Local Life Bucharest - PDF Guide

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Upcoming events in Bucharest

Oriental Art
From Jan 1st 1954 until Jan 19th 2038 , on
49-53, Calea Victoriei, 70101 Bucharest

More on www.local-life.com/bucharest/events

Best rated restaurants in Bucharest

Caru' Cu Bere
Stravropoleos 3-5

St. George
Franceza 44

Waterloo
Str. Traian 188

Gara Lipscani
Str. Lipscani 38

Paparazzi
Bd. Aviatorilor 31

More on www.local-life.com/bucharest/restaurants

Most popular pubs & clubs in Bucharest

Club A
Blanari 14

Cool Cat
Gabroveni 13

The Office
Tache Ionescu 2

Rooms
Mendeleev 28-30

More on www.local-life.com/bucharest/pubs

Club Revenge
selari 9 - 11

Club Bamboo
Tuzla 50

Kristal Glam Club

Str. S. Bach Nr. 2

Ota
Dr. Staicovici 26

Best hotels in Bucharest

InterContinental
Nicolae Balcescu 2-4

Youth Central Hostel

Str Salcamilor 2

Funky Chicken Hostel

Str. Gen. Berthelot 63

Novotel Bucharest
37B Calea Victorei

Unid
Bdul Corneliu Coposu nr.3 Bl.101

More on www.local-life.com/bucharest/hotels

Essential services in Bucharest

Swiso Rent a Car
Calea rahovei 266-268 Bucuresti Sector 5

Kineto Cabinet
Str. Belgrad. nr. 10-12

Gare de Nord
Piata Gare de Nord

Avis
Arrivals Hall, Bucharest Henri Coanda Ai

MovingBox
Bulevardul Dinicu Golescu, Nr. 35, Sc. 3, Et
5, Ap 24, Sect 1

More on www.local-life.com/bucharest/services

Need some culture?

Village Museum
os. Kiseleff nr. 28-30, sector 1

Stravropoleos Church
Stravropoleos

The Fire Watchtower

Piata Foisorul do Foc

More on www.local-life.com/bucharest/culture

Peasant Museum
Sos Kiseleff 3

The People's Palace

Calea 13 Septembrie 1, intrarea A3

Romanian Athenaeum
Benjamin Franklin 1-3

Travel tips
As ever, taxis should not be hailed from the rank, but called from a reputable
company. Prices are obliged to be posted on the door and shouldn't be more than
2 lei/km. Make sure the metre is on before setting off and generally be wary of
any other funny business.
Money should only be exchanged at the banks. Exchange bureaus at the airport
should especially be avoided due to their bad rates.
Beware of old currency. In 2005, Romania knocked four zeros off their currency.
Some of the old notes are still in circulation, though no longer legal tender. If you
get stuck with one, you can exchange it at a bank.
Pickpockets are a very real problem in Bucharest so take extra precautions. Most
often they take the form of young Roma children around Piata Universitatii who
will ask you for money with their hands out slyly patting your pockets. You'll soon
be surrounded by kids most of whom are distracting you while others dispossess
you of your things (we've seen it happen too often). The best prevention of this
scenario is physically swatting them away while outpacing them or raising your
fists and threatening to crush them if they don't back off. Obviously, don't keep
valuables in coat pockets where they can easily be removed.
If you need to make a phone call, you'll need to get a phonecard from the post
office or one of the scarce kiosks that actually sells them (for 10 to 20 lei). Though
this might be a slight challenge, finding a public phone will not be: there is one
discreetly placed somewhere on almost every block. If something isn't working,
it's probably not you; only about 60% of the phones actually work, so just find
another. Alternatively, getting a Romanian SIM card for your mobile is also a good
option, though the cost of calls and SMS messages is generally high.
Though since 2005, over 1 million stray dogs have been purportedly rounded up and disappeared (what do you
think they make mici from?), you will still see plenty in Romania's capital. Getting bitten by one of these dogs will
involve an obligatory rabies vaccination over the course of several months since three shots are required. So,
please, don't let it happen. Romania's stray dogs are generally skittish and easy to scare off by feigning to hit them,
so no excuses.
Bucharest may be the least handicap friendly capital in Europe. There's not a flat, smooth surface in the entire city,
and handicap toilets are extremely rare. Though EU entry and legislation should change this soon, we wouldn't
recommend for anyone with a physical handicap to enter the city for at least five years.
A few words on going out to eat:
First off, a 10% tip is customary at the end of a meal. Second, when ordering it's wise to have a few back-up
options in mind, as your first choice will oftentimes not be available. And if there's bread on your table, you're
paying for it; bread is rarely complimentary.
Almost everyone in Bucharest smokes and everywhere you go will be smokey, so get used to it.
The whole vampire thing - please people, give it a rest.
Sadly, Romanians can be kind of racist. Depending on where they are from in Romania (and you'll find them all in
Buch), that brand of prejudice may differ by region. Be careful of what you say about Roma (gypsies), Germans
and especially Hungarians in certain company. Similarly, don't glorify the People's Palace - everyone hates it.
Don't put your feet up in Bucharest, or on anything where feet weren't designed to go. Should you, you'll get a firm
scolding and several dirty looks.
The cotton in everyone's ears is to protect from 'the current.' Doors should generally be closed behind you, as any
space where air can pass easily through will result in all those in that space to be struck deathly ill (according to
Romanian superstition). For example, two windows open in the same car is an invitation for calamity (if anyone can
convincingly explain this to us, please, by all means...). By the same token, women should not sit on the floor,

