5 days in Bucharest/Romania

Meaning no disrespect, but someone who says a city is probably not much different from Communist times is someone who hasn’t traveled in Eastern Europe when it was Communist, as I have — not Romania, but the USSR, Hungary, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. It’s completely different then and now. I agree that limited time in Romania is best spent in Transylvania, and Rick’s intro to Bucharest in his show about Romania that it is a bit gritty and can be hard to like at first impression is correct, but I found it to be a lively, very walkable central city with some interesting attractions, well worth a visit.

Appreciate the comment. It’s fair to say we all have our own objectives when traveling, I have seen communist remains in Berlin and Hungary, and yet the affected cities were not defined by them. I didn’t talk about the utter chaos in the city, the poor infrastructure and so on, mostly because I was sharing a travel opinion from visiting one city. If you love history and are intrigued by the communist times, it may be the place for you. My point is that they still have a ways to go. It’s the city, not the country. Braşov was such a wonderful breath of fresh air. And actually so much more of the country that we didn’t see. Thanks again for your insight.

We were in Bucharest and Romania a few extra days after our Viking Eastern European Countries Cruise last year.
We did use a private guide (from RS guidebook) for Transylvania and loved it. But we also thoroughly enjoyed Bucharest! And our final night, I ended up going out myself (using Uber) to a lively, pedestrian street to sit outside for a terrific last meal and go to a wonderful bookstore.

It is a good example that we can all experience countries and cities, countryside and towns, in different ways.

I find it difficult to believe that someone could travel to Romania, including Bucharest, and not see the beauty there. I really enjoyed Bucharest a lot. I was there for a total of around 6-7 nights, and found so much to see and do. Of course, I loved Brașov, but there are some other wonderful cities in Romania that are more beautiful than other places in Europe, such as Sibiu, Timișoara and Sighișoara. And of course Maramures and Bucovina are places that should not be missed. Bucharest might be a bit rougher around the edges than the more polished Europe, but maybe you prefer the polish.

Regardless, I'm so glad that I spent time in Bucharest and would not hesitate to go back there again to visit.

No, there’s no forum for Romania, although several people have asked for one and it seems like it should have one. I think people typically use General Europe.

I agree we are all different, with different objectives and viewpoints. So I am glad you came and shared your opinion. I think it’s important for people to have some idea of what to expect for any destination they choose.

I hate it when posters (like me) come and add a response that is completely contrary to the OP’s experience - yet I find I am doing that now. 🙈 I spent a week in Bucharest a year ago and had the opposite experience. Yet I do understand some of what you are saying. People should know it is a giant sprawling city that has beautiful bones and is slowly catching up economically to countries further west, after years under leadership that siphoned off money for their own personal use, leaving people starving. It still has a lot of grit and edge and reminds me of what Budapest might have looked like a decade or two back (only even more spread out). But it would definitely be very different from the other cities you visited.

Unlike your experience, though, I found the people nice, the city transportation efficient and inexpensive, the food good, the history interesting, with lots of things to see. I am not a city person and didn’t expect to like it - but did.

However I agree completely that the best of Romania is elsewhere. The countryside is beautiful, with a lot of variety between the various areas that have been parts of other countries in the past. And most of those areas are hard to get to by public transportation unlike many countries in Europe.

I also 150% agree that people should do their research before deciding on destinations. I think expectations play a big role in how we feel about our visit. Is that something you feel like you missed out on? Or were all of the things you researched glowing recommendations?

OP--I am going to Romania for three weeks next June and will spend the first three nights in Bucharest.

I was wondering if there are specific things you would have done differently in Bucharest if you had a "do over".

I understand why Bucharest is not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s sprawling (and gritty in spots) with frequent traffic gridlock I could have lived without, and it doesn’t have the charming “old town” of many western European capitals. There is definitely room for improvement, but imagine what it looked like before they joined the EU! Your visit could have been even more disappointing. While I’m sorry you had a bad experience there, I am glad you shared your opinion because it will help other travelers decide whether to go or not.

In travel, reality often conflicts with what we see and/or expect. But after having spent a week there in August, I’m also firmly in the “I really liked it” camp. What I found was a mix of what I expected a post-communism city to be and what the actual city is today. For me, it was partly the communist-era vibe that made the city even more interesting. A long walk on the 100+ degree concrete to visit the Parliamentary Palace was a good example. Yes, it’s huge and pretty ugly building inside and out, but it was its history that made it interesting to visit.

