Travel Guide
This Vibrant Capital Is One Of The Cheapest European Cities To Visit This Summer
May
If you’ve decided to head to Europe this summer but don’t have a big budget, places like Paris, London, and Milan are likely already off your list.
Between the surging crowds, inflated prices, and the “been there, done that” feel, they’re not exactly the most exciting of destinations to be in at the moment.
On the other hand, if you love authenticity, cities that offer Old World charm, yet that feel a little rough around the edges, and most importantly, they’re absolute bargains, then you’ll love Bucharest.
We’re talking $3 beer, a charming Old Town, a plethora of quirky spots, and the most epic nightlife:
Bucharest Just Keeps It Real
The national capital of Romania, Bucharest has been historically overlooked by tourists in favor of more traditional European city breaks, mainly out West:
It doesn’t have any obvious major landmarks, like Paris and its Eiffel Tower; it’s far from being a multicultural melting pot, London-style, and it’s not exactly the city of high fashion (leave that to Milan). So what has Bucharest got to offer?
Well, if Brutalist architecture, an edgy social scene, and quirky art districts happen to pique your interest…
Bucharest is often described as ‘Paris of the East’, but having been to Bucharest ourselves, we won’t be like the other blogs and lie to you: that’s a gross overstatement.
While it does have a historic centre crisscrossed by a handful of pedestrianized lanes lined with beautiful Belle époque buildings, much of Bucharest is Soviet-esque, gritty, and, at times, oppressively modernist.
If that’s your vibe, then go for it. On the other hand, if it’s a traditional European getaway you’re after, then you had better pick somewhere else, like Vienna or even a stately Budapest, which often gets mistaken for Bucharest.
So… About The Old Town
The Old Town, or Centrul Vechi, is the touristy heart of Bucharest, where most tourists will spend their time.
It’s no wonder that’s the case, when it’s the closest you get to your typical European cityscape:
Imagine cobbled streets, elegant galleries housed in stately buildings, and home themselves to rows of quirky cafés and traditional restaurants, and the odd few pre-18th-century sights, like the Stavropoleos Monastery, built in 1724, and the Old Princely Court.
The latter was, in fact, built by Vlad Dracul—remember him? The real-life Dracula—and though not much is left to be admired, there are still fragments of walls and arches that belonged to what must have been quite the edifice back then.
Unless you’re keen on strip clubs and staying until the wee hours partying in Lipscani Street, you can see much of what the Old Town has to offer in a couple of hours, but is there more to Bucharest than meets the eye?
Concrete Giants Galore
If you’ve chosen Bucharest as a summer destination, you know you’ve come here primarily for the endless sea of socialist-era apartment blocks and concrete giants, and in that respect, Bucharest is the gift that keeps on giving.
Starting with the Palace of the Parliament, the world’s heaviest building, weighing about 4,098,500 tonnes, and the third largest administrative building in the world, after the Reichstag in Berlin, and the Pentagon.
Then there’s the House of the Free Press, a Moscow-inspired lakeside structure resembling Stalin’s own “wedding cake-shaped” creations.
Brutalism may be Bucharest’s most prominent architectural feature, but it is far more diverse in that regard than it gets credit for: built in 1888, the Romanian Athenaeum is a neoclassical, round-shaped concert hall richly decorated with frescoes.
Elsewhere, the CEC Palace is a Paris-coded Beaux-Arts gem with an ornate façade and glass dome. Oh, on that note, Bucharest even has an ‘Arcul de Triumf’, similarly to the one you see on Champs-Élysées, so kudos to the Paris of the East, indeed!
Any Off The Beaten-Path Stuff?
Other must-sees in Bucharest include King Michael I Park, which spans 462 acres and is dominated by scenic Lake Herăstrău.
A hidden gem only locals seem to know about, Berăria H is a bustling beer hall where you can gorge on a variety of draft beer—just be aware it’s somewhat pricier than the Romanian average.
For something even more local and offbeat, you should take a bus out of the busy downtown zone and explore the quirky Uranus-Rahova neighborhood.
A creative district filled to the brim with art galleries and bars, it is born out of a semi-industrial zone, the working class’s urge to unwind at the weekend, and the younger generation’s craving for experimentalism and an artistic hub.
Let’s not forget Carturești Carusel, a bookshop you go to not only to browse the latest best-sellers, but to get lost in a whimsical 19th-century setting: located inside a repurposed historic bank, it is known for its striking-white spiral staircases, curved balconies, and palatial halls stacked with books.
Just How Cheap Is Bucharest?
If all of this hasn’t been enough to convince you to swap an overtouristed Paris for a more-unexpected Bucharest, hem, nothing will, but maybe looking at the prices could help?
According to a recent study published by Flight Hacks, Bucharest is the cheapest city break in Europe this year, and we have additional data to back it up:
As per Budget Your Trip estimates, you can eat for as cheap as $40 on a single day, on a budget, while hotels average only $52.
Overall, a one-week stay in Bucharest will set you back by roughly $510.
That’s a stark contrast with Paris, where the average price for a one-week trip is a whopping $2,084, and don’t get us started on bloody London and the rest.
The best part? Other than being cheap and offering a plethora of different activities, certain to appeal to all kinds of travelers, Bucharest is a nonstop flight away for Americans this summer.
You read that right: no more touching down first in France, the Netherlands, or Germany: thanks to HiSky, you can now fly direct from JFK to Bucharest-Otopeni, Romania’s main international airport, and a short half-hour train ride to the capital.
Find out more about the exciting new launch, including round-trip prices and schedule, here.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
