Bucharest In Your Pocket - Upload a Document to Scribd

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps BUCHAREST October - November 2008 Romanian Food: A Survival Guide How to avoid getting cheese on your fries and smântana on everything Back to Basics N°55 - 10.00 lei www.inyourpocket.com Bite-sized chunks of information about every subject under the Bucharest sun Contents 5 E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S Contents Basics 8 Everything you wanted to know about Bucharest and Romania, but were afraid to ask Culture & Events Marking your card 14 18 Where to Stay Places to rest your head Restaurants Cafes 32 Where to eat, and where to get food poisoning 55 59 Smântana on everything? Fortunately, there’s far more to Romanian cuisine, see page 52. Photo by Emmar @ Flickr. So many, we’ve given them their own chapter Nightlife Party hard in the city that never sleeps Sightseeing What to see Where to spend your days Children’s Bucharest Keeping those little ones amused 68 70 75 76 Lipscani One day, it will be a nice area Getting around Planes, trains & Automobiles Shopping 82 At last, there really are places to spend money in this city. We have our pick of the best Directory 83 Everything from accountants and realtors to shoe repairs and public schools Maps & Index Street Register Northern Bucharest Central & Southern Bucharest Index 93 94 96 98 Know where you’re going. Our great maps begin on page 94. Photo by Emmar @ Flickr. October - November 2008 6 Foreword One morning late in September, returning from a short holiday, it took In Your Pocket no less than two hours to get to from Otopeni Airport to the city centre, a trip of no more than 20 kilometres. Madness. Madder still is the fact that so many people do this daily. We ourselves have friends or colleagues who are currently building houses beyond Otopeni. One insists the new passage being built at Baneasa will solve the problem, while another has admitted to taking a ‘head in the sand’ approach that will be dealt with when the time comes to move in. The road in question, the DN1, is busy for a simple reason: it serves too many purposes. It is the only road out to two international airports, the only road to Bucharest’s largest shopping centre, and is the main road north to Ploiesti, Brasov and back again. While the underpass currently being built at Baneasa airport is welcome (though we are not holding our breath for it to be open anytime soon), those people who think that it will be some kind of panacea for the city’s traffic problems should think again. Yes, congestion will ease at Baneasa airport, but will increase at Casa Scanteii and at the Arc de Triumf. What is needed most is a rail link from the city to Otopeni airport. Alas, Bucharest’s powers that be have long insisted that the only option is a subterranean metro line, costing billions. This is nonsense. A bog standard railway line would do the job. Far cheaper, it could be ready in months, not years, and a great deal of the traffic coming back into town (which is airport traffic) would disappear. Pie in the sky? No. There is currently a railway line that passes within a mile of the terminal building (the line from Bucharest Gara de Nord to Snagov). All that’s needed is a simple extension of the line, a station at the terminal and enough trains to run a decent shuttle service. How much can that possibly cost? Europe In Your Pocket Cover story A very wet Strada Smardan, in Lipscani (see page 75). Photo taken by Emmar. Go to: www.emmamykytynphotography .wordpress.com for more examples of Emma’s photography. With the launch of Moscow In Your Pocket now imminent, check out what we have to offer in the Russian capital online at www.inyourpocket.com: the full content of Moscow IYP is now online. There are also online guides to Sarajevo and Banja Luka, Bosnia to enjoy, ahead of print editions to both cities, to be launched in October and November. Elsewhere, Glasgow In Your Pocket is in the final throes of preparation: expect the guide to hit newsstands before Christmas. The biggest news of all though at In Your Pocket is our new, much improved website, now in public beta. Check it out at beta.inyourpocket.com, and let us know what you think via email:editor@ inyourpocket.com is our address. Copyright notice Text, photos and maps copyright IYP Romania Srl 1999-2008 unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of its review, without written permission from the copyright owner. The trademark In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76). E S S E N T I A L C I TY G U I D E S Bucharest In Your Pocket Str. Alexandru Moruzzi Voievod 1 Bl. A10, Sc. 1, Ap. 14 031151 Bucuresti, Romania tel. (+40) (0)21 321 44 18 fax (+40) (0)21 322 25 22 bucharest@inyourpocket.com www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1454-5276 © IYP Romania Srl Printed at MEGAPress SA, Bucharest Tel. (+40) (0)21 461 08 08/09 Published six times per year, up to 20,000 copies produced each issue Editorial Editor Craig Turp Researcher Anca Bucataru Layout & Ad Design Petrica Baragan Photography © IYP Romania Srl unless otherwise stated Cover Photo © Emmar @ Flickr Sales To contact our sales team send an email to bucharest@inyourpocket .com, or call our office and ask for the sales department. Editor’s note The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. Advertorials are clearly marked as such. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors. Bucharest In Your Pocket is a member of the Romanian Audit Bureau of Circulation (BRAT) Bucharest In Your Pocket 8 BasiCs €0.27; £0.22; US$0.40 (September 30, 2008) 1.00 lei = Alcohol in Bucharest (1) Arriving This is a beer country first and foremost, and the beer is both good and, compared with the rest of Europe, unbelievably cheap. As for wine, Romanian vineyards date back to Roman times, and pre-World War II quality was high. Very Bucharest has two international airports, Otopeni Henri high. Then along came the communists, who nationalised Coanda, and Baneasa Aurel Vlaicu. The vast majority and visitors still use Otopeni, though an increasing number in of downgraded Romania’s vines to a dreadful level order–to produce plonkand the undiscerning Soviet masses. of mainly budget for low-cost - airlines are taking Thankfully, the Baneasa’s cheaper landing charges. advantage of Romanian will and know-how to produce quality wine resisted and with (so far too small) anDN1 to Otopeni, 17km north Bucharest along the injection ofPloiesti, investment thereearly 1970s when therelimited, foreign was built in the is now a good, though was range of high on the DN1: in available, allRomanians were little traffic quality wines those days at bargain prices. Try Romania’s from travelling Feteasca Neagra, which can discouraged hybrid grape around the country. Almost compete with the road is celebrated busiest, and getting 40 years on the more Romania’s Cabernet Sauvignon any day. from thewhile cheap,be a realquality, so spend as to and Prices, airport can reflect pain. What should muchaas you can. drive can often take more than hour. the be 30 minute Champagne drinkers might like to try excellent for Baneasa, themade said the better. vineyard in As sparkling wines less at the Cricova A muchthe Republic of Moldova,the summer of 2007 turned out in heralded renovation in available at knockdown prices Romanian supermarkets. The roséItvariety is one of the to be something of a damp squib. remains particularly good, though sweet. worst airports in Europe. When it comes to spirits, it is a very different story. The national tippleOtopeni of which Romanians are very proud. Arriving at is tuica, Why? We don’toff the plane and easing your way through After getting know. It tastes like diesel with the subtlety removed. Romaniansyou’ll find yourself it beingbaggage passport control, make great play of in the strong, as if that alone made it worthwhile drinking. One glass of the reclaim area. Ignore all of the services on offer here, be stuff and youexchange or limousines toAvoid at centre. Init currency will be retching for week. the city all costs. stead, grab your luggage, which usually arrives promptly (if it fails to arrive head for the small office on the left hand of side of the exit, where staff will help you find Bucharest is it might have gone), and then it’s off through out where safer than many other European capitals. There is customs to the arrivals area, where should watch out for very little violent crime, though you there are a couple pickpockets. press shopalso keep your eyes open for car of ATMs, a You should and a small cafe, as well as stray dogs (see box, opposite). hire desks. You will be set upon by taxi drivers offering you a ride to the city centre: ignore them, they are crooks. Swear at them if you have to: they will eventually get the mesDriving, or even beingwill find a line is a of shiny, expensive sage. Outside you a pedestrian up challenging and even life-threatening experience in Bucharest. The qualityTaxi. but honest taxis, all from the same company: Fly of the city’s roadsthe city centre will set you back around 70.00 A ride to often leaves a lot to be desired, and drivers are so dangerous it’s about three to make jokes of taking a lei (€20). That is impossible times the cost about them. Aggression, arrogance, selfishness and carelessness are normal Bucharest taxi, from a company such as Cristaxi probably the best ways to describe how the Romaniancom(tel. 021-9461) or Meridian (tel. 021-9444; more drives. Roads can belisted lit at night andbut with poorly parked cars panies are badly on page 12), full remember that taxis and other, stranger,other than Fly Taxi areare not taken to from companies hazards. Pedestrians not allowed into consideration when they are crossing the road, even but wait outside the terminal building. You can call one if the priority is theirs. Noteand meet against the law to usethe you will have to go that it is it across the road in your mobile phoneof the at the wheel... not that the law has ever upper level while car park. stopped anybody making thatby taking bus N° 783, which You can also get to town all important call. stops underneath the arrivals hall, in front of the internal flights terminal and leaves for the city centre (stopping at Piata Victoriei, Piata Romana and Piata Universitatii) Toevery 30 minutes from 05:23 until 23:53. Tickets try and sample genuine, warm Romanian hospitality, costget yourself invited to trips) need to be purchased before ing 8 lei (valid for two a family home. You had better be hungry, because the little booth which you’ll find You your boarding from the food never stops coming. on must bring something: as you exit the airport building. right hand side flowers chocolates, or good whisky. Most Romanians love to chat about their country, its politics, problems andBaneasaDon’t be surprised if they ask you Arriving at history. very direct is much closer to the city views on religion and Baneasa questions about your centre than Otopeni, homosexuality. Be diplomatic in response.and 335 stop and two regular bus routes, N°s 131 outside, both terminating at Piata Romana. A standard ticket RATB costing 1.30 lei is needed, and must be It is a good idea to carry at least a is a kiosk next to the bus bought before boarding: there photocopy of your passport with you. ID checkscashpoint, but but you are inexchange stop. There is a are very rare, the currency fact legally obliged to carry some form of ID at all times. Prostitution remains is a rip-off. illegal,Taxis wait outside, (see make advice, page 53). though widespread but Vice sure you take one belonging to a trusted company (see Taxis, page 12). The fare to town should cost no more than 25 lei, and take 15 minutes depending on traffic. Never assume you should tip a taxi driver. Always wait until By Air Climate Romania has an extreme, temperate climate, featuring filthy hot summers and bitterly cold winters, with little in between. Temperatures in Bucharest can hit -20°C in winter, and snow blankets the ground for long periods at a time; your chances of enjoying a white Christmas are better than 50:50. Summer is awful: expect the temperature to stay well above 30°C for all of July and August; it can often sneak into the 40s. Rainfall usually comes in heavy, regular bursts, all year round. Though you are never too far away from a heavy downpour, chances are it will not last all that long. (Long enough however to make some streets impassable, but that’s a question of bad drainage, and another story). Communism In name, communism was blasted off the Romanian map during the bloody revolution of 1989. In practice, it survived a little longer, and you will see the legacy of communism (or state socialism, or simply socialism) everywhere. The grey blocks that house the vast majority of the urban population are perhaps the most obvious examples, while to visit to a Romanian post office is to at once return to a time when hopeless inefficiency was made into an art form. Crime & Safety Corruption Has membership of the EU brought corruption in Romania to a halt? Has it hell. There seems to be simply no hope in sight. Informed opinion (such as The Economist) lists Romania as one of the most corrupt nations on earth, with the entire fabric of public, municipal and political life being supported by bribes. The lack of ethics by these groups and, above all, the tacit acceptance of the population that these practices are normal speak volumes. It is sad. Driving & Roads Crime & Safety If you keep your nose clean, Bucharest safer than many other cities in Europe. Thankfully, there is almost no violent crime. However, if you go looking for trouble by visiting rough night clubs or by going to bad areas, such as the gypsy enclaves of Ferentari, Rahova or Salaj, you will find plenty. Petty crime on the other hand is a major problem. Pickpockets are ubiquitous on public transport, in crowded bars and pubs and even in restaurants (beware that young lad trying to sell you a rose). Employ common sense and you should be fine. Etiquette Customs So, you’ve noticed that cigarettes are so cheap as to be daft, and you’ve come up with a get rich quick scheme by shipping a ton or two back home. Forget it. While EU law in theory allows you to import and export as much as you like of anything, many EU countries have placed unilateral limits on the amount of cigarettes and alcohol that may be imported from Romania. The UK, for example, allows a measly 400 cigarettes to be brought in from Romania. If arriving or departing for non EU countries, the usual ‘200 cigarette, two bottles of wine or spirits’ restrictions apply. Romania itself is liberal in the import of most things, though restricts the export of certain antiquities. Religious icons of genuine antiquity, and most printed matter published before 1945, require permits to be exported. Most good antique dealers can arrange paperwork and onward shipping, though at a price. If in doubt about whether or not something Local laws & Police Tipping Bucharest In Your Pocket BasiCs When Things Go Wrong In an emergency call 112. You do not need to use the city code, whether calling from a landline or a mobile. You wll be asked which service you require (Politia/ Police, Ambulanta/Ambulance or Pompierii/Firemen). Emergency call centre operators are all meant to speak English or French but in our experience they do not always do so. If you can, ask a Romanian to call; at least make sure you know the name of the street you are calling from. If you get into trouble with the Police, demand to call your embassy. There is a full list on page 88. The city‘s main police station is the brand new building at (B-4) Str. Lascar Cartagiu 22, tel. 212 56 84. The best Casualty Unit (Emergency Room) in the city is at Spitalul de Urgente, (C-3) Calea Floreasca 8, next to DInamo Stadium). Emergency treatment is free for EU citizens. More details in the Health box on page 89. There is a list of Pharmacies on page 90, and English speaking Dentists on page 86. and Chile - among others - can enter Romania visa free and stay 90 days. Almost all other nationalities need to be in posession of a visa before travelling to Romania. For a full list of those countries exempt from visa requirements visit the Romanian Foreign Ministry website @ www.mae.ro. 9 Arriving in Bucharest (2) By Train Arriving at Gara de Nord If you arrive by train you will arrive at Gara de Nord. There are other stations in the city but they are of no interest to foreign visitors. Gara de Nord is OK as international railway stations go, but has the usual collection of gypsies, tramps and thieves to contend with. There are ATMs, shops, kiosks and a McDonalds. To get to town take an honest taxi from outside (beware sharks) or take the metro: you are just two stops away from Piata Victoriei. By Bus Quite frankly, if you arrive in Bucharest by bus or coach then something, somewhere, has gone very wrong in your life, and no guide book in the world can help. requires export authorization, ask an expert and do not take chances. You are likely to find your expensive purchases confiscated without as much as a ‘told you so.’ Etiquette Disabled travelers By law, all hotels in Romania must now have one room specially adapted for the use of wheelchair bound guests. Most do not. As a rule, the better the hotel the more likely you are to find special facilities. All of the five star establishments have extensive disabled facilities, for example. However, almost all restaurants, bars and most public buildings have no disabled access, and public transport is totally inaccessible to all but the fittest. For the time being this is not a place for the disabled to visit. In their own homes, Romanians are by and large fabulous hosts. You had better be hungry, because the food never stops coming. On and on, dish after dish. You must bring something, flowers, chocolates or a bottle of good whisky. You will probably be offered local brandy, ţuica, or its more refined brother pălinca. Most Romanians love to chat about their country, its politics, problems and history. Don’t be surprised if they ask you very direct questions. In all cases, be diplomatic in response. Homosexuality Electricity A nationwide survey of social attitudes carried out at the end of 2006 found that more than 35 per cent of Romanians under 30 find homosexuality completely unacceptable; they would not even accept homosexuals living in the same apartment block. Fed by a generally homophobic media, which panders to petty-fascist cretins such as Gigi Becali (the leader of the Christian-fundamentalist New Generation Party and owner of football club Steaua Bucuresti), these It may come as a surprise to many, but yes, Bucharest has electricity. It’s of the 230V variety, so if arriving from the UK or the US you will need an adaptor. As these are scarce in Romania make sure you bring one with you. Power cuts remain a problem in Bucharest as the city’s decrepit infrastructure struggles to cope with the surge in electrical consumption that has taken place over the past decade. More common in summer, when the city switches on the air conditioning, they occur all year round. Thankfully, they never last for too long. Market values Prices in Romania are still fairly competitive despite increases over the last couple of years, particularly in the prices of cigarettes. Here are some typical everyday products and prices. Market values as of September 23, 2008 based on €1 = 3.65 lei Product Price (lei) Price (€) McDonald’s Big Mac 10.50 lei €2.83 Snickers 1.80 lei €0.48 0.5ltr vodka (shop) 11.00 lei €2.97 0.5ltr beer (shop) 3.00 lei €0.81 0.5ltr beer (bar) 7.00 lei €1.89 Loaf of white bread 1.00 lei €0.27 20 Marlboros 5.90 lei €1.60 1 ltr of unleaded petrol (98) 4.27 lei €1.15 Local transport ticket (1 journey) 1.30 lei €0.35 Entry Requirements For EU citizens, there are none: you can come and go as you please, and though if staying for more than three months you are technically required to register as a resident at the Passport Office (B-4, Str. Nicolae Iorga 29), the fine for not doing so is a mere 50.00 lei, while bothering to register will involve bureacracy - Romanian style - and will cost you at least a morning of your life. Do, as they say, the maths. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Croatia, Turkey October - November 2008 10 BasiCs attitudes are unlikely to change soon. There is now however a decent gay club in Bucharest (Queens, at E-4, Str. Mihai Bravu 32), and a helpful Gay and Lesbian NGO, Accept (Str. Lirei 10, tel. 252 52 60, www. accept-romania.ro). Basic Data Local time Romania is in the Eastern European Time Zone: GMT + 2 hours. When it is 12:00 in Bucharest it is: 11:00 in Berlin, 10:00 in London, 05:00 in New York, 20:00 in Sydney and 13:00 in Moscow. Left Luggage There are left luggage facilities at Gara de Nord, but no luggage lockers. You will find the left luggage counter opposite the Wasteels office, a short walk from the platforms. The charge is cursory, 2 lei per bag per 24 hours. Note that the office keeps irregular hours (with staff taking breaks seemingly when the feel like it), so always make sure there will be someone to hand you back your bag when you want to pick it up. There is no left luggage facility at either Otopeni or Baneasa airport. Population Romania 21,700,000, Bucharest 2,100,000 (both 2003 estimates). Ethnic composition: Romanian 89.4%, Hungarian 7.1%, Gypsies 2.1%. Local laws & Police If you are driving, or are out late at night, it is a good idea to carry at least a photocopy of your passport and driving license. Drinking in public (except in designated areas) leaves you open to a fine, while jaywalking is also illegal. Prostitution is slated for legalisation soon, but for now the practice remains illegal. If you are arrested ask to speak to your embassy for advice. Opening Hours Media The fact that the average visitor will be unable to read Romanian newspapers or understand television news should be considered a godsend. The most popular daily newspaper is (by quite some distance) Libertatea, a tawdry tabloid which reports little except scandal and the spending habits of Romania’s micro-celebrities. Even the better quality newspapers, such as Evenimentul Zilei, Cotidianul, Ziarul Financiar and Gandul do little actual reporting: journalists in Romania by and large spend all day at their desks rewriting or simply copying press releases. If you want local news in English, there is a weekly, the Business Review, which offers far more than simply business stories. Its weekly restaurant column is legendary. Otherwise go online and try the English pages of Hotnews (www.hotnews.ro) a halfdecent news aggregator that translates top stories into (a kind of) English. For events information the local language version of Time Out is free in bars and restaurants, as are the more downmarket Sapte Seri and B24. All have cinema and concert listings, which even the most monolingual of visitors you should be able to make out. You can buy international newspapers a day after they are published at InMedio outlets. The most central is at the Hilton. Shops open late, and stay open until late; most now open on Sundays too. Very few close for lunch. Malls and shopping centres stay open until 22:00. Banks are open from 09:0017:00, Monday to Friday. Museums keep very short hours and are usually closed at least one day a week (almost invariable Mondays). Official institutions keep short and often bizarre hours, and can guarantee to never be open when you need them. Restaurants stay open late, as do cafes and bars. Note that in the mornings however, even though a café’s official opening time may be 08:30 or 09:00, it can be some time after that before the lazy staff are ready to serve you any coffee. Queuing & Personal Space Money & Costs Romania’s currency is the leu (plural lei), divided into 100 bani. At the time of writing one leu was equal to €0.28, or £0.20. Notes (which are rather nice, plastic affairs) come in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1. These are supplemented by 50, 10 and 5 bani coins. The best place to get your hands on Romanian money is at an ATM: these are everywhere, popping up even in the most remote village. Avoid currency exchanges (case de schimb) at all costs. If you have to change cash, do it inside a bank. Credit and debit cards are accepted in almost all shops, though not at all that many restaurants and few bars, pubs. While the cost of living in Romania is still relatively low, prices have gone up fast in recent times and you may be surprised to find things costing far more than you expected. While taxis, public transport, cigarettes, local beer and wine remain stupidly cheap, expect to pay top dollar when eating out: many restaurants in Bucharest now rival London for expense. Romanians spent much of the 1980s standing in line. There were long queues for every basic foodstuff, and as a result people became very good at all kinds of queue jumping tactics. While queues today are less common, the skills learnt in the past continue to be employed, and are now passed on from generation to generation. Do not, visitor, make the mistake of standing patiently in line. You will get nowhere. Whether at the post office or your local KFC, it’s survival of the fittest, so have your elbows ready and watch your flanks. The concept of personal space has yet to reach these parts. When in a queue, expect the person behind you to quite literally breathe down your neck, and when at a counter (in a bank, post office, buying tickets etc.) you will probably find people on both sides, listening to every word and trying to interrupt in order to get the teller’s attention. When inputting your PIN at a shop or supermarket (when paying with a credit or debit card in Romania you will be asked for your PIN), you can expect a large audience to watch you do it. Religion Bucharest’s population is overwhelmingly Romanian Orthodox, with a large majority of the population playing at least lip service to its teachings and traditions. Lent, for example, is still remarkably well observed (and now of course this is willingly so: during communism Romanians regularly went without treats as there simply weren’t that many about). The Romanian Orthodox church is headed by a Patriarch, currently Daniel Ciobotea, who was elected to office in 2007. The church is increasingly active politically, and recently managed to force the Education Ministry to suspend teaching of evolution in primary schools. Religious icons (of the Romanian Orthodox variety, of course) must be displayed in all classrooms. Churches can be found all over the city, often hidden behind apartment blocks. This is quite deliberate: the communist authorities wanted to hide churches (and with it religion) from plain view. In many cases churches were simply Bucharest In Your Pocket 12 BasiCs demolished to make way for apartments. Others were moved (see page 73). There are catholic churches in the capital too, the largest being St. Joseph’s Cathedral (see page 73), while the Church of the Resurrection (page 89) looks after the spiritual needs of the city’s Anglicans. Taxi Tactics Smoking Romanians are professional smokers. Almost half the population likes a fag, and far too many Romanians are what we would describe as inconsiderate smokers. No-smoking signs are usually ignored, and do not be surprised to see Romanians smoking in lifts, on landings in blocks and offices, lighting up in meetings, or even walking into a meeting with a lit cigarette. You can gain insight into the Romanian attitude to cigarettes by taking a trip to the Bucharest Mall. On the lower ground floor is a café: note how many families see nothing wrong in taking their babies and young children with them as they go for a coffee and a cigarette, plonking them bang in the middle of the smoking section. By law, every restaurant, bar, pub, nightclub etc. should have a non-smoking section. In practice this is usually little more than one table in a smoky corner with a no smoking sign on it. Separation between smoking/non-smoking sections is by and large negligible. Street Names & Addresses Romania’s communist authorities had a habit of naming streets after communist heroes, only to have to change them a few years later when said hero of the workers movement fell out of favour with the Politburo. In the case of poor old Brasov, the entire town suffered the fate of carrying the name Stalin from 1948 to 1956. Onesti, in northern Romania, was from 1965-1989 known as Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, after the first leader of communist Romania (choosing as bleak a place as Onesti to carry Dej’s name said much about Nicolae Ceausescu’s opinion of his predecessor). While most of Bucharest’s communist era street names have been changed since 1990, in many cases the old name is what continues to be used in the vernacular. For example, while Piata Muncii is now officially Piata Eudoxiu Hulmuzachi: try asking a taxi driver to take you to Piata Eudoxiu Hulmuzachi and see what happens. Likewise, Bulvardul 1 Mai is now Bulvardul Ion Mihalache, though nobody ever says so. Throughout this guide we have used official street names, in the local language. In Romania the street name always precedes the house or building number. Street smarts: strada street, bulevardul boulevard, şoseaua avenue, alea alley, piaţa square. Toilets Public toilets in Bucharest are few and far between. A number of portaloos have popped up in the city’s parks over the past year or so, though they are without exception rank and should be used only in times of utter desperation. You are better of finding the nearest fast food outlet and purveying yourself of their facilities. Having said that, most Bucharest branches of McDonalds control access to their toilets with a four-figure code that appears on your receipt: to get around this, simply ask (in English) an employee for the code. You can also find decent, free toilets in the city’s malls and shopping centres, while you will pay-as-you-pee at Gara de Nord and in the Piata Universitatii underpass. Bucharest’s taxi drivers have a refreshingly liberal sense of equal opportunities: basically, when it comes to ripping people off, they view anyone as fair game. Locals, foreigners, young, old, male, female: anyone who steps in the wrong kind of taxi can expect to be well and truly buggered. The important thing to remember when getting into a taxi in this city is that there are two kinds: those which are operated by a tried and trusted taxi company (good) and independents (bad). The problem is spotting the difference. By and large, trustworthy taxis are easy to spot as they are emblazoned with the name and phone number of the company they are associated with. To counter this, the independents have also started to plaster phone numbers (often 9403) over their cars, alongside copy-cat logos that look cunningly like those of decent taxi companies. The best way to avoid being ripped off however is to pay careful attention to the tariffs, displayed on the driver and passenger door of all taxis. There should just now be one single tarif displayed, and anything higher than 1.99 lei per kilometre should start alarm bells ringing. Do not get into any taxi whose tariff exceeds 2.00 lei per kilometre (such as the one pictured above, which charges an astronomical 2.99 lei per kilometer: that is as much as Fly Taxis serving the airpor t). Be extra careful around Gara de Nord, Baneasa Airport, Bucuresti Mall, Piata Universitatii, Piata Unirii. To avoid any problems, call one of the taxi companies listed below. If you are in a hotel or restaurant, ask your concierge or waiter/waitress to call a taxi for you. Trusted taxi companies: Alfa Cobalcescu Cristaxi Leone Mondial Occident Prof Taxi Speed 021 9481 Apolodor 021 9499 021 9451 Confort 021 9455 021 9461 Domino 021 9414 021 9425 Meridian 021 9444 021 9423 National 021 9888 021 9413 Perozzi 021 9641 021 9422 Rodell 021 9415 021 9477 Taxi 2000 021 9494 Water While distressed plumbing and rotten pipes mean that it is not unusual to turn on the tap in Bucharest and see frightening, mud-coloured gunk spew out, the city’s water is fine, and by and large safe to drink. Few people actually do however as the bottled variety is far tastier and incredibly cheap. Pay around 2.20 lei for a two-litre bottle. Bucharest In Your Pocket BasiCs Capital to Capital Bucharest to Belgrade There are no direct flights to Belgrade from Bucharest. Malev (www.malev.hu) fly via Budapest but expensively: you will pay over €400 for a return ticket. The train is therefore the only real option for non-business travellers. There is one daily train, an overnighter that departs Bucharest at 21:45 and arrives in Belgrade at 08:53. The one-way fare in a sleeping compartment costs €140. You will pay almost half that if you choose a couchette. 13 Bucharest to Budapest Malev (www.malev.hu) and Tarom (www.tarom.ro) offer a combined six flights a day to Budapest, seven days a week, with prices from €180 return. The first leaves at 06:00. The train takes an agonizing 14 hours, and there are four each day. The first leaves at 06:30, arriving in Budapest at 19:17), the next one leaves at 16:57 (arriving in Budapest at 05:17), another leaves at 18:50, arriving 07:27, while the last leaves at 23:58, arriving at 14:17. All trains from Bucharest arrive at Budapest Keleti. Bucharest to Chisinau There are flights five days a week from Bucharest to Chisinau with Tarom, and three days a week with Air Moldova (www.airmoldova.md). Flights cost minimum €300 return and fill up quickly: book well in advance. The best way to get to Chisinau therefore is probably to take the train. The overnight Prietenia service takes almost 13 hours, departing Bucharest at 20:00, arriving in the Moldovan capital at 12:58 the next day. Two hours of this is spent at Ungheni on the border, where the wheels are changed: Moldovan tracks have a wider gauge. Half the fun of the trip is watching this impressive operation (less fun perhaps is the fact that it takes place at around 04:00). Bucharest to Kyiv The trip to Kyiv takes more than 24 hours on the train (and costs more than the plane), so best opt for the daily flight with Carpat Air (www.carpatair.ro). Prices start at around €300 return. Bucharest to Sofia The best way to get to Sofia is to fly. There are daily flights (except Sunday) with Tarom (www.tarom.ro) and Hemus Air (www.air.bg). Prices start at around €220 return. You can take the train too, via Giurgiu and Ruse. There are two trains per day: the quickest is the daytime train, which leaves Gara de Nord at 12:53 and arrives in Sofia at 21:37. The overnight train departs Bucharest at 19:53, arriving in Sofia at 06:05 the next morning. Prices vary on what train you take and what kind of accommodation you choose. A single on the overnight train in a sleeping wagon costs around €130, while a second class ticket on the daytime train comes in at as little as 100 lei. October - November 2008 14 Culture & events Events Listings Policy Like every listing in every issue of an In Your Pocket, from Tallinn to Tirana, our events listings are free and completely independent of paid-for advertising. If you have an event that is of interest to an English-speaking audience, and which you would like to be publicised in our Culture & Events pages, please send details to events_bucharest@inyourpocket.com. We will always try our best to list all events we recieve, though we cannot guarantee to do so. Venues & Tickets Atheneum (Ateneu Român) (C-5), Str. Franklin 1, tel. 315 25 67. QBox office open 10:00-18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. 