I see Bucharest as a layered city with architecture and the stories to accompany it. The Belle Epoque, communist, and post-communism and subsequent EU membership eras, make it different from the western European capitals I’ve visited. Comparing Bucharest to post-communist Poland that we saw last summer helped to put things in perspective, too.

We enjoyed staying in a small, 2 room Airbnb apartment that, we discovered upon arrival, was the childhood family home of the owner in the 1970s. No doubt, a very ugly concrete-block building, and just getting into the building was an adventure. It filled an entire square city block with A, B, C, and D entrance sides, your entry side depending on the apartment number which of course had no rhyme or reason. It had a scary ugly “lobby” and a creaky elevator that could well have been the original adding to the ambiance. That was a reflection of the era in which it was built. The apartment was lovely, but what made it a good experience more than finding that entrance and braving the lobby were the stories the owner told about growing up in that flat.

We spent a month in Romania, on our own and with a great guide, so I feel like we got a much more balanced view of Bucharest and of the country as a whole. I’d encourage you to give Romania another try someday. No country is all about the capital and little else.

Interesting question, Beth. OP if you had a do-over, other than skipping Bucharest, what would you do?

I love all of the feedback. It is true that I did not research România like I have all of the cities on other trips. We were supposed to visit 5 cities there as part of a land tour after our 2 week river cruise which ended up not working out, like others mentioned due to the Danube water levels. We tried to make the trip work and it did until the last stop. Maybe it’s because we had just come from beautiful Lucerne (to which is mesmerizing ahhh) but I truly hate to sound like sour grapes. I simply feel I missed out on the beauty in the northern areas because I locked us into the south.

What would I have done differently? Read more, studied, researched much more, listened to others… It was as if I planned the first two weeks and let the last week ride, that’s totally on me. For those who have been there this month, we arrived on Sept 15, the day of the farmer protest turned bad and drove around for 3 hours because all of the roads to our hotel were blocked. Maybe this was a stab in the eye for me.

I love how much more eloquently others have stated their experiences, thank you for sharing them. If there’s a way to reply to each post, I would, but with this I say thank you and I appreciate seeing the city through your eyes.

BethFL, I've met people who were unimpressed or under impressed by Bucharest; but the OPs reaction is the most extreme i have ever heard, and by a wide margin. But its the OPs perception so I accept as legitimate. Just know the odds are your perception will be much better.

I have been to Bucharest 4 times, 3 returns by choice and desire. I love the cultural amenities and the realism of Bucharest.

I simply feel I missed out on the beauty in the northern areas because I locked us into the south.

Well I certainly understand that! But often we don’t know what we don’t know.

And spending 3 hours trying to get to your stopping place would be incredibly frustrating! And if you drove in Bucharest, you are a brave soul! Lol! Plus you were also coming off making the best out of a trip that didn’t happen as it should.

You may not have the time to get back to Romania, but Sighisoara, Sibiu, and even Cluj are wonderful cities to visit. As Mardee said, the Maramures is an experience all its own. There are several more cities I didn’t have time for and hope to make it to them. Bucharest would have been a shock to the eyes coming from Lucerne, but it really is an alive city that isn’t overrun with tourists.

But we don’t have to love every place we go. I also have places I feel no need to ever return to.

Maybe I am wired wrong. Its about the people. The most beautiful place on earth is only average if separated from the context of people. It can be someone standing there with me or the thought of someone I once shared something similar with, or the feeling left by the gentleman down the road that provided the directions or the courage and lives sacrificed to keep it free. But devoid of the context of people its an average experience at best. So Bucharest is tops in my strangely wired book.

I’m Romanian, although I’ve lived abroad for over 25 years, and I have to respectfully disagree. Bucharest is certainly imperfect, but saying it looks much as it did under communism is simply not true. It’s a complicated, vibrant city with beautiful architecture, history, excellent restaurants and a lot of life. Romania may not have been for you, and that’s completely fair, but five days and one person’s experience don’t define an entire country or how far it has come.

mlt3, it looks like you'll definitely have to go back and try some of the other places, lol!

And I didn't say this before, but I do thank you for your post. Not everyone has the same joy for places that others have, and everyone has different tastes. But chocolate or vanilla, it's all good. 😊