We must have been chatting a bit too loudly when it happened. An older, very angry woman stood up and began shouting at us in Romanian. We were aboard the overnight train from Bucharest to Oradea and were deep in discussion with our new Romanian friend. The woman didn’t appreciate this and directed her anger towards Matt who clearly couldn’t understand a word she was saying. Eventually Matt turned to our new friend and questioned why the woman didn’t just address him, as he would know what she was saying.
He gently shook his head and matter-of-factly stated, “She is from Bucharest!”
As if this was explanation enough. According to most Romanians outside of the capital city, people from Bucharest are mean and angry. Fortunately, outside of our encounter with the crazed train lunatic, this wasn’t our experience. We actually had a very pleasant one-week stay in Bucharest.
Arriving to Bucharest International Airport
Perhaps it was the late hour of our arrival, but this airport was one of the most efficient we have ever passed through. Dealing with passport control was quick and painless and our bags were already circling the belt when we made it to baggage claim.
After collecting our luggage, we were in search of a taxi. Taxi scams are prevalent in Bucharest. As such, you must call a legitimate driver through a machine at the airport. Just before exiting the terminal, you will find a box to select a cab company and the current prices they are charging. A ticket with the agreed upon rate is printed out for you to hand the driver. This helps to avoid any funny business.
We grabbed our ticket and headed outside to the taxi queue. Moments later, we were headed downtown towards our Airbnb.
Where We Stayed in Bucharest
Just across from the Gara de Nord (main train station), with easy access to most points in the city, our Airbnb was centrally located. As always, we love staying in Airbnb if we will be in one location for more than three days so that we can prepare our own meals. Although food was very inexpensive in Bucharest, sometimes it is just comforting to have a home-cooked meal. If this is your first time using Airbnb, you can use our link to get a discounted rate. Bucharest is fairly well connected via metro and buses. As long as you are staying within walking distance to one of the stations, nothing is ever too far away.
How we spent our time in Bucharest
Bucharest Free Walking Tour
“Onward – to COMMUNISM!” our guide joked as he waved us all in his direction. It was our first full day in Bucharest and since we weren’t really sure what to expect from this city, we decided to meet up with Walkabout Free Tours to get a better understanding of the area.
Each day at 10:30am and 3:00pm, guests are invited to meet a guide at Piata Unirii Park for a 2.5 hour tour and become more acquainted with Bucharest. We lucked out with a quite comical guide who quizzed us in exchange for chocolate biscuits. While the tour is free, it is encouraged to offer a small tip at the end as a token of appreciation.
Make sure to check out the big, beautiful fountain near the meeting location. If you return at night, you catch the lights show at the fountain as well!
Obor Market
Just a few vegetables is all we need. That’s the lie we told each other as we headed towards Obor Market. It’s no surprise to those who know us – Matt and I are slightly obsessed with food. Any chance we have to go to a market, a grocery store, or a new restaurant is always met with incredible enthusiasm. So as we made our way into one of Romania’s oldest and biggest produce halls, our eyes grew bigger and our bags suddenly seemed too small.
Here, you will find anything you might desire. Fresh fish, butchers, cheese mongers, and produce of all kinds. Aside from food, there are also flowers, home goods, and tools. In addition to our “few vegetables” we also walked away with some of the freshest berries I’ve ever had. And cheese : Spicy cheese, pesto cheese, basically all of the cheese.
But our favorite part of the market? That definitely had to be the prepared food stand just outside of the produce hall. The long line stretching into the street was filled with locals. When we finally made it to the window to place our order, we realized there was only one question. How many? We were ordering mici (little sausages, very popular in Romania) and draft beers. Order no less than 5 or you’ll find yourself standing in that long line again. A toothpick and a mound of mustard accompany the sausage with a cold beer to wash it all down.
Therme Bucharest
Feeling like children, we raced to the top of the water slides. The rambunctious room was a stark contrast to the relaxing sauna we had just exited. Pint-sized, dripping wet children whizzed by us taking the lead. We followed closely behind, awaiting our turn to climb into the tunnel of joy.
Halfway through our week in Bucharest, we were in need of a little pampering. We’d just spent the last month working in Umbria. Between that and hauling our over-sized backpacks around called for a day of relaxation. Therme Bucharest, the largest thermal wellness center in Europe, was the perfect place to refresh.
What to Expect at Therme
Therme offers a free