91 66. Bilete Online www.bilete.ro Club Preoteasa (A-5) Calea Plevnei 61, tel. 314 Diverta Music & Film (E-7), Calea Vitan 55-59 (Bucureşti Mall, basement). QOpen 10:00-22:00. My Ticket www.myticket.ro National Theatre (Teatru Naţional) (C-5) B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 2, tel. 314 71 71. QBox office open 10:00-16:00 Mon, 10:00-19:00 Tue-Sun. Music Thievery Corporation October 15 Sala Palatului Romanian National Opera (Opera Naţională Română) (A-5), B-dul Kogalniceanu 70-72. QBox office open 10:00-13:00, 14:00-19:00. Sala Palatului (B-5), Str. Ion Câmpineanu, tel. 315 73 72. QBox office open Tue-Fri 10:00-19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Sala Polivalenta B-dul Tineretului. Abstract electronica from this lively DJ/Composition/ Production pairing whose live shows promise very little with their minimalist settings but always deliver tons of added value. Gig of the month in our books. Tickets 60-140 lei from www.myticket.ro or from branches of Diverta Music & Film. Roisin Murphy November 5 Sala Polivalenta Paul Gilbert October 17 Live Music Club (Str. Turturelelor 11) While we would usually not go out of our way to promote an event that takes place at a venue owned and operated by someone who sued us for libel (unsuccessfully, you will be pleased to know), Paul Gilbert is one of our favourite musicians right now, his mix of styles a throwback to times when guitarists used to stretch boundaries. Tickets cost a reasonable 70 lei, and are available from branches of Diverta Music & Film or direct from the venue. Having somewhat stolen the show at this summer’s BestFest, Murphy returns to Bucharest to win more friends with her non conformist approach to trip hop and electro funk. Tickets 75 lei from www.myticket.ro or Diverta Music and Film. Ace of Base November 8 Sala Palatului Masters of Jazz October 23-November 5 Sala Palatului The Masters of Jazz Festival runs from October 23 to November 5. Artists include Al Jarreau (pictured below, on stage in Wroclaw), Nigel Kennedy, Dianne Reeves, The Count Basie Orchestra and the Five Peace Band. Tickets for all events cost from 50-300 lei and can be bought from www.bilete.ro or from branches of Diverta Music & Film. If Roxette are the poor man’s Abba, then Ace of Base have to be the poor man’s Roxette. A couple of cheesy hits in the middle of the 1990s was enough to secure global fame however, and the usual warm welcome from the nonetoo-discerning Bucharest public will make these Swedish popsters feel like real stars again. Tickets a less than kitsch 70-200 lei from www.myticket.ro or from branches of Diverta Music & Film. Little Richard November 9 Sala Palatului Really, we are not making it up. At the ripe old age of 75 (yes, 75), Little Richard is still a wop bam booing his one hit for anyone who can be arsed to pay a large amount of money to watch him do so. Tickets for this once in a lifetime opportunity cost from 75-175 lei from www.bilete.ro from branches of Diverta Music & Film. Bucharest In Your Pocket 16 Culture & events Professional Event Photos He’s the best photographer we know. His name is Mihai Constantineanu and he has long supplied us with stunning shots of the city. He now offers affordable professional photography services for corporate events using state-of-the-art equipment and a mobile photo studio mounted on location. Clients include Evensys and the American International School. Call 0723 63 43 71. Jean Michel Jarre: Oxygene November 10; Sala Polivalenta Jarre brings his most famous piece of work to Bucharest to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Oxygene album’s launch. Tickets cost 100-500 lei and can be bought online at www.bilete.ro and from branches of Diverta Music & Film. Studio Chillout Weekend November 22-23; Sala Palatului Two days of swing, electro, jazz funk and bossa nova courtesy of experimental French covers band Nouvelle Vague, and bizarre Swedish duo Koop. Tickets (valid for both gigs) 100-240 lei from www.myticket.ro and branches of Diverta Music and Film. Tricky November 26; Sala Palatului Visionary former Massive Attack man comes to Bucharest with his eclectic mix of drum, bass, jazz funk and rock. Flogging his latest album Knowle West Boy, the show’s promoters are promising a more animated Tricky than on previous appearances. But then I guess they would, wouldn’t they? Tickets 60-100 lei, from www.bilete.ro, or branches of Diverta Music and Film. Nigel Kennedy November 24; Sala Palatului Still one of the world’s most celebrated classical violinists, Kennedy (pictured right) brings his jazz quintet to the city as part of the Bucharest Jazz Festival. Tickets 50-200 lei from www.bilete.ro, or branches of Diverta Music and Film. Bucharest In Your Pocket Culture & events 17 Music: Classical The historic, glorious Romanian Atheneum (see page 63), is home to the Romanian Philharmonic George Enescu, an outstanding orchestra, and hosts good concerts most evenings at 19:00 (except Mondays), and usually puts on a Sunday matinee concert at 11:00. It features a wide repertoire of works, and often brings in guest soloists and conductors from around the world. For the full programme of concerts, see the Philharmonic‘s website, www.fge.org. Opera & Ballet The Romanian National Opera House (Opera Naţională Româna, www.operanb.ro) is one of the city’s defining cultural landmarks. While the current construction betrays a socialist-realist designer (Octav Doicescu, who completed the building in 1953), the building is nevertheless impressive, with three superb arcades masking a wonderful entrance hall, lobby, and staircases. There are performances at the opera most evenings, with matinees on most Sundays. Ticket prices are creeping up, but remain very cheap in comparison with opera houses in western Europe. The 2008-2009 Opera Season opens on October 3rd, with a new production of Aida, while the following evening the Ballet Season gets underway with a classic, Swan Lake. The rest of the October/November programme is as follows: October 4, 9, 22 Swan Lake; 8 Macbeth; 10 Madame Butterfly; 11 Lucia di Lammermoor; 12 Cindarella; 15 La Traviata; 17 La Cenerentola; 18 Samson & Delilah; 23 Aida; 24 The Marriage of Figaro; 26 Il Trovatore; 30 Manon Lescaut; 31 Nabucco. November 1 Lucia di Lammermoor; 2, 23 Madame Butterfly; 6 La Traviata; 9 Macbeth; 15, 26 La Boheme; 19 Manon Lescaut; 21 Nabucco; 22 Tosca; 27 The Nutracker; 28 The Barber of Seville; 29 The Marriage of Figaro. Russian Ballet Gala October 18; Sala Palatului The stars of the Bolshoi head for Romania and a 16 date tour, culminating in this show at Sala Palatului. It’s ballet for the masses: a ‘best of’ with all your favourite bits from Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, with the boring bits taken out. Tickets 50-150 lei from www.bilete.ro. October & November Museum Highlights Andre Cădere National Museum of Contemporary Art To November 25 One of very few Romanian artists to have, shall we say, cracked it abroad, this retrospective of Cădere’s work features all of his most important pieces, the vast majority of which were executed in Paris after he pitched up there in 1967. Cădere – whose unique wooden sculptures are present in all of the world’s major modern art museums – died young, in 1978, and given his incorrect background (he was the son of a Liberal politician) remained unknown in Romania until after the revolution of 1989. This is the first complete retrospective of his work to be shown in Bucharest. To December 7 Enchanting exhibition which highlights the very ordinariness of crystal, and its everyday uses. More than 200 objects are on display (most of which are on loan from the Jablonec Glass museum), from glasses and vases to perfume bottles and candelabra. Aquarium Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History To December 31 More than 20 specially built aquariums have been brought in to the Antipa to host this stunning exhibition of marine life. Fish, shellfish and other crustaceans, corals, seaweed and just about all marine life under the water – brought in from five continents - is on display. Very hands-on and child friendly, it is a must for kids of all ages. Bohemian Crystal National Museum of Art October - November 2008 18 where to stay Hotel Listings Policy Aside from the five-star hotels listed in the category Cream of the Crop, hotels are listed strictly by price band, and then by alphabetical order within that band. The price band refers to the rack rate for a double room. Finding good value hotels and other accommodation in the capital is no longer a problem. From the luxury of the five-star market leaders, through comfortable three-star hotels to the ever-increasing number of good Bucharest hostels, there is a bed in the Romanian capital to suit the needs and limitations of every pocket. The stock of accommodation is limited, however, and you are advised to book well in advance. will find it south of the city centre, on a hill above Carol Park. Q 19 rooms (4 standard rooms €195-235, 6 deluxe rooms €295-335, 4 executive rooms €395-435, 1 suite €500-540, 3 executive deluxe suites €595-635, 1 Presidential Suite €900-940). PTHARILGKW tel. 021 224 00 34, fax 021 318 13 02, reservations@ crowneplaza.ro, www.bucharest.crowneplaza.com. The best things about this hotel are the leafy and quiet surroundings in which it sits, outside of the bustling city centre, which makes it a great choice for families. (That said, it is dead opposite the Romexpo Conference Centre, so not a bad business choice either). Rooms are large, well furnished and have terrific bathrooms. Unlimited access to the huge covered swimming pool is free for guests. Q 164 rooms (87 singles €195, 42 doubles €205, 8 suites €295, 26 club rooms €225, 1 Presidential suite €585). VAT and breakfast not included. PTHARUFLGKDCW Crowne Plaza Bucharest A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1, Cream of the Crop Athenee Palace Hilton C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3, tel. 021 303 37 77, fax 021 315 38 13, sales.bucharest@hilton.com, www.hilton. com. The Hilton just gets better. Built in 1914 on the site of Hanul Gherasi, and designed by the French architect Teophile Bradeau, the Athenee Palace was completely refurbished in 1997 when it became part of the Hilton group. Always a luxurious establishment, it is today one of the best hotels in the Hilton collection, and offers innumerable services alongside its sumptuous rooms, which now include the newly renovated Executive floor (check out the Athenee Palace Suite: a split level gem with its own meeting area). There are first class restaurants, a health club with swimming pool, regular theatre evenings, shops and the historic English Bar. It is a living piece of Bucharest’s history. Utterly recommended. Q 272 rooms(179 singles, 33 doubles, 45 junior suites, 5 suites, 5 apartments, 5 Presidential suites. Prices from US$200-890). PHARUFLGKDCW Howard Johnson Grand Plaza B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7, MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 201 50 00, fax 021 201 18 88, sales@hojoplaza.ro, www.hojoplaza.ro. The shiny, sparkling Howard Johnson Grand Plaza, part of the huge Howard Johnson chain, towers above Piata Romana like a beacon of decent service and class. You’ll find all the good services you would expect of a Howard Johnson hotel here from large, well decorated rooms to a great health club and excellent restaurants, plus, from the upper floors you have some of the best views of the city there are. Q 285 rooms (201 doubles €270-288, 67 home office rooms €310, 15 suites €380, 2 diplomatic suites €580). VAT not included. Prices include breakfast. POTHARFLGKDW Carol Parc Hotel Aleea Suter 23-25, tel. 021 569 33 77/021 336 33 77, fax 021 336 37 36, info@carolparchotel.ro, www.carolparchotel.ro. Genuinely exclusive, luxury five star hotels are not all that common in Bucharest, so you will forgive us our enthusiasm for this place. For this is luxury in the ancien regime sense of the word: understated, elegant and private. It is a world away from the big chain hotels, and as such is the only real luxury alternative in the city. Look out for the freshly cut flowers in every room, the bowls of fruit, the exquisite toiletries and the private bar that always welcomes hotel guests, hour irrelevant. Best of all though is the Secession, wrought-iron entrance canopy: a sight in itself. If you can afford this place, and boy is it expensive, then there is no need to ever stay anywhere else again. You Inter Continental C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 2-4, Symbol Key P Air conditioning O Casino T Child friendly R Internet (Standard) F Fitness centre K Restaurant D Sauna W WiFi Internet A Credit cards accepted H Conference facilities U Facilities for the disabled L Guarded parking G Non-smoking rooms M Nearest metro station C Swimming pool MUniversitate, tel. 021 310 20 20, fax 021 312 08 85, bucharest@interconti.ro, www.intercontinental. com/bucharest. Recently transformed by a change of management, the eenter (as locals call it) is once again a proud member of the Bucharest hotel elite. Standing over 80 metres tall, from its completion in 1970 until the opening of the Europa Tower in Piata Victoriei, the Inter Continental was the tallest building in Romania for more than thirty years. Designed by a team of four architects (three Romanian, one American) the Inter Continental provided a dramatic backdrop for the events of December 21/22 1989, when revolutionaries fought pitch battles with the remnants of the communist regime under the noses of foreign journalists watching from the balconies of their rooms. With wifi internet now available in all rooms, it is still a favourite with visiting journalists and businessmen. Q 283 rooms (194 singles, 70 doubles, 18 junior suites, 1 Imperial Suite. Prices from €350-1500). Prices do not include VAT and breakfast. POTHARUFL� GKDCW JW Marriott Bucharest Grand B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90, tel. 021 403 00 00, fax 021 403 00 01, marriott. bucharest@marriotthotels.com, www.jwmarriott.ro. Grand in every way from actual size to service and facilities, the JW Marriott is another contender for best hotel in Bucha- Bucharest In Your Pocket 20 where to stay Over €150 Angelo Airporthotel Calea Bucurestilor 283, tel. 021 203 65 00, fax 021 203 65 10, info@angelo-bucharest. com, www.angelo-bucharest.com. Like most of the world’s great airports, Otopeni too has its airport hotel. Across the road from the airport, the Angelo Airporthotel has a clinically clean feel to it, nice rooms and cheerful staff. There are also conference facilities and a sports centre, as well as a restaurant serving up good enough traditional fare. Q 108 rooms (19 singles €158, 33 doubles €179, 41 junior suites €165, 3 suites €207, 12 executive suites €199). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHAR6ULGKW rest, and the first JW Marriott in continental Europe. The JW has successfully created a thriving community nestled on a hill just behind the Palace of Parliament, and offers rooms that are accordingly large and have pretty much all you could wish for, including bathrooms you’d be happy to sleep in. Also features some of the best restaurants in town, as well as a shopping mall (now featuring Bucharest’s first Louis Vuitton boutique), the World Class Health Academy and a top-class sports bar, Champions (see page 32).Q 402 rooms (379 doubles 550-1400 lei, 21 suites 1900-3000 lei, 2 Presidential suites 6500 lei). Prices do not include VAT and breakfast. POTHAR6UFLGKDCW Best Western Parc A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 3-5, tel. 021 Novotel Bucharest City Centre B-4, Calea Victoriei 37B, tel. 021 308 85 00, fax 021 308 85 01, H5558@accor.com, www.novotel.com. How many hotels in Bucharest have golf simulators? We’ll tell you: one, the Novotel. What we love best of all here is the faux Neo-Classical facade that precedes the hotel. It is an exact replica of the old National Theatre, which stood on this exact site from the 1880s until the Germans (or Allies - depends on who you talk to) bombed it during World War II. Such deference to the past is a real touch of class that simply sums up the whole establishment. Inside you can expect fine rooms and high quality service. There is also an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, wifi and a plenty of parking. Q 258 rooms (192 singles €270, 50 doubles €290, 9 junior suites €350, 6 novation suites €420, 1 Presidential suite €770). PTHARUFL� GKDCW 549 20 00, fax 021 549 23 30, reservations@parchotel. ro, www.parchotel.ro. Correct us if we are wrong but we think this is the only hotel in Bucharest offering free parking (a rarity), a huge swimming pool (an even bigger rarity) and eight tennis courts (unheard of). If you want to try out your backhand after a day’s meetings or sightseeing then this surely is the place to stay. Rooms are well enough furnished if just a tad small, and the breakfast is fantastic. Q 267 rooms (180 singles €156-166, 79 doubles €178-188, 8 apartments €235). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHAR6UGKW Centre Ville Aparthotel B-5, Str. Luterana 2-4, tel. 021 312 70 70, www.centreville.ro. Another of the growing band of apartment hotels, this one offering a full range of large, luxury, full service rooms with all the amenities you need, in an extremely central location. You will also find the CentreVille bistro on the same site, serving breakfast, pizza and good bistro food until midnight. Q 230 rooms (1 single €140, 38 superior apartments €150, 115 executive apartments €160, 30 business apartments €170, 36 leisure apartments €180, 190 family apartments €190). VAT not included. PHARFGKC Duke C-4, B-dul Dacia 33, MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 Radisson SAS B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81, tel. 021 311 90 00, fax 021 313 90 00, info.bucharest@radissonsas.com, www. bucharest.radissonsas.com. Looking ever y inch the multi-million pound refit it is (was this really once the Hotel Bucuresti?), the Radisson SAS has raised the bar another notch and brought welcome competition to the city centre five-star hotel market. There are now 464 rooms and suites (far fewer than in the old hotel), and all have been designed by fashionable guru Buki Zuker. They feature walk-in showers, deep, deep bath tubs and nifty little coffee machines. There is free wifi throughout the hotel, as well as a garden, complete with outdoor swimming pool, bar and jogging track. Q 464 rooms (424 standard rooms €335, 424 doubles €335, 21 junior suites €515, 14 suites €565, 4 apartments €1500, 1 Presidential suite €5000). Prices do not include VAT. PHARUFLGKDCW 317 41 86/021 317 41 87, fax 021 317 41 89, office@ hotelduke.ro, www.hotelduke.ro. A lovely little hotel in a nice part of town, full of surprises and little luxuries. The staff are helpful and polite, and the whole ambience is conducive to relaxing. Spacious rooms, large bathrooms, and all the amenities you need. Q 38 rooms (4 singles €150, 29 doubles €180, 3 suites €210-245, 2 junior suites €175-195). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PJARLGKW El Greco C-5, Str. Jean Louis Calderon 16, MP-ta Uni- versitatii, tel. 021 315 81 31/021 315 90 00, www. hotelelgreco.ro. Stylish little four star hotel in what was once the old residential heart of Bucharest, just a few hundred metres from Piata Universitatii. The hotel’s Neo-Classical facade gives way to reveal large and well furnished rooms, with big double beds and classy bathrooms. Common areas are well kept and there is a small, cosy bar to enjoy a nightcap in. Q 16 rooms (8 singles €140, 6 doubles €170, 2 suites €195). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARULGK Sofitel A-1, P-ta Montreal 10, tel. 021 318 30 00, fax 021 316 25 50, sofitel@sofitel.ro, www.sofitel.com. Dare we say it but we find the rooms at the four-star Sofitel to be bigger and far better decorated than a couple of the more celebrated five-star places in town. Quite simply we love the Sofitel, not only for its rooms, but for its towering presence, great staff and super selection of restaurants (including more next door at the World Trade Centre). Q 203 rooms (130 singles €240, 58 doubles €240, 14 apartments €350, 1 Presidential suite €800). POTHARFLGKDW Golden Tulip Bucharest B-4, Calea Victoriei 166, MP-ta Victoriei, tel. 021 212 55 58, fax 021 212 51 21, reservation@goldentulipbucharest.com, www.goldentulipbucharest.com. Rooms are large and well appointed, and at the moment they offer some of the best value in the city. Wireless internet in all rooms, a great breakfast, fitness club and loads more extras all included in the price. The central location, on a more quiet part of Calea Victoriei, is great too. Q 82 rooms (7 singles €140, 75 doubles €160). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PJARUFLGKW Bucharest In Your Pocket 22 where to stay Golden Tulip Times E-6, B-dul Decebal 19, tel. 021 316 65 16, fax 021 316 65 17, reservations@goldentuliptimes.com, www.goldentuliptimes.com. In what was once a rather dowdy location the Golden Tulip Times hotel has single handedly succeeded in making the area bright, breezy and worth spending time in. It has succeeded by offering reasonably priced, large rooms with enormous bathrooms and a wealth of facilities and extras. Q 70 rooms (16 singles €169, 22 doubles €189, 16 junior suites €199219. 16 suites €219-239). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARULGKW Marshal C-5, Str. Dr. Emanoil Bacaloglu 2, tel. 021 314 08 80, fax 021 314 08 88, office@hotelmarshal. ro, www.hotelmarshal.ro. At the Marshal’s lobby bar you can enjoy a ‘frosty beer’; thankfully, the welcome is not remotely frosty. Rooms are plain but well sized and have free high-speed internet, as well as requisite fluffy bath robes and thick, thick mattresses. The breakfast is included in the room ‘fare’. All aboard! Q 29 rooms (18 singles €210, 6 doubles €225, 2 apartments €280, 3 superior rooms €225). PRLBK K+K Hotel Elisabeta C-5, Str. Slanic 26, tel. 021 311 Michelangelo 86 31, fax 021 311 86 32, hotel.elisabeta@kkhotels. co.ro, www.kkhotels.com. The Koller boys, famous for fine hotels across Europe, have done it again. Champions at coming up with understated elegance, and at mixing the ancient and the modern better than anyone else, the Elisabeta is testimony to their skill. Fine, large rooms and sublime common areas make this a truly wonderful place to stay. Service is as good as you could hope for. Q 67 rooms (13 singles €275, 46 doubles €296, 7 triples €320, 1 suite €504). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARFGKDW Le Boutique Hotel Moxa B-4, Str. Mihail Moxa 4, tel. B-4, Str. Henri Coanda 25, tel. 021 650 00 27/0721 79 58 99, fax 021 659 38 73, booking@hotelmichelangelo. ro, www.hotelmichelangelo.ro. When they say city centre, they mean it. This place is within walking distance of just about any nocturnal activity you may have in mind. If the rooms are a little basic then they are at least generous in size, and all have - hurrah - big double beds. A good buffet breakfast (included in the price) is served from 07:00 - 10:00. Q 21 rooms (9 singles €140, 6 doubles €160, 1 triple €175, 2 suites €185, 1 apartment €300, 1 junior suite €180, 1 Presidential suite €200). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARUGKW 021 650 55 55, fax 021 650 66 66, sales@hotelmoxa. com, www.hotelmoxa.ro. From the moment you walk into the lobby, which aches to be considered Secession, you know that you have made a decent choice. This place has class at every turn, and though the size of the bathrooms disappointed us a little, nothing else did. The attention to detail is outstanding, the decor playfully ostentatious and the service way in advance of the competition. At these prices you cannot go wrong. Q 24 rooms and suites (singles €175, doubles €210, double deluxe rooms €280, executive rooms €360). PARFDW NH Bucharest D-6, B-dul Mircea Voda 21, tel. 021 300 05 45, fax 021 317 91 54, nhbucharest@nh-hotels. com, www.nh-hotels.com. Very comfortable hotel which has served very well in brightening up what was once just a concrete wasteland of an area. The hotel really tries to do what it can, by offering great value, large rooms, all with a host of little extras. There are conference facilities, a cafe-bar, a fitness centre and sauna. We also have yet to mention the restaurant: really very good and super value. Q 78 rooms (14 singles €77, 46 doubles €77, 18 superior rooms €92). Prices include VAT. PHARUGKW Bucharest In Your Pocket where to stay Parliament A-6, Str. Izvor 106, tel. 021 411 99 90, www.parliament-hotel.ro. Aptly named, considering it’s next to the Palace of Parliament, this place treats you like an individual and makes sure that everything is ship shape. Most rooms have a jacuzzi in the bathroom, but are otherwise a little on the small side, albeit luxurious. Q 20 rooms (4 singles €130, 8 doubles €150, 8 junior suites €170). Prices include VAT. PHARGK 23 Phoenicia Grand C-1, B-dul Alexandru Serbanescu 87, tel. 021 300 08 88, www.phoenicia.ro. Huge and really quite fetching, this gargantuan and not without charm edifice stands out for miles from its position on the back-road to Otopeni airport. Inside rooms are large and furnished with splendid wooden beds, while the common areas have an ever-so-slightly Middle Eastern feel that reek of fine hospitality and not a little luxury. The lobby indeed is perhaps the grandest in Bucharest. Q 345 rooms (254 singles €97, 66 doubles €105, 21 junior suites €145, 3 apartments €245, 1 Presidential suite €345). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PTHARUFGD Ramada Bucharest North C-6, Str. Daniel Danielopolu 44A, tel. 021 233 50 00, fax 021 233 50 01, sales@ ramadanorth.ro, www.ramadainternational.com. While you could never accuse this place of being central, it is a cracking new build that offers a wide range of comforts and treats. The fitness centre is one of the best in the city and the location is handy for Herastrau Park, making it a good choice for families looking for a little space. Did we say space? Yes we did: there is plenty of that in the huge rooms. Q 134 rooms (37 singles €165, 67 doubles €195, 1 suite €300, 5 junior suites €250, 24 executive guest rooms €225). Prices include breakfast. PHARUFGKDW October - November 2008 24 where to stay Ramada Majestic B-4, Calea Victoriei 38-40, tel. 021 310 27 20/021 310 27 72, fax 021 310 27 99, reservations@ramadamajestic.ro, www.ramadamajestic.ro. With a thorough refit now complete, the Majestic - now a Ramada hotel - is once again one of the top hotels in the city, offering high class services, large rooms and second-to-none amenities. Sauna and fitness centre, massage, hairdresser and a fabulous new ground floor bistro, and all on the city’s main thoroughfare. Excellent. Q 111 rooms (4 singles €195, 81 doubles €240, 15 junior suites €290, 10 suites €350, 1 Presidential suite €800). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUFLGKDCW nescu. A wonderful villa, this place offers a decent amount of luxury and a quiet, understated atmosphere. All the rooms, studios and apartments are bright, big and have stunning bathrooms. Q 33 rooms (15 singles €130, 15 doubles €150, 4 apartments €190, 14 studios €170). VAT not included. Prices include breakfast. PHAR6UGKDW B-1, Str. Nicolae Caramfil 63, MPipera, tel. 021 233 39 90/021 233 39 72, fax 021 233 39 71, office@hotelstil. ro, www.hotelstil.ro. Newish hotel in a good area of town, part of the booming mid-range sector. Good value rooms, all a good size with nice bathrooms and excellent services. Q 30 rooms (11 singles €150, 19 doubles €160). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUGKW Stil Ramada Plaza Bucharest B-dul Poligrafiei 3-5, tel. 021 549 30 00, fax 021 549 30 01, reservations@ ramadaplazabucharest.ro, www.ramadaplazabucharest. ro. The old Hotel Turist is unrecognizable as the shiny new Ramada Plaza. Space age lamps and comfortable armchairs in the lobby set the tone for what is a very originally designed hotel. Standard rooms are furnished with wonderful beds, flat screen televisions, small but superb bathrooms (all with a tub) and windows you can open. The eight apartments are bigger and have snazzy spin televisions and a comfy sofa to watch them on. There is Wifi throughout (free in common areas), a good lobby bar and a decent restaurant. Q 300 rooms (214 singles €178, 77 doubles €200, 3 apartments €302, 2 junior suites €223, 4 single disabled rooms €178). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHAR6UGKW €100-150 Armonia D-4, Calea Mosilor 112, tel. 021 312 04 77, fax 021 312 04 06, office@hotelarmonia.ro, www. hotelarmonia.ro. Though not all that inspiring from the outside, this new, modern hotel takes our prize for having the best bathrooms in the city. Luxurious is not the word. The rooms struggle to compete but do just about well enough, holding their own with fine furnishings if not size. Given its central location the oasis of a terrace at the back comes as something of a surprising bonus. Q 35 rooms (6 singles €110, 20 doubles €140, 3 twins €140, 3 suites €220, 3 executive suites €160). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUGK Residence Cerisiers A-2, Str. Al. Constantinescu 33, tel. 021 224 50 44/0725 15 06 00, fax 021 222 90 46, office@residence.com.ro, www.residence.com.ro. A slightly more upmarket version of the popular Residence hotel, the Cerisiers recently opened its doors on Str. Al. Constanti- Bucharest Comfor t Suites C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 16, et. 1-3, MUniversitate, tel. 021 310 28 84/021 310 28 85/86, fax 021 310 28 87, office@com- Bucharest In Your Pocket where to stay 25 fort-suites.ro, www.comfort-suites.ro. These luxurious apartments in the very heart of the city are just perfect. Large and comfortable, they all come with air conditioning and large bathrooms, televisions and internet access. Q 26 rooms (11 singles €75, 2 doubles €120, 10 suites €90, 2 jacuzzi suites €120, 1 single, no window €65). PARKW Rembrandt C-5, Str. Smardan 11, tel. 021 313 93 15, fax 021 313 93 16, info@rembrandt.ro, www.rembrandt.ro. Since its grand opening almost two years ago this wonderful hotel has become one of the city’s reference points. Found in the old heart of Bucharest it is a wonder of understatement and dignified luxury never tending to the opulent. Original wooden floors set the tone, and crisp white bed linen, stacks of freshly puffed towels and the subtle lighting finish it off. It offers stunning value and one of the city’s quietest, most relaxing sleeps. No wonder its full most of the time; make a reservation well in advance. Q 16 rooms (9 singles €70-123, 7 doubles €101-161). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARLGKW Central B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 13, tel. 021 315 56 35/021 315 56 36, fax 021 315 56 37, info@centralhotel.ro, www.centralhotel.ro. Has the atmosphere and look of an impersonal but professional city centre hotel that could be anywhere in Europe. Recent renovation has added a sparkle to the rooms, which are bright, have a TV, mini bar and a bathroom with shower. Q 62 rooms (21 singles €130, 37 doubles €150, 4 suites €195). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARGK Residence Oliviers A-3, Str. Clucerului 19, tel. 021 Helvetia B-2, Piata Charles de Gaulle 13, MP-ta Aviatorilor, tel. 021 223 05 66/021 223 26 72, fax 021 223 05 67, helvetia@ines.ro. For what you get, you’re paying a relatively small amount of money. The location, in the north of the city and overlooking the leafy Herastrau Park, is lovely, and the rooms are impressively quiet even though they’re only a step away from a bustling roundabout. The beds are big enough to sleep a small family and the décor is pure and tasteful. Behind the Helvetia on Str. Popa Savu 75 is their annex, Vila Savion (8 doubles €90). Q 27 rooms (20 singles €90, 20 doubles €110, 7 apartments €110-140). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PAGK 223 19 78/0723 67 16 57, fax 021 222 90 46, office@ residence.com.ro, www.residence.com.ro. Fantastic hotel in a good area of the capital, offering large, excellent value rooms and super services. There are little touches of class all over the hotel that suggest they really care. The wrought iron beds, for example, are fabulous. Prices include breakfast. Airport transfer available on demand. The restaurant is also worth a visit, serving good international cuisine. Q 35 rooms (25 singles €90, 25 doubles €100, 5 suites €130, 5 junior suites €110). VAT not included. Prices include breakfast. PHARFLGBKDCW Rin Grand Sos. Vitan Bârzeşti 7D, tel. 031 106 11 Minerva B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, tel. 021 311 15 55/021 318 12 93, fax 021 312 39 63, minerva@ minerva.ro, www.minerva.ro. The Minerva is renowned and popular for its pleasantly intimate and slightly secretive atmosphere. The rooms are sizeable, have televisions, fabulous beds and adjoining bathrooms. Q 154 rooms (44 singles €111, 32 doubles 139, 5 suites €155-185, 6 junior suites €139-155, 67 double superior rooms €150-188). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARULK 11/0731 11 10 00, fax 031 106 11 19, reservations@ ringrandhotel.com, www.ringrandhotel.com. Allegedly the biggest hotel in this part of Europe, on arrival at this monolith you find it hard to disagree. Size usually translates as lacking in other areas of course, but not with this place. It is a very good hotel, worth all of its four stars, with rooms which are surprisingly large and bathrooms to match anywhere else in the city. The only drawback - and it is a big one - is the distance from the city centre. Come prepared to take plenty of taxis though and you can have an enjoyable, great value stay here. Q 1459 rooms (720 singles €106, 716 doubles €128, 22 junior suites €199, 1 Presidential suite €399). Prices include VAT and breakfast. POHARULGKW October - November 2008 26 where to stay Siqua A-5, Calea Plevnei 59A, tel. 021 319 51 60, fax 021 319 51 62, reservation@hotelsiqua.ro, www. hotelsiqua.ro. Simple, good value rooms in a decent location just behind Bucharest’s Opera House. Each room has individual air conditioning/heating, always a bonus as far as we are concerned, though note that most of the rooms have showers only, no baths. Q 40 rooms (6 singles €135, 29 doubles €145, 2 suites €180, 3 junior suites €165). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUGKW welcome as the others. Located just off the business end of Bulevardul Unirii, it’s a splendid corner-affair, all glass and modernity. Rooms are large, bathrooms equally so and the add-ons, service and general ambience of the place is tip-top. Q 88 rooms (52 singles €90, 21 doubles €110, 14 junior suites €150, 1 Presidential suite €250). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUFGKDW Under €100 Ambasador C-5, B-dul Magheru 8-10, MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 315 90 80, www.ambasador.ro. This Art-Deco masterpiece of a building, completed in 1937, simply cries out for a five-star makeover. It isn’t all that bad a hotel as it is, and for a cheapish sleep on Bucharest’s main avenue you could do little better. Rooms are not large but are big enough, though unimaginatively furnished. In-room internet connections have to be paid for extra. All in all you just can’t help feeling that it isn’t quite good as it could be. Prices include a good buffet breakfast. Q 209 rooms (63 singles €67 - 75, 137 doubles €90 - 98, 4 suites €100-115, 5 apartments €115 - 135). Prices include VAT and breakfast. Extra bed €8. PHAFLGKD Tania C-6, Str. Selari 5, tel. 031 104 20 83, fax 021 319 27 56, rezervari@taniahotel.ro, www.taniahotel.ro. This is a cracking little place, in the very heart of Old Town, just a shake or two away from the legendary Amsterdam Cafe. Rooms are good value, and furnished in a modern, bright and airy style. The best is the split level sky room, with its sky light and raised sleeping area. Q 16 rooms (6 singles €99, 6 doubles €114, 1 triple €129, 3 junior suites €139). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PTHARGK Tempo C-5, Str. Armand Calinescu 19, tel. 021 310 12 16, fax 021 310 12 41, info@tempohotel.com, www. tempohotel.com. Smart, modern and very yellow hotel not far from the centre of Bucharest. The decor is a step-above the norm, with bright colours and really quite original design making a refreshing break from the beige and tan of other places in its class. Almost every room has a balcony, and some even have hydro-massage showers. Q 32 rooms (6 singles €120, 26 doubles €140). Prices include breakfast and VAT. PHAR6ULGKW Banat C-5, Piata Rosetti 5, MUniversitate, tel. 021 313 10 56. A beautiful but unkempt-looking facade conceals the fact that most of the rooms are modern and clean and come with a television and spacious bathrooms. If there’s a group of you, then the apartments are good value. Q 19 rooms (6 singles €65, 14 doubles €65-75, 3 triples €54-105, 2 apartments €105). PAK Tulip Inn D-7, Str. Nerva Traian 3A, tel. 021 200 62 70, fax 021 200 62 73, hotel@tulipinnbucharestcity. com, www.tulipinnbucharestcity.com. Bucharest’s fourth Golden Tulip hotel to open in just over a year is as good and Bristol D-4, Str. Badea Cartan 16, tel. 021 211 95 94, fax 021 210 27 31, bristol@hotelbristol.ro, www. hotelbristol.ro. Classy little three star not too far from the Bucharest In Your Pocket where to stay 27 city centre. Rooms are well appointed, tastefully decorated - doubles have large beds - and the common areas are spacious and well lit. Q 23 rooms (15 singles €129, 5 doubles €139, 3 apartments €219-239). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARG in size and facilities offered. Skinflints can go for the smallest rooms with shared (and clean) bathrooms, while the bigger rooms have en suite facilities and televisions. Q 46 rooms (32 singles €40-79, 11 doubles €40-52, 3 suites €68). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PAK Capitol B-4, Calea Victoriei 29, tel. 021 315 80 30, fax 021 312 41 69, reservations@hotelcapitol.ro, www. hotelcapitol.ro. A long period of renovation has returned the Capitol to its proud status of one of Bucharest’s classiest hotels. With a location to be envied, on Calea Victoriei just minutes from Universitate, there is a real Parisian elegance to the building. The rooms are luxuriously large, as are the beds, and have double-glazed windows to protect you from the noise outside. Prices include VAT and breakfast. Q 79 rooms (65 singles €75, 65 doubles €98, 5 triples €110, 9 apartments €125). Prices include VAT. PHARLGK Casa Victor B-3, Str. Emanoil Porumbaru 44, MAvia- torilor, tel. 021 222 57 23, www.casavictor.ro. Escape from the hectic atmosphere outside and relax your weary body in a secluded and personal atmosphere. Rooms are tastefully furnished and simple and have small bathrooms (some with only a shower). There’s a special discount of 10 per cent for stays of more than three weeks. Prices include breakfast. Q 21 rooms (3 singles €55, 8 doubles €55-70, 8 suites €90-110, 2 apartments €120-160). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHAUFGKD Caro Club C-3, Str. Barbu Văcărescu 164 A, MAurel Cerna A-4, B-dul Dinicu Golescu 29, MGara de Nord, Vlaicu, tel. 021 208 61 00, www.carohotel.ro. Very swish hotel in the ever-popular northern area of the city. The place looks like a beautifully converted red-brick Victorian warehouse and is actually three separate buildings and a lot of surrounding greenery. All rooms have dataports, are spacious and are very well (simple colours) decorated. Q 115 rooms (99 singles €40-75, 45 doubles €45-85, 1 apartment €175, 8 junior suites €95, 8 duplexes €100). Prices include breakfast. VAT not included. PHARFLGK tel. 021 311 05 35, fax 021 311 07 21. Cheap, cheerful (ish) and good value hotel opposite Gara de Nord. Cheaper rooms have no facilities (there is a shared shower and toilet in the corridor) while those (more expensive) rooms that offer a private bath also offer a TV and telephone. Q 82 rooms (50 singles €17-25, 31 doubles €28-45, 1 apartment €55). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHRULGKD Confort Calea Bucurestilor 255 A, tel. 021 350 41 Carpati B-5, Str. Matei Millo 16, tel. 021 315 01 40/021 314 02 74, fax 021 312 18 57, rezervari@hotelcarpatibucuresti.ro, www.hotelcarpatibucuresti.ro. Good place for bargain hunters: central, clean and amazingly modern with friendly, sometimes multilingual staff. You have the choice of six different types of room, each being different 10/021 350 41 14, www.conforthotels.ro. Otopeni International - sorry, Henri Coanda - has got itself another hotel in close proximity, this time the Confort, just a short wing span from the airport. Good value, well equipped and really rather spacious rooms on offer, but it is the location you will be coming for. Q 150 rooms (94 singles €55, 48 doubles €55, 2 suites €120, 6 junior suites €65). