Pasajul Vilacrosse

Bucharest’s first prototype shopping mall dates from the late 19th century (see What to see for more information) and was originally built to encourage commerce on the conduit between Calea Victoriei and the National Bank. Now home to a number of cafes it has become something of a bohemian hangout, with almost all of the cafes housed within offering Turkish coffee and hookahs, those Arab smoking pipes. There is also a club, Opium Stage Club, a rather good, refined type of establishment. It’s half pub/half lunge, with a good mix of people and music.