green corridors, crystal chandeliers, pink marble walls and undulating artwork.
It’s interesting to see echoes of the past again Romania. in the palace 100,000 people workedmany were subjected to brutal 24-hour shifts three times a week to meet deadlines. Ironically, the Civil Rights Hall was also included as one of the stops.
ADVERTUsed as a replacement for the Vatican in the movie ‘Nun’The House of Parliament has an opulence comparable to Buckingham Palace or Versailles, but it has also opened its rooms for public lectures, weddings and even live shows.
Halfway through the route, I saw an extravagant walking path; something completely unexpected. The surprise factor continues underground nuclear bunkers and tunnel network It has long attracted the attention of visitors and locals.
It’s worth visiting even if you’re not a history buff. However, after being told repeatedly how much carpet was laid (22,000 square meters), the height of the building (84 meters), and that Ceaușescu was shot dead on Christmas Day, we felt tired. I took a dip in the pool and had a steam session and I was ready.
Bucharest’s nightlife and gastronomy will surprise you
Bucharest comes alive at night In a way I didn’t expect. Unpretentious stores I had passed dozens of times in broad daylight suddenly had lines of men eager to get in with a neon sign of a naked woman on display. The restaurant, which was serving hamburgers and hot dogs a few hours ago, now had women dancing on the tables and, even stranger, the ice cream parlor was packed.
ADVERTI opted for a quieter evening after my friend found a seat at a fancy restaurant outside the city. This was my first tasting menu and I’m not a big fan of cooking, so the idea of spending upwards of £100 (120 euros) on some tiny sofas didn’t really appeal to me. But in the spirit of trying something new, I agreed and couldn’t be more grateful that I did.
Waiter It is an “experimental” restaurant serving Romanian cuisine. It describes itself as “a manifesto, a symbol of change, a place of contrasts.” All this means very little to me. The cynic in me was expecting a stuffy atmosphere, a lack of food, and an overwhelming sense of judgment for admitting I don’t eat meat or seafood.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth. All members of staff welcomed us with enthusiasm and care and the nine courses left me speechless. Theater was on a level I didn’t know existed: from the napkins that grew after being watered with ginger tea or even a seawater clam actually made from mushrooms. In my opinion, any restaurant that can elegantly display bread in a paper bag is worthy of a Michelin star.
inside communist periodMuch of the cuisine relied on staples: vegetables not exactly associated with luxury, such as cauliflower, cabbage, or potatoes. but these cheap vegetables They turned into heavenly morsels, better than ever. It was like Bucharest itself; It was an amalgamation of its political past still caught between modernity.
ADVERTwe ate chef’s mother’s pickleHe came every week to pickle vegetables, and we played backgammon for dessert until we realized that the pieces were edible.
Chef Radu Ionescu-Fehér and his team fascinated and satisfied me for more than three hours, making me laugh, teaching me a lot about their country’s past, and showing me the power of sometimes just saying “yes.” If they open a restaurant in the UK my salary will be horrifying.
Are Bucharest spas worth it?
The second and final day started the same as the previous one: a visit to Bread and Butter, a wander around, another coffee, another trinket I didn’t need but had to buy. I walked a less interesting route to the Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, which was a bit disappointing.
It’s time to talk about the elephant in the room. The reason I walked for over an hour to see the traffic at the roundabout was because I was on the road. To Therme Spa in Bucharest. This place was by far the most recommended place on TikTok, with thousands of social media users recommending it. The only reason to visit Bucharest.
ADVERTThis indoor oasis, with its swim-up bars, jacuzzis, palm trees, saunas and steam rooms, has put Bucharest on the map like never before, and many Brits who have shared their entire lives online have told me it’s worth flying three hours just to experience it. this experience.
It’s just a stone’s throw from the airport, making it very convenient, and the idea of ending a busy 48 hours with a steam bath was too good to resist. This is where expectations matter, because if you’re looking for a quiet, pampering day where the staff speaks to you softly and brings you warm towels and watermelon slices, You are in the wrong place.
There is nothing relaxing or sensual about the Therme Spa, and the fact that it has become so popular means this is only going to get worse. They march you through the checkout booths like cattle before telling you that towels and slippers are mandatory (fortunately, you can rent or buy them there).
The pool is nice enough, but unless you manage to find a spot no one else is thinking of, you’ll probably have to deal with large crowds and long waits at the bar. Excessive queues and dozens of sweaty bodies in onesauna This isn’t my idea of relaxation. In fact, it’s quite disconcerting to have so many heads turning to look at you as you try to find an empty seat. I immediately felt that the four hour booking was a waste of money, but with good company the time flew by.
ADVERTThe thing is, Therme Spa isn’t necessarily bad, and I actually had a good time once I got used to the slight chaos. I sweated out the previous night’s delicious meal inches away from another stranger, dried off under red-lit lounge chairs, and ate a pretty good Pad Thai at the Thai restaurant upstairs. It’s time to say goodbye and return to the tropical paradise of Leeds.
So if you are lucky enough to visit this fascinating city, be sure to do so. And bring your flip-flops.