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUFLGK October - November 2008 28 where to stay Confort Traian D-5, Str. Traian 55, tel. 021 308 31 53/021 308 31 54, fax 021 308 31 55, marketing@ proconfort.ro, www.conforthotels.ro. From the people who brought you the Hotel Confort out by the airport, the Confort Traian is a hotel much closer to the centre of the city. Standards are high, and all the well-appointed rooms are of a good size. Service is friendly and multi-lingual. Q 90 rooms (54 singles €65, 35 doubles €65, 1 junior suite €90). Prices include VAT. PARGK Graffiti Dan B-4, B-dul Dacia 125, tel. 021 210 39 58/0727 59 95 99, www.hoteldan.ro. Smart addition to Bucharest’s enormously popular three-star scene. The location is central without being noisy, and the rooms themselves are all wellsized and well-equipped. Staff are friendly, befitting a small hotel, and ready to see to your every need. Q 15 rooms (7 singles €66-76, 7 doubles €80-95, 1 suite €100-120). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARULGW C-3, Str. Albac 25, tel. 021 231 79 79/021 231 77 99, fax 021 231 60 06, receptie@hotelgraffiti.ro, www. hotelgraffiti.ro. Not ideally located, this hotel is nevertheless no more than ten minutes in a taxi from the centre of the city: in busy periods walking can be quicker. Rooms are not large but are well enough furnished, all with superb beds, wireless internet, state of the art televisions and cooling air conditioning. The buffet breakfast is very good and included in the - what it has to be said is a very competitive - price. Q 11 rooms (8 singles €60, 3 doubles €70). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARGK Herastrau Elizeu A-4, Str. Elizeu 11-13, tel. 021 319 17 35, fax 021 316 17 48, rezervari@hotelelizeu.ro, www.hotelelizeu. ro. Three-star hotel just north of the city’s main railway station. Neat and tidy it is not big on frills but offers good rooms and high standards of service for a good price. All rooms are air conditioned, beds are large and the on site restaurant is fine. Q 54 rooms (20 singles €56, 33 doubles €67, 8 triples €84, 1 suite €88). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUGK B-1, Sos. Nordului 7-9, tel. 021 232 96 66/0744 33 56 68, fax 021 203 99 23, hotel@herastrau.ro, www.herastrau.ro. One of the most historic hotels in the city, located on the shore of gorgeous Herastrau Lake, in the middle of the city’s largest park. Great location, nice rooms, and at these prices very good value. Q 37 rooms (15 singles €70-89, 20 doubles €80-99, 2 apartments €130-154). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHAR6UGK Hostel Miorita C-6, Str. Lipscani 12, tel. 021 312 03 Floreta de Aur B-2, Str. Av. Popa Marin 2, tel./fax 021 230 64 96. Cheap and cheerful little place in Floreasca, offering decent rooms in a quiet part of the city, as close to Suburbia as Bucharest gets. For what you get, you are paying peanuts. Q 17 rooms (17 doubles €40). Prices include breakfast. PFG 61/0742 10 23 16, fax 021 312 03 28, hostelmiorita@ hostel-miorita.ro, www.hostel-miorita.ro. The first problem at this place is that none of the somewhat overpriced rooms has windows on the outside world. The second is that the plumbing can leave a lot to be desired, resulting in flooded bathrooms after many a shower. Also note that breakfast is included only for the first guest in a room. Other than that expect very helpful and apologetic staff. Q 6 rooms €50 per room per night. Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARUGW hhh Bucharest In Your Pocket bucharest ii otopeni airport ii timisoara airport ii cluj airport ii sibiu ii brasov ii constanta X-actly what you need 30 where to stay €85, 79 doubles €85, 7 apartments €105). Prices include VAT. PHAR6ULGKW Marna B-4, Str. Buzesti 3, tel. 021 310 70 74/021 310 70 76, fax 021 312 94 55, rezervari@hotelmarna. ro, www.hotelmarna.ro. Not exactly fit for a queen, but absolutely fine for budget conscious backpackers who want to be near the Gara de Nord. The only luxury your room has is a 1980s looking telephone (expensive to use). Showers are shared but perfectly clean and modern. Does look slightly scary from the outside, and this is not, take note, a great part of town. Q (11 singles €18-20, 27 doubles €27-29, 2 triples €38, 3 junior suites €46). Prices include VAT and breakfast. NK h Piccolo Mondo A-3, Str. Clucerului 9, tel. 021 260 06 82/021 202 93 64, fax 021 222 95 22, hotel@piccolomondo.ro, www.piccolomondo.ro. The Picollo Mondo has long been recognised as the home of Bucharest’s best Middle-Eastern food, and it now also offers a hotel which must rank among the best value places to stay in town. Good, wellappointed four-star rooms, and, more importantly in this town perhaps, a quiet area of the capital ensuring a peaceful night’s sleep. Q 20 rooms (13 singles €78, 7 doubles €89). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHAR6GKW Rin Calea Bucurestilor 255A, tel. 021 350 41 15, Ibis Gara de Nord A-4, Calea Grivitei 143, MGara de Nord, tel. 021 300 91 00, fax 021 300 90 98, reservations@ibisaccor.ro, www.ibishotel.com. The Ibis is just about the best value hotel in the Romanian capital, offering well appointed rooms with good bathrooms, comfy beds and televisions boasting more channels than you can watch, at a more than reasonable price. The Ibis is not found in the most salubrious area of town, it must be said, but it should be hoped that the hotel will act as a catalyst for much needed rejuvenation of the zone around Gara de Nord. Q 250 rooms (197 singles €85, 38 doubles €85, 15 apartments €105). Prices include VAT. PHAR6ULGKW fax 021 350 41 18, sales@conforthotels.ro, www. conforthotels.ro. This relatively new hotel out towards Otopeni airport is a sibling of the Hotel Confort, and run by the same people. A little more luxurious in fact than the Confort, you can expect the same well-sized rooms, good service and good value you have come to expect from the Confort people. Q 255 rooms (100 singles €89, twins €89). Prices include VAT. Breakfast not included (€8 per person). PTARUFGKDC Suter Inn B-7, Str. Aleea Suter 3, tel. 021 337 39 39/0743 75 58 66, fax 021 337 11 33, hotelsuterinn@gmail.com, www.suterinn.ro. A short distance from the city centre in a quiet side street close to Parcul Carol I/Libertăţii, this is a wonderful little guest house, painted in bright pink. (The building dates from 1900). The rooms are small-ish but cosy, and all furnished well. All have air conditioning. A great breakfast is included in the price of a room. Q Prices include VAT and breakfast. PARGW Ibis Palatul Parlamentului B-6, Str. Izvor 82-84, tel. 021 401 10 00, fax 021 402 28 98, reservations@ibisaccor.ro, www.ibishotel.com. The second Ibis hotel to open in Bucharest is just as good as the first. Situated just south of the enormous Palatul Parlamentului, it has all the services and little extras you would expect of an Ibis hotel. Rooms are simple but well sized, bathrooms are super, and for the price, value for money is high. Q 161 rooms (75 singles Trianon B-5, Str. Grigore Cobalcescu 9, tel. 021 311 NEW Bed & Breakfast Flower’s B & B D-5, Str. Plantelor 2, tel./fax 311 98 48, www.flowersbb.ro. A stone’s throw from Piata Unirii this great little Bed and Breakfast has become an instant hit with visitors looking for a value-for-money bargain. Leave aside the English breakfast (included in the price), the simply furnished rooms are all non-smoking, and are kept spotlessly clean.Q7 rooms (Singles 150.00 lei, doubles 200.00 lei). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PALG 49 27/021 311 49 28, fax 021 316 22 81, office@ hoteltrianon.ro, www.hoteltrianon.ro. If location really is everything then you can’t do much better than this cracking place on Str. Cobalcescu, opposite Cismigiu Park. The hotel is a superb Secession renovation on a street that boasts some extraordinary buildings: it is a shame not all are up to this standard. Inside the rooms are simple, tastefully decorated and offer excellent value for money. Bathrooms have either a bath or a shower. Geared towards business people we can’t help thinking that - given its park location - families will like it here too. Q 26 rooms (4 singles €80, 20 doubles €110-140, 2 apartments €160). PHRLKW €0.27; £0.22; US$0.40 (September 30, 2008) 1.00 lei = Bucharest In Your Pocket where to stay 31 Short Term Rental Cert Accommodation Tel. 021 327 40 34/ 0722 27 13 27, fax 327 40 34, office@cert-accommodation.ro, www.cert-accommodation.ro. A large and varied range of luxury self catering apartments in the city centre. All apartments are fully equipped, with fully fitted kitchens, private telephone with direct dial (local calls are free), colour TVs and internet connections. Unique B-4, Str. Caderea Bastiliei 35, tel. 021 319 45 91 www.hotelunique.ro. Nothing unique about this place, an understated hotel the kind of which now dime a dozen in Bucharest. It appeals to business travellers looking for a little more peace and quiet than usual, though its location close to the city centre makes it great for night owls too. Lovely garden. Q 15 rooms (14 doubles €79, 1 junior suite €125). Prices include VAT and breakfast. PHARUGKW Hostels & Villas The Funky Chicken Guesthouse B-5, Str. Gen. Berthelot 63, tel. 021 312 14 25, fax 021 610 22 14, funkychickenhostel@hotmail.com, www.funkychickenhostel. com. Offering free cigarettes may appear to be a good idea when the bulk of your clients are penniless students, but it sounds like irresponsibility to us. Anyway, this wacky! crazy! hostel will appeal to the kind of person who enjoys puns like ‘clucking good atmosphere’ or being told that the staff are ‘friendly but smelly.’ Students, who’d have them? Q 4 dormitory rooms (28 beds, €8/bed). Prices include VAT. G Easy Accommodation C-5, Str. David Praporgescu 4, tel./fax 021 315 55 59, www.easyrental.ro. A wide range of self-catering apartments in a variety of locations all in or around the city centre. Prices include a cleaning lady twice a week, and if you book for more than four nights airport transfer is thrown in for free too. Grand Accommodation Tel. 021 314 49 50/0722 36 75 68, fax 021 313 23 86, office@for-rent. ro, www.for-rent.ro. Grand Accommodation has a variety of well furnished apartments and villas to suit all pockets in good locations available for both short and long term rentals. Vila 11 Professional Realty Str. George Valentin Bibescu 33, bl, 10/2, sc. A, ap. 6, tel. 021 232 04 06/0745 01 02 02, fax 021 232 17 04, realty@digi.ro, www. accommodation.com.ro. Fabulous apartments, with every comfort and convenience possible, from maid service to airport pick-up, available in quiet, but central areas of the capital. A-4, Str. Institutul Medico Militar 11, MGara de Nord, tel. 0722 49 59 00/0722 49 59 01, vila11bb@hotmail. com. Sweet and very friendly pension very close to Gara de Nord (one block east of Str. Vespatian and B-dul Dinicu Golescu) that is highly recommended for those wanting a good dose of peace, quiet and a personal atmosphere. Transport to/from the airport possible, just phone in advance. Q (2 singles €25, 2 doubles €38, 1 triple €54, 14 dorm places €15). Prices include VAT and breakfast. 6G RomVision Travel D-6, Str. Maximilian Popper 30, bl. F6, sc. 2, ap. 56, tel. 021 322 65 33/0723 40 93 96, fax 021 326 15 96, office@romvision.ro, www. romvision.ro. Accommodation in 3, 4 or 5 star apartments located in Bucharest city center. Fully equipped, air conditioning, internet access, jacuzzi, fire place. Prices from US$45 per night. Youth Hostel Villa Helga D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu Sigma Tel. 0723 23 33 66/0740 23 02 31, sigma. realty@pcnet.ro. Thoughtfully decorated apartments in good locations. Fully fitted kitchens, televisions, internet access and a host of other services. 184, tel./fax 021 212 08 28, tel. 0741 12 75 14. An official and charismatic HI hostel a short distance from the centre of town attracting a wide variety of international travellers all with stories to tell. For your much-loved cash you can have your laundry done, use the internet, the kitchen and have breakfast. Get there by bus No. 86 from the train station to Piata Gemeni, and take the first turning on the right. Q 24 beds (45 lei - 80 lei/per night/per person). Prices include VAT and breakfast. RG Unid C-6, B-dul C. Coposu 3, bl. 101, sc. 4, et. 4, ap. 72, tel. 021 320 80 80/0722 24 51 51, fax 021 327 56 99, office@unid.ro, www.unid.ro. Luxurious studios, apartments and villas. Car hire available too, with or without driver. Loads more at: www.inyourpocket.com October - November 2008 32 restaurants Price Guide (Based on a good meal with wine) €€€€ Expensive (More than €30 per person) €€ Middling (€10-€20 per person) €€€ Not cheap (€20-30 per person) € Cheap (Less than €10 per person) American Hard Rock Cafe B-3, B-dul Kiseleff 32, tel. 021 206 62 61, sales@ hardrockcafe.ro, www.hardrock.com. Wham, Bam, thank you Maam. Americana gone berserk in the very best sense of the word. Nobody can knock this place and it is easy to see why. Feast on top level, upmarket-burger bar and Tex-Mex food, served in huge portions by perky Bond girls who have a smile for everyone. Then sit back with great cocktails and listen to some very good rock and roll supplied by some of Bucharest’s best live acts. Seriously good. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30, Thu, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:30. €€€. PAUEW Champions B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. 021 403 19 17. Hard to fault this high-quality burger bar, tucked away on the first floor of the JW Marriott. While most people appear to settle for the burgers - perhaps the best in the city - we love the massive range of tapas-style starters. Go for the mini-cheeseburgers, the potato skins or the crispy onion rings. Around three million television screens placed everywhere you could imagine will ensure that if you’ve come here for the big match, you will not miss a kick. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PTAX Ruby Tuesday E-6, B-dul Decebal 4, tel. 021 323 78 71, fax 021 326 64 56, info@ruby.ro, www.rubytuesday. ro. Ruby Tuesday is one of those places that you can’t help thinking was much better in the past. The burgers, once unsurpassed, are now only third or fourth best in the city, yet given that their price doesn’t appear to have risen for years, they still represent great value. Besides, the rest of the menu remains excellent, the onion rings remain the crispiest in town, and the fajitas are very good: the peppers are super, spicy hot. Children still get treated better than in other places in Bucharest and for a good value family dinner it is hard to beat. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. Also at (I-4) Calea Vitan 55-59 (Bucuresti Mall), tel. 021 320 36 73. €€. PTAL Belgian Bruxelles C-3, Str. Chile 10, tel. 021 231 22 83, www. bruxelles.ro. Despite its name this place serves no Belgian cuisine whatsoever. The national dish of that country is mussels and fries... which you will absolutely not find on the menu here. Instead the international menu features lamb, salmon and prawns, none of which are all that Belgian. There is Belgian beer on the menu, but other than that the link to Brussels needs further explaining. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. P Waterloo D-5, Str. Traian 188, tel. 021 320 35 88/0744 526 048. This is a rough and ready type place, with long bench seats - meaning you may find yourself sitting with a stranger who turns out to be the person of your dreams. The prices are such good value, you’ll be shocked. The quality won’t shock though, as it is good; very good. It’s in a less than salubrious part of town, but well worth the visit. Go for it. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PA Bucharest In Your Pocket 34 restaurants treat. The sweet counter rivals that of any patisserie in the land. QOpen 12:30 - 24:00. €€€. PAUE Casa Vernescu B-4, Calea Victoriei 133, tel. 021 311 Brazilian Churrascaria Carnivore Str. Garlei 1, tel. 021 233 55 55, www.carnivore.ro. Out by Baneasa lake (take a left straight after the Baneasa bridge), this Brazilian restaurant may be all about beef, and Brazilian beef at that, but there is amazingly a vegetarian platter on offer too: that’s more than most vegetarian restaurants in this town offer. A great cocktail list - featuring Caipirinhas and Macumbas of course - means that you will not want for a decent apéritif either. The open-plan interior, complete with trees, is a joy. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PA 97 44, www.casavernescu.ro. A much hyped and - some would say - overrated restaurant. We have always been impressed with the place, especially the gorgeous surroundings and superb service. Most of the punters who come here are Romanian businessmen trying to impress their clients, and there are few better places in Bucharest to do so. The menu is generally French, and the wine list is worthy of close inspection. QOpen 18:30 - 01:00. €€€€. POALE French Bakery C-5, Str. Nicolae Golescu 17, tel. 021 Chinese Asia E-6, B-dul Decebal 12, tel. 021 327 34 76/0722 64 19 66, contact@restaurantasia.ro, www.restaurantasia. ro. Now here’s a surprise: a Chinese restaurant in Bucharest and it isn’t all that bad. In fact, we rather like this place (the place especially: the decor is tasteful and gloriously free of Chinese tourist crap) as the food is decent and comes in at some super prices. Well worth a lunchtime trip. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30. €€€. PA 310 33 02, www.frenchbakery.ro. The small but wellformed French bakery chain of patisseries, which until now had been happy serving upmarket Fornetti to connoisseurs, now has itself two proper sit-down restaurants. Our first visit under whelmed us: newly opened, service was slow and the food failed to lift the spirits. Brought here by friends a couple of weeks later however all was well: the menu - featuring relatively simple and well-priced French food - had been refined (there’s a good choice of tasty duck dishes) and service was much, much better.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PA Also at (B-4) B-dul Lascar Cartagiu 4. Heritage C-4, Str. Polona 19, tel. 021 210 15 00/021 Nan Jing B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 2-4, tel. 021 311 15 50, fax 021 312 39 63. The Nan Jing’s claim to fame is that it’s the oldest Chinese restaurant in Bucharest, having been founded in the 1960s. The food has a sort of Chinesestyle to it, but even though portions are large (and so they should be considering the prices) the nosh is no better than average. Popular with those staying at the Minerva Hotel (the Nan Jing is situated in the hotel’s lobby). QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PAL 210 88 50, office@heritage-restaurant.eu, www.heritage-restaurant.eu. With a head chef who wants nothing more than to blow you over in amazement with his latest creations every time you come here, there is something a costly if delicious necessity to dine here as often as possible. Right now that means feasting on delicious plump breasted pigeon served with a vegetable chartreuse and foie gras, and sitting in the gorgeous courtyard with some fine wine wondering what on earth he will think of next. Q Open 13:30-24:00, Sat 19:00-24:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PALGB La Bastille B-4, Str. Căderea Bastiliei 72B, tel. 021 310 Cuban Habana Cafe A-3, Str. Docentilor 8, tel. 031 102 41 18/0731 39 27 10, rezervari@habanacafe.ro, www. habanacafe.ro. We liked this place immediately: a Cuban bar and grill without a single photo of either the evil Castro or his henchman Che Guevara in sight. Indeed, this place is a celebration of Cuba as was, or as could be, with treats like Hemingway chicken (grilled with lime and onion) and the unusual mint salad topping the bill. The cocktails are good, though the Mojitos that had us plastered in under an hour were perhaps a bit too sweet. We will be back to try some more though. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. €€. PAGW 73 59, fax 021 310 73 60, reserve@labastille.ro, www. labastille.ro. Cote de Porc en Croute, escargots en beurre and Bucharest’s most divine terrine de chocolat are served in an atmosphere so genuinely French that even the little Eiffel Towers and Napoleans on the window recesses pass unnoticed. Longevity is a boon in this city, and the fact that this place is now kicking on for its 10th anniversary says one hell of a lot for its continual high standards. QOpen 17:00 - 23:00. €€€. PA Fusion Avalon B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7 (Howard Johnson Grand Plaza), MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 201 50 30, fax 021 201 18 88, www.hojoplaza.ro/avalon.htm. The review we came up with of this place last time we visited went down so well at HoJo Towers they used it on their website. What we have here is what could otherwise be a very dull hotel-based restaurant - the decor is no great shakes - brought to life by some of the most inventive cuisine in Bucharest. This is genuine fusion cooking at its best, though it does not come cheap. Q Open 12:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00. Sun 12:00-16:00, 19:00-23:00. €€€€. PAGB French Brasserie C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. 021 303 37 77, fax 021 315 21 21. There are places to eat lunch in Bucharest, and then there is the Brasserie. This is the top meeting place in town, its central location and good bistro food reason enough to make it a default choice. The menu is seasonal, changes often, and the weekly, specially-themed menus (based around a particular country’s cuisine, or an in-season vegetable) are always a Balthazar C-4, Str. Dumbrava Rosie 2, tel. 021 212 14 60, fax 021 212 14 61, info@balthazar.ro, www.balthazar.ro. The legend lives on. The years may come and go but Balthazar remains the one truly original Fusion restaurant in the city, nay country. It’s as fitze as hell of course, and by no means cheap, but the service, tableware, range of food and outstanding cooking make it a joy to dine here. And it should Bucharest In Your Pocket restaurants 35 be said that if you lay off the imported wines, Balthazar is not all that more expensive than other places not fit to lace its boots. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PA Greek Olive Garden C-3, Str. Tudor Vianu 11, tel. 021 230 26 30/0730 33 79 28, fax 021 230 24 13, reservations@ olivegarden.ro, www.olivegarden.ro. While this place doesn’t look all that inspiring from the outside, we love killing time here. The menu is simple, vaguely Greek versions of Romanian classics, but to call it a Greek restaurant is stretching the description somewhat. Let’s settle on Balkan/Mediterranean, and if we factor in the cheap-as-chips prices we can just about give it the thumbs up. Q Open 11:00 - 22:00. €€. P Esperanto C-4, Str. Eremia Grigorescu 17, tel. 021 211 36 46. All the dishes on Esperanto’s menu, which changes on a regular basis, are very good, and are all served up in a small, charming and coquette locale which is perfect for small groups of friends. The quality of food at Esperanto gets even better when the owner (who really knows his food, and indeed writes restaurant reviews for a Romanian daily newspaper) is in the kitchen. You will adore the impractical ashtrays. Reservations essential. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PA Mju C-5, Str. Vasile Lascar 29, tel. 021 313 00 15/021 Rodon C-5, Str. J. L. Calderon 16, MP-ta Universitatii, 313 00 16, fax 021 313 00 28, info@mju.ro, www.mju. ro. Superior Fusion (and we mean genuine Pan-Asian Fusion here) food in a setting as swish as you could hope for. Sit yourself down on one of the designer chairs and tuck into the divine parfait de foie gras, before feasting on the caramelized duck served with fennel and crispy sage: the mouth waters again as we write the review. Utterly recommended. Q Open 12:00-24:00. €€€€. PA tel. 021 315 81 41, rodon@hotelelgreco.ro. Super Greek restaurant at the El Greco hotel, serving more than 100 authentic Greek dishes, including 31 different meze. Seafood dominates the menu, and note that the hardware is flown in fresh from Greece: nothing frozen at Rodon. Sardines, squid, swordfish, octopus, mussels... it’s all here, it’s all fresh and it’s all regularly available. QOpen 10:30 - 24:00. €€€€. PA German Die Deutsche Kneipe C-3, Str. Stockholm 9, tel. 021 233 94 62/0722 28 45 60. Situated in wealthy Dorobanti, it is one of the happiest places in town run by a happy lovable couple. It is a true ‘Kneipe’ in other words a family run restaurant serving good wholesome German food including genuine German sausages. But one warning: the portions are huge, as in enormous. They represent superb value for money. QOpen 15:00 - 23:30, Sat 14:00 - 23:30. Closed Sun. €€. P Thalassina B-4, Str. Povernei 22, tel. 031 425 09 NEW 50/0747 77 57 70, www.thalassina.ro. It’s new, it’s Greek and it has a ton of fish and seafood to offer. There are seven types of fish to choose from, including sea bass and fresh tuna fillets, as well as no fewer than nine prawn dishes. The giant prawns with garlic and spicy sauce are a simple but delicious treat. Add in oysters, langoustines and caviar and you have a menu fit for anyone with the budget to pay for it all. The decor is vaguely nautical, the porthole-shaped art on the walls a nice touch. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PAE October - November 2008 36 restaurants Karishma D-5, Str. Iancu Capitanu 36, tel. 021 252 51 57, kitchen@karishma.ro, www.karishma.ro. This place, by warrant of its bits and pieces layout, is perhaps the closest thing you will find to a classic British/Indian curry house in Bucharest. No less than three Indian chefs cook up the treats out back, with the lamb rogan josh - ordered extra hot - never failing to hit the spot. In fact, we counted no fewer than 10 lamb dishes on the menu, a rare treat in these parts where the raw material is so hard to find. QOpen 13:00 - 24:00. €€€. PALS International Basilicvm B-3, Str. Popa Savu 7, MP-ta Aviatorilor, tel. 021 222 67 79/0721 37 34 40, irina_tanjala@silviusrestaurants.ro, www.silviusrestaurants.ro/basilicum. A great range of salads, pastas and assorted other (mainly Italian) fare, all served with cheery professionalism by the efficient staff. Basilicvm (mind that v) is housed in a lovely villa in Aviatorilor with various different dining rooms, perfect for hosting larger dinner parties. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. €€€. PAB Brasserie Crowne Plaza A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1, Hungarian St. George C-6, Str. Franceză 44, tel. 021 317 10 87/0747 11 10 00, rezervare@stgeorge.ro, www. stgeorge.ro. Hungarian cuisine is far more than Romanian food with dumplings, and St. George is as good a place as any to try it. There are no fewer than five fresh goose liver dishes on the menu here, and four types of the golden dessert wine that is the legendary Tokaji Aszu. Add in a great location, superb traditional Hungarian decor and a lively gypsy band, and you have a great evening guaranteed. The cellar is great for private parties. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. €€€. PAE tel. 021 224 00 34, fax 021 224 11 26. Situated inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the Brasserie has the biggest and most popular Sunday brunch in town. Yes people it really is that good. The chef, Raymond Gomez, is a former winner of the highly contested Best Chef competition held each year amongst the fiercest competition imaginable - including the top restaurants listed in this magazine. For a more formal meal, see the entry for La Primavera. Q Open 06:00-10:00, 11:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00. €€€€. AE Indian Barka Saffron A-2, Str. Av. Sănătescu 1, tel. 021 224 10 04/0745 00 36 60, reservations@barkasaffron.ro, www.barkasaffron.ro. We have been coming here since the last century, when there was precious little choice in Bucharest for people wanting something a little different; a little more spicy. Now there is plenty of choice but we still trot up to Barka whenever we can. On our last visit we went for the lamb with spinach in tomato sauce which was as good as we had hoped. The onion bhajis remain Bucharest’s best. First class cocktail list. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 23:30. €€€. PALES Haveli D-4, Str. Episcop Radu 3, tel. 021 211 03 90/0721 72 16 40, contact@haveli.ro, www.haveli. ro. Convincingly authentic Indian cuisine served in a brightly decorated villa, where the sauces are by nature toned down for locals but where chef will - with pleasure - spice things up for the more experienced diner. We like the long list of vegetarian dishes, of which the Bhangan Bharta (aubergine with tomato and onion) is a particular favourite. QOpen 13:00 - 24:00. €€€. PALS Bucharest In Your Pocket 38 restaurants Corso Brasserie C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel Inter Continental), MUniversitate, tel. 021 310 20 20, www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ic/1/en/hotel/BUHHA/ dining. The Corso is the Inter Continental’s window on the world, where the views from the majority of the tables out over busy Universitate would be reason enough to take a coffee or light meal here. The food is a decently priced selection of both international and local dishes, available throughout the day. Superb brunch on Sundays. Q Open 06:30 - 23:00. €€€. PTALW Cupola B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. 021 403 19 03. Flying the flag of great fusion cuisine for quite some time now (eight years and counting) this exquisite restaurant that disproves the myth that great hotels do not make for great restaurants. Entering this place - situated on the mezzanine floor of the JW Marriott - is a joy in itself, the design cutting edge and the staff eager to keep you happy. The regularly changing menu makes it difficult to make specific recommendations, though we have always been tempted by the fish and seafood dishes (of which there are always plenty to choose from) and have never been disappointed. Q Open 06:30-11:00, 12:00-16:00, 19:0023:30; Sun 06:30-11:00, 12:00-16:00. €€€. PA Dacia Felix B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson SAS), tel. 021 311 90 00. The Radisson’s bread and butter restaurant, the best thing about this place is that the cracking breakfast (the best in the city), which is open to all comers: simply turn up before 10am, pay your money and fill up for the day (we would have liked to have stayed for the day such was the wealth of goodies on offer, but they had to get ready for lunch...) The Dacia-Felix is also the setting for the Radisson’s Bucharest In Your Pocket restaurants 39 excellent Sunday Brunch. Q Open 06:30-10:30, Sat, Sun 07:00-11:00, Brunch 12:00-16:00. €€€€. PA Festival 39 C-6, Str. Franceza 62-64 (Entrance on Piata Unirii), tel. 0743 33 99 09. With what is the plummiest of plum locations on Piata Unirii, Festival 39 makes good use of it by offering plenty seats out on a terrace, though at this time of year the warm, cosy armchairs by the window in the main part of the restaurant are far more appealing. While the original F39, up in Brasov, was a mere cafe and bar, the Bucharest version serves up good food - try the chicken kebabs served with huge salads - alongside the cocktails and coffees. The idea of the original: to create an other worldly type of place far from the madding crowd - has just about been transferred successfully to the Bucharest franchise. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00. €€€. PAGBSW alongside well-prepared, presented and served - is less than imaginative - international cuisine. At this time of year the wine cellar is a good place to hide from the wind and rain. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. P McMoni’s A-2, Str. Primo Nebiolo 1, tel. 021 318 46 38, fax 021 318 45 94, evenimente@mcmonis.ro, www. mcmonis.ro. Chances are if you have ever been to a wedding or christening in Bucharest, then you have already been to McMoni’s. It is perhaps the primary event location in the city, its vast private rooms perfect for all sorts of get togethers. What often gets overlooked is that it is also a decent place simply to take somebody for a quiet dinner. It is a hell of a lot more intimate than it’s ever given credit for, and the food will never disappoint you. The wine list is exemplary. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PAE Il Giardino A-3, Str. Clucerului 19, tel. 021 223 19 78/021 0372 15 07 00, fax 021 222 90 46, restaurant@ residence.com.ro, www.residence.com.ro. Can a hotel restaurant be this good? Yes. The ambitious owners of the Residence hotel are very keen to promote their excellent restaurant, and with good reason. A small but perfectly formed dining room is the setting for a tantalizing menu of Oriental, Mediterranean and local dishes. A much larger conference room is a great setting for larger, formal dinners. QOpen 07:00 - 01:00. €€€. PA Noblesse B-3, Str. Paris 47A, tel. 021 230 54 06/0721 85 53 33, fax 021 230 54 09, rezervari@noblesse.ro, www.noblesse.ro. Noblesse obligé. And this place certainly meets all its obligations by providing diners with a gamut of modern international fare, which delights in its quality and ambition. Housed in a super villa near Piata Dorobanti, prices are high, but justly so. If you’re a pie and chips man, this is not for you. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PAL The Harbour B-4, P-ta Amzei 10-22, tel. 021 319 72 In Vino Veritas C-6, Str. Lipscani 45/ Str. Blanari 21, NEW tel. 0752 01 00 00, rezervari@restaurantveritas.ro, www.restaurantveritas.ro. The latest restaurant to open up in the Old Town. Found in the same building as the cracking new Austria Cafe, In Vino Veritas offers a decent selection of local and imported wines (as it should given the name) 57/0724 38 86 86, office@harbour.ro, www.harbour.ro. A top location, in Piata Amzei, with food to match, as well as friendly and efficient staff. The atmosphere is relaxing, the food better than average, though the real joy of this place is its view to the market. We came here for lunch recently and were stunned by how many foreigners were eating here: it must be one of the most popular tourist and visitor spots in town. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PAL October - November 2008 40 restaurants Times E-6, B-dul Decebal 19, tel. 021 316 65 16, www. goldentuliptimes.com. The prawn spring rolls we ate here were just about the crispiest, lightest and tastiest we have come across in Bucharest. We couldn’t make better at home (and we tried). There are plenty of other treats on a varied international (with a hint of Romanian) menu here too. This is a real surprise of a restaurant: do not let the hotel location put you off. Note the last kitchen order is at 22:30. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. €€€. PALG by a terrace that seems to go on forever make Angel’s one of the first points of reference for many visitors to Bucharest, especially Italianos, who feel at home here in their sunglasses and white shoes. The food is decent enough trattoria Italian, and there is good, wood fired pizza too. You will need a reservation at the weekend if you have designs on sitting outside. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PALB Aquarium C-4, Str. Alecu Russo 4, tel. 021 211 28 20. Since 1994 it’s been the same story: good but not extraordinary Italian food and a swish, bright interior; both make Aquarium worth a visit. It can be a little showy, with high-powered individuals often choosing to hold court here, but that shouldn’t put you off what now has to be classed as a Bucharest legend. Rather expensive. QOpen 12:30 - 23:30. €€€€. PAL Trafalgar Pub C-4, Str. David Emanuel 4A, tel. 021 211 31 51. Popular with lady expats who have a regular rendezvous here, this place is a pub and bistro in one, where you can get a decent meal for little money while enjoying usually dceent company. Our only complaint is that it can be a bit smoky, but that’s it. The ciorba de vacuta is genuinely one of the tastiest in the city, a real meal in itself, and perfect for lunch. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 02:00. €€. Bellini C-5, Str. Ion Ghica 2, MUniversitate, tel. 021 Uptown Bar & Grill B-3, Str. Rabat 2, tel. 021 231 40 77, fax 021 230 13 60, reservation@uptown.ro, www. uptown.ro. One to avoid. Everything that’s wrong with Romania, and then some. A great location and wonderful covered terrace are ruined by snooty, rude staff who think the average foreigner in Romania was born yesterday and can be lied to as a matter of course. Add in very average food at unacceptable prices and you have a place fit only for the local sunglasses crowd.QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PAL 310 29 78, www.bellini.ro. Packed out with the pre-cinema crowd heading over to Cinema Pro for the latest premiere, Bellini has a great location, and its covered terrace is lovely in spring and summer. As with most Italians in this city the food is not really worth writing home about, but is fine, is not overpriced and they make OK pizzas. Q Open 12:00 - 24:00. Also at Str. Lanariei 5 (tel. 0723 10 01 01) €€€. PAB Buongiorno Italian Angel’s B-3, Str. Paris 52, tel. 021 231 90 44/0723 26 43 57, fax 021 231 90 45. An enormous villa surrounded B-4, B-dul Lascar Catargiu 56, tel. 021 317 43 63. We have always loved the place, with its many separate, highceilinged dining rooms and decent if far from special Italian food. Time will tell if this incarnation will be as successful (or not, as the case may be) as the others. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 02:00. €€€€. PA Bucharest In Your Pocket 42 restaurants Byblos C-5, Str. N. Golescu 14-16, tel. 021 313 20 91, www.byblos.uv.ro. This old favourite was completely renovated earlier this year, and its new look and feel (far more emphasis on comfort: sitting at some tables in the old Byblos could get a bit hemmed in) has made it even better. Of the food there is little less than superlatives to say: the success of this place has always been its ability to offer high quality at reasonable prices. How they get away with charging what they do for the imported cheeses and salamis is beyond us. Not that we’re complaining. See you there. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PAL average food at London prices in a setting utterly spoiled by the presence of a huge plasma television screen in the main dining room. The presence of a pizza chef should also send alarm bells ringing. They do serve Veuve Clicquot by the glass, however. The crowd remains as fitze and supercilious as you can imagine. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PALE Cucina Caffe & Latte Wine Bar B-5, B-dul Schitu Magureanu 35, tel. 021 314 38 00/0744 33 31 00, fax 021 314 38 70, office@caffelatte.ro, www.caffelatte.ro. Next door to what has always been one of Bucharest’s best cafes, this Italian restaurant (that goes for gawdy orange decor in a big way) keeps coming up with the goods on the food front. Whether its the huge portions of seafood pasta, the cracking wine list or the chocolate cake to end all chocolate cakes, we can’t help ourselves going back time after time. Or we would if we could afford the bloody expensive prices. Start saving now for Christmas. Q Open 12:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PTAG B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott), tel. 021 403 19 02, www.jwmarriott.ro. A breezy, light hearted, happy place with singing waiters. It is hugely popular, with its own Italian chef. Pizzas and a large selection of antipasti are popular, as is cutting off large chunks of their giant wheel of Parmesan. Italian restaurants come and go, but Cucina is a much loved staple in this city and it will be with us for ever, together with it’s loyal following of fans. QOpen 19:00 - 23:30. €€€. PA DavVero D-8, B-dul Tineretului 55, tel. 021 331 06 19, Caffe Citta B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson SAS), www.davvero.ro. Not the best Italian in Bucharest, but certainly not the worst either. It’s menu of biblical proportions is full of the usual humdrum pasta and pizza, although it must be said that the pizza is particularly good. Prices are more than reasonable too, and it’s very popular. Q Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€. PAS tel. 021 601 34 36, www.caffe-citta.ro. The Radisson’s Cafe Citta is a decent enough Italian given gravitas by two things that will immediately strike you as you walk in. First, the kitchen is in the dining room itself, set along the whole of one wall: you can watch the chefs in action as they cook your meal. Secondly, every table is adorned with a bottle of the finest olive oil known to man, proof that no corners have been cut in the making of this restaurant. The food? Good, with room for improvement as things settle down. Top dishes right now include the carpaccio di manzo served with crispy olives, and the lamb cutlets with roast potatoes. Service, as you would expect, is excellent. Prices are high. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PA De Gustibus D-4, Str. Marcel Iancu 10, tel./fax 021 211 14 49, www. degustibus.ro. Call us old fashioned but we have always liked to judge Italian eateries on the standard they set with their spaghetti aglio, olio e pepperoncino. Outwardly simple, made with just fresh pasta and garlic, the best olive oil and peppers, it has an inner complexity that anyone who has tried to make it at home will testify to. De Gustibus is one of those few places in Bucharest that gets its aglio olio just right, and so we whole heartedly recommend it to you. The place itself is a delight too, a gorgeous Italianate (what else?) villa. QOpen 11:30 - 24:00. €€€. PALS Capricciosa B-dul Ion Ionescu de la Brad 2, tel. 021 Gino’s C-4, B-dul Dacia 19, tel. 0723 53 09 01, office@ ginos.ro, www.ginos.ro. Guess what? Standard Italian food in a slightly-above average setting in leafy Cotroceni. So what’s new? Nothing. While it’s all done with a flourish and the terrace is fine there is no special need to cross town to eat here. There is live jazz most Fridays though. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€€. PAE 233 06 35. What might initially seem a mediocre venue is in fact a bustling pizzeria whose menu is a veritable dictionary of pizzas. They even do truffles and, let’s face it, you don’t see those every day. Worth making the journey uptown for both the food and the atmosphere, which demonstrates that top restaurants don’t have to be swanky. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PA Casa di David B-1, Sos. Nordului 7-9, tel. 021 232 47 15. When it opened this place was great: fine food at decent prices in a superb setting. Now it is so, so different, Expect Il Magnifico C-6, Str. Olteni 9, tel. 021 327 04 54/0726 NEW 73 05 00. Tuscan, to be precise, not Italian, so you know from the off that you are getting the real thing here (there not being such a thing as an ‘Italian restaurant’). Expect good, simple Bucharest In Your Pocket restaurants 43 home cooking based around fine ingredients and ages old recipes. The bistecca alla fiorentina is a genuine, imported piece of Tuscan perfection. The place itself is a nice house behind Unirii, with a splendidly well separated non-smoking section. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. €€€. PLG remains the only Paparazzi bistro in Bucharest. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€. P Quadri C-3, Calea Floreasca 45, tel. 021 231 85 31. Isoletta Sos. Nordului 7-9, tel. 021 232 21 77, fax 021 232 21 88, isoletta@isoletta.ro, www.isoletta.ro. Luxuriously decorated place on Herastrau lake, where glass and wood have been combined at great expense to create one of the most sumptuous dining rooms in the city. It has a great terrace too. Yet the good news ends there. For the food, despite the laughable descriptions on the menu - is nothing more than standard trattoria fare (the pasta is bought, for example) and the service can be atrocious. Leave this one for the fitze crowd to enjoy alone. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PALW Would like to think of itself as upmarket Italian (as it should be given the prices and location), but really it is the same old stuff you will find here. One hundred variations on a theme: pasta with this, pasta with that. Presenting ordinary food in an avant garde way does not make it great food.QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. P Quattro Stagioni B-2, Str. Maresal C-tin Prezan, tel. 021 222 72 22. You can’t miss this place: it is a glass restaurant stuck out on a limb (with a sign in lurid pink) on the main road from Piata Aviatorilor to the Arc de Triumf. Having been less impressed on our last visit with anything beyond the so-so view of the busy street outside, we perhaps suggest making sure you do give it a miss. There are far better places in the city to enjoy average pizza and Italian stodge. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. Also at Sos. Nordului 7-9, tel 021 233 37 81. €€€€. P Maron C-4, Str. Alecu Russo 12, tel. 031 805 71 92. Gorgeous place, subtly located and partially hidden, but whose mellow, cool entrance welcomes all comers. One wall of this place is entirely glass, affording almost every diner a window on the world outside. The food is upmarket Italian, which goes just that bit further than usual and offers some treats not found elsewhere, such as the Venetian liver or the beef with truffles (hurry while the season lasts!)QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PAL Roberto’s Paparazzi Bistro B-3, B-dul Aviatorilor 31, tel. 021 222 64 22. Imagine, if you will, franchised Italian trattorias. You know, pretend there aren’t enough dodgy Italians in Bucharest and that what we need is ‘the first Paparazzi bistro in Romania’. That’s what we have here. Featuring such classy dishes as ‘Romanian fried eggs’ and ‘Paparazzi schnitzel’ we can only hope that this ‘first Paparazzi bistro in Bucharest’ C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. 021 303 37 77. Though it now has some real competition from Cafe Citta across the road, this is still unquestionably the best Italian chophouse in the land. Boasting a skillful Sardo chef who demands only the finest, imported Italian produce, what keeps Roberto’s in first place however is that it serves regional Italian cuisine from all over that great country: the region in question changes every month. Astonishing wine list.Q Open 06:30 - 10:00, 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 23:00, Sat 06:30 - 11:00, 12:00 - 15:30, 19:00 - 23:00, Sun 06:30 - 11:00, 19:00 - 23:00. Sunday Brunch 12:30 - 15:30. €€€€. PTAE October - November 2008 44 restaurants Trattoria Il Calcio I C-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 1-3, tel. 0732 52 81 40, www.trattoriailcalcio.ro. What we have here is the best use of perhaps the best terrace space in the city. Finally, someone with a vision has taken this venue to its full potential, making use of every square inch of space. As such you can almost always get a table inside or out, and though service can be hit and miss the good - if not outstanding - Italian food at fantastic prices makes this a good default choice for dinner. Stick to the pizzas and you will love the place. Q Open 12:00-24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00-01:00. €€. P Zerillo’s C-4, Piata Lahovari 2, MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 318 62 91/0729 99 05 77. The fleet of luxury cars outside accurately convey its prices and pretensions. Good food - as well it ought to be, and the tables are spaced out affording diners some discretion and quiet. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€€. PAE Japanese Benihana B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7 (Howard Johnson Grand Plaza), MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 201 50 30, fax 021 201 18 88, www.benihana.ro. Japanese food as it should be: relatively simple yet superbly treated cuts of meat and fresh vegetables cooked before your very eyes on a Hibachi grill by a trained chef. There’s sushi too for those who like it, and though prices here can be high, try the excellent value lunchtime menu if you want to turn Japanese on the (relative) cheap. Q Open 12:00-14:30, 19:00-22:00. Closed Sun. Sushi bar open 12:00-15:00, 19:00-22:30, Sun 19:00-22:30. €€€€. PTAULS Trattoria Il Calcio II C-4, Str. Mendeleev 14, MP-ta Romana, tel. 0722 13 42 99, www.trattoriailcalcio.ro. Perennially popular Italian, which has recently opened two more Bucharest outlets to try and cope with the overwhelming demand for real trattoria food at cracking prices. The full gamut of Italian dishes is served unpretentiously by staff in football shirts, while the murals on the wall depict the legends of seasons past. It may sound tacky but the queues outside speak for themselves. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 01:00. Also at (I-4) Str. Delea Veche 36, tel. 0726 01 03 83; (C-3) Calea Floreasca 118-120, tel 0728 63 99 06. €€. P Trattoria Roma D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 114-116, tel. 021 210 81 57/0722 368 745. While the location is good, and the seats by the window great (a busy street outside but nothing can be heard through the soundproof windows), this place is really nothing more than another bog standard Italian. Only this time the prices are way too high. Go for the place - which is great - but not the food. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. Also at (B-3) Calea Dorobanti 177, tel. 021 230 40 83 and (A-6) Str. Dr. Lister 1, tel. 021 411 63 30, 0766 33 42 24. €€€. PAL B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Grand), tel. 021 403 46 80, fax 031 403 46 81. Five types of Japanese cuisine cooked by no fewer than 12 - count them - Japanese chefs. For those of you not in the know Yakimono is an international chain (the first was in Israel) offering only the very best for the very richest at prices that go way off our scale. Fortunately the food is a little too rich and sophisticated for Bucharest’s monied fitze crowd, so expect decent company while you eat: business people, expats and locals who know their sashimi from their sushi. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30. €€€€. PA Yakimono Bucharest In Your Pocket 46 restaurants Lebanese El Bacha B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. 021 403 31 03, www. elbacha.ro. Whenever we see an open kitchen we always rejoice: we see it as a good sign of the house’s confidence in its own hygienic conditions. The menu is extensive and everything on it is well executed. A bright pleasant atmosphere on the ground floor of the Marriott, and bargain prices. Greatly recommended and hugely popular, though we’ve had reports recently of service not being up to scratch. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. Also at B-dul Al. Serbanescu 87 (Phoenicia Grand Hotel), tel. 021 316 47 70. €€. PAS Piccolo Mondo A-3, Str. Clucerului 9, tel. 021 222 57 55/0722 20 50 50, restaurant @piccolomondo.ro, www.piccolomondo.ro. Lebanese food that is both filling (with plenty for vegetarians to choose from) and well made. Kebabs are one of the chef’s strong points, and are very tasty indeed. After your meal you can enjoy a smoke on a hookah pipe. Always packed so reserve a table. QOpen 11:30 - 01:00. €€€. PABW Tulin Four Seasons C-5, Str. Vasile Lascar 81, tel. 021 212 29 92. Cheap as chips with knobs on, this is the real thing, cracking value Lebanese food served with minimum fuss in a less than salubrious location. Who cares? The food is terrific, you can never get a table and the legions of Lebanese who eat here almost nightly are a fair sign the kitchen is doing the right thing. If you live in the area note that they do take away: phone up, order what you want and go and pick it up. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PS B-5, Str. Pictor Stahi 2, tel. 021 314 40 01/0762 21 26 75, rezervari@restauranttulin.ro, www.restauranttulin. ro. Situated on a tiny little street just north of Cismigiu, until now famous only for being home to the Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican Embassy to you and me), Tulin is a would-be Lebanese restaurant that just about gets away with it. There is enough variety on the menu beyond the obligatory falafel (which is good) to keep most groups happy, and as you will want to taste as many dishes as possible, try to round up a gang before visiting. Particularly good we thought were the rassasfur (spicy beef with onion) and the araes kafta (breaded lamb meatballs). QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PAG Habibi C-5, Str. Vasile Lascar 98, tel. 021 318 05 54 98/0732 06 00 29, fax 021 318 05 54 97. About as Lebanese as Tel Aviv. Certainly, there is some Lebanese food on the menu, but there is also ciorba de burta on the menu too. Don’t be put off from coming though: it is a decent enough place with friendly staff and a pleasantly busy atmosphere, but the menu suffers from the usual problem of having to cater to less exotic Romanian tastes. If they ditch the Romanian food and stick to the Lebanese they will be onto a winner. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PA Mediterranean Charme C-6, Str. Smardan 12, tel. 021 311 19 22, www.charme.ro. Right then, what you are actually getting at this super place is some of the finest food in Bucharest’s Old Town, served in one of the most elegant and classiest locations around. Check out the nice little touches such as high quality bread and olives, the high ceilings and airy atmosphere, then order some fine, light Californian-inspired cuisine. It’s a winner from start to finish. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 24:00. €€€€. A Bucharest In Your Pocket restaurants 47 Sangria B-4, Str. Caderea Bastiliei 78, MP-ta Romana, tel./fax 021 211 22 76, tel. 0722 51 05 83, office@ sangria.ro, www.sangria.ro. Pleasant and airy restaurant with a summery, Mediterranean feel to it. Food is generally good, plenty of spicy sauces to get through and good cuts of meat; though the almost total absence of sea food from the menu is a shame. Not bad then, but at these prices it damn well should brilliant. Service can be hit and miss. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€€€. PA - including a number of excellent fish dishes - created by a German chef, plush surroundings and well-trained staff make it a certain success. We just hope standards will remain this high. QOpen 18:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PABW La Primavera A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1 (Crowne Plaza), Mexican/Tex Mex El Torito C-4, Str. Iancu Capitanu 30, tel. 021 252 66 88/0728 17 60 59, eltorito@eltorito.ro, www.eltorito. ro. Tex-Mex as it should be: spicy, tasty but free of frills. Expect the biggest and best burrittos in the city, topped with lashings of tangy cheese; sizzling hot fajitas, no fewer than eight types of taco and - best of all - that splendid Mexican staple so often forgotten or passed over as being dull: cream of corn soup. The super nachos are worth trying too: filled with ground beef the portion is big enough to serve as a main course. In fact, beware: all the portions here are supersized. Though you would be a fool to forego a nosh here, if you just fancy a drink at the bar nobody seems to mind. Let the margaritas and the mojitos flow. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€. PAGW tel. 021 224 00 34, fax 021 224 11 26. Another fabulous hotel restaurant famed for its ethnic food weeks, even the most jaded diner will not fail to be impressed by the adventure on display here. This is the top restaurant at the Crowne Plaza, where all the food is overseen and expertly produced by master chef Raymond Gomez. QOpen 18:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PAE Madrigal C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel In- Modern European La Mandragora C-4, Str. Mendeleev 29, tel. 021 319 75 92. Interesting name. The mandragora, as you will of course know, is a nightshade that was commonly used as an anesthetic in ancient Greece. Well this restaurant is not, I can tell you, an anesthetic. It is in fact a wide-awake, sublime new restaurant that has started with a loud bang. Inventive food terContinental), MUniversitate, tel. 021 310 20 20, www.intercontinental.com. Spread the word: Madrigal has expanded its menu. While the juiciest Argentinian beef steaks imaginable (yes, it is all imported from the Pampas) remain this restaurant’s signature dish, you can also now tuck into a fine range of sea food (brought in fresh from Thailand), international and contemporary dishes, and some of the sweetest, tastiest desserts in the city. As we go to press news reaches us that from October the place will be getting an even fresher new lease of life with the arrival of a new chef, heart-set on making this one of the city’s top restaurants. In our opinion it made that grade long ago.QOpen 18:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. €€€€. PAUL Mazagran B-4, Str. Biserica Amzei 30, tel. 021 311 61 80, fax 021 311 77 43, restaurant@mazagran-bucuresti. ro. We’ve never claimed to know everything, but the only Mazagran we have heard of is a town in Algeria. Maybe the owner visited once? Whatever the reason behind the name this is a modern European restaurant with a few Mediter- October - November 2008 48 restaurants ranean flourishes, including a good selection of fish dishes. Housed in a resplendent, newly renovated villa it has a great location behind Piata Amzei, and is well worth a visit. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€€. PALG Romanian Bistro Atheneu C-5, Str. Episcopiei 3, tel. 021 313 49 00. If you’ve been in Romania for a while and you’re La Mama-ed out, but feel obliged to give your visitors at least one Romanian-esque meal, here is the answer. It’s a touch dark and gloomy inside, but the décor has an unusual charm, with instruments on the ceiling and an indoor fountain. The food won’t have you writing home but it is reliable, and the young staff friendly. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PALE Novotel Cafe Theatro B-4, Calea Victoriei 37B, tel. 021 308 85 30, fax 021 313 11 37, H5558@accor.com, www.novotel.com. So-called because the Novotel stands on the site of Bucharest’s pre-World War II national Theatre, this is a great new addition to the city’s restaurant scene. Expect inventive, exciting new flavours, all served in a warm and most un-hotel like atmosphere. An instant hit. QOpen 06:30 - 23:30. €€€€. PTAULGBW Burebista Vanatoresc C-5, Str. Batistei 14, MUniver- Poem B-7, Str. Suter 23-25, tel. 0800 12 03 77/021 336 33 77, www.poemrestaurant.com. In a realm of its own downstairs at the Carol Parc Hotel, Poem brings new meaning to the word exclusive. This is fine dining as it should be, without pomp and circumstance, in surroundings that suggest instead privacy and not a little joie de vivre. The food takes centre stage, and in keeping with doing things properly the menu is blissfully short, allowing the house to display its gifts. We can’t call it cheap but that is not the point. Q Open 06:30 - 01:00. €€€€. PALG sitate, tel. 021 211 89 29, www.restaurantburebista.ro. The smell of the wooden fixtures and fittings could convince you that you’re in the countryside, not metres away from the city centre. Portions are good, the food tastes super (good smoked meats, such as the smoked sausage and white beans, and lovely fresh sarmale) and all have a personal touch to their taste. Prices are more than reasonable. The live, loud folk band add to the party atmosphere. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€. PAE Caru’ cu Bere C-6, Str. Stavropoleos 5, tel. 021 313 75 60. Now owned and operated by the City Grill team, Caru’ cu Bere is a century-old inn that has recently been restored to former glories after decades of state-run neglect. The murals on the walls and ceilings are stunning, the wooden paneling positively shiny and the infamous bad, disinterested service a thing of the past. A must. Q Open 08:00-24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00-02:00. €€. AE Pizza Casa Veche B-5, Str. George Enescu 15-17, tel. 021 315 78 97, www.casaveche.ro. No longer famous; they had one of the first clay pizza ovens in town, but now that is the norm in Bucharest, and they have lost out big time to the competition. Still, it’s well located, big and bright and the terrace is wonderful, but the service remains oh, so, slow. As in sit here for half an hour before anyone notices you. Q Open 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PA Casa Doina B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 4, tel. 021 222 67 17, fax 021 222 67 18, restaurant@casadoina.ro, www. casadoina.ro. Alma mater of Romanian restaurants, an integral part of the city’s rich tapestry. This classy place Bucharest In Your Pocket 50 restaurants pulls in the cream of Bucharest society, served by charming, splendid waiters in smart dress. The food is superb, and in a city where standards rise only to fall so often, Casa Doina can be considered a paragon of consistency. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. Also at B-dul Poligrafiei 3-5 (Best Western Parc ), tel. 021 549 25 41. €€€. PALEB Crama Culmea Veche City Grill B-2, B-dul Primaverii 3, tel. 021 233 98 18. Good, cheap, simple food for the masses. Staff fall over themselves to serve you (we were asked by three different people what we wanted to order on our last visit), and the covered terrace is perfect for those evenings when it isn’t quite warm enough to sit outside. Inside it is a bit stuffier, but kids are welcome, there is good non-smoking/smoking separation, and at these prices the food is a bargain. Try the cârnati de pleşcoi: tangy mutton jerkies served with mustard, and a good alternative to mici. Q Open 10:00-02:00, Fri, Sat 10:00-04:00. Also at (G-1) P-ta Charles de Gaulle 15, tel. 0727 307 307; (F-2) Carrefour Orhideea, tel. 021 318 87 18; (C-6) Str. Lipscani 12, tel. 021 314 24 89; (A-4) Sos. Nicolae Titulescu 4-8, tel. 021 311 74 50. €€. PABW D-5, Str. Culmea Veche 2, tel. 021 311 11 32/0743 00 30 71, ospatar@cramaculmeaveche.ro, www.cramaculmeaveche.ro. Romanian food has always been good, but few restaurants in Bucharest have really ever done it justice. Culmea Veche is one of those places that pushes the boat out, however, even going as far as to boast that they will try and cook whatever recipe you bring along. We have yet to take them up on this challenge, as we are still getting through the 100 or so dishes that Culme Veche has come up with on its substantial and good value menu. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€. PA C-6, Str. Doamnei 9, MUniversitate, tel. 021 314 64 81/0723 60 54 38, fax 021 312 09 24, contact@terasadoamnei.ro, www.terasadoamnei.ro. This restaurant should stop being cruel to animals - literally - as when you walk in there’s a few sad-looking deer and ducks trying to get to grips with crowds and concrete. Average food but a good folklore show on the massive stage, and a top selection of local wines. Not the best place in town for a quiet dinner though. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. €€. PAEB Doamnei Count Dracula Club B-6, Spl. Independentei 8A, tel. 021 312 13 53/0788 31 28 78, fax 021 312 30 56, count-dracula@romantic.ro, www.count-dracula.ro. Fear of vampires not recommended for those who descend the staircase into this dark, endlessly touristy yet lovable themed-restaurant on the Dambovita embankment. The food is classic Transylvanian fare (meaning great stews are guaranteed) and the atmosphere more than amiable, created by staff who do the non-Bucharest thing and actually try to help diners enjoy themselves. The service charges which can appear on your bill are not obligatory. QOpen 15:00 - 01:00. Closed Sun. €€. PA Excalibur B-5, B-dul Mihai Kogalniceanu 3, MUniversitate, tel. 021 311 62 82. Plates, knifes and forks are dispensed with at this enjoyable Medieval-themed restaurant, where you can sit down at huge round tables and enjoy King Arthur’s Dinner or Sir Lancelot’s Lunch direct from a wooden platter. It’s basically decent Romanian grill and barbeque fare dressed up as Medieval cuisine, but the prices are decent and the atmosphere pleasant enough. Finger licking good. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PA Bucharest In Your Pocket restaurants Sunday Brunch Sunday Brunch. It might sound all Guardian and middleclass, but it is a part of living in Bucharest, and an expatriate institution. All of the major hotels have their own brunch, and have clients who have been loyal to them for years. There is, to be honest, little to choose between them - they all offer extensive buffets featuring some very good food, with lashings of orange juice and sparkling wine, a little light entertainment (usually in the from of live jazz), and some kind of creche/playroom where you can leave the kids and eat in peace. Pick one at will: you really can‘t go wrong. 51 Athenee Palace Hilton (At Roberto’s, see page 43) A superb brunch every Sunday from 12:30. The cost is 175 lei/person (including full buffet, sparkling wine, orange juice, mineral water, coffee and tea). Children under three eat for free, children between three and 10 years old pay 85 lei. Crowne Plaza (At the Brasserie, page 36) Sunday brunch from 12:00 to 16:00. 150 lei/person (including buffet, sparkling wine, orange juice, mineral water, coffee and tea). Children under seven eat for free, children between seven and 14 years old pay half price. JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel (At Cupola, page 38) Sunday brunch from 12:00 to 16:00. 170 lei/person (including buffet, sparkling wine, orange juice, mineral water, cocktails). Children under seven eat for free, children between seven and 12 years old pay 85 lei. La Belle Epoque B-2, Str. Radu Beller 6, tel. 021 230 07 70. It changed hands recently and now makes no pretence towards being a Belgian bar/restaurant - which is just as well because it isn’t. It is however, a good bar in a fabulous location and gives you the highest quality Romanian food, with such trimmings as a club sandwich for an International air. It’s OK, that’s all. QOpen 11:30 - 24:00. €€. AI Howard Johnson Grand Plaza (At Avalon, page 34) Fusion brunch at the fabulous Avalon every Sunday. 170 lei/person, children under seven free, children between seven and 12 years half price. Free parking. InterContinental La Mama C-3, Str. Barbu Văcărescu 3, tel. 021 212 40 86, www. lamama.ro. It was pointed out to us the other day that we had not changed the review of La Mama for a year or so. Well, that’s because there’s no point. It is still the default choice for expats wanting to eat Romanian, and for Romanians with little imagination. It is popular, though that is in the first place because it is cheap. The menu has hardly changed at all since the first of what is now a chain opened in 1999, and though hearty portions of standard splodge appear in minutes you’ll leave with a sense of why did you bother. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 04:00. Also at (I-3) Str. Delea Veche 51, tel. 021 320 52 13, 0723 292 846; (C-4) Str. Episcopiei 9, tel. 021 312 97 97, 0721 526 262; (F-3) Centrul Comercial Feeria, tel. 021 319 42 46/0729 52 62 62; (E-6) P-ta Alba Iulia 2, tel. 021 320 20 00/0728 85 38 53; (B-6) Spl. Independentei 210 - 210B (Orhideea), tel. 021 220 33 95/0724 505 605. €. PAB (At Corso Brasserie, see page 39). The InterConti’s Brunch on the Boulevard features all the usual brunhc fun as well as live jazz, a kids room, a carvery and free parking. From 12:00 - 16:00 every Sunday, 150.00 lei per person, kids under seven free, kids under 12 half price. Novotel The Novotel (see page 48) is doing a superb Sunday brunch featuring fresh lobster, foie gras, tiger prawns and chocolate fountains. From 12:00 - 16:00. Kids events, gifts for the under 12s. Radisson SAS (At the Dacia Felix). Sunday brunch from 12:00 - 16:00 at the Dacia felix and the Dark Bla bar. The concept is La Vie en Rose so expect pink prossecco, pink cocktails and goose liver. Play stations and face painting for the kids. Cost is 170 lei/person, children under six free, under 12s half price. La Taifas B-4, Str. Gh. Manu 16, tel. 021 212 77 88. The thinking man’s La Mama. La Taifas means ‘having a chat’ and that’s exactly what you and your friends will feel like doing at this tres jolie venue. We remain convinced that the original venue behind the Hilton on Str. Episcopiei was better, but the new location is spacier, and hosts more regular musical accompaniments. The food is great, and booking is still essential. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. €€. PEB Disagree with our reviews? Comment online at http:// bucharest.inyourpocket.com October - November 2008 52 restaurants Romanian Food Let’s face it, nobody travels to Romania for the food. As with most of the Balkans the vast majority of what’s on offer is a diluted version of Turkish cuisine, with Hungarian and Germanic influences clearly discernable in Transylvania. That is not to say that Romania does not have an identifiable cuisine, however, for it does. In most cases borrowed dishes have been localized, and in many cases vastly improved. An example is the classic Romanian sour soup, ciorba. Made of borş (a sour, honey-coloured liquid made of wheat and cornflour), the tradition of making sour soups is Ukrainian, but was perfected in Moldavia and later Muntenia. In theory anything can go into a ciorba, though the most popular are ciorba de legume (made with vegetables), ciorba de vacuta (made with beef), ciorba de burta (made with tripe), ciorba de perişoare (made with pork meatballs), or borş de miel (made with lamb, and popular at Easter). While you will often see ciorba de pui (ciorba made with chicken), chicken is more popular in clear soups, served with dumplings (galuşte), carrots and parsnips. At more formal meals a number of cold appetizers – known as gustare reci – will usually be served before the ciorba. These include cheese, olives, spring onions, salami, tomatoes and boiled eggs. Sometimes there may also be a platter of warm appetizers (gustare calde), such as carnaţi de pleşcoi (mutton sausages), ficaţei de pui (chicken livers), ciuperci umplute (stuffed mushrooms), or mici. These are spicy little sausage-shaped meatballs made of mutton, beef and pork. Main courses are usually the biggest disappointment of a Romanian meal. You can usually expect little more than gratar si cartofi prajiţi (a grilled piece of meat, usually pork, with fries). While there are options, such as the celebrated sarmale (cabbage or vine leaves stuffed with mince and rice), or tocaniţa (stew, usually pork), these are not all that common anymore as urban Romanians especially view them as provincial. Mamaliga, a Romanian version of polenta made of cornmeal, whose stodginess has long been compared to the Romanian temperament, has all but died a death in Romania’s cities. It remains a staple in villages, however. Though Romania boasts a not insignificant coastline along the Black Sea, the standard of its seafood is distressingly poor. Only carp (comically called crap in Romanian) – a fatty fish with no real flavour, usually served grilled or fried - and lifeless, farmed trout (păstrav; always served grilled) are regularly available. Romanians do however have a tradition of producing and eating fish roe, known as icre, usually mixed with garlic and mayonnaise and served in a delicious salad. Romania also produces decent caviar. Sweets in Romania are sweet indeed. Pancakes (clatite) served with chocolate or jam and covered in sugar are a popular dessert, as are papanaşi: deep fried doughnuts filled with jam, or sometimes cottage cheese. Local ice cream (îngheţata) is good and ubiquitous. Look out too for Romanian cakes (prăjituri), usually made with lashings of fresh cream. As a final word on Romanian food, a note about some strange culinary habits. For some unexplained reason Romanians usually serve their fries covered with tasteless grated cheese. When ordering you can avoid this by stating „fara branza pe cartofi prajiţi, vă rog.” There is also a local habit of throwing creme fraiche (smântana) on everything, especially in ciorbe and soups. Again, a simple „fara smântana vă rog” will suffice. Locanta Jaristea B-6, Str. George Georgescu 50-52, tel. 021 335 33 38, www.jaristea.ro. Enjoyably over-thetop, this restaurant is the best place in Bucharest to come and experience pomp and circumstance, Romanian style. During his enjoyable yet much-maligned (and Romanian governmentfinanced) trip to Romania last year, the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain loved the place; it was one of his few happy experiences in Romania. If like him you want the suckling pig, order a day in advance. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. €€€€. PALE Monte Carlo B-5, Str. Schitu Magureanu 23 (Gradina Cismigiu), tel. 021 313 13 44. If you’ve been invited to a wedding or christening in Bucharest, there’s a 50 per cent chance that this will be the venue. Its to-die-for location, on the lake in the heart of Cismigiu, makes it the default choice for set piece events all year round. So much so that you should not expect to eat here at the weekend: it is block booked. Come instead on a quiet weekday night and stare out at the starry sky as you chomp on fairly standard Romanian/international cuisine of no great note. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€€. PEB Nicoresti C-5, Str. Maria Rosetti 40, tel. 021 211 24 80/021 211 13 34. If you don’t mind waiters treating you with utter contempt - and, let’s face it, you’re in Romania, so you can’t mind that much - you can enjoy some standard local fare at Nicoresti, while trying to pluck up the courage to order the brains, a local delicacy that hardly deserves the description. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 23:00. €€. PALE Rossetya C-5, Str. Dimitrie Bolintineanu 9, MUniversitate, tel. 031 805 91 99, www.rossetya.ro. Romanian food is never going to win any awards for originality, it being a mix of various Balkan cuisines, yet Rossetya tries harder than most to take it to new levels. As such this is as upmarket as you can get, and the beef dishes here are especially good. Try the sote de vacuta aromat cu cognac: tender beef sauteed in cognac with mushrooms and tomatoes. Also worth trying is the Iahnie de fasole: a Romanian bean stew that packs something of a kick and proof that Romanian does do vegetarian food. QOpen 11:00 - 24:30. €€. PAGS Vatra B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 23 - 25, tel. 021 315 83 75, www.vatra.ro. Another half-decent Romanian restaurant, right in the centre of town, and offering some of the best ciorba you’ll find in the capital. Right around the corner from IYP towers, we’ve spent many a happy lunchtime in here for little more than a pittance. Recommended. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €. P Violeta’s Vintage Kitchen C-5, Str. Batistei 23, tel. 021 310 06 81, www.violetas.ro. The concept is good: simple, wholesome food made only with the very best and most natural ingredients. Not revolutionary of course, but for Bucharest something of a departure. The place works, not least because it is open for breakfast, where fresh rolls made on the premises are served with a steaming omelette containing just about everything Aunty Violeta found in her kitchen.QOpen 08:30 - 23:30, Sat, Sun 11:30 - 23:30. €€. PS Sandwiches Gregory’s C-6, Str. Lipscani 27, tel. 021 310 20 34, www.gregorys.ro. ‘City Espresso Bar’ might be a little overly optimistic, but these places serve a good range of coffees and snacks, and have clean, bright interiors and friendly, young staff. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 20:00, Sun Bucharest In Your Pocket restaurants Home Delivery Jerry’s D - - 6, B-dul Octavian Goga 24, tel. 425 15 15 /327 40 40 , www.jerryspizza.ro. Undoubtedly the best pizza delivery service in Bucharest. The bases don’t dominate the pizza, the toppings are hefty and the service is quick and friendly. You can choose ready-made pizzas, or create your own. Great. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. €€. 