stairs or anything cold or uncovered. The Romanian scientific community long ago proved that this practice would
result in the freezing of women's ovaries.
Bus tickets are only 1.10 lei and you should make sure you have one before you get on a bus, because checks are
very frequent. Think of all the Alexandrion (cognac) you could have drank with the money you spent on that 40 lei
fine.
Don't be surprised while shopping that instead of your change you get single pieces of gum, candy or tissues.
That's Romania for ya.
Despite how it may seem, prostitution is not legal here, so act accordingly.
Above: Let the cables sleep
Below: 'Match the shape' games twenty five metres that way...

Getting around
By subway
Bucharest's subway has been accused of being the nicest thing the city has to
offer. New, modern, smooth and efficient, it's a pleasant ride despite being
overcrowded. The metro system is also pretty simple and straightforward, so you
should have little trouble sussing it out. You can even take it out to the airport.
Tickets need to be bought in the underground stations and your options are as
such: 2 rides for 2 lei or 10 rides for 7 lei (cheap!). Put your ticket in the slot, wait
for it to come back out and off you go, but only until 23:00 when they stop

Above: What a green city!

Below: Take a cab to
Europe's ugliest
Christmas tree (also not
green)
running.
By bus and tram and trolley
Bucharest's buses are on par with the subway in terms of modernity and comfort,
and for being terribly overcrowded. (Bad traffic generally make the subway a
better option.) Most of the city centre is served by these sleek machines which
unfortunately only run until about 23:00. Trams and trolleys on the other hand
can be excruciatingly slow and antiquated, and likewise stop running by 23:00. In
fact, there's really no reason to be on one. The ticketing system for all three is the
same: buy a ticket from a nearby kiosk (most busstops should have one) and
punch it in the onboard ticket punching machine. Tickets are cheap (1.10 lei);
much cheaper than getting caught by one of the all-too-frequent ticket checks
and resulting fine (40 lei).
By taxi
Bucharest cabbies are generally amiable and honest, providing you're employing the services of a professional
company and not one of many profiteering privateers. Bucharest's bonafide cabs are all painted yellow and (should)
have their prices posted on the door (generally about 2 lei/km or less). Call rather than flag one down and always
make sure the metre is running before setting off. Taxis are a sound option, particularly after 23:00 when the
buses and subway have stopped running. Many an endless night of drunken wandering in search of the bed we

woke up in have been avoided by calling one.

By car
Bucharest has more cars than any other city in Europe. This may be largely to do with the fact that cars are a
major status symbol in Romania and something everyone aspires to have. [The lack of Dacias and wealth of
Mercedes and Porsche SUVs on the road will attest to this.] As such, we strongly discourage you from adding to the
city's commuter congestion by having a car here. Should you disobey our advice, you can look forward to not just
bad roads, ubiquitous traffic jams and dodgy drivers, but also obnoxious, ceaseless and senselessly whistle-blowing
policemen commanding you to make manoeuvers counter-intuitive to the logic of the traffic lights. Have fun. As for
parking, anything goes as far as we can tell.