53 Mike’s Delivery Tel. 320 20 30, office@mikesdelivery.ro, www. mikesdelivery.ro. Good, reliable home delivery company. Pizzas are excellent, while a range of other good, standard dishes are also avaialble. Food is always delivered promptly and hot; always with a smile. Recommended. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. €€. Trenta Pizza Tel. 9645, www.trentapizza.ro. This is the real deal. Thin, crispy pizzas served piping hot to your door for peanuts. They do the thick-style pizzas too: make sure you ask for ‘baza subtire’ - thin base. They will also bring you a tomato sauce to accompany the pizza: the hot one is genuinely hot. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. €. Wu Xing Tel. 222 21 26/0722 830 331/ 0740 222 122, www.wuxing.ro. Professional if slightly pricey Chinese delivery service. It’s not quite Chinese as you know it from home, but pretty close. Good option when you can’t be bothered to cook or leave the house. You can even order online. Q Open 11:00 - 15:45, 17:00 - 23:00. €€. 09:00 - 20:00. Also at (A-3) Gara de Nord; (D-6) Piata Unirii; (D-4) Piata Universitatii Underpass and many other locations around the city. €. Sandwich Factory B-4, Calea Victoriei 12A, tel. 021 233 05 17. The best thing to happen to lunchtime in Bucharest... ever. Sandwich Factory, now with eight outlets around town, stocks well made, well filled sandwiches of all shapes and sizes, from baguettes to bagels to classic English doorsteps. Ignore all other sandwich shops and get here immediately. Q Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Also at (D-4) Str. Batistei 17, tel. 021 314 73 22; (C-4) Str. Ion Campineanu 10, tel. 021 312 76 64 and many other locations around the city. €. PA Seafood Mesogios C-5, Str. J.L. Calderon 49, tel. 021 313 49 51, 021 317 13 55, www.mesogios.ro. A businessman’s dream. While Mesogios certainly doesn’t get any cheaper, the high standards here have ensured that it remains packed with happy punters. Getting on for a decade since it opened its dedication to seafood has not waned for one moment, and we never leave disappointed (and we come here as often as our wallet allows). Join us and enjoy squid, lobster, prawns of all sizes, mussels, oysters, giant sea bass and a host of other wet treats. QOpen 12:30 - 24:30. €€€€. PA Prime Steak & Seafood B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson SAS), tel. 021 311 90 00, www.prime-restaurant.ro. This place was well worth the wait. For a start, it is about as far removed from a typical hotel-based restaurant as you could hope for. As intimate as the cosiest bistro, the name might suggest big, brash, American-influenced; it is October - November 2008 54 restaurants anything but. The service is attentive and knowing, the menu a mix of, well, prime steaks and seafood: but that hardly does it justice. The fish selection changes all the time, and there is always a classy little bottle of something rather good to go with it. No bargains, just excellence. Q Open 12:00-15:00; 18:30-24:00. Closed Sunday. €€€€. PA Serb Casa Sarbeasca B-7, Str. Gramont 23, tel. 021 337 40 86, www.casasarbeasca.ro. Great restaurant, shame about the location. It is a building site really, this whole area, and though it will soon be lovely it is currently a little too run down for most. That’s the location. The restaurant itself offers a mix of Serb and international dishes, at terrific prices. The Serb version of mici, pleshkovica, are tangy and tasty and a good choice for a quick feed. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. €€. PAL Taverna Sarbului Str. Tipografilor 31, tel. 021 490 60 50/0727 35 33 53, www.tavernasarbului.ro. An increasingly disappointing establishment that lets itself down by so often not being able to offer everything on the menu. When will Romanian restaurants learn that you never hand out a menu you know to be inaccurate. It is the height of bad manners. Add in the cost, quite often grumpy service and out of the way location, and reasons to come here beyond the famous name are few and far between. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€€€. PEBSW South American Villa Rodizio C-5, Str. I. L. Caragiale 32, tel. 021 211 80 78/021 211 80 79, office@villarodizio.ro, www. villarodizio.ro. A brand new South American churrascaria (that’s a steak house to you and me) serving prime Brazilian steaks alongside a fine selection of Mexican and Argentinian dishes. The place itself is a splendid turn of the century (the 19th, that is) villa renovated to within an inch of its life and looking quite stunning. The interiors have to be seen to be believed. The stained-glass skylight being the (quite literal) high point. There’s live music and even tango some evenings - phone to check when. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. €€€. PTALE Turkish Golden Falcon C-5, Str. Hristo Botev 18-20, tel. 021 314 28 25. Menus are foregone here as a dizzying array of starters is displayed before you: just select which ones you want. The bread is always piping hot, the kebabs enormous. Sweets - if you have room - will simultaneously attempt to rot both your teeth and stomach, in the most delicious way possible. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. PAS Spanish El Vino D-2, Str. Mihai Eminescu 206, tel. 021 212 13 30. Top tapas, though everything is served restaurant style, from a menu, as opposed to with drinks at the bar. Everything you could imagine is here, from paella (the real deal, cooked to order) to mussels in white wine sauce and genuine Spanish Chorizo. Prices are super cheap, though it’s easy to over do it with so many tasty treats on offer. An immediate success. Get here fast. QOpen 12:00 - 23:30, Sun 17:00 - 23:00. €€. PAL Vegetarian Casa Satya A-3, B-dul Banu Manta 25, tel. 0788 78 87 77, www. satya.ro. Where do you start when reviewing a place as revolutionary as this? The concept is Ayurveda, as in the Indian mix of life and science. Ayurvedic principles have long been applied to medicine, now it is developing into cuisine. Everything on the menu is toxin free, so no meat, no seafood, and is made with only organic ingredients. Amazingly, that does not mean forgoing taste: the delicious chutneys served with the poppadom will convince you of that. The toilets are amazing. QOpen 12:00 - 22:30. €€€. PAG Thai Thai Moods A-2, Str. Petre Creţu 63, tel. 021 224 68 51/0723 17 40 39, info@thaimoods.ro, www.thaimoods.ro. You may see adverts for other so-called Thai restaurants in Bucharest; you would do well to ignore them. If you want the finest South-East Asian food then this is the only place to come. The menu features new and tempting dishes almost every week, and you can take it from us that everything is well worth trying: the Thai green and green/red curries are personal favourites, however. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon. €€€. PALGSW Disagree with our reviews? Comment online at http:// bucharest.inyourpocket.com Bucharest In Your Pocket CaFÉs Atelier Cafe C-6, Str. Selari 7, tel. 021 318 28 54, office@ateliercafe.ro, www.ateliercafe.ro. Cafe and gallery, where you can enjoy an artistic coffee while browsing some fine contemporary Romanian art from the likes of Ion Silisteanu, Sorin Ilfoveanu and Mihai Cismaru. QOpen 10:30 - 20:00, Sat 10:30 - 16:00. Closed Sun. PAG 55 Cafe Klein C-6, Str. Smardan 11, tel. 021 313 93 15/021 313 93 16, info@rembrandt.ro, www.rembrandt.ro. Small but lively cafe and wine bar on the mezzanine floor of the Rembrandt hotel. Worthy of note for its non-smoking policy and bizarrely comfortable leather chairs. The wine list is not extensive but what is on it has been chosen by people who care about these things. Q Open 11:00 - 24:00; Sat, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. For hotel guests Open 07:00 - 24:00. PG Austria Cafe C-6, Str. Lipscani 45/ Str. Blanari 21, tel. 0752 01 00 00, www.cafeaustria.ro. Chances are you will like this place. OK, so the Mozart kitsch on the walls may be a little over the top, but you’ll love the sweets, cakes and strong, milky coffee. There’s free Wifi too, just in case you want to check out if the Mozart chocolates on sale really cost that much back in Vienna (they do). They’re just as tacky as well. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. PW NEW Cafepedia BT Cafe B-2, Str. Av. Radu Beller 6, tel. 021 233 87 75/0729 99 49 93. It’s a cafe! It’s a bank! It’s a ponsey place were wannabe city-types sip espressos while watching Bloomberg or the Money Channel, and pretend to do deals by speaking to their mums on expensive telephones. Mortgages available, and given the price of the coffee you might just need to take one out to pay the bill. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. PA C-5, B-dul Regina Elisabeta 11-13, tel. 021 320 26 00/0728 85 38 54. Free Wifi internet is the biggest draw here, though the choice of coffees, newspapers and books make it a worthwhile afternoon or early evening excursion. There’s a good range of light meals, sandwiches and such like, and staff are friendly. Note that it can get crowded at lunchtime and at aperitivo time after work. It’s owned and run by the same people as the dreadful La Mama chain, but do not let put you off. QOpen 08:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 04:00. Also at (C-5) Str. Pictor Arthur Verona 2; (E-6) P-ta Alba Iulia 2, Open 08:00 - 24:00. PAW Caffe & Latte Cafe Atelier Montmartre B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 29, tel. 021 315 10 65. Between an office building and a florist this little cafe offers big salads of the ‘Elaine Benes would approve’ kind, and great coffee. There is also art in the form of sketches and paintings from young, local artists waiting to make their first sale. Buy something and do your bit to support the local art movement. Q Open 09:00 - 22:00, Sat 11:00 - 22:00. Closed Sunday. PLGW B-5, B-dul Schitu Măgureanu 35, tel. 021 314 38 34, fax 021 314 38 70, office@caffelatte.ro, www.caffelatte. ro. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it, seems to be the ethos of this king of cafés. The staff, the food, the coffee and the décor all stay the same - and still they come. Particularly nice at this time of year, when you can sit outside, avoid the smoke and have a nice view of the park. Keep doing what you’re doing, Caffe Latte. See the Italian restaurant section for details of the Caffe & Latte restaurant next door.QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. P October - November 2008 56 CaFÉs Caffe Frappe C-4, Str. Mendeleev 7-15 (P-ta Amzei), tel. 021 319 69 21. Bright and breezy cafe in the middle of Piata Amzei, with large windows affording terrific views out on to the street, which bustles from dawn to dusk. As such Frappe attracts its fair share of sunglasses-on-head trendies and leathertrousered poseurs, but it serves great premium coffees and but it is hard to beat in this neighbourhood. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. P For Me D-5, Str. Spatarului 4, tel. 0727 83 80 33. Pretty in pink? Not always. It should be a winner this place, given its mega list of well made, well served and well priced cocktails. Alas the awful pink colour of the villa it’s in sends warning salvos from the off, which, For Me, are enough to persuade me to go somewhere else. It might work for you though, so prepare for the red, white and brown interior. QOpen 10:00 - 04:00. P City Cafe Bistro B-4, B-dul Lascar Catargiu 2, tel. 021 Geisha Cafe C-5, Str. C.A. Rosetti 10, tel. 021 315 312 91 11/0731 32 72 55, www.citygrill.ro. The City Grill people have taken over this great location and made it even better, which is why it warrants a separate entry in our guide. Best of all is the decor, all velvet and faded luxury of the kind the city used to have in abundance until the fitze crowd began throwing yucky contemporary design all over the place. The food is standard City Grill fare: ideal for a cheap lunch or dinner, and far better than it has any right to be. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PW 72 98. The Geisha girl pictured on the main wall of this cafe looks fantastically seductive, and painting her clearly took a bit of work. Shame the same attention to detail didn’t go into chair selection: we found them to be a little uncomfortable. Other than that it is a decent enough place to get a coffee if you happen to be in the area (it is next to the University’s library) but otherwise not worthy of any real note. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:30 - 24:00. PA Chianti A-4, B-dul Nicolae Titulescu 92, tel. 021 222 Costa Coffee D-4, B-dul Dacia 39, MPiaţa Romana. Bigger in the UK than Starbucks. Bruno and Sergio Costa set up their famous coffee roastery in Lambeth, London in 1971, supplying local caterers and Italian coffee shops with an exciting coffee, slow-roasted the Italian way. People couldn’t get enough of it and by 1978 the first Costa espresso bar opened in Vauxhall Bridge Road in London. Well now it has opened up slap bang in the middle of Bucharest. Serving a sublime selection of coffee, cakes and pastries it is also entirely nonsmoking, a revolutionary and wonderful development in the history of this city. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. AG 15 33, www.chianticafe.ro. Leopard skin sofas are back! That’s the conclusion we drew after visiting this place, an offshoot of the half-decent Italian restaurant, Noblesse. There’s good coffee on offer, simple salads, pasta and steak and chips: it is tailor made for the local office crowd who have made it their lunchtime and after-work home. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. PA 45, contact@chocolat.com.ro, www.chocolat.com.ro. Chocolate shop, cafe and bar where real connoisseurs of chocolate will feel right at home. The selection of chocolate is stunning, and though prices are high we think they’re - by and large - merited. Comfortable tables and chairs, newspapers and a warm atmosphere make it welcoming and the sweet waitresses will convince you to stay. QOpen 08:00 - 03:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 01:00. A Chocolat C-5, Calea Victoriei 12A, tel. 021 314 92 Crem Caffé Espresso Bar C-5, Str. Toma Caragiu 3, tel. 021 313 97 40/0745 57 68 69, fax 021 313 97 48, office@cremcaffe.ro, www.cremcaffe.ro. A treasure of a cafe, just behind Piata Universitatii. Full of good people all of the time enjoying coffee, cakes and conversation. Impeccable service and decor only add to the joy of spending time here. The warm, fresh apple cake with ice cream is dreamy. Can be very smoky. QOpen 07:30 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 24:00. W IO Expresso C-5, Str. Demetrie Dobrescu 5, tel. 021 Cube C-4, Calea Dorobantilor 54, tel. 031 105 72 58, contact@cubecafe.ro, www.cubecafe.ro. Once you get beyond the concept, in that everything here is cubed, or square, from the sofas and armchairs to the coffee cups, then there is little to remark the place above any of the other zillion ‘trendy’ cafes opening up around the city. The mint coffee is good though. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 01:00. PA 315 60 98. Bucharest’s most stunning cafe is housed inside a modern office building (home to Bucharest’s architects’ guild) itself inside the shell of a building almost entirely ruined during the 1989 revolution. The blend of old and new is sensational. The cafe itself is a quiet, mellow affair great for casual meetings and relaxing. QOpen 08:30 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PG Da Vinci L’Inventore B-5, Str. Ion Campineanu 11, MUniversitate, tel. 021 312 24 92, fax 021 312 17 32. Utterly appalling in every sense. The staff don’t give a damn about whether they serve you or not, and after tasting the food we wished they had not served us. Soggy potato, starchy vegetables and tough meat was all there was to offer us. Unlike former years, the place is empty with all of the neighbouring workers in the Union International Building staying away. We don’t blame them. QOpen 08:30 - 24:00. Closed Sun. PA Kartell Cafe C-6, Str. Smardan 7, MUniversitate, tel. 0749 05 77 70, www.kartellcafe.ro. Delightful cafe in Old Town, opposite the National Bank building. The best feature are the armchairs; they must be amongst the most comfortable we’ve ever come across in Bucharest. Q Open 10:00 - 02:00. P Le Bistrot C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. 021 303 37 77. For many years this place was In Your Pocket’s kitchen: we had our office close by and came here for breakfast and coffee almost every day. Now we’ve moved away, but we still come back whenever we have to meet someone. For this is Bucharest’s Piccadilly Circus: everyone meets here, and as far as expats are concerned if you stick around for ten minutes you are bound to see someone you know. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00, Fri 08:00 - 24:00. PAEG Fitto Cafe C-3, Calea Floreasca 70-72, tel. 021 230 90 93. This bright, happy little place on Floreasca is another venue doing its bit to drag this street out of its grim, fitze past. Pushing healthy food and drinks to the forefront, it is perhaps the best place in the city to get a refreshing fruit smoothy and a well-sized lunchtime salad, free of posing picaninnies and their moles. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. P Lente C-3, Str. Gen. Praporgescu 31, tel. 031 102 06 61, rezervari@lente.ro, www.lente.ro. This place was great during the summer, when its marvellous courtyard terrace was one of the city’s hotspots. Now the sun shines a wee bit colder, the interior is less welcoming. It is not bad, Bucharest In Your Pocket 58 CaFÉs not at all, but there just isn’t enoiugh going on: the exposed wooden floors are probably to blame. Still, if enough warmth is not supplied by the locale then try one of the steaming exotic teas. There are plenty to choose from. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. PA Starbucks B-dul Timisoara 26 (Plaza Romania), www. Market 8 C-6, Str. Stavropoleos 8, tel. 021 313 41 67, www.market8.ro. Another reason why Lipscani is such a trendy place to be these days. This cafe, bar, design studio, bookstore and general style-guru hang out is a great place to meet interesting people, to browse the wares and to enjoy a uniquely sophisticated environment. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. PARG starbucks.com. Romanians are quickly discovering that Starbucks is not the kind of cafe where you wear ridiculous clothes, stupid sunglasses and come to pose while smoking yourself to death. And thank God for that: Starbucks is therefore a favourite haunt of people who simply like drinking good coffee in decent, smoke-free surroundings while taking a break from the shopping. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Also at (E-7) Calea Vitan 55-59 (Bucuresti Mall), open 10:00-22:00. PTGW Turabo Cafe C-5, Str. Episcopiei 6, www.turabo-cafe.ro. Museo B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 2, tel. 0751 69 06 90, www. museo.ro. Given that Museo - as the name less than subtly suggests - is in a Museum (the less than exciting Geology Museum), it surpassed all our expectations. It isn’t just a few tables and chairs in the foyer. Oh no. It is a distinct and uniquely decorated space set over a number of rooms and ante-chambers, with a mix of sofas, comfy armchairs, classy, formal dining chairs and enough candles to present a serious health risk. It’s a route march to the toilets. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. E Orange Concept Store C-5, Calea Victoriei 41. More than merely an internet cafe, this place has free Wifi if you want to bring your own hardware and merely enjoy the coffee, cakes, newspapers and magazines, atmosphere and view from the upper floor of this ‘Concept Store.’ Of course, mobile telephones and annual subscriptions are on sale downstairs, but there is no hard sell, just clever branding and a media mix that just works.QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. PAGW Quite the best cafe in town. The sandwiches are great, the coffee is great, the cakes are superb. They do some pretty snazzy cocktails too, and you can even get a beer. If you are lucky enough to get a seat, then just try and work out what the guys arriving in the top of the range Mercs and BMWs all do for a living. We once saw three guys arrive in an X5, get out with mobiles clamped to their ears, sit down, order coffee, drink coffee, pay and leave without either finishing a call or saying a word to each other - outstanding. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00. Also at (C-3) B-dul Magheru 43, tel. 0747 50 77 50; (D-5) Str. Ion Ghica 3, Open 08:00-01:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 01:00, tel. 313 66 22, 0722 73 21 41; (B-2) Str. Radu Beller 6, tel. 0752 13 33 31; (B-4) Calea Victoriei 155, tel. 0740 01 11 01. PALG Valea Regilor B-4, Calea Victoriei 16-20 (Pasajul Villa- crosse), tel. 021 311 29 69. Thick Turkish coffee served in one of Calea Victoriei’s grand old passages. Alongside the coffee and cakes you can also get you hands on a Nargile, those Turkish water pipes that offer an allegedly much healthier way to smoke tobacco. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 17:00 - 02:00. Also at (B-5) Str. Domnita Anastasia 9. P Bucharest In Your Pocket nightliFe 59 Bars Bellucci C-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 16, tel. 021 311 47 31/0728 90 95 55, office@bellucci.ro, www.bellucci.ro. This place would like to think of itself as elegant and luxurious, and up to a point it is. Situated on the corner of Franklin and Golescu, they have at least foregone the usual plastic garden furniture approach by placing sofas - yes, sofas - on the street outside to serve as an impromptu terrace. Nice. Inside it is much the same, comfy sofas and overpriced drinks (the cheapest beer is a whopping 8.00 lei) served to set rather too fond of its sunglasses for our linking. QOpen 08:30 - 02:00, Sun 10:00 - 02:00. PAW Dharma C-6, Str. Blanari 17, tel. 0723 57 41 18. Lost? Take the initiative and head for Dharma. You could end up losing more than your shirt given the liberties that get taken with the prices and the creative billing at the end of the night. Decent art on the walls hardly makes up for a total lack of atmosphere and surly staff. Do yourself a favour and head for Club A directly opposite instead. QOpen 12:00 - 01:00. P Downtown Bla Dark Bar/Light Bar/Lounge B-4, Calea Victo- riei 63-81 (Radisson SAS), tel. 021 311 90 00, www. bla-lounge.ro. A collection of bars and lounges from the Radisson, already popular with an after-work crowd who view it as a decent alternative to the English Bar in the Hilton across the road. Expect contemporary design, good service and cracking cocktails. Add in a splendid range of agreeable wines, blondynkas a plenty and sunglasses in abundance. It’s a good mix. Q Open 17:00 - 02:00. P C-4, Str. Mendeleev 32 - 34, MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 314 86 06, office@downtown.ro, www.downtown.ro. An expensive and rather pretentious smaller version of The Office, a far superior venue just around the corner. This place is about as exclusive as a supermarket, however, and full of the kind of people impressed by drinking and dancing in the same location as C-list celebs. Has in the past held bikini parties: enough said. Q Open 24hrs. Also at (C-5) B-dul Magheru 33. Open 09:00-21:00. PAE English Bar Cool Cat C-6, Str. Gabroveni 13, tel. 0742 83 78 08. A cool place for cool cats? You will need to decide for yourself. It reeks of students for a start, who love the fact that you get to sit on cushions around low tables and smoke themselves into an early grave. That’s upstairs, anyway; downstairs is a more regular bar with a tiny non-smoking section. All in all a bit too French for our tastes, but its location in Lipscani can’t be faulted, and as an alternative to the way-too-trendy bars that have mushroomed in the area it is a good one. QOpen 14:00 - 02:00. P C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. 021 303 3777 ext. 6759. This little corner of the Hilton that will forever be associated with intrigue and spies is today a classy bar serving the most expensive glass of champagne in the city (Veuve Clicquot, at 80.00 lei a pop; a bottle is 550.00 lei). Yet for all its expense this place is off the list of the leather trouser brigade. Instead expect only decent, civilised people. Possesses the smallest no-smoking section in Bucharest: see if you can spot it on your way in. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00. A Fratelli C-5, Str. Nicolae Golescu 5, MUniversitate, tel. 021 311 66 76, office@fratelli.ro, www.fratelli.ro. Calling itself a bar and lounge, there are certainly enough comfy sofas October - November 2008 60 nightliFe Symbol Key P Air conditioning T Child friendly U Disabled facilities B Terrace W WiFi here to qualify it in the lounge category. That is if you can get in of course. Though we can usually blag our way past the gorillas on the door, we know people who have been told it’s full even though they knew it damn well wasn’t. What’s more it isn’t really a fitze kind of place. It has its Starck furniture and resident posers of course but in general the crowd that makes it in is more business than biznes. Worth trying to get in. Not wearing a cap or trainers will help. QOpen 18:00 - 03:00. PA O Casino A Credit cards accepted E Live music S Take away M Nearest metro station G Non-smoking section Interbelic C-6, Str. Selari 1. A cosy little speakeasy in a well-hidden location (find it in the alleyway which links Str. Blanari to Str. Lipscani) and the perfect place to conduct all sorts of secret business, affairs and anything else that springs to mind. Drinks and coffees are reasonably priced, the staff are friendly and it’s worth checking out: if only to show off to someone just how well you know Bucharest and its back streets. QOpen 13:00 - 01:00. P Intermezzo Piano Bar Vice Advice If you are looking for sins of the flesh, you basically have three options: one legal, one not exactly legal but not exactly illegal either, and one completely illegal. The legal option is erotic massage at a reputable massage parlour. You will almost certainly not be offered any sexual encounters at these places, but there is still much fun to be had, from simple hand assistance to full body massage from one, two or even three nubile young ladies. Prices start at around €50 though climb higher at the more central, luxurious establishments. The second (and not-so-legal) option is to simply head for a brothel (surely ‘erotic nightclub?‘ – Ed). These establishments advertise themselves in seedy publications as legitimate strip clubs, but act mainly as fronts for whorehouses. After sitting yourself down at a table you will be served expensive drinks, before being joined by some very bored and not always attractive young ladies. These girls sometimes lap dance for you, and always try to convince you to buy them ‘cocktails’ (in fact orange juice with an umbrella, usually costing about €15). After half an hour of bored conversation you will be asked if you would like to retreat to a more intimate location, usually a room above. For an hour of whatever it is you fancy expect to pay a minimum of €100, as well as the obligatory bottle of sparkling wine, which usually costs at least another €50. The third, illegal option, is to call one of the escorts who advertise in many of the poor quality city guides found around town. These escorts are usually unattractive prostitutes who charge €150 upwards for sex. C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (Hotel Inter Continental), MUniversitate, tel. 021 310 20 20. Legendary hotel bar in the equally legendary lobby of the Eenter, which was a den of iniquity and intrigue during the communist period, all spies and journalists, plots and honey traps. Now its merely a very cool place to meet and have a drink in superb surroundings. Another one of the many reasons why the Inter Continental is once again becoming a thoroughly decent place to spend time. Business types love it.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PALE La Prieteni C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, tel. 031 710 30 31/0724 65 35 38, www.laprieteni.ro. One of four places currently making great use of the Curtea Sticlarilor, the name La Prieteni means (at a friends place) and it can feel a bit cliquey in that everyone knows everyone else, except you. Orange everywhere (if this bar had naughty bits they would be orange) except the tiny little terrace (ignore the ‘reserved’ signs on the tables: they aren’t), you can eat pasta while supping coffee and cocktails (or orange juice), though best of all we like coming at lunchtime for the club sandwich: a massive, tasty treat served with a big portion of fries. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 01:00. P Loggia C-6, Str. Smardan 9, tel. 0726 78 66 64, www.loggiaurbana.ro. What is to be perfectly honest an unremarkable bar and cafe by day, comes alive after dark when the DJ strikes up his set and the crowd warms up to some heavy, heavy dance music. It is not quite the London DJ pub that it so desperately wants to be, but it isn’t a bad attempt and it is a far better bet for a good night out than many of the other places listed on these pages. The dress code is extra-lenient: denims and casuals are considered acceptable. Crikey, we’ve seen men wearing bandanas get in. QOpen 16:00 - 02:00. PAE Bucharest In Your Pocket 62 nightliFe London Bar B-5, Str. Zalomit 4, tel. 0723 31 53 72/0768 00 38 18, contact@london-bar.ro, www.london-bar.ro. About as London as Ghana. When will these people learn that calling yourself an English pub, hoisting a Union Jack above the bar and putting out flyers written in (awful) English does not necessarily make you a real pub? Never, if the number of these places that keep appearing - and the number of local fools who fall for the shpiel - is anything to go by. The Guinness here is served by the bottle. Nuff said Geezer. Q Open 19:00-02:00. P Terminus B-5, Str. George Enescu 5, tel. 021 318 16 67, www.terminus.ro. Unremarkable bar on the ground floor, and basement nightclub with an industrial feel. Service is not a strong point - on our visit the barman deigned to serve us only when he had finished his lengthy mobile phone conversation. You’ll find more atmosphere on the moon. On the plus side, it’s central. QOpen 09:30 - 05:00. PA The Fifties B-3, Str. Roma 5, tel. 021 231 48 89. Legendary. We remember this place opening up, back in the last century. We loved it then, its American diner/speakeasy feel and its cool customers, and we like it now. It is more local now than the expat haunt it once was, but rest assured the kind of local you find here will not be wearing sunglasses and playing with his or her mobile phone. Expect an arty crowd of Bohemians and actors and people who like a good rink with good company. QOpen 09:30 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 16:30 - 01:00. P Offside Pub C-6, Str. Gabroveni 14, tel. 021 312 29 16, office@ offsidepub.ro, www.offsidepub.ro. Given that until now Lipscani was seeing a boom in posey, ponsey, wish-we-weretrendy, and stupidly-expensive cafes and bars, it is good to see a genuine pub open its doors in the area. Popular with the football fraternity (visiting English football fans made a bee-line for the place in the Spring) prices are good and cheap and service is prompt and always with a smile. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. PA Yellow Bar C-5, Str. Edgar Quinet 10, M Universitate, Pillow Bar & Lounge C-4, Str. Comanita 5, tel. 021 212 41 18, www.pillow.ro. The odd Ikea coffee table aside (and let’s face it, who hasn’t got at least half a dozen Ikea coffee tables these days?), Pillow is the kind of place we like to see opening up. It is cool without being pretentious, serves Illy coffee and has a couple of tables that double as beds, hence the name. It is in fact the kind of place where you could happily enjoy an exotic smoke, though as this is Bucharest, not Amsterdam, the smoke will be limited to tangy middle eastern tobaccos taken through a narghile. QOpen 16:00 - 04:00. PLB tel. 021 310 13 51. Still popular after all these years. This is a great, central place to relax and listen to good tunes, unwind and feel nicely cut-off from the street above. Flashy leather/brightly coloured-but-somehow-ambient decor. Top leather sofas. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PLW Pubs Amsterdam Grand Cafe C-6, Str. Covaci 6, tel. 021 313 75 81, www.amsterdam.ro. It’s back. Closed for more than a year, the Amsterdam cafe is already as popular as before, and it has once again given clubbers the perfect venue for pre-club partying, with DJs spinning mellow sounds every Friday and Saturday night. By day it remains the laid back meeting place that it ever was, only now with an added Bucharest In Your Pocket nightliFe 63 Happy Hour (which in fact lasts from 18:00-21:00) for after workers. All things to all people, at Amsterdam it is very much as you were.QOpen 10:00 - 01:00. PAGBW Curtea Berarilor C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, tel. 0723 27 96 20. Once upon a time the whole of the Curtea Sticlarilor was given over to artisans - especially glassmakers, from whence the name. Now only a few survive and no less than four bars have opened here. This one has given itself the rather cheeky name Curtea Berarilor (Brewers’ Courtyard), though there is no brewing done on the site. Instead make do with plenty of on-tap pints, of which the default option is Timisoreana. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 04:00. while in the evening a similarly mixed crowd of good time people enjoys the laid back atmosphere always on offer here. It gets crowded downstairs at weekends, but that just adds to the fun. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Sat 14:00 - 02:00, Sun 17:00 - 02:00. P Funky Lounge E-6, B-dul Decebal 9, tel. 0755 15 51 Dreamer’s A-5, Calea Plevnei 27, tel. 021 314 61 31. Owned by a top Englishman who spent much of the past few months teaching his partner’s Mother how to make proper sausages, Dreamer’s is the only pub in the land offering a genuine sausage buttie. Demand is huge from the gang of cricket-playing and watching expats who have made this place their clubhouse. Recently renovated, expect unbeatable value, great service and decent company. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 02:00. P 55, www.funkylounge.ro. We’ve always subscribed to the school of thought that says if somewhere has to call itself funky then it clearly isn’t. That puts us in a bit of quandary with this place then, because we kind of like it. It’s coffee, cocktails and some simple food. The decor is stupidly over the top (dig the leopard-skin chairs), but far enough to be classed as ironic, and given that the crowd is composed of what appears to be after work drinkers as opposed to fitze posers, we’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. QOpen 10:00 - 02:00. PAGW Lăptăria Enache C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 2, MUni- Dubliner A-4, B-dul N. Titulescu 18, tel. 021 222 94 73, www.irishpubs.ro. We can’t fault this place. It’s if someone lifted up your local and plonked it down again in Bucharest. It’s a blokes’ boozer with live sport, proper food and loads of other blokes with whom to discuss the demise of the England football team. The steak sandwich is still the very best in Bucharest, and the steak and kidney pies are just as good. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PAEBW tel. 021 314 18 43. At lunchtime office boys and students mix happily as they tuck into great sandwiches and salads, versitate, tel. 021 315 85 08. Knitting elevator assistants will whisk you up to the top of the National Theatre, from where it all goes downhill. This much-overrated bar and live music venue is invariably full of grotty students who flock for the cheap beer. Service is bad, it can take hours to get a drink, and God forbid there is ever a fire here and people have to get down to the ground floor quick. QOpen 14:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 04:00, Sun 14:00 - 02:00. PEB Molly’s Irish Pub Edgar’s Pub C-5, Str. Edgar Quinet 9, MUniversitate, D-6, Calea Calarasi 96, tel. 021 320 05 04, www.irishpubs.ro. Molly’s is the newest Irish pub in the city, and carries the by now almost sainted hallmark of David Larkin (The Dubliner, The Harp). So you can expect much of the same: a real Irish pub short on crap and long on high standards, from good pub grub to drinks that don’t cost a fortune. See you there. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PRW October - November 2008 64 nightliFe O’Hara’s C-6, Str. Franceza 13, tel. 0724 23 95 77. Lipscani gets itself an Irish pub, the first in the city not to carry the Larkin stamp of authenticity. As such expect the usual Oirish crap on the walls (there must be a shop selling mini-harps specifically for these pubs somewhere), a local and not expat crowd, decent priced Guinness and a not totally awful place to have a pint. QOpen 15:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 16:00 - 24:00. PE Raymond’s B-5, P-ta Valter Maracineanu 1-3, tel. 021 316 14 34. Cafe, pub and bar in a great little location on the edge of Cismigiu Garden. Inside it is a lovable jumble of paraphernalia, decent staff and reasonably priced liquid refreshment. Now in the hands of new owners it has rebranded itself as an Irish pub and is not far off being the real deal. Find Guinness on tap, a good mix of locals and expats at the bar, and a great selection of music played at a volume that still allows conversation. QOpen 09:30 - 01:00, Sat 12:00 - 03:00, Sun 17:00 - 01:00. PB The Harp C-6, Str. Bibescu Voda 1, MP-ta Unirii, tel. 021 335 65 08, www.irishpubs.ro. The other half of the Dubliner. The idea is more or less the same: good food, drinks, service and a friendly crowd, though with less of an emphasis on live sport. A cavernous place, with two levels, it’s quaintly decorated with framed old newspaper front pages and pictures, as well as great wallpaper. It thus somehow avoids the soulless synthetic feel of many Oirish pubs abroad. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00. PAW Casinos Casino Bucharest C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 4 (InterContinental Hotel), MUniversitate, tel. 021 310 20 20 ext 7592, www.casinobucharest.ro. QOpen 18:00 - 06:00. PALK tel. 021 319 44 12, fax 021 319 44 03, info@casinonapoleon.ro, www.casinonapoleon.ro. Q Open 14:00-06:00. PAL Casino Napoleon A-1, P-ta Montreal 10 (Sofitel), Grand Casino B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90 (JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel), tel. 021 403 08 01, fax 021 403 08 08. Q Open 24 hrs. Havana Princess Casino C-5, B-dul Regina Elisa- beta 13, MUniversitate, tel. 021 313 98 23, www. worldofprincess.com. Q Open 24 hrs. P Mirage Casino C-5, B-dul Magheru 8-10, MP-ta Romana, tel. 021 313 89 52, fax 021 313 89 72, office@miragecasino.ro, www.miragecasino.ro. Q Open 24 hrs. PAK riei, tel. 021 311 97 44/0722 66 57 88, fax 021 311 16 45, office@casinopalace.ro, www.casinopalace. ro. Q Open 24hrs. PALGK 031 710 22 34, platinum@platinumcasino.ro, www. platinumcasino.ro. Q Open 24 hrs. PL Palace Casino B-4, Calea Victoriei 133, MVicto- Platinum Casino B-4, Calea Victoriei 63-81, tel. Queen Casino B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 5-7, MP- ta Romana, tel. 021 599 11 26, fax 021 201 50 99, www.queen-casino.ro. Q Open 24 hrs. PA� RULEK Bucharest In Your Pocket nightliFe Whispers B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 4, tel. 021 314 29 01, www.whispers.ro. Popular with expats who come to watch the football that’s shown live via satellite, Whispers is far more than you expect from your standard expat pub. It’s got great food - massive portions of international, Romanian and even British favourites at tip top prices - and the staff are just the right side of friendly. Well worth a visit. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. PA 65 White Horse B-3, Str. George Călinescu 4A, tel. 021 231 27 95, www.whitehorse.ro. The restaurant upstairs is the best things about this pub and grill these days, as the ground floor pub is nowhere near as lively and essential as it once was. Still a favourite with the crowd who lives in the area (plush Dorobanti) it has suffered from the competition provided by the cafes on the Beller strip. QOpen 11:00 - 01:00. PAB Clubs & Discos B52 B-5, Str. Popa Tatu 4, tel. 021 311 65 86, www. clubb52.ro. Joyously free of posing pansies, fancy decor and chairs you can’t sit on, this place gets top marks for its Ronseal approach to having a good time: it does exactly what it says on the tin. There’s a good mix of live bands and DJs, often both on the same night, and a young-ish, studenty crowd that makes allcomers welcome. Enjoy. QOpen 16:00 - 05:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon. P Citrus Club C-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 5, tel. 0723 26 35 67. The newest nightspot in town, slap bang in the city centre opposite the Inter Continental. It is basically Bedlam, with debauchery of the finest kind the order of the day. You will find a mixed bag of punter, from tarts and thick-necked, broad shouldered locals to friendly expats and visitors who appear to be wondering if they are really still in Romania. There is some kind of entertainment most evenings, be it just a DJ playing electro tunes or a great live band. Go once then go again to make sure you didn’t just imagine it all. QOpen 16:00 - 05:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 05:00. P Club A C-6, Str. Blănari 14, tel. 021 313 55 92, fax 021 315 47 86, office@cluba.ro, www.cluba.ro. Selling the cheapest Red Bull vodka in the world, this place is a legend. If you want a local, unpretentious, up-for-a-laugh studenty crowd getting down to classic songs that you won’t have heard for ages, this is the one place in town you can be guaranteed to find it, every night of the week. Live music on most weekend nights. QOpen 10:00 - 05:00, Thu, Fri, Sun 21:00 - 05:00, Sat 21:00 - 06:00. P Control Club C-5, Str. Academiei 19 (Pasajul Victoriei), www.control-club.ro. As shiny as a new button this place gets immediately sent to the top of our ‘clubs for people who do not like clubs’ chart. It’s big, bigger than most in the city, and the two different zones (one especially for live music) have been laid out well. The music in the evenings is always live, be it a band or DJ, and it is always a pleasing, non-clubby mix of indie hits, a bit of rock and 70s disco. The bars are bit naff and getting a drink can take a while, but these are early days and the future is bright.QOpen 18:00 - 03:00. PE Coyote Cafe B-4, Calea Victoriei 48-50 (Pasajul Victo- riei), MUniversitate, tel. 021 311 34 87/0724 01 11 35, office@coyotecafe.ro, www.coyotecafe.ro. Coyote is a loud, proud music bar which sets new standards for live music and good times. A huge warren of a venue, good rock music - sometimes provided by the owners themselves - and the right kind of crowd. Very nice indeed. QOpen 18:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 20:00 - 06:00. PAE October - November 2008 66 nightliFe Cuando C-5, Str. Academiei 35-37, tel. 0722 50 50 85, www.cuando.ro. Always oversubscribed this basement venue rocks at the weekends to only the very best sounds around. The crowd is unpretentious and invariably good looking, the funky leather stools are wonderfully, impractically trendy, and it’s slap bang in the city centre. QOpen 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. P Deja-vu C-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 25, tel. 021 311 23 22. Not a place for a quiet night out. This is the best cocktail bar in Bucharest, with the best bar staff this side of the River Prut. They serve a few cocktails here involving fire, as well as a few which involve wearing a World War II Russian army helmet. They also serve at least one which involves a young Russian girl squeezing lemon into your mouth with her teeth. At weekends it is packed and the small dance floor is the sweatiest place in Bucharest. The music is as bizarre but enjoyable as the drinks. QOpen 20:00 - 04:00. PA El Grande Comandante D-4, Str. Viitorului 26, tel. 0728 55 60 43. Murdering socialists with an interest in rock music of the world unite! Che is cool this year, and all those useful idiots who wear his t-shirt will love this little rock club, dedicated to the man’s memory, with portraits at 10, 12 and 2 o’clock. If you can leave aside the politics and forget you are in a place named for someone who killed so many people, then it’s actually quite good. It is nice to hear music which doesn’t thump, thump, thump, and the warren of little rooms is probably great for plotting terrorist attacks. Drinks are cheap. Revolutionary! QOpen 19:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Sun. P Expirat B-5, Str. Ion Brezoianu 4/Str. Lipscani 5, tel. 0726 80 41 42, www.expirat.org. Two clubs (almost) in one. There are two entrances to the same building (on the corner of Brezoianu and Lipscani, underneath Whispers), both of which are enjoyable venues that are a real hit with young party goers of all backgrounds. For the record Expirat 1 (entrance on Lipscani) is the more mainstream club, popular with girls still in their teens and men who like to chat them up, while The Other Side of Expirat (entrance on Brezoianu) is more edgy, funky and simply - in our opinion - better. See you there. QOpen 17:00 - 05:00. PE Gaia C-3, Str. Banul Antonache 40-44, tel. 0724 38 26 09 42/0723 61 09 33, gaiabooking@gmail.com, www .famousgaia.ro. Gaia currently vies with Fratelli for the title of trendiest venue in town. We like this place a little more than its glam rival as the music is better: expect disco classics (more or less) all night. That alone appears to have put off the majority of the leather trousers/attitude/sunglasses crowd, making this a slightly classier choice. Fear not though you can still be seen by people who matter shelling out a shed load of cash. QOpen 23:00 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PALE Kristal Glam Club C-2, Str. J. S. Bach 2, tel. 021 231 21 36, www.clubkristal.ro. It was renovated this summer, but its interior design still resembles the Crystal Ballrooms, Dagenham, circa 1977, if you ask us. Still, who cares? This place is good. Top club music played by Europe’s finest DJs. A big name plays here at least once a week, and we mean the biggest names, like Seb Fontaine, Pete Tong, Steve Mac and the like. For serious clubbers this really is the only option. QOpen 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed. Pacha B-7, B-dul Libertăţii 1, www.pachabucuresti.ro. This is a former bingo hall that has been decked out at no little expense, and by and large kitsch has been avoided. A fair door policy keeps the riff raff out but a good. mixed crowd in, Bucharest In Your Pocket nightliFe 67 and the music is pure, hard and heavy house. Plenty of sexy dancers, expensive drinks and a large and really rather nice chill out area. Worth a night of anyone’s time. QOpen 23:30 - 06:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PALE Planter’s C-4, Str. Mendeleev 8-10, MP-ta Romana, tel. 0721 20 00 50. Still the most popular night time destination in Bucharest, so much so that it can be difficult to get in on a Friday and Saturday night. A foriegn accent/speaking English loudly will not help. Sexy leather sofas, a tiny dance floor, good music and a crowd which so desperately wants to have a good time it hurts... and some of the most expensive drinks in the city. Not great, but if you want Friday night action then this is the place to be. QOpen 10:00 - 05:00. PALE D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 156, tel. 0752 02 84 69. From outside this club looks as inviting as a toxic bath. It is in one of those areas of Bucharest that borders on the lousy, and is situated next to a grotty restaurant. Inside it is in fact little different. This is not the kind of place that posers come to in order to, well, pose. No, this is a dancers and DJs club, whose Saturday mix nights are popular with musos from across the galaxy. The sexy little bar-top dancers wear the skimpiest shorts in Bucharest. Worth the trip here on their own. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. The DJs The Office C-4, Str. Tache Ionescu 2, MP-ta Romana, Studio Martin B-4, B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 61, tel. 0722 39 92 28, www.studiomartin.ro. Legendary cinema and night spot now operated by the lovely people at The Mission. There’s high quality music from serious DJs for serious people most Friday and Saturday nights. More often than not you’ll find a top name European DJ on the bill. So popular is this place now that getting in can be a challenge: get tickets for the biggest gigs in advance when you can.QOpen 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. P tel. 0745 11 00 64. Let’s face it, none of us are getting any younger, and neither is The Office. In fact, this once legendary nightspot is now a mere shadow of its former self. The sheer hedonism and good times of yore have been replaced by a more sinister vibe, and the incumbent crowd is far less pleasant than it once was; it’s all gone a bit dark. You can still have a good time here if you get the night right and get lucky with good music and a good crowd, but the days of being able to show up on spec and meet the coolest dudes in town are long, long gone. QOpen 22:00 - 05:00, Sun 22:00 - 02:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu. PA tel. 0727 08 96 09. Look out for the iconic banana and you can’t miss this place, a club version of a one-joke comedian. Inside you will find a long main room decked out with futuristic furniture which was put there for purposes of irony, not because they think it’s cool. Lining the floor, under plexiglass, are old editions of some obscure magazine. Grow up, purlease. Drinks at the bar are a bit pricey and the music varies from good to bad, but never worse. QOpen 18:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 03:00. Closed Mon. P Temple Deluxe Edition Club B-6, Splaiul Independen- tei, tel. 021 313 35 75, www.clubtemple.ro. Renovated to within an inch of its life last year, you will not recognise this place from days of yore. Playing good music until very late, the new Temple strikes the right note from the moment its doors welcome you in, and you see the fetching and talented professional barmaids doing their stuff behind the bar. They claim here that bartenders are goddesses. We are inclined to agree. QOpen 19:00 - 04:00, Fri, Sat 23:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PL Velvet Underground D-5, Str. Stefan Mihaileanu 21, October - November 2008 68 what to see Parks & Gardens Botanical Gardens (Grădina Botanică) Sos. Cotroceni, tel. 021 410 91 39. Bucharest’s Botanical Gardens were founded in 1860 with the significant financial backing of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. They were originally in the centre of the city, and moved to their present location in in 1884. The garden has an area of over 17 hectares, and hosts more than 10,000 species of plants. Locals like to use the gardens as a park, and it can often be more full with courting couples than lovers of more floral delights. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Admission 10.00 lei, children 5.00 lei. as it could be, or as some would have you believe, Cismigiu is nevertheless a haven of lawns, trees, flowers and lakes in the middle of the city. It was first designed and laid out in 1845 by the German landscape architect Carl Meyer, but not completed until 1860. More than 30,000 trees and plants were brought in from the Romanian mountains, while exotic plants were fetched from the botanical gardens in Vienna. Highlights of the 17 hectare garden include the Roman Garden, laid in the style of ancient Rome, and including busts of Romania’s most famous writers, the lake, which can be explored by rowing boat, and Ion Jalea’s French Memorial in Carrara marble, which commemorates French troops killed on Romanian territory during World War I. Alas, in recent times the Cismigiu’s own war with litter has been lost, and the children’s play areas especially are in need of serious attention. Carol Park (Parcul Carol I) C-7, Calea Serban Vodă, MEroii Revolutiei. So close to the city centre yet so seldom frequented as to be almost forgotten, this large park was laid out from 1900-6, and designed by the French landscape artist Eduard Redont. It is today dominated by the massive Monument to the Heroes of the Struggle for Freedom and Socialism, built in 1963 and which until 1990 housed the remains of communist leaders Gheorge Gheorghiu-Dej and Petre Groza (it is today empty). Its most bizarre attraction howver is the so called Castle Ţepeş, originally built in 1906 for the Romania in the World Exhibition. It has served a number of roles throughout its history, as a barracks and exhibition centre, and today houses the Romanian Veterans Association (ONCE). Herăstrău Park B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 32. This park in the Cismigiu Gardens (Grădina Cismigiu) B-5, Be- tween B-dul Regina Elisabeta, Calea Victoriei, Str. Stirbei Vodă and B-dul Schitu Măgureanu. Not as lovely north of the city extends for 187 hectares from the Arcul de Triumf to the Baneasa bridge, and is centered on the lake with which it shares its name. It is home to numerous attractions, including a fairground, an open-air theatre (currently being renovated), gardens, promenades and the central lake. The main entrance, recently tidied up and beautified, is from Piata Charles de Gaulle. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the park, the best being on the northeastern side of the lake, along Str. Nordului. Note that the park can get very crowded at the weekend, especially Sundays, when half the city appears to turn up. (the name of which is preserved in the name of the fountain directly in front of the building). This Neo-Classical masterpiece, designed by Romanian architect Dimitrie Maimaroiu, was built to host the social, cultural and educational needs of the Romanian army. Banquets and regimental balls are still hosted in the main function rooms, while upstairs are the army’s library, administrative offices and classrooms for officer instruction. The main part of the building is out of bounds to civilians. Buildings with a history Arcul de Triumf A-2, Piata Arcul de Triumf. Currently covered in scaffolding for renovation, Bucharest’s Arc de Triumf was raised in 1922 to commemorate Romania’s Great War dead. The original Arc was made of wood, replaced by the present, Petru Antonescu designed concrete structure only in 1935. Standing 25 metres high, there is a viewing terrace on the top of the monument, though it is alas rarely open to the public. The sculptures and reliefs that decorate the monument were created by the leading artists of the day, including Ion Jalea and Constantin Medrea. Casa Presei Libere (Casa Scânteii) A-1, Piata Presei Atheneum (Ateneul Român) C-5, Str. Benjamin Franklin 1-3, tel. 021 315 87 98/ 021 315 25 67, info@ fge.org.ro, www.fge.org.ro. Possibly the finest building in the city (and pictured, above), the Romanian Atheneum, with its sublime baroque cupola, stands proudly at the flux of the city’s busiest public square, competing with the Athenee Palace Hilton hotel, the Royal Palace and the old national library for attention. The work of French architect Albert Galleron, who also designed the National Bank of Romania, the building was inaugurated on February 26, 1888, and was built almost entirely with money donated by ordinary citizens of the capital, when a campaign called ‘Give a penny for the Atheneum’ (Dati un leu pentru Ateneu) rescued the project from folly after the original patrons ran out of funds. Today the building hosts the Romanian Philharmonic George Enescu. QBox office open 10:00 - 18:00. Libere 1. An impressive edifice (except of course for the ghastly advertising hoardings which ruin the facade), Casa Scanteii (as it is still universally known) was designed by architect Horia Maicu and completed in 1956, one year after the strikingly similar Palace of Science and Culture in Warsaw, Poland. Originally housing the editorial offices of almost all of the capital’s newspapers, it today carries out pretty much the same function. Ziua and Jurnalul Naţional, two of the country’s most popular dailies, are just two newspapers produced here each night. The impressive archive of Rompres, the state press and photo agency, is also housed here. CEC (Palatul Casei de Economii si Consemnaţiuni) Casa Centrala a Armatei (Military Club) B-5, Str. Constantin Mille 1. Standing guard, somewhat discreetly, at the head of central B-dul Kogalniceanu, the Casa Centrala a Armatei, usually known to all as Cercul Militar, was built in 1912 on the site of the former Sarindar Monastery B-4, Calea Victoriei 13. The home of the National Savings Bank is one of the most fabulous Neo-Classical facades in the city: the enormous arch that houses the entrance, with its mighty Corinthian columns, is a highlight of any architectural tour of the city. Built during the last decade of the nineteenth century, to the designs of French architect Paul Gottereanu, the building is alas less impressive on the inside. Admire from outside and move on. Circus Globus (Circul Globus) C-3, Aleea Circului 2, MStefan cel Mare, www.circulglobus.ro. An enormous, permanent big-top with seating for more than 3,500 Bucharest In Your Pocket what to see Essential Bucharest Colţea Church (Biserica Colţea) C-5, B-dul Bălcescu 1, MUniversitate. To the left (face on) of the Colţea hospital, the church of the same name was built from 1701-2 on the site of a much older, wooden construction. Recent renovation has restored much of the rich ornamentation of the interior. 69 Patriarchal Cathedral (Patriarhia) C-6/7, Str. Communist Iconography Museum B-3, Inside the Peasant Museum. Our favourite part of the Peasant Museum; a small but stunning cellar room featuring a collection of communist-era busts, paintings and nostalgic memorabilia. A painting of Stalin hangs on the same wall as one of the only two public portraits of Ceausescu we found in Bucharest. Dealul Mitropoliei. Set atop one of the city’s few hills, known as Mitropoliei, the Patriarchal Cathedral has been the centrepiece of the Romanian Orthodox faith since the seventeeth century. Built to a design based on the Curtea de Arges, near Pitesti, it has undergone a number of facelifts, but the overwhelming majority of the cathedral’s structure is the original, built between 1654 and 1658. The outstanding bell-tower at the entrance was built in 1698, and restored in 1958. Next to the church - and closed to the public - is the Patriarchal Palace, residence of Daniel Ciobotea, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. It was built in 1708. National Art Museum (MNAR; Muzeul National de Arta) B/C-5, Calea Victoriei 49-53, tel. 021 313 Peasant Museum (Muzeul Ţaranului Român) B-3, Şos. Kiseleff 3, tel./fax 021 317 96 60, www. muzeultaranuluiroman.ro. In most people’s opinion, the Peasant Museum is the best museum in Bucharest, and one of the best in the country. Housed in a wonderful red brick building designed by Nicolae Ghica-Budeşti, dating from 1912, the museum offers well laid out and presented exhibits which tell you all you need to know about the diverse and fascinating history of life around the country over the past four centuries. There are exhibitions covering all aspects of Romanian peasant life, from handpainted Easter eggs to terracotta pottery, from colourful religious icons to traditional clothing. Replicas of much of what is on display can be bought in the excellent museum shop.QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission 6 lei. Students and children 2 lei. 30 30, www.mnar.arts.ro. The country’s largest, and most impressive art collection is housed inside the splendid former Royal Palace, first built in 1812 as a private home by the wealthy trader Dinucu Golescu. When his sons fell into financial ruin some years later, they were forced to sell the building to the state, which carried out huge modifications, adding a number of new wings. It became a royal residence in 1859, when it became the sight of the court of the first prince of the united principalities, Alexandru Ion Cuza. Although slightly remodelled in the 1930s, the building we see today is more or less the original. There are three permanent exhibitions, one on each of the three floors of the main building: Medieval Romanian Art, featuring icons, carved altars, illustrated manuscripts and bibles, and fragments of frescoes; Modern Romanian Art, with all of Romania’s greatest 20th-century artists well represented, including Theodor Aman, Constantin Brancuşi, and Gheorghe Tattarescu; and European Paintings and Sculpture, which plays host to a fine collection of Old European Masters. The museum‘s Kreţulescu Wing plays host to increasingly daring and original exhibitions by contemporary European artists.Q Open 10:00-18:00 (Oct-Apr); 11:00-19:00 (May-Sept). Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 8 lei. PA Village Museum (Muzeul Satului) Palatul Parlamentului (Parliament Palace; Casa Poporului) B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 1, intrarea A3, tel. 021 311 36 11. What is unquestionably Romania’s most famous building, Palatul Parlamentului (known universally as Casa Poporului) was built during the darkest days of the Nicolae Ceausescu regime. Standing 84m above ground level on 12 floors, the building has long been shrouded in mystery, rumour and hyperbole. Originally designed to house almost all the organs of the communist state, it today plays host to the Romanian parliament, as well as Romania’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Much of the building remains unused. The public tour of the building is thoroughly recommended (it is the only way to see the building, in fact) though the commentary consists of little more than a bored guide reeling off endless superlative statistics. You’ll see plenty of grand staircases, marbleplated halls and conference rooms, while - depending on the mood of the guide - you may also have the chance to go on to the balcony, which offers the defining view of central Bucharest. To join a tour, you need to use the entrance on the right-hand side of the palace (if you’re looking at it front-on). Izvor is probably the nearest metro station, but you’ll get a better view from Piata Unirii. QOpen 10:00 - 16:00. Admission 15.00 lei. B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 28-30, tel. 021 317 91 10, www. muzeul-satului.ro. Founded by Royal Decree in 1936, and covering 15 hectares on the shores of Lake Herăstrău, Muzeul Satului is one of the greatest outdoor museums in the Balkans. There are more than 60 original houses, farmsteads, windmills, watermills and churches from all of Romania’s historic regions: Transylvania, Oltenia, Dobrogea and Moldavia. Every exhibit has a plaque showing exactly where in Romania it was brought from. Some even now have recorded commentary in four languages (if the stickers are missing, press the second button for English). Most of the houses date from the mid 19th-century, but there are some, such as those from Berbeşti, in the heart of Romania - celebrated for their intricately carved entrances - which date from 1775. The highlight of the museum is probably the steep belfry of the wooden Maramureş church, complete with exquisite (but faded) icons. You should also not miss the earth houses of Straja, dug in to the ground and topped with thatched roofs, or the brightly painted dwellings of the Danube Delta. The museum has a great souvenir shop, and a stall selling traditional Romanian sweets and cakes. Children love the museum, and it makes for a perfect family day out. However, don’t for one moment think that this is how the Romanian countryside really is. Existence - for that is what it is - for the vast majority of Romanian peasants is grim at best. Running water remains a luxury, inside toilets almost unheard of. In some places houses are not even made of stone or brick, but of straw and mud. Enjoy the Village Museum then, but to see how Romanian villagers really live you will need to visit the countryside. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Mon 09:00 - 17:00. Admission 6 lei, students/children 3 lei. October - November 2008 70 what to see Children’s Bucharest When the weather is good Bucharest’s three largest parks, Herastrau (A/B-1), Cismigiu (B-5) and Tineretului, all offer playgrounds and small funfairs. Herastrau is an especially good choice, as you can take the kids on one of the pleasure boats that cruise around the park’s lake. There is also Insula Copiilor (Children’s Island; www.insulacopiilor. ro) a veritable goldmine of a children’s playground, full of bouncy castles, slides, rides and the like. It’s open 10:0021:00, entrance costs 20.00 lei, and there is no time limit on how long kids can stay. Parents access the site for free. You can get there via Str. Nordului (B-1, follow the signs to Complex Herastrau) or via boat (1.50 lei) from the launches on the other side of Herastrau lake. Elsewhere in Herastrau, older children can zoom around the Go Kart Track, while the Village Museum (always a favourite with children of all ages, who love scurrying around the houses, churches and stables) is also close by (see page 69). The Circus Globus (see page 68) has performances most days and is always a hit with kids. Bucharest’s Zoo on Aleea Priveghetorilor (turn left at the Police Academy) is something of a sorry affair, with animals prone to escaping (we kid you not). It does have a good reptile house though. The best museums in Bucharest for children are the Grigore Antipa Museum of National History (see page 67), with its aquariums and stuffed animals, the Geology Museum (B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 2) and the Technical Museum (C-7, Str. Candiano Popescu 2). Funland Romania is a cracking place to take the kids both on days when it rains, and when the temperature outside is too hot for the park. Featuring the biggest indoor playground we have seen (30.00 lei, kids can stay all day), bowling, arcade games and plenty of space for Mums and Dads to relax and have coffee in, it is a weekend-must. Find it on the fourth floor of Unirea Shopping Centre (see page 82). If you want to take the kids swimming, try the Ramada Majestic or Parc hotels. spectators, Bucharest’s circus continues to host excellent performances, put on by both local and touring circuses. Built in 1960, the circus is the centrepiece of a small and slightly rundown park. For the programme and performance times, check the website. Foişorul de Foc D-5, Piaţa Foişorul de Foc/B-dul Fer- dinand 33, tel. 021 252 28 84. The Foişorul de Foc (Firewatch Tower) was constructed in 1893 and was at the time the tallest building in the city. It is 50 metres high. Contrary to popular belief its purpose was simply to be a place from where the city’s authorities could watch for fires. It at no stage stored water. The tower today hosts a less than gripping and mono-lingual Museums of Firefighting and Policing, the best bit of which is the view from the old observation deck, closed for decades but now thankfully reopened. Note that it is usually packed with kindergarten and school groups. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Admission 2.00 lei adults/1.00 leu children. Mihai in August 1944. A small plaque in the courtyard commemorates the soldiers killed while successfully attacking the building, which played host to German military ‘advisors’ during World War II and which served as a last bastion of Nazism in Romania. It is usually closed to the public as it is still used as an officer’s training facility and barracks. One of the few times you can gain access is on December 1st, Romania’s National Day, when a small ceremony takes place in front of the little church in the parade ground. Sala Palatului B-5, Piata Palatului. The rather startling Sala Palatului, with its concaved roof, was designed by Tiberiu Ricci (also responsible for the TVR building) and built in 15 months from January 1959 to April 1960. The massive auditorium, which seats over 3,000, was originally used to host the five-yearly congres of the Romanian Communist Party. It today plays host to exhibitions and - especially - concerts, including, last year, a visit from the Chippendales, performing on the very stage that Nicolae Ceausescu once used to deliver his vision of a multi-laterally developed socialist society. The poor man must be turning in his grave. Much of the interior is currently undergoing renovation. Palatul din Piata Victoriei (Palatul Victoriei) B-4, B-dul Ilie Pintilie 1, MPiata Victoriei. Today the home of the Romanian government, this linear construction, with its marble facade, was built in 1937 to the designs of Duiliu Marcu, originally to house the Foreign Ministry (which is now elsewhere, on Aleea Alexandru, in a far less grand building). Note that entrance to the building is granted only to those on government business, and to the various groups of protesters who gather here almost daily to argue their case. Teatrul National (National Theatre) C-5, Piata 21 Palatul Justitiei (Tribunalul Capitalei) B-6, Splalul Independentei 5, MPiata Unirii. Romania’s supreme court, host to any number of libel trials involving our good selves, is housed in a monumental but rather run down building on the banks of the Dambovita. Dating from 1890, the Palace of Justice was designed by Romanian architect Adrian Ballu in the style of the French renaissance. The recently renovated, and impressive façade is almost 100 metres long. Decembrie 1989, MUniversitate. A building in two parts, the original National Theatre was built between 1967 and 1970, to the design of three Romanian architects, Horia Maicu, Romeo Belea and Nicolae Cucu. Originally styled to honour the architecture of Moldova’s famous monasteries, it was unfortunately ruined in 1984-5 when the concrete casing that now stands gloomily in the shadow of the Inter Continental was placed over the earlier structure. Universitate (University of Bucharest) C-5, , Romanian Military Academy (Academia Militara) A-6, Sos. Panduri 60, MEroilor. This enormous building, visible from kilometers away, from the other end of Str. Stirbei Voda, was designed in the 1930s by Duiliu Marcu (also responsible for the Palatul Victoriei) and carries his trademark linearity. The Military Academy was one of the few places in Bucharest that actually saw live action during the relatively peaceful handover of power from Marshall Antonescu to King MUniversitate. Standing moodily over Piata Universitatii is the main building of the University of Bucharest. It was built over a twelve year period from 1857 to 1869 at the behest of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, at the time Prince of Romania. It originally housed three faculties (Law, Humanities and Science), but today houses just the Faculty of Letters and Languages, as well as the university’s administrative departments. The central corp of the building was entirely rebuilt in the late 1940s after it was destroyed during heavy allied bombing during 1944. Though rebuilt as an exact replica of the original, many sculptures and bas reliefs by Carol Storck were deemed irreplaceable and lost forever. Bucharest In Your Pocket what to see 71 Museums Cotroceni Museum B-dul Geniului 1, tel. 021 317 31 07/ 021 317 31 06, fax 021 312 16 18, muzeulcotroceni@netscape.net, www.muzeulcotroceni.ro. Constructed from 1891-3 at the behest of Queen Marie, English wife of Ferdinand I, Cotroceni Palace is today the official residence of the Romanian President; part is open as a museum. Almost all of the interior design, as well as large parts of the exterior, carry more than a faint whiff of Marie’s less than inspired interventions. Her art collection, though fascinating, also betrays an utter lack of taste. Visits and tours (available in Romanian, French and English) are by appointment only. QOpen 09:30 - 17:30. Closed Mon. Admission 12.00 lei, students and children 6.00 lei. for landowner George Cantacuzino in 1905, and many older Bucharest residents still refer to it as the Cantacuzino Palace. It became state property in 1955, the year of Enescu’s death, and a year later opened as a museum dedicated to his life and work. You will find rooms full of the usual memorabilia and artefacts from the eventful life of Romania’s most famous composer, as well as a full telling of the story of Romanian music in general. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission 1.50 lei. Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural Histor y (Muzeul de Istorie Naturală Grigore Antipa) B-3, Geology Museum (Muzeul National de Geologie) B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 2, tel. 021 212 89 52, www.geology. ro. Far more than just a collection of old rocks and fossils, Bucharest’s Geology Museum is one of the city’s must sees. First off, there is the museum building itself to admire. Built in 1906 on the orders of King Carol I to house what was then known as the Royal Romanian Geology Society, the building is a splendid example of Neo-Brancovenesque architecture, and is far more impressive than its red-brick neighbour, the Peasant Museum. The museum’s permanent collections are impressive in size and - being logically presented - clarity, with a decent number of English captions. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Admission 6.00 lei, students and children 3.00 lei. Şos. Kiseleff 1, tel. 021 312 88 26, fax 021 312 88 63, www.antipa.ro. This fascinating museum was recently expanded to house some newly discovered curiosities. Full of stuffed animals, including a mammoth, there are excellent displays of sea life, including whales, dolphins and seals. There is also a beautiful butterfly collection, as well as an exhibition of stuffed birds. The museum building was purpose built in 1908 at the behest of Grigore Antipa, a noted Romanian naturalist who ran the museum for almost five decades until his death in 1944. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission 6.00 lei, students and children 3.00 lei. History Museum (Muzeul National de Istorie) George Enescu Museum (Muzeul National George Enescu) B-4, Calea Victoriei 141, tel. 021 318 14 50, fax 312 91 82. Mistakenly believed to be the great Romanian composer George Enescu’s former home, this outstanding Secession house was in fact built C-5, Calea Victoriei 12, tel. 021 315 82 07, fax 021 311 33 56, edpr@mnir.ro, www.mnir.ro. The beautiful, monumental and simply superb Neo-Classical building that houses Romania’s National History Museum was constructed from 1894-1900 to the designs of local architect Alexandru Săvulescu. It originally served as the headquarters of Poşta Romană, the Romanian postal service. When the post office moved away in 1970, the History Museum moved in. The museum’s exhibitions are spread over 60 display rooms, October - November 2008 72 what to see Romania‘s Revolution & Mineriada While Romania’s bloody revolution of December 1989 remains one of the first images of the country that foreigners conjure up, few remember the even bloodier Mineriada of June 1990. The madness of those June days, when at least 100 people were killed, 700 were injured and several thousand illegally arrested in a brutal, three-day long, government-approved riot, will forever cast a very dark shadow over Romania and its revolution. The revolution and Mineriada are linked: the latter had its roots in the former; in the downfall of Romania’s communist regime. To this day the real stories behind both events remain well guarded secrets, and all we have to go on are best guesses. On the morning of December 21, 1989, a large crowd brought in to dutifully cheer Nicolae Ceausescu jeered him on live television during a rally in Piaţa Revoluţiei (C-4). The rally quickly became an anti-communist riot, and the square was soon out of all control. The crowd was eventually dispersed by gunfire, though to this day it is unclear if the gunfire was ordered by organs of the Ceausescu regime, or by the Ion Iliescu group of former communist nomenklature - known as the National Salvation Front (FSN) - that was about to sieze power. It may also have simply been the result of mass confusion. Later on the night of December 21, the crowd moved on to Piaţa Universităţii (D-4), where it stayed until dawn, before again being fired upon. The revolutionaries regrouped later the next day back in Piaţa Revoluţiei, and at the headquarters of Romanian television. A fierce battle was fought here, but by the evening of December 22 revolutionaries – after the army had sided with them - had gained control of the building. Poet Mircea Dinescu made the first speech on free Romanian television, ending with the immortal words „Dictatorul a fugit. Am învins! Am învins!” (“The dictator has gone. We’ve won! We’ve won!”) By this stage Ceauşescu and his entourage had and include a fine collection of antiquities, including statues brought from a Bronze Age necropolis close to present day Cernavoda. The finest exhibit is the replica of Trajan’s Column in the central lapidarium. The museum is poor on Romania’s recent history. Q Open 10:00-18:00 (April-October), 09:0017:00 (November-March). Admission 7.00 lei, students and children 2.00 lei. indeed gone, fleeing in a helicopter from the top of the Central Committee building (today the Senate). They were caught a few hours later, and shot on Christmas Day, 1989. The power vacuum he left was quickly filled, with Iliescu, a one-time loyal lieutenant of Ceauşescu and life-long socialist forming a provisional government. It is important to note here that though this new government was allegedly an independent body representative of every sector of Romanian society, Iliescu refused to allow any surviving members of Romania’s pre World War II governments join. Important figures - including Corneliu Coposu, a leading liberal politician of the 1930s and 1940s who had served time in Romania’s brutal communist prisons – were prevented from entering the Central Committee building. Iliescu’s new regime initially stated that it would be nothing more than a transitional government. Late in January 1990 however, Iliescu announced he would stand for election as president, and that the FSN would field candidates for parliament. Given that Iliescu and the FSN had complete control of every facet of government, including a media-monopoly, their crushing victory in elections (held in April 1990) was hardly surprising. Unhappy with what they viewed as one dictatorship replacing another, large numbers of protesters began demonstrating in Piata Universităţii early in May. Led by students from Bucharest University the demonstrators soon occupied the entire square, declaring that it was the only part of Romania genuinely free of communism. As support for the protests grew, it became an embarrassment to Iliescu and his regime. On June 13, 1990, Iliescu ordered miners from the Jiu Valley to Bucharest to brutally put down the revolt, and to ‘reoccupy the square in the name of the revolution.’ Over the next three days the miners killed more than 100 people. Iliescu then went on television to thank the miners for their ‘revolutionary zeal and spirit.’ motifs, sometimes with echoes of the work of Moreau and Puvis de Chavannes. Alas, the small museum that today bears his name offers the visitor just six of his paintings, a couple of his sketches, and assorted other art. Indeed, it is not the art you are coming for. The museum’s saving grace and highlight is in fact the house in which it is hosted; the oldest in Bucharest. Q Open 10:00-18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5.00 lei, students and children 2.50 lei. National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC; Muzeul National de Arta Contemporana) B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 1, entrance E4 (Palatul Parlamentului), tel. 021 318 91 37, www.mnac.ro. Making excellent use of the wide open spaces on the Parliament Palace, this vast gallery displays the work of Romania’s finest contemporary artists. There are also works on display by international artists, and regular topical exhibitions. It’s all mostly installations, clever symbolism and grand gestures as opposed to real talent, but you may enjoy the humour. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission 5.00 lei. Historic Churches Antim Monastery (Manastirea Antim) Str. Antim 29. The splendid Antim Monastery, with its elegant dome and gold finish was constructed between 1708 and 1715 on the orders of polymath Antim Ivireanul, patriarch of the Orthodox Church in Wallachia at the time. Antim originally intended the monastery to be a refuge for fallen women, and refugees, as well as a seat of learning. The bell tower through which we today enter the monastery was added in 1857. The monastery church is worth admiring, for its sumptuous icons featuring scenes from the Nativity. Theodor Pallady Museum (Casa Melik, Muzeul Theodor Pallady) D-5, Str. Spătarului 22, tel. 021 211 49 79. Theodor Pallady (1871-1953) was an early Cubist artist, and is today widely regarded as Romania’s most influential 20th century painter. Schooled in Dresden and Paris, Pallady was influenced by the Symbolist environment of the late 19th century, and his paintings before 1916 contain Symbolist Creţulescu Church (Biserica Creţulescu) C-5, Calea Victoriei 47, MUniversitate. Probably the most celebrated historic church in Bucharest. Biserica Creţulescu was raised from 1720-2 by Iordache Creţulescu and his wife Safta, a daughter of Romanian humanitarian Constantin Bucharest In Your Pocket what to see Brâncoveanu. The outstanding paintings on the entrance are original, the work of an unknown artist, while the interior icons were added in 1859 by Gheorghe Tattarescu. 73 Doamnei Church (Biserica Doamnei) C-5, Calea Victoriei 28, tel. 021 314 49 10. Built in 1683 under the orders of Princess Maria, wife of Prince Serban Cantacuzino, this church is dedicated to the ‘well-known Saint Hramu Vavedenie Prea Sviatie Vladiciti Nasei Bogorodoti Prisnoviavi Marii.’ Note the decorative floral motives of oriental origin at the foot and on top of each column and on the door. The original paintings were lost during previous repair work. Icon Church (Biserica Icoanei) C-4, Str. Icoanei 12. The Church of the Icon is named after the 17th-century icon of the Holy Virgin in the nave, a gift from Constantin Brâncoveanu. A wooden church was built on this site in as early 168182. A brick church, erected in 1745-50, collapsed during the devastating earthquake of 1838. Rebuilt the same year, the high altar was added in 1850. Note the grave of General Ioan Odobescu (1793-1857), adorned with a helmet. Italian Church (Chiesa Italiana) C-5, B-dul N. Bălcescu 28. Juxtaposed by grey 1930s blocks on the busiest street in the city, the red brick Italian church looks a little uncomfortable in its setting. Look at it from the other side of the road however, and its glorious Neo-Gothic exterior is quite stunning.Q Sunday services: 09:00 (German), 10:00 (Romanian), 11:00 (Italian), 17:00 (Polish). Mihai Vodă Monastery (Mănăstirea Mihai Vodă) B-6, Str. Sapienţei 2. One of the churches that was moved to make way for Casa Poporului and Bulevardul Unirii, Mihai Vodă was originally built in 1601. After a fire in 1761 it was left to rot before thorough rebuilding was carried out from 1827-38. In 1985 it was moved 285 metres east - on rails - and hidden in its present location behind the apartment blocks. Jewish Bucharest Bucharest has a rich and varied Jewish history - some it rather shocking - though you need to know where to look in order to find any evidence of it... New St. George’s Church (Biserica Sf. Gheorghe Nou) C-6, Piata Sf. Gheorghe. The largest of the churches built in Bucharest during the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu, New St. George’s Church was consecrated on June 29th, 1707. It was a wonder of the age, having been designed by an Italian, Vaseleli, and decorated by the great Romanian maestros of the times: the painter Mutu, the carpenter Istrate and the sculptor Caragea. Damaged in a fire in 1847, the church was renovated from 1852-3 by the Spanish architect Villacrosse. Brâncoveanu is buried under the church, in an unmarked grave. Choral TempleC-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 9, tel. 021 312 21 96. One of the few working Jewish buildings left in Bucharest. Built in 1857, the red brick temple still serves the now tiny Jewish community of Bucharest, and has a memorial at the front that commemorates the Romanian Jews sent to their deaths during the Holocaust. Services are held everyday at 08:00 and 19:00, (08:30 and 19:00 Saturday). Radu Vodă Monastery (Mănăstirea Radu Vodă) C- 6, Str. Radu Vodă 24A. The church of the former Radu Vodă Monastery stands on a hill on the banks of the Dâmboviţa, though the construction of the Civic Centre hid it from the river and from general view. There was originally a wooden church on this site, built during the reign of Mihnea the Bad, around 1508. The monastery was added in 1570, and was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The present church - which resembles the Curtea de Argeş, outside Piteşti - dates from 1613-4, though it was extensively rebuilt during the 19thcentury, when the frescoes (all the work of peerless painter Gheorghe Tattarescu) were added. Jewish Cemetery (Cimitirul Evreiesc de Rit Sefard) C-7, Calea Şerban Vodă. Fascinating though harrowing cemetery, full of monuments to those who died during Romania’s pogroms (of which there were many at the turn of the 19th century) and the Holocaust. Q Open from noon to dusk Jewish History Museum (Muzeul de Istorie a Evreilor din Romania) C-6, Str. Mămulari 3, tel. 021 St. Nicolas Students’ Church (Sfântul Nicolae Biserica Studenţilor) C-5, Str. I. Ghica 9. Built in 190509 with a 600,000 gold rouble donation from Tsar Alexander II, this Russian orthodox church is topped with seven typical onion domes and crowned with an orthodox cross. The wooden, gold-gilded iconostasis is a copy of the altar in Arhangelsk Cathedral, in Moscow’s Kremlin. 311 08 70. Separate exhibitions display how the once vibrant Jewish community of Bucharest used to live. The main display mourns the 350,000 Romanian Jews sent to their deaths at Auschwitz.QOpen 09:00 - 13:00, Thu 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat. Admission free. Yeshoah Tova Synagogue (Sinagoga Yeshoah Tova) C-4, Str. Tache Ionescu 9. In a busy side street off Bulevardul Magheru is Bucharest’s second temple. Services take place when Sabbath commences on Friday evenings, as well as on Saturdays at 09:00. October - November 2008 74 what to see A Brief History Romania BC The Danube basin first becomes recognisable as a state under Burebista (82-44BC), whose empire of Geto-Dacians comprehended western Wallachia, Transylvania and the Banat. The Roman Years The Geto-Dacians are defeated after two campaigns (101-102 and 105-106) by a Roman Empire about to reach its zenith under Emperor Trajan. The Romans abandon Dacia in 271. The Middle Ages After Goths, Pechenegs and Cumans all came and went, the Magyars emerge as the dominating force in Transylvania at the end of the eleventh century, and the province becomes an important regional military centre within the Hungarian Empire. Many ethnic Romanians withdraw to the Danube basin, where Basarab (c. 1310-1352) creates the principality of Wallachia. Moldavia becomes an independent principality after Bogdan of Cuhea defeats a Hungarian army during the winter of 1364-1365. 16th Century After the death of Stephen the Great (1504), Moldavia and Wallachia are forced to accept Ottoman suzerainty, and when Hungary is defeated by the Turks at the Battle of Mohacs in 1526, Romania finds itself entirely at the behest of the Sublime Porte. In 1600 Michael the Brave (Mihai Bravu) briefly unites the three principalities, but the new state lasts less than a year. 18th Century As the Turkish Empire crumbles throughout the region, so the Russian and Hapsburg Empires fill the void. 19th Century Moldavia and Wallachia achieve independence after the First Russo-Turkish War in 1829. In 1859, Wallachia and Moldavia are unified. In 1881 a German, Carol, is invited to become the country’s King. Early 20th Century Carol dies in 1914 and his nephew, Ferdinand I, becomes King. The country remains neutral during the Great War until 1916, when Romania sides with Britain, France, Italy and Russia. At the 1919 Paris Peace Conference Romania is awarded Transylvania, Bucovina, Bessarabia and part of the Banat. Romania remains neutral at the outbreak of the Second World War, but after General Ion Antonescu forms a new government in September 1940, Romania declares war on the USSR. The Communist Party becomes the largest parliamentary group after elections in 1946, and forms a government with Petru Groza as Prime Minister. Young King Mihai (who succeeded his exiled father, Carol II in 1940), abdicates in 1947 and is himself exiled. The 1950s are dominated by collectivization and political repression, which eases only when Communist Party general secretary Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej dies in 1965. He is replaced by Nicolae Ceausescu, who uses Romania’s souring relationship with Moscow to his advantage and flirts with the Western world in order to borrow large amounts of money to fund major industrial and urban projects. On March 4th, 1977, a large earthquake kills more than 1,500 people in Bucharest. For the fall of Ceausescu, see page 72. Bucharest In Your Pocket liPsCani area which has been completely resurfaced and which now buzzes with cafes and terraces. Try Loggia (see page 60) for drinks, Market 8 for coffee (see page 59) and Charme (see page 48) directly next to it, for food. Walk down Str. Smardan (named for a famous victory the Romanian army won over the Turks in Russo-Turkish War of 1877-8), taking care to note the plaque beside the door of No. 42, once the Hotel Concordia. It was here in January 1859 that Wallachian deputies elected Alexandru Ioan Cuza as their Prince. As Moldavian deputies had already done likewise a week earlier, the election that took place here to all intents and purposes created the first unified Romanian state since Mihai Bravu’s short-lived reign of 1600. A short detour from here along Str. Stavropoleos will bring you to the church if the same name, the Stavropoleos Church (Biserica Stavropoleos, C-6, Open 08:30 - 18:00. Services (in Romanian) on Sunday at 09:30, 10:30). It was built in 1724 by the Greek monk Ioanikie Stratonikeas, and is currently under going much-needed restoration. It is characterized by its beautiful stone and wood carvings, of which the finest are on the main doors. The courtyard outside (beautiful on a warm afternoon) has a curious collection of tombstones dating from the 18th century. For a beer , coffee or bite to eat, try the historic Caru cu Bere (see page 48), a beer hall and restaurant dating from 1875. Turn left at the bottom of Str. Smardan onto Str. Franceza, which in 1860 was one of the first in the city to be fully paved. Alas it is today all mud and dirt as repair work continues. A wooden walkway along one side make it just about passable, allowing you to reach the Old Court Palace and Church (Palatul şi Biserica Curtea Veche, Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon). The Old Court, first built on this site in the second part of the 15th-century by Vlad Ţepeş, it was considerably extended during the 17th-century by Constantin Brancoveanu, who added a splendid voievodal palace. The palace was by and large destroyed by a series of fires in the 19th century however, and subsequently neglected. Much of what remains today was uncovered during archeological digs that took place from 1967-72, when the palace ruins were first opened as a museum. Next door to the palace is the Old Court Church, the oldest in Bucharest, dating from 1545. It was enlarged in 1715, during the reign of Ştefan Cantacuzino, and the frescoes inside, painted by maestros Constantin Lecca and Mişu Papa, were added in 1847. Directly opposite is the Hanul lui Manuc, the best preserved caravanserai (inn) in the city. Built in 1808 it is currently being restored after a long and often ugly legal battle finally saw the Romanian state return it, in 2007, to the descendants of its original owners. Elsewhere in Lipscani, and if the current state of repairs allows access, it is owrth checking out the Glassblower’s Courtyard (Curtea Sticlarilor, Str. Selari 9-11) another former inn now put to good use as an artisan’s workshop and as the home of a couple of decent bars: the best is Curtea Berarilor (see page 62). 75 Call it Lipscani, call it the Historic Centre (Centru Istoric, in Romanian), call it what you like. But the area of Bucharest described by the river to the south, Calea Victoriei to the east, Brătianu to the west and Regina Elisabeta to the north is more or less all that’s left of pre-World War II Bucharest. What the war didn’t destroy (and it destroyed a fair bit: allied bombing was fierce during the early part of 1944) communism did, most notably in the form of the grandiose Civic Centre project that saw almost a fifth of the total area of the city flattened to make way for Bulevardul Unirii and Casa Poporului. That anything survives at all is little short of a miracle. Bucharest was founded, legend has it, by Bucur the Shepherd, who built a church somewhere on the eastern bank of the Dâmboviţa river; nobody is sure exactly where, or when. What we do know is that by the first reign of Vlad Ţepeş (1459-1462) there was a palace and court here (the Palatul Curtea Veche), and that what today we term Historic Bucharest today grew up quickly around the palace. By the middle of the 17th century the area was recognized as Bucharest merchant’s district, which it remained until the end of World War II when the rightful owners of the houses and businesses which lined the area’s streets were arrested by the communist authorities, who proceeded to confiscate their property and hand it to Gypsies, who have by and large occupied the area ever since. As we write, much of Lipscani is, alas, inaccessible. In its infinite wisdom the city council – which has talked of rehabilitating the area for years – sprung into action about six months ago and began digging up almost every street in the area, meaning that much of it looks as though a bomb has hit it. As such, a walk around Lipscani is currently difficult, nay impossible. If you do fancy on ploughing the area’s streets, however, here’s what you can except to see while still keeping your feet clean: Start at the little white church at the far end of Str. Blanari. This is the St. Nicolas Church, built in the 1880s as a private chapel for Romania’s first royal couple, who have special seats on the left and right of the church’s 18th century icon, which is believed by many to have healing powers. From here, follow the narrow little alleyway that takes you past the Interbelic speakeasy (see page 60) and out onto Str. Lipscani itself. Lipscani has so far been spared the diggers and was still passable. The street gets its name from the large number of traders who, in the 18th century, sold wares here brought from Leipzig, which at the time was one of the largest trading posts in Europe. Dissecting the area neatly in two, it came to eventually give its name to the whole area, hence Lipscani today refers not merely to this one street, which, its name and history aside, has little to recommend it. An exception is the Hanul cu Tei (Hanul cu Tei, Open 09:00-18:00, Sat, Sun 09:00-14:00) a wonderful side street (once part of an inn) which houses art galleries, antique shops, second-hand book shops, gift shops, studios and portrait artists. From here, head back towards the National Bank (that’s the Neo-Classical building at the head of the street) and take a left turn on to Str. Smardan, the one street in the October - November 2008 76 getting around Public transport ON ALL FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT CHILDREN UNDER SEVEN TRAVEL FREE. NOTE THAT AFTER THAT AGE THEY MUST PAY FULL PRICE AND BE IN POSSESSION OF A VALID TICKET. Buses & Trolleybuses Even the most remote corners of Bucharest are served by bus or trolleybus, and most main roads in the city centre benefit from three or four different routes. Most buses are overcrowded, however, and travelling on them is a less than pleasant experience. Flat-fare tickets cost 1.30 lei, and have to be bought in advance from the little silver booths at main stops and crossroads (look for the sign Bilete si Abonamente RATB). Once on the bus, you need to punch your ticket in the little machines: the fine for travelling with no ticket, or an unpunched ticket, is 30.00 lei. Note that the bus out to the airport (N° 783) requires a special ticket, which has to be bought in advance. Trams A blessing to some and a curse to others, Bucharest’s trams skirt the city centre, often blocking traffic as they trundle along narrow roads. Unless you are visiting somewhere outside of the city centre it is unlikely that you will use a tram. If you do, the drill is the same as for buses: but a ticket before boarding, then frank it in the machines on the tram. Tickets for buses, trolleybuses and trams are the same, costing 1.30 lei. Metro Bucharest’s metro was primarily built to ship workers from the vast housing estates of Titan, Berceni and Militari out to the huge industrial plants at Pipera, IMGB, Republica and Industriilor. That’s all very well if you are resident of Titan working at IMGB, but useless to almost everybody else. The city centre is poorly served by the metro and only the north-south M2 line, from Pipera to IMGB, which passes through Piatas Victoriei, Romana and Unirii, and the M1 branch to the Gara de Nord, is likely to be of any use to visitors. Tickets cost either 2.20 lei (valid for two trips) or 8 lei (ten trips); they can be bought from any metro station. Getting Online For a simple dial-up connection in Bucharest, you can dial the number 0870 222 222, and use the user name and password ‘clicknet.’ You pay only the standard rate for a local telephone call. Broadband prices are at last coming down, with Romtelecom leading the way. Its excellent Click Net Express service, relatively easy to install and generally reliable, costs from €8 per month for 1MB broadband. Find out more at www.clicknet.ro. WiFi Hotspots W Bucharest is now dotted with more Wifi hotspots than you could wish for (look for the wifi symbol W in our listings), but alas very few are free. McDonalds offers free wifi in almost all of its outlets, as do KFC and Pizza Hut, There is also free Wifi in and around Piata Universitatii, and the Romexpo complex. Other than that, you are at the whim of the venue in question: some do offer free access for clients, the password being divulged as your coffee is served, but most will charge extra. Bucharest In Your Pocket 78 getting around Train Schedule From Bucharest Nord To Bucharest Nord Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr. IC 09:30 12:20 BRASOV IC 06:05 08:36 IC 12:30 14:58 BRASOV IC 10:37 13:25 IC 13:30 15:52 BRASOV IC 16:49 19:22 IC 16:30 18:53 BRASOV IC 18:21 20:49 IC 20:30 22:58 BRASOV IC 19:48 22:15 R 18:30 21:04 BRASOV R 15:00 17:32 IC 16:30 23:47 CLUJ-NAPOCA IC 14:22 22:15 IC 07:13 09:41 CONSTANTA IC 07:10 09:49 IC 14:20 16:58 CONSTANTA IC 16:50 19:15 IC 05:47 08:17 CRAIOVA IC 11:00 13:35 IC 15:45 18:11 CRAIOVA IC 20:02 22:30 IC 08:00 11:38 GALATI IC 06:02 09:15 IC 15:13 18:21 GALATI IC 13:40 17:21 IC 06:35 12:37 IASI IC 05:16 11:22 IC 17:19 23:42 IASI IC 16:23 22:31 IC 13:30 23:43 ORADEA IC 11:42 22:15 R 15:30 20:27 SIBIU R 16:21 21:25 IC 05:47 13:23 TIMISOARA IC 06:00 13:35 The full Romanian railway schedule is online at www.infofer.ro. Trains There are four types of train in Romania: Personal, Acelerat, Rapid, InterCity. Personal trains are living hell. Stopping at all stations and halts they are slow and tortuous, dirty and crowded. These trains should be avoided at all costs, unless imminent bankruptcy demands otherwise. They are, after all, undeniably cheap. Acelerat trains serve larger towns and Bucharest In Your Pocket getting around cities, but remain slow and dirty. Do not think that buying a first class ticket will ensure comfortable accommodation. It will not. Rapid trains are slightly better, and slightly cleaner than Acelerats. Stopping only at major cities they are slightly quicker too, but all this is relative. In comparison to trains in other countries (including Romania’s neighbours) you will be disgusted at the filth you be asked to face. Of toilets on Romania’s trains, even Rapids, we can say little except make sure you go before getting on board. InterCitys are the exception, and the great white hope of Romanian railways. They are quick, clean, modern, air conditioned, have usable toliets, but InterCity services are few, and serve only major cities. 79 Tickets/Agentia de Voiaj SNCFR C-5, Str. Domnita Anastasia 10 - 14, tel. 021 313 26 43/ 021 313 26 44, www.cfr.ro. CFR’s advance booking offices. You can make reservations for all kinds of trains, from acelerats to sleepers, up to an hour before departure. Tickets for travel within the hour can only be purchased at the station. QOpen 07:30 19:30, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun. A Wasteels A-4, Gara de Nord, tel. 021 317 03 69, fax 021 317 03 70, www.wasteels.ro/en. Advance reservations for all types of trains, both national and international. Patent, helpful and multi-lingual staff; most western currencies and all credit cards accepted. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. PA Airline Offices Air Moldova B-4, Str. Gheorghe Manu 12, ap. 2, tel. 021 212 51 00, www.airmoldova.md. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Austrian Airlines B-3, Aleea Alexandru 9a, tel. 021 204 45 60, fax 021 204 84 28, OS.BUH@austrian.com, www.aua.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Otopeni tel. 021 204 22 08 British Airways B-4, Calea Victoriei 15, tel. 021 303 22 22, fax 021 303 22 11, www.ba.com. Q Open 09:0012:00, 12:30-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Otopeni tel. 021 204 20 01, fax 021 201 49 82. Carpatair Otopeni Airport, tel. 021 204 10 93, fax 021 204 14 99, reservations@carpatair.com, www. carpatair.ro. KLM B-4, Str. Buzesti 85, tel. 021 206 92 00, fax 021 206 92 22, klm.romania@klm.com, www.klm.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. LOT C-5, B-dul Magheru 41, tel./fax 021 314 10 96, tel. 021 314 29 46, www.lot.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Otopeni (Globe Ground) tel. 021 204 21 94. Lufthansa German Airlines B-3, Aleea Alexandru 9A, tel. 021 204 84 10, fax 021 204 84 24, lufthansa-romania@dlh.de, www.lufthansa.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Otopeni tel./fax 021 204 20 24 Open 04:15 - 07:30, 10:30 - 17:30. Swiss Air Lines B-3, Aleea Alexandru 9A, tel. 021 312 02 38/ 021 204 45 05, fax 021 317 27 14, swissro@ swiss.com, www.swiss.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Otopeni tel. 021 204 18 50. Tarom B-6, Spl. Independentei 17, tel. 021 303 44 44, www.tarom.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 19:30, Sat 09:00 - 13:30. Closed Sun. Also on Str. Buzesti 59, tel. 204 64 64, Open 08:00-20:00, Sat 09:00-14:00, Closed Sun and Henri Coanda Airport, tel. 021 201 49 79. Turkish Airlines C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 35A, tel. 021 311 24 10/ 021 311 32 10, fax 021 311 29 20, sales@turkishairlines.ro, www.turkishairlines.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Otopeni tel. 021 204 20 07. October - November 2008 80 getting around Budget airlines A number of budget airlines now operate from Baneasa Airport These include Sky Europe (www.skyeurope.com; flights to Vienna); Blue Air (www.blueairweb.com; flights to Barcelona, Bergamo, Bologna, Cologne, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, Lyon, Madrid, Malaga, Paris Orly, Rome, Stuttgart, Turin, Valencia and Verona); Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com; flights to Barcelona, Budapest, Cluj, Dortmund, Liverpool, London, Parma, Rome, Valencia, Venice); My Air (www. myair.com; flights to Bari, Bologna, MIlan, Naples, Paris CDG, Rome and Venice. EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) has flights to MIlan and Madrid from Otopeni. Car rental AAA Autorent Hertz B-6, Bd. Natiunile Unite 3, bl. 109, Ground Floor, tel. 021 335 75 33, www.hertz. com.ro. Also at Henri Coanda Airport (tel. 021 201 49 54, fax 021 201 49 55, Robuc51@hertz.com.ro, Open 08:0020:00); JW Marriott Grand Hotel (tel. 021 403 29 56, fax 021 403 29 57, Robuc63@hertz.com.ro, Open 08:0020:00); Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel (tel./fax 021 303 37 44, robuc64@hertz.com.ro, Open 08:30-17:30, Closed Sat, Sun); Crowne Plaza Hotel (tel. 021 335 75 33). A Absolut Rent-a-Car C-8, Aleea Trestiana 2, tel. 021 330 42 55/0722 349 360, fax 021 330 87 03, absolut@pcnet.ro, www.rentacar.com.ro. Car-rental starting at US$22/day (including taxes and insurance) and unlimited mileage. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. A Autorent Otopeni Airport, tel./fax 021 201 46 68, tel. 0723 54 74 45, office@autorent.ro, www.autorent.ro. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00. Avas Touring D-6, B-dul Matei Basarab 36, tel. 021 323 31 43/0745 82 90 06 Avis B-4, Str. Mihail Moxa 9, tel. 021 9876/021 210 43 45, fax 021 210 69 12, reservations@avis.ro, www. avis.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at the Hilton (tel. 021 312 20 43, open 08:00 - 20:00); Inter Continental (tel. 021 314 18 37, open 08:00 - 20:00); Henri Coanda International Airport (tel. 021 204 19 57, open 07:00 - 24:00); and Baneasa Airport (tel 0731 49 42 15). A Bavaria Rent Str. Horia, Closca si Crisan 17, Judetul Ilfov, tel. 0730 33 37 07/031 802 22 22, fax 021 201 45 34, email@ bavariarent.ro, www.bavariarent.ro. Also at Otopeni Airport (tel. 201 45 34) QOpen 08:00 - 02:00, Sat 08:00 - 20:00. A Budget C-4, Str. Polonă 35, et.1, ap. 4, tel. 021 210 28 67/021 212 26 51, fax 021 210 29 95, reservations@ budgetro.ro, www.budgetro.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. Also at the Howard Johnson Hotel, P-ta Dorobanti 5 - 7 (tel. 021 201 50 89); Otopeni Henri Coanda Airport (tel. 021 204 16 67); Constanta (tel. 0241 63 97 13); Timisoara (tel. 0723 05 51 68); Brasov (tel. 0722 50 02 20); Sibiu (tel. 0269 23 90 95). A Compact Rent-a-Car A-4, B-dul N. Titulescu 1, tel. 0744 63 82 92, fax 021 312 98 57, office@compact-rentacar.ro, www.compactrentacar.ro. Bucharest In Your Pocket getting around 81 For discount rate rooms at hotels across Europe simply visit: www.inyourpocket.com Europcar D-6, Str. Grigore Mora 17, tel. 021 310 17 97/0744 13 15 90, fax 021 310 17 96, europcar@ dataserv.ro, www.europcar.com. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Also at Otopeni Airport, phone/fax 201 49 37, mobile 0740 04 49 64. A International Car Rental Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 1422, bl. 13/2, sc. D, ap. 34, tel. 021 232 66 79/ 0720 03 15 46/0788 48 32 49, fax 021 233 12 19, sales@ intcarrental.ro, www.intcarrental.ro. A Lea Rent C-3, Str. Marcel Andreescu 61, tel. 0800 88 88 89/0754 04 22 03. A Sixt New Kopel Calea Bucurestilor 201-203, tel. 021 9400, reservation@sixt.ro, www.sixt.ro. A Top Cars C-7, B-dul Dimitrie Cantemir 1, tel. 021 316 69 76, fax 021 316 69 46, www.top-cars4rent.com. Q Open 24hrs. A TS Car Rent E-6, B-dul Unirii 74, bl. J3B, sc. A, et. 7, ap.19-20, tel. 0749 87 73 68/021 311 88 03, fax 021 311 88 04, www.tsrent.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Open 24hrs. A Hotel Bookings October - November 2008 82 shoPPing Shopping in Bucharest Bucharest’s main shopping areas are the malls and commercila centres listed below, as well as B-dul Magheru and Calea Victoriei. The narrow and tiny Str. Ion Campineanu, between Balcescu and Calea Victoriei, is also becoming a funky little place to shop, with lots of expensive boutiques and delicatessens opening up. The overall shopping experience in Bucharest remains lousy, however, even though it is, whisper it, getting better. Bookshops Anthony Frost English Bookshop B-4, Calea Victoriei 45, tel. 021 311 51 38. Besides of course being the first real English bookshop in the city centre, this place is much more: it is the first bookshop in Romania to actually look like a bookshop.QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 14:00. A Cărturesti C-5, Str. Pictor Arthur Verona 13, tel. 021 Shopping centres Baneasa Shopping City Sos. Bucuresti - Ploiesti 42D, tel. 021 305 71 95, www.baneasashoppingcity.ro. This place is the first real mega-mall in Bucharest. With more than 220 shops it will make everywhere else look quite small. More than that it will feature the kind of shops that until now you just hadn‘t been able to find anywhere else: Next, Apple, Peek & Cloppenberg, Oviesse... The list is endless. Getting here from the city centre is a drag of course (and getting back even worse), but who cares! Shop until you drop.QOpen 10:0022:00. Restaurants open 10:00-23:00. PTULG 317 34 59. Marvellous bookshop, gallery and small cafe, with good selection of English books. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Sat 11:00 - 20:00, Sun 13:00 - 19:00. A Librăria Noi C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 18, tel. 021 311 07 00. Large, well-stocked and popular bookstore with plenty of modern literature, art books and historic Romanian books. QOpen 09:30 - 20:30, Sun 11:00 - 19:00. A ping Centre), tel. 021 319 42 68. Great bookshop offering a far better than average range of English language fiction and non-fiction books.QOpen 09:30 - 21:30, Sun 09:30 - 20:00. A Salingers Sos. Bucuresti - Ploiesti 44A (Feeria Shop- Bucuresti Mall E-7, Calea Vitan 55-59, tel. 021 327 Markets Piata Amzei B-4, Str. Piata Amzei. The most central outdoor market is a fine place to buy superb fruit and vegetables brought in from all over the country. 61 00, www.bucurestimall.com. Recently extended this is now a real shopping centre, with plenty of stores you can actually spend money in. Debenhams is the biggest pull, but Marks & Spencer, Lacoste, Mothercare, Z and hundreds of other brands also help to bring the punters in. It also wins an award from us for its refreshing attitude to smoking: not tolerated. Bliss. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PTULG Piata Bazaar Dorobanti B-3, corner Calea Dorobantilor - Str. Radu Beller. Small, posh and expensive indoor market. Popular with ex-pats. QOpen 06:30 - 20:00. Feeria Shopping Centre Sos. Bucuresti - Ploiesti. Somewhat overwhelmed by its newer, bigger neighbour (Baneasa City), tr y Feeria for Carrefour and Salingers (an excellent English bookstore).QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PTULG Gift & Souvenir Ideas Casa Del Havano C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. 021 311 15 81/0740 22 22 01. Wonderful Cuban cigar shop selling the widest selection of original, genuine Havana-made cigars available anywhere in Eastern Europe.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. AP Jolie Ville Mall Str. Erou Iancu Nicolae 103 bis, tel. 021 206 80 01, www.jolieville.ro. New mall in Baneasa/Pipera with lots of high-end retail outlets, including Versace, Boss, Max Mara etc. To find it turn right at the Police Academy on the way to the airport, and keep going, past the zoo. If taking a taxi tell the driver Baneasa SA.QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. PL Comtesse du Barry B-5, Str. Ion Câmpineanu 10, Plaza Romania B-dul Timisoara 26, tel. 021 319 50 50, fax 021 319 50 51, office@plazaromania.ro, www. plazaromania.ro. Romania’s largest shopping centre and the only place where you can really feel as though you want to spend lots of money. It has lots of big name stores you will not find anywhere else, including Zara.QOpen 10:00 22:00. PTULG tel. 0788 57 65 44, fax 021 315 22 15, office@ lemanoir.ro, www.comtessedubarry.ro. At this super little delicatessen you will find foie gras, caviar, fine wines (including Grands Cru) and other expensive, imported treats. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. A Romartizana C-5, Calea Victoriei 16-20, tel. 021 314 07 70, romartizana@digicom.ro, www.romartizana.com.ro. Good place to buy traditional souvenirs, albeit at slightly exorbitant prices. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. Unirea Shopping Centre C-6, Piata Unirii 1. Once a showpiece of Socialism, this huge department store is now the best shopping centre in the centre of the city. There are fashion stores on the first and second floors while the electronics and household appliance shops on floor three and Funland Romania on four are also worth a visit.QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 09:00 - 18:00. PTLG Sepala by Mihaela Glavan Tel. 0730 09 73 23, contact@sepala.ro, www.sepala.ro. Unique handmade shoes, handbags and accessories by Romania’s leading shoe designer, Mihaela Glavan. Viewings at the city centre showroom by appointment only. World Trade Plaza Shopping Gallery A-1, P-ta Montreal 10, tel. 021 202 44 50, www.wtcb.ro. An upmarket selection of shops selling perfume, leather, antiques, watches, electronics, glass, lingerie and souvenirs. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00. PLG Sticerom C-6, Str. Selari 9-11, tel. 021 314 94 92/021 315 96 99, fax 021 314 67 65. Glass blowers in the courtyard of Curtea Sticlarilor, a courtyard dating back to 1857. A number of shops sell Gallé type glassware, porcelain, ceramics and chrystal objects. QOpen 09:30 - 18:00, Sat 09:30 - 15:00. Closed Sun. Bucharest In Your Pocket direCtory Opening a Bank Account Banking in Romania is a reasonably painless experience, as long as you choose the right bank. Opening a current (checking) account, known in Romania as cont curent, requires only a passport. You can open accounts in most currencies, from Romanian lei to US dollars. If you plan on staying in Romania for any length of time we recommend opening an account, as transferring money in is quick, safe, easy, and far cheaper than continually drawing out cash from ATMs (which, you should know, are now ubiquitous in Romania: even the most remote village will usually have one). In our personal experience, the best bank in the country for visitors and expatriates is either UnicreditŢiriac, where all staff speak English and clients tend to be of the wealthier variety, or BRD, which even has a special branch for dealing with expat and foreign clients at Piaţa Charles de Gaulle (next to Unicredit-Ţiriac, strangely enough). 83 Mail & Phones Posting a letter Posting a letter in Romania is as easy as, well, posting a letter. You will find post offices everywhere (look for the red and yellow Posta Romana symbol), where you can buy stamps, phone cards and other paraphernalia. Posting a parcel (abroad) is a far more complicated process, and we do not recommend it to the uninitiated. You will need to fill out customs declarations, you will be directed to a certain post office (which one depends on the contents of the parcel) and the process can take a whole morning. We recommend calling Pegasus. Central Post Office No 1 C-5, Str. Matei Millo 10, tel. 315 90 30, www.posta-romana.ro. The city‘s central post office is a small affair, and queues can be long. QOpen 07:30 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Accounting, Auditing & Consulting AS Fin Expert D-5, B-dul Unirii 74, bl. J3B, sc.A, et.7, ap.19, tel./fax 021 311 88 04. Business Development Group B-4, Str.Vasile Alec- sandri 16, tel. 021 317 98 70. Deloitte A-4, B-dul Nicolae Titulescu 4-8, tel. 021 222 16 61. Dunlop Mills D-6, B-dul Corneliu Coposu 5, bl. 103, sc.B, et. 4, ap. 33, tel. 021 326 69 81. Enchange D-2, Str. Panait Cerna 1, tel. 021 320 10 45. Ernst & Young A-6, Str. Dr. N. Staicovici 75, tel. 021 402 40 00. KPMG Soseaua Bucuresti-Ploiesti 69-71 (Victoria Business Park), tel. 0741 80 07 00. Le Comitium D-4, Str. Vaselor 40, tel. 021 253 00 22. Mercury Research Str. Siret 95, et. 1, tel. 021 224 66 00. 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Pegasus F-5, Sos. Iancului 13, tel. 021 250 93 60, fax 021 256 95 04, bucharest@pegasus.ro, www. pegasus.ro. QOpen 08:30 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. TNT Sos. Bucuresti - Ploiesti 1A, ground floor, tel. 021 303 45 67/021 303 45 63, fax 021 303 45 80, rofeedback@tnt.com. UPS A-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 81-83, bl. 77 AB, tel. 021 410 06 04, fax 021 410 99 10, office@ups.com. ro, www.ups.com. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. DHL Tel. 021 222 17 71/021 222 17 77, fax 021 222 17 66, www.dhl.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat Making a phonecall To dial abroad, dial 00, the country code, the area code, the subscriber’s number and away you go. For calls in Bucharest you need to dial both the correct city code (021 for Romtelecom numbers, 031 for private phone companies; see 021 vs. 031, below) and the subscriber’s number. To call a mobile, you must dial the prefix (07XX), and when calling from a mobile you must dial the city code (again, either 021 or 031). All public phones require a Romtelecom phone card, which you can buy at most newsstands. None accept coins. Pallas Consulting & Accounting B-6, B-dul Unirii 4, bl. 8B, sc. A, et. 6, ap. 18, tel. 031 405 91 99. Pan-Terra Corporation D-4, Calea Mosilor 286, bl. 30A, et. 5, tel. 021 211 97 85. PricewaterhouseCoopers A-6, Str. Costache Negri 1-5, tel. 021 202 85 00. Quintus B-5, Str. Grigore Cobalcescu 46, et. 2, ap. 5, tel. 021 310 06 69. Roland Berger Strategy Consultants B-4, B-dul Lascar Catargiu 17, tel. 021 222 19 05. 021 vs. 031 No, not a fixture in the telephone codes’ Premier League, instead growing confusion regarding what is and what is not the correct city telephone code for Bucharest. Competition is a wonderful thing, and Romtelecom, for decades the sole fix-line telephone operator in the country, now has plenty of it. Cable television companies, mobile phone operators and even ISPs are getting in on the act. As a result, there has been a need to increase the amount of fix-line telephone numbers available. The local authorities have done this by assigning a new city code, 031, to the private operators. Romtelecom numbers retain the old 021 code, which, since May 1, 2008, has to be dialled. If you do not, you will hear a recorded message (in Romanian of course) telling you off. We have included all necessary codes in of our listings throughout this guide: the number you see here is the number you dial. Ambulance Bio-Medica International C-3, Calea Floreasca nr. 111-113, tel. 021 311 77 93. Puls A-3, Str. Turda 127, bl. 2, sc. E, ground floor, tel. 021 224 01 87. SOS Medical and Ambulance Services C-4, Str. Caragea Voda 1, tel. 021 9761 . Staff Training Brainovate Str. Hipodromului 30D, Corbeanca, tel. 021 434 31 01, 0723 380 092, www.brainovate. com. A one-stop shop for a wide range of training, team building, and personnel development solutions. October - November 2008 84 direCtory Baby sitting Babysitting Agency Ramona Dima B-3, B-dul Nicolae Grigorescu 5, Bl. M4, sc.B, et.2, ap.30, tel. 021 340 84 96. Blu Servicii C-5, Str. Batistei 5, et. 5, ap. 12b, tel. 021 312 33 07. Gett’s Hair Studio ZigZag D-4, Str. Marcel Iancu 9, tel. 0724 36 33 33. Beauty centres & Hairdressers Blues Line A-1, World Trade Centre, P-ta Montreal 10, tel. 021 319 11 17/021 319 11 68, info@romcare.ro, www. bluesline.ro. One of the best hairdressers in Bucharest offering your hair, be it on your head or on your face, a good time and revitalisation. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Also at (C-5) Str. Episcopiei 1 - 3 (tel. 313 70 80, 303 37 77 int. 6810). A Blues Line Classic C-5, Hilton Hotel, Str. Episcopiei 1-3, tel. 021 313 70 80/021 303 37 77 int.6810, www. bluesline.ro. Enjoy the new La Prairie The Art of Beauty spa-room located in the Athenee Palace Hilton Health Club. In addition to the already existing list of facial treatments using the La Prairie range, the new spa-room offers also several body treatments, including the three hour Swiss Bliss, Pressure Relief and Beauty Express treatments. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. A CiUFOlici B-4, Str. Piata Amzei 16 - 22, tel. 021 316 91 16, ciufolici@2plus2.ro, www.ciufolici.ro. Your kid can look funky, too. Snappy haircuts, refreshments and games to keep their minds distracted from the barber’s chair. Q Open 10:00 - 20:00. Also at Bucur Obor (tel. 021 252 99 50) and (D-3) Lacul Tei (tel. 021 242 00 64). A B-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90, tel. 021 403 31 33/021 403 35 33, getts.marriott@getts.ro, www.getts.ro. Top hairdressers that is the undisputed top choice of ambassadors’ wives and Bucharest ladies who lunch. Need we say more. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 10:00 - 14:00. Also Gett’s Color Bar at Bucuresti Mall, Calea Vitan 55-59, tel. 021 321 26 10, fax 021 321 26 09). Open 10:00-22:00. A Business connections Delegation of the European Union C-4, Str. Jules Michelet 18-20, tel. 021 203 54 00. Foreign Investor Council B-3, B-dul Kiseleff 11-13, ING Building, tel. 021 222 19 31. International Monetary Fund C-6, Str. Halelor 7, et.2, tel. 021 311 58 33. Moorcroft Tel. 021 528 80 16. Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry D-6, B-dul Octavian Goga 2, tel. 021 319 01 14. World Bank D-4, Str. Armand Calinescu 2-4, tel. 021 201 03 11. Business facilities Bucharest Financial Plazza B-4, Calea Victoriei 15, tel. 021 310 40 20. Crowne Plaza Conference Centre A-1, B-dul Poli021 312 12 77. grafiei 1, tel. 021 224 00 34. National Art Museum B-5, Str. Ştirbei Vodă 1, tel. Regus Business Centre Romania A-1, World Trade Centre, P-ta Montreal 10, Entrance F, 1st floor, tel. 021 202 30 30. Bucharest In Your Pocket direCtory 85 Romexpo Conference Centre C-7, B-dul Mărăsti 65-67, tel. 021 207 70 00 . Clinics & Hospitals Bio-Medica International C-3, Calea Floreasca 111113, tel. 021 311 77 93, fax 021 311 77 98, www.biomedica.ro. Healthcare, emergency service and reservations for private rooms in the Floreasca Hospital. Q Open 24hrs, for emergencies, tel. 0788 24 60 04. Emergency Clinic Hospital (Spitalul de Urgenta) C-3, Calea Floreasca 8, tel. 021 599 23 00, www.urgentafloreasca.ro. If you’re squashed by a tram or fall victim to a dodgy sausage, you’ll be in good hands here in what is the best state-run hospital in Romania. Q Open 24hrs. Euroclinic C-3, Calea Floreasca 14 A, tel. 021 200 68 00, www.spitaluleuroclinic.ro. tel. 021 310 44 10, www.medicover.ro. Increasingly popular, affordable and reliable group of clinics throughout Bucharest. Friendly doctors and nurses, emergency service, open weekends. QOpen 09:00 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (H-2) Str. Dr. Grozovici 6, tel. 021 316 21 55 and (C-2) Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 16-20, tel./fax 021 310 16 88. Medsana A-6, Str. Dr. Nanu Muscel 12, tel. 021 408 78 00, www.medsana.ro. Another welcome addition to the privately-run medical sector. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Also at (B-2) B-dul Primaverii 9, tel. 021 231 41 92. Puls Health Care Center A-3, Str. Turda 127, tel. 021 224 01 87/973, info@pulsmedica.ro, www.pulsmedica. ro. QOpen 07:30 - 19:30, Sat, Sun 07:30 - 13:30. Also at Str. Teiul Doamnei 2, tel. 021 242 13 76 and Str. Tunari 37, tel. 021 212 40 40. Medicover (Medical Centre) A-5, Calea Plevnei 96, October - November 2008 86 direCtory In the News For the third year in succession, floods caused death and great devastation in northern and eastern Romania as the Tisza, Prut and Siret rivers burst their banks. Romania was given a lashing by the EU for failing to clean up its notoriously corrupt judicial system, though escaped financial sanctions applied to neighbour Bulgaria. Following the controversial case of a pregnant 11-year old rape victim denied an abortion by medics in the northern city of Iasi, Romania’s parliament voted to extend the current abortion limit from 11 to 24 weeks. Romania’s government increased pensions by 20 per cent, and raised teachers’ salaries by 50 per cent, less than two months before the country goes to the polls in general elections. The elections - which for the first time are being held usuing a direct voting system - are due to be held on November 30. In opinion polls, the opposition PD-L (the party of president Traian Basescu) leads, followed by the Social Democrats, the PSD. The ruling PNL trails in third. New estimates predicted that Romania’s population would fall to under 17 million by 2050. Romania’s national football team was humiliated 3-0 by Lithuania, though coach Victor Piturca refused to resign. Romania’s Olympians brought home just eight medals (four of which were gold) from Beijing, the country’s worst haul for 36 years. Pick of the medalists was gymnast Sandra Izbasa, who took gold for her floor exercise, proving once again that Romanian girls are terrific on the floor. Unirea Medical Center C-6, B-dul Unirii 57, bl. E4, tel. 021 327 11 88/9268, fax 021 327 11 95, office@ cmu.ro, www.cmu.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Also at (B-5) Str. George Enescu 12 (tel. 021 316 58 76), Str. Clucerului 55 (tel. 021 222 92 26) and many other locations. Village Medical Clinic Sos. Nordului 119, tel./fax 021 232 35 80, tel. 021 232 35 81, clinica@villagemedical. ro, www.villagemedical.ro. QOpen 07:30 - 19:30, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. Dentists Alpha Dent Company D-6, Calea Calarasilor 300, bl. S20, sc. 1, et. 1, ap. 6, tel. 021 321 30 99/0723 33 30 09, fax 021 327 41 61, office@alphadent.ro, www. alphadent.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. B.B. Clinic - German Dentist D-6, Str. Ionescu Gion 4, tel. 021 320 01 51/0723 38 33 27, fax 021 320 01 51, www.germandentist.ro. Unquestionably the best dentist in the city. What’s more, you can bring the kids too, as they now have a special room at the Dorobanti location equipped especially for young’uns. Q Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun. For emergencies (24hrs) tel. 0744 49 91 98. Also at (B-2) Calea Dorobantilor 208 (tel. 021 231 88 56) PTA Biodent Str. Virtutii 6, bl. R12, ap.34, parter, tel. 021 430 33 33, office@biodent.ro, www.biodent.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Dent-A-America B-3, Str. Varsovia 4, tel. 021 230 26 08/021 230 28 26, fax 021 230 28 27, dent-a-america@ opensys.ro, www.dent-a-americainc.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Bucharest In Your Pocket 88 direCtory be here IB World School Exceptional campus and facilities Conveniently located in Baneasa residential area Supportive international community Admission Office Sos Pipera-Tunari 196 Voluntari, Jud. Ilfov Tel: (40) 21 204-4300 admiss@aisb.ro Denta G D-5, B-dul Carol I 37, tel. 021 313 87 14/031 805 99 97, fax 021 313 33 06, office@dentag.ro, www. dentag.ro. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. Velvet Medical C-6, Str. Sf. Vineri 29 (Bectro Center), tel. 021 317 39 97/0722 45 30 12, fax 021 317 37 87, office@velvetdental.ro, www.velvetdental.ro. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. Belarus A-3, Str.Tuberozelor 6, tel. 021 223 17 76. Belgium D-4, B-dul Dacia 58, tel. 021 210 29 69. Bulgaria B-3, Str. Rabat 5, tel. 021 230 21 50. Canada A-3, Str. Tuberozelor 1-3, tel. 021 307 50 00. 57. Croatia D-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 1, tel. 021 313 04 Czech Republic C-5, Str. Ion Ghica 11, tel. 021 303 92 30. Dry cleaners Athenee Palace Hilton C-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3, tel. 021 303 3777 ext. 3972. The Hilton is your one stop shop for dry cleaning and laundry morning, noon and night. Access through The Works health club. QOpen 24 hrs. A Immaculate Cleaners C-4, Str. Polona 76, tel. 021 255 65 85/021 211 44 13, enquiries@immaculate.ro, www.immaculate.ro. The best dry-cleaners in town offers free collection and delivery. QOpen 07:30 - 20:30, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Also at Rainbow, Piata Amzei (Open 09:00 - 23:00); Nic, Piata Cotroceni (Open Mon - Sat 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 16:00); Mega Image, Sos. Titulescu 3949 (Open Mon - Sat 08:30 - 21:30, Sun 09:00 - 18:00); Sos. Pantelimon 248-250; Domino Centre, Str. Maica Domnului 61; Str Av. Radu Beller 4 and B-dul Magheru 9 (Open 08:00 - 20:30, Sat 09:00 - 17:00). Denmark D-5, Str. Dr. Burghelea 3, tel. 021 300 08 00. Egypt D-4, B-dul Dacia 67, tel. 021 211 09 38. European Union Delegation C-4, Str. Jules Michelet Foreign representations Albania B-3, Str. Duiliu Zamfirescu 7, tel. 021 211 98 29. Argentina B-5, Str. Ion Câmpineanu nr.11, et.3, ap.301, tel. 021 312 26 26. Austria C-4, Str. Dumbrava Rosie 7, tel. 021 201 56 12. 18, tel. 021 203 54 00. Finland B-3, Str. Atena 2bis, tel. 021 230 75 04. France B-4, Str. Biserica Amzei 13-15, tel. 021 303 10 00. Germany B-3, Cpt. Av. Gh. Demetriade 6-8, tel. 021 202 98 30. Greece E-5, Str. Pache Protopopescu 1 - 3, tel. 021 209 41 73. Holy See (Apostolic Nunciature) B-5, Str. Pictor C. Stahi 5-7, tel. 021 313 94 90. Hungary C-4, Str. Prof. Dr. Dimitrie Gerota 63-65, tel. 021 312 00 73. Chile B-4, Calea Griviţei 24, et. 4, tel. 021 312 72 39. China B-1, Sos. Nordului 2, tel. 021 232 17 32. Ireland B-4, Str. Buzesti 50-52, et. 3, tel. 021 310 21 61. Israel C-7, B-dul Dimitrie Cantemir 1, tronson 2+3, bl. B2, et. 5, tel. 021 318 94 16. Italy B-4, Str. Henri Coanda 9, tel. 021 305 21 00. Japan A-4, Sos. Nicolae Titulescu 4-8, tel. 021 319 18 90. Bucharest In Your Pocket direCtory Health While rates of infant mortality, AIDS, cancer, heart and lung problems are relatively high, and life expectancy is one of Europe’s lowest (66 for men, 73 for women - that’s lower than Albania), Romania should not pose any health problems for the visitor or expat. The water is perfectly safe to drink, although nobody - including locals - actually does, as the bottled variety is so good and cheap. Should you fall ill, the local health service is more than adequate, if not perfect. Hospitals do suffer from a lack of funds, and the frequent handing over of 10 lei notes to everyone from the receptionist to the cleaner is recommended. Romanian doctors, while almost universally brilliant, are dreadfully, criminally underpaid and should be tipped heavily. You are recommended to take out decent health insurance, however, and most of the private medical centres listed on these pages offer good schemes for expatriates. If you have no insurance cover, in an emergency you should call tel. 112 or tel. 021 9731 for an ambulance. The best state emergency hospital is Spitalul de Urgenta, Calea Floreasca 8, tel. 021 230 01 06. If your child becomes ill, you should take him or her to the special children’s emergency hospital, found at (B-4), B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 30-32, tel. 021 212 93 64/66. A list of 24 hour pharmacies is on page 90. 89 Korea C-2, B-dul Mircea Eliade 14, tel. 021 230 71 98. Macedonia D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 144, tel. 021 210 08 80. Mexico D-4, Str. Mihai Eminescu 124, sc. C, et. 6, ap. 13-14, tel. 021 210 47 28. Moldova B-3, Aleea Alexandru 40, tel. 021 230 04 74. Morocco C-5, Str. Dionisie Lupu 78, tel. 021 317 41 24. Netherlands B-3, Str. Aleea Alexandru 20, tel. 021 208 60 30. Norway C-4, Str. Dumbrava Rosie 4, tel. 021 210 02 74. Philippines A-6, Str. Carol Davilla 105-107, et. 5, ap. 10-11, tel. 021 319 82 52. Poland B-3, Aleea Alexandru 23, tel. 021 308 22 46. Portugal B-3, Str. Paris 55, tel. 021 230 41 36. Russia B-3, Sos. Pavel Kiseleff 6, tel. 021 222 31 70. Serbia B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 34, tel. 021 211 98 71. Slovakia C-5, Str. Otetari 1, tel. 021 300 61 00. Spain B-3, Str. Tirana 1, tel. 021 233 91 90. Sweden B-3, Sos. Kiseleff 43, tel. 021 406 71 00. Switzerland B-4, Str. Grigore Alexandrescu 16-20, tel. 021 206 16 00. Syria B-4, B-dul Lascăr Catargiu 50, tel. 021 319 24 67. Turkey B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 72, tel. 021 206 37 00. UK & Northen Ireland C-4, Str. Jules Michelet 24, tel. 021 201 73 00. USA C-5, Str. Tudor Arghezi 7-9, tel. 021 200 33 00. International British School E-5, Str. Agricultori 21, tel. 021 252 37 04, www.ibsb.ro. International School of Primary Education B-1, Sos Nordului 119, tel. 021 232 11 37, www.insb.ro. International School of Bucharest (ISB) Sos. Gara Caţelu 1R, tel. 021 306 95 30, fax 021 306 95 34, office@isb.ro, www.isb.ro. Lauder-Reut C-6, Str. Iului Barasch 15, tel. 021 320 15 75. Key cuts El Chei C-5, Str. Coltei 6, tel. 021 311 14 18. If you lock yourself out late at night call tel. 021 242 88 50. Community Contacts British Consul C-4, Str. Jules Michelet 24, tel. 021 201 73 00. Call 0722 320 321, a 24 hour hotline, if you get into serious trouble during the early hours. Delegation of the European Union C-4, Str. Jules Michelet 18, tel. 021 203 54 00. International schools American International School Sos. Pipera-Tunari 169, Comuna Voluntari, tel. 021 204 43 00. British School Str. Aron Cotrus 51b, tel. 021 232 53 83. Bucharest Christian Academy D-7, Str. Vasile Voiculescu 26, tel. 021 323 58 87. Die Deutsche Schule Bukarest C-3, Str. Turbinei 21, www.dsbu.eu. Anglican Church of Bucharest C-5, Str. Xeno- pol 2, tel. 021 210 29 37, 0740 243 789. Englishlanguage services every Sunday at 10:00-11:00 led by the Revd. Martin Jacques. Sunday School for children of all ages too. US Consul C-5, Str. Filipescu 26, tel. 021 210 40 42, acsbucharest@state.gov. October - November 2008 90 direCtory Swimming Pools, Fitness Tennis Clubs 22nd Floor (Inter Continental Hotel) C-5, B-dul Nicolae Balcescu 4, tel. 021 310 20 20, fax 021 312 04 86. Probably the smallest swimming pool in Romania on top of what for years was the tallest building (22 floors). Views are great, and when it gets really steamy you can go and sunbathe on the balcony. QOpen 06:00 - 22:00. Pool, jacuzzi, sauna and fitness for 70 lei/day from 06:00-16:00 and 115 lei/day from 06:00-22:00. Subscription 350 lei/ month from 06:00-16:00 and 450 lei/month from 06:0022:00 (pool, fitness, jacuzzi, sauna included). AD Hilton Health Club B-5, Str. Episcopiei 1-3 (Athenee Palace Hilton), tel. 021 303 37 77, fax 021 315 21 21. Indoor pool, sauna, weight room, and a host of top facilities. Membership costs €252-€464/three months, €444-812/ six months, €635-1160/year. QOpen 06:30 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 21:00. A Ramada Majestic Hotel B-4, Calea Victoriei 38-40, Crowne Plaza Health Club A-1, B-dul Poligrafiei 1, tel. 021 224 00 34, fax 021 202 11 01. Swimming pool, sauna, fitness room, jacuzzi, tennis €15/visit, membership €250/3 months, €450/6 months, €790/year. Solarium, massage not included. Reductions for spouses and children. QOpen 06:30 - 23:00. A tel. 021 310 27 20, reservations@majestic.ro, www. majestic.ro. Tiny but clean and refreshing pool underneath the Ramada Majestic hotel. Sauna and jacuzzi too. There are lessons on week days for children and adults. Q Open 07:00-21:30. Admission 50.00 lei 1 visit, 220 lei 5 visits/month, 420 lei 10 visits/month. AD Tenis Club Bucuresti B-2, Str. Barbu Vacarescu, tel./fax 021 242 16 15, www.tenisclub.ro. The fabulous Tenis Club Bucuresti is more than raquets and balls: besides the indoor and outdoor tennis courts you will find a large indoor swimming pool, a great fitness center and sauna, as well as a pizzerie and restaurant (La Provence). Tennis and swimming lessons available. Membership from €990 per year. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. A Daimon Sports Club Parcul Tineretului (Opposite Sala Polivalenta), tel. 0723 99 82 66. Superb tennis and fitness club in Tineretului Park, now with a great - and we mean great - swimming pool. If until this summer Blue Ciel was the city’s best kept secret, Daimon has now taken that honours. There are five clay tennis courts, two of which are covered, and all of which have floodlights. There are also two artificial football pitches (both floodlit) and a wellequipped gym. You can pay by the hour for tennis (€7.50) and football (€20) though it’s cheaper if you take out a subscription (call for details). The swimming pool costs 30.00 lei per person (no reduction for chldren) and you can stay all day. Note that the club house doubles as one of Bucharest’s best pizzerias, and is a great place for Sunday lunch. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. 30.00 lei/person per day. A World Class Health Academy A-6, Calea 13 Septembrie 90, tel. 021 403 09 00, fax 021 403 09 07, www.worldclass.ro. Massive fitness centre in the basement of the Marriott Hotel with a gym, luxuriously large pool, squash courts, aerobics, spinning, step and pilates facilities and classes. Call for special membership packages. QOpen 06:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 21:00. Also at Calea Victoriei 63-81 (Radisson SAS), tel. 313 11 04, and Str. Erou Iancu Nicolae 103 bis (Jolie Ville Galleria), tel. 021 269 01 60. A Marquees Tent Event Tel. 0722 31 18 78, info@marketingconnection.ro, www.tentevent.ro. Euroest A-4, Bd. N. Titulescu 4-8, tel. 021 319 10 00. Eurohouse Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 42-44 (Baneasa Opticians Optiblu C-5, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 7, tel. 021 305 73 15. Optinova E-7, Calea Vitan 55-59 (Bucuresti Mall), tel. 021 327 58 72. Business & Technology Park) Corp B1, Et. 2, tel. 021 361 10 10. Professional Realty C-6, Str. George Valentin Bibescu 33, bl. 10/2, sc. A, ap. 6, tel. 021 232 04 06. Regatta B-4, B-dul Iancu de Hunedoara 6, Bl. H4, et. 8, ap. 31, tel. 021 232 90 12. RomDeal Estates B-5, B-dul Mihail Kogalniceanu Pharmacies Help Net A-3, B-dul Ion Mihalache 92, tel. 021 224 42 15, www.helpnet.ro. Q Open 24hrs. Also at C-6, B-dul Unirii 24 (tel. 021 335 74 25), B-3, Str. Av. Radu Beller 8 (tel. 021 233 89 84). Sensiblu B-3, Calea Dorobantilor 65, tel. 021 211 11 27, www.sensiblu.com. QOpen 24hrs. Also at B-4, Piata Amzei 10-22 (tel. 021 303 85 79), C-6, B-dul Nicolae Bălcescu 7 (tel. 021 212 49 23), B-5, Str. G. Enescu 36-40 (tel. 021 211 53 34), A-3, B-dul Nicolae Titulescu 39-49 (tel. 021 310 10 14). 14, tel. 021 313 03 78/0756 03 34 50, fax 021 313 03 58, sales@romdealestates.com, www. romdealestates.com. Veles A-4, B-dul Nicolae Titulescu 1, bl A7, sc B, et 7, ap 48, tel. 021 312 03 43. Residence permits Romanian Office for Migration (OFM) C-6, Str. Eforie 3-5 (Non-EU Citizens); B-4, Str. Nicolae Iorga 29 (EU Citizens). If you plan on staying in Romania for more than 90 days in any one year, you officially need a residence permit (legiţimatie de şedere; if you are not an EU citizen), or a registration certificate (certificat de înregistrare; in the case of EU citizens). To get either you need to present yourself first at the OFM. Staff are generally as helpful as they can be, though note that very little English is spoken, and taking a Romanian with you to translate is a good idea. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Thu, Sat 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Wed, Sun. Real estate Cagead Intermed B-6, Piata Natiunile Unite 3-5, tel. 021 335 88 01. Colliers International Sos. Bucuresti-Ploiesti 1A, Bucharest Business Park, tel. 021 319 77 77. Bucharest In Your Pocket 92 street register 13 Septembrie, Calea B6 21 Decembrie 1989, Piata C5 Academiei, Str. C5 Alecsandri Vasile, Str. B4 Alexandrescu Grigore, Intr. C4 Alexandrescu Grigore, Str. B4 Aman Theodor, Str. B5 Amman, Str. C3 Amzei, Intr. B4 Apolodor, Str. B6 Argentina, Str. B3 Arghezi Tudor, Str. C5 Atelierului, Str. A4 Atena, Str. B3 Balaban Emil, Str. C4 Balcescu Nicolae, Bd. C5 Baniei, Str. C6 Banului, Str. B5 Baratiei, Str. C6 Batistei, Str. C5 Berna, Str. B3 Berthelot H. M., G-ral., Str. B5 Berzei, Str. A4 Biserica Amzei, Str. B4 Biserica Enei, Str. C5 Bitolia, Intr. B3 Blanari, Str. C6 Blanc Louis, Arh., Str. B3 Blanduziei, Str. C5 Bogdan Ion, Prof., Str. C4 Botez Eugen, Cmdr., Str. C3 Bratianu I.c., Bd. C6 Brazilia, Str. B3 Brebu, Str. E3 Brezoianu Ion, Str. B5 Brutus M.i., Str. B6 Bruxelles, Str. B3 Budisteanu Constantin, G-ral, Str. B5 Buiestrului, Str. C3 Buzesti, Intr. B4 Buzesti, Piata A4 Buzesti, Str. B4 Buzoiani Iani, Str. C2 Buzoianu Ion, Lt.col., Intr. C6 Caderea Bastiliei, Intr. B4 Caderea Bastiliei, Str. B4 Caderon Jean Louis, Str. C5 Calin Ion, Erou, Str. C4 Cameliei, Str. A4 Carada Eugeniu, Str. C6 Caragea Ioan Voda, Str. C4 Caragiale I.l., Str. C5 Caragiale I.l.,intr. C5 Carol I, Bd. D5 Catargiu Lascar, Bd. B4 Cavafii Vechi, Str. C6 Cazzavillan Luigi, Str. B5 Cernat Alexandru, G-ral, Str. A4 Cioranu Mihai, Str. A6 Clucerului, Str. A3 Clunet, Dr., Str. A6 Coanda Constantin, G-ral., Str. B4 Coanda Henri, Str. B4 Cobalcescu Grigore, Prof., Str. B5 Coltei, Str. C5 Constantin Daniel, Str. B4 B6 Constitutiei, Piata Conta Vasile, Str. C5 Coposu Corneliu, Bd. C6 Coposu Corneliu, Piata D6 Cornescu, Str. C3 A5 Cotiturii, Str. Covaci, Str. C6 Crisana, Str. A5 Crisului, Str. C6 Cronicarilor, Str. C3 Cuza Alexandru Ioan, Bd. A4 Dacia, Bd. D4 Dascalu Nicolae, Serg., Intr. B4 David Emmanuel, Str. C4 Davila Carol, Dr., Str A6 Dealul Mitropoliei, Alee C6 Demetriade Gheorghe, Cpt.av., Str B3 Dianei, Str. C5 Doamna Oltea, Str. C3 Dona Nicolae, G-ral, Str. B5 Dorobanti, Calea B3 Dorobanti, Piata B3 Dragalina Ion, G-ral., Str. B6 Drobeta, Str. C4 Duca Gheorghe, Bd. A4 Dumbrava Rosie, Str. C4 Eforie, Str. C5 Eftimiu Victor, Intr. B5 Elie Radu, Str. B5 Eminescu Mihai, Intr. C4 Eminescu Mihai, Str. D4 Enescu George, Piata B5 Enescu George, Str. B5 Episcopiei, Str. C5 Eroii Sanitari, Bd. A5 Eroilor, Bd. A5 Eroilor, Piata A6 Felix Iacob, Dr., Str. A4 Filipescu Nicolae, Str. C5 Finlanda, Str. B3 Floreasca, Cale C3 Florescu Ion, G-ral, Str. C5 Franceza, Str. C6 Frumoasa, Intr. B4 Frumoasa, Str. B4 Furtuna Stefan, Intr. A5 Gabroveni, Str. C6 Gara De Nord, Piata A4 Gara De Nord, Str. A4 Georgescu George, Str. B6 Ghica Ion, Str. C5 Golescu Dinicu, Bd. A4 Golescu Nicolae, Str. C5 Greceanu Paul, Str. C4 Grigorescu Eremia, G-ral, Str. C4 Grivitei, Cale B4 Gusti Dimitrie, Str. A5 Gutenberg, Str. B5 Haga, Str. B3 Hagi Moscu Maria, Str. A3 Halelor, Str. C6 Haret Spiru, Str. B5 Hasdeu Iulia, Intr. B4 Hasdeu Iulia, Str. B4 Horatiu, Str. B4 Hristo Botev, Bd. C5 Iancu De Hunedoara, Bd. B4 Icoanei, Str. C4 Ilfov, Str. B6 Iorga Nicolae, Intr. B4 Iorga Nicolae, Str. B4 A6 Iosif O. Eugen, Dr., Str. Iulian Stefan, Str. A3 Izvor, Str. A6 Justitiei, Str. B6 Kiseleff P Bd. .d., B3 Kogalniceanu Mihail, Bd B5 Kogalniceanu Mihail, Piata B5 Lacatusului, Str. C2 Lacul Tei, Bd. D3 Lahovari Alexandru, Piata C4 Lantului, Str. A6 Lascar Vasile, Str. C5 Lazar Gheorghe, Str. B5 Lebedei, Str. A3 Libertatii, Bd. B6 Libertatii, Piata B7 Lipova, Str. A5 Lipscani, Str. C6 Lisabona, Str. B3 Lister, Dr., Str. A6 Londra, Str. B3 Lupu Dionisie, Str. C5 Luterana, Str. B5 Macedoniei, Str. A5 Magheru Gheorghe, Bd C5 Magiresti, Str. A4 Maltopol, Str. A4 Mamulari, Str. C6 Manolescu Grigore, Str. A3 Manu Gheorghe, G-ral, Str. B4 Maracineanu Walter, Piata B5 Masaryk Thomas, Str. C5 Mendeleev D.i., Str. C4 Mexic, Str. B3 Michelet Julles, Str. C4 Micle Veronica, Str. A4 Mihai Voda, Str. B6 Mihalache Ion, Bd. A3 Mihnea Voda, Str. C6 Mille Constantin, Str. B5 Millo Matei, Str. B5 Mincu Ion, Arh., Str. B3 Mirinescu Mihail, Dr., Str. A6 Miron Costin, Str. A4 Mitropolit Antim Ivireanul, Str. B6 Monetariei, Str. B3 Mosilor, Cale D4 Moxa Mihail, Str. B4 Muresanu Andrei, Poet, Str. B3 Musatescu Tudor, Piata B5 Natiunile Unite, Bd. B6 Natiunile Unite, Piata B6 Neculce Ion, Str. A3 Negri Costache, Str. A6 A4 Negruzzi Iacob, Str. Negulescu Stefan, Str. C3 Occidentului, Str. B4 Oslo, Str. B3 Ostasilor, Str. B5 Otetari,str. C5 Paris, Str. B3 Parvan Vasile, Str. B5 Pasteur Louis, Dr., Str. A6 Patriarhiei, Str. C6 Petrescu Camil, Intr. C4 Philippide Alexandru, Str. C4 Piata Amzei, Str. B4 Pitar Mos, Str. C5 Poenaru Bordea, Str. B6 Poiana Narciselor, Str. B5 Politie, Str. B6 Polizu Gheorghe, Str. A4 Polona, Str. C4 Poni Petru, Str. A4 Popa Tatu, Str. B5 Popescu-gopo Ion, Str. A6 Povernei, Str. B4 Praga, Str. B3 Praporgescu David,g-ral., Str. C5 Pretorienilor, Str. A6 Putul Cu Plopi, Str. B5 Putul Lui Zamfir, Str. B3 Quinet Edgar, Str. C5 Quito, Piata Rabat, Str. Radu Voda, Str. Ramniceanu Naum, Str. Regina Elisabeta, Bd. Regina Maria, Bd. Revolutiei, Piata Rigas, Intr. Roma, Intr. Roma, Str. Romana, Piata Rosetti C.a., Piata Rosetti C.a., Str. Rosetti Maria, Str. Rossini Gioachino, Str. Saligny Anghel, Ing., Str. Sapientei, Str. Sarandy Frosa, Str. Scarlatescu, Str. Schitul Magureanu, Bd. Scoala Floreasca, Str. Scoalei, Str. Selari, Intr. Selari, Str. Sepcari, Str. Sevastopol, Intr. Sevastopol, Str. Sfanta Vineri, Str. Sfantul Constantin, Str. Sfantul Elefterie, Str. Sfintii Apostoli, Str. Sfintii Voievozi, Piata Sfintii Voievozi, Str. Slanic, Str. Slatineanu Ion, Str. Slavesti, Str. Smardan, Str. Sofia, Str. Stahi Constantin, Str. Staicovici Nicolae, Dr., Str. Stavropoleos, Str. Stefan Cel Mare, Sosea Stirbei Voda, Intr. Stirbei Voda, Str. Tirana, Str. Titulescu Nicolae, Sosea Tokio, Str. Tomescu Toma, Dr., Intr. Transilvaniei, Str. Tudor Stefan, Intr. Tunari, Str. Unirii, Bd. Unirii, Piata Universitatii, Piata Vacarescu Barbu, Str. Venezuela, Str. Verona Arthur, Pictor, Str. Victoriei, Calea Victoriei, Piata Visarion I.c., Str. Vladoianu Barbu, G-ral, Str. Vlaicu Aurel, Str. Vulcanescu Mircea, Str. Washington, Str. Witting, Str. Xenopol Alexandru, Str. Zalomit Z. Ion. Str. Zola Emile, Str. B3 B3 C6 C3 C5 C6 B5 B5 B3 B3 B4 C5 C5 C5 C3 B5 B6 A3 A3 B5 C3 C5 C6 C6 C6 B4 B4 C6 B5 A6 B6 B4 B4 C5 C4 C4 C6 B3 B5 A6 C6 D4 B5 B5 B3 A4 B3 B4 B5 C3 C4 C6 C6 C5 C3 B3 C5 B4 B4 B4 A3 C4 B4 B3 A4 C4 B5 B3 Bucharest In Your Pocket Romania Northern Bucharest Central & Southern Bucharest 98 index Absolut Rent-a-Car 80 Air France 80 Aisha 46 Albania 88 86 Alpha Dent Company Ambasador 27 American International School 89 Amsterdam Grand Cafe 62 Angelo Airporthotel 20 73 Antim Monastery Aquarium 39 Arcade 47 88 Argentina Armonia 24 44 Asami Asia 34 Athenee Palace Hilton 88, 18 68 Atheneum Audiconsult 83 88 Austria Austria Cafe 56 Autorent 80 34 Avalon Avas Touring 80 80 Avis B.B. Clinic - German Dentist 86 65 B52 Babysitting Agency Ramona 84 Dima Balthazar 34 Banat 27 36 Barka Saffron Bavaria Rent 80 88 Belarus Belgium 88 Bellini 39 20 Best Western Parc Bio-Medica International 83, 85 Biodent 86 Bistro Atheneu 48 Bla Dark Bar/Light Bar/ Lounge 60 84 Blu Servicii Botanical Gardens 68 Brasserie 34 Brasserie Crowne Plaza 36 Bristol 27 89 British School Bruxelles 32 BT Cafe 56 Bucharest Christian Academy 89 Bucharest Comfort Suites 24 Bucharest Financial Plazza 84 Budget 80 Bulgaria 88 Burebista Vanatoresc 48 Business Development Group 83 Byblos 40 Cafe Atelier Montmartre 56 Cafe Boheme 56 Cafe Klein 56 Cafepedia 56 Caffe & Latte 56 Caffe & Latte Wine Bar 40 Caffe Citta 40 Caffe Frappe 56 Cagead Intermed 90 Canada 88 Capitol 28 Capricciosa 40 Caro Club 28 Carol Parc Hotel 18 Carol Park 68 Carpati 28 Caru' cu Bere 48 Casa Centrala a Armatei 68 Casa di David 40 Casa Doina 48 Casa Gorjana 48 Casa Presei Libere 68 Casa Sarbeasca 55 Casa Satya 55 Casa Veche 48 Casa Vernescu 34 Casa Victor 28 Casino Bucharest 64 Casino Napoleon 64 Cella Center 84 Central 25 Central Post Office No 1 83 Centre Ville Aparthotel 20 Champions 32 46 Charme Chianti 58 Chile 88 China 88 58 Chocolat Choral Temple 74 34 Churrascaria Carnivore Circus Globus 68 Cismigiu Gardens 68 56 City Cafe Bistro City Grill 50 82 City Mall CiUFOlici 84 Colliers International 90 Communist Iconography 69 Museum 80 Compact Rent-a-Car Confort 28 Control Club 65 Cool Cat 60 56 Costa Coffee 50 Count Dracula Club Coyote Cafe 65 Crama Culmea Veche 50 Crem Caffé Espresso Bar 56 73 Creţulescu Church 88 Croatia Crowne Plaza Bucharest 18 Crowne Plaza Conference Centre 84 65 Cuando 56 Cube Cucina 42 Cupola 38 Curtea Berarilor 62 88 Czech Republic 38 Dacia Felix Dan 29 Da Vinci L'Inventore 56 DavVero 42 42 De Gustibus 66 Deja-vu Delegation of the European Union 84 Deloitte 83 88 Denmark 86 Dent-A-America Denta G 88 Dharma 60 83 DHL Die Deutsche Kneipe 35 Doamnei 50 Doamnei Church 73 Downtown 60 63 Dreamer's Duke 20 Dunlop Mills 83 Egypt 88 El Bacha 46 20, 35 El Greco Elizeu 29 El Torito 47 El Vino 55 Emergency Clinic Hospital 85 83 Enchange English Bar 60 Ernst & Young 83 Esperanto 35 Euroclinic 85 90 Euroest Eurohouse 90 Europcar 81 European Union Delegation 88 50 Excalibur Expirat 66 Finland 88 Fitto Cafe 56 Floreta de Aur 29 70 Foişorul de Foc Foreign Investor Council 84 For Me 58 Four Seasons 46 France 88 60 Fratelli French Bakery 34 Geisha Cafe 58 Geology Museum 71 George Enescu Museum 71 Germany 88 Gett's Hair Studio 84 Gino's 42 Golden Falcon 55 20 Golden Tulip Bucharest Graffiti 29 Grand Accommodation 29 Grand Casino 64 88 Greece Green Forum Hotel 25 54 Gregory's Habana Cafe 34 Habibi 46 51 Hanul Hangitei Hard Rock Cafe 32 Havana Princess Casino 64 Haveli 36 Herastrau 30 Herăstrău Park 68 34 Heritage 88 Holy See Horoscop 25, 48 Hostel Miorita 30 Howard Johnson Grand Plaza 18 88 Hungary Ibis Gara de Nord 30 Ibis Palatul Parlamentului 30 Icon Church 73 38 Il Giardino 42 Il Magnifico Immaculate Cleaners 88 Interbelic 60 InterContinental 18 60 Intermezzo Piano Bar International Car Rental 81 International Monetary Fund 84 International Nursery School 89 Bucharest (INS) International School of Bucharest 89 In Vino Veritas 38 IO Expresso 58 88 Ireland 25 Irisa Isoletta 43 Israel 88 Italian Church 73 88 Italy 88 Japan Jewish Cemetery 74 Jewish History Museum 74 82 Jolie Ville Mall JW Marriott Bucharest Grand 18 K+K Hotel Elisabeta 22 Kartell Cafe 58 89 Korea KPMG 83 Krishna 58 Kristal Glam Club 66 La Bastille 34 51 La Belle Epoque La Gallette 59 La Mama 51 La Mandragora 47 La Prieteni 60 47 La Primavera Lăptăria Enache 63 Lauder-Reut 89 Le Bistrot 59 Le Boutique Hotel Moxa 22 83 Le Comitium Lente 59 Librăria Noi 82 Locanta Jaristea 52 Loggia 60 60 London Bar Macedonia 89 Madrigal 47 Market 8 59 Marna 30 43 Maron Mazagran 48 McMoni's 38 Medicover 85 Medsana 85 81 Mega Taxi Mercury Research 83 Mexico 89 Michelangelo 22 Mihai Vodă Monastery 73 Mike's Delivery 54 Minerva 25 Mirage Casino 64 Mju 35 89 Moldova Molly's Irish Pub 63 Monte-Nelly 26 Monte Carlo 52 89 Morocco Museo 59 34 Nan Jing National Art Museum 69, 84 National Museum of 72 Contemporary Art Netherlands 89 22 NH Bucharest Nicolae Ceausescu's Grave 74 Nicoresti 52 89 Norway Novotel Bucharest City Centre 20 Novotel Cafe Theatro 48 O'Hara's 63 62 Offside Pub 35 Olive Garden Opera 26 Optiblu 90 Optinova 90 59 Orange Concept Store 64 Palace Casino Palatul din Piata Victoriei 70 Pan-Terra Corporation 83 Paparazzi Bistro 43 69 Peasant Museum 83 Pegasus Philippines 89 Phoenicia Grand 23 Piata Amzei 82 Piata Bazaar Dorobanti 82 59 Picasso Café Piccolo Mondo 30 Pillow Bar & Lounge 62 Pizza Hut 48 64 Platinum Casino 82 Plaza Romania Poem 48 Poland 89 Portugal 89 PricewaterhouseCoopers 83 Prime Steak & Seafood 55 Professional Realty 29, 90 Puls 83 Puls Health Care Center 85 Quadri 43 Quattro Stagioni 43 Queen Casino 64 Quintus 83 20 Radisson SAS Radu Vodă Monastery 73 Ramada Bucharest North 23 Ramada Plaza Bucharest 24 Raymond's 64 90 Regatta Regus Business Centre Romania 84 Rembrandt 26 Residence Cerisiers 24 26 Residence Oliviers Rin 30 Rin Grand 26 Roberto's 43 Rodon 35 Roland Berger Strategy Consultants 83 Romanian Authority for NonResidents 90 Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry 84 Romanian Military Academy 70 RomDeal Estates 90 Romexpo Conference Centre 85 Rom International Service 90 RomVision Travel 29 Rossetya 52 Ruby Tuesday 32 89 Russia Sala Palatului 70 Sale E Pepe 48 Salingers 82 Sandwich Factory 54 Sangria 47 Serbia 89 Sigma 29 Siqua 26 81 Sixt New Kopel Slovakia 89 Sofitel 20 SOS Medical and Ambulance 83 Services Spain 89 36 St. George St. Nicholas In-One-Day Church 73 St. Nicolas Students' Church 73 82 Sticerom Stil 24 Studio Martin 67 Suter Inn 30 89 Sweden 89 Switzerland Syria 89 Tania 27 Taverna Sarbului 55 Temple Deluxe Edition Club 67 Tempo 27 Thai Moods 55 Thalassina 35 67 The DJs 64 The Harp Theodor Pallady Museum 72 The Office 67 Times 39 83 TNT 81 Top Cars Trafalgar Pub 39 Trattoria Il Calcio 44 Trenta Pizza 54 31 Trianon 81 TS Car Rent Tulin 46 Tulip Inn 27 Turkey 89 89 UK & Northen Ireland 29 Unid Unique 31 Unirea Medical Center 86 Universitate 70 83 UPS 39 Uptown Bar & Grill USA 89 Valencia Casa Spaniola 55 52 Vatra Veles 90 Velvet Medical 88 Velvet Underground 67 Vila 11 31 86 Village Medical Clinic Village Museum 69 Villa Rodizio 55 Violeta's Vintage Kitchen 52 Wasteels 79 32 Waterloo Whispers 64 White Horse 65 World Bank 84 Wu Xing 54 44 Yakimono Yellow Bar 62 Yeshoah Tova Synagogue 74 Youth Hostel Villa Helga 31 Zerillo's 44 84 ZigZag Bucharest In Your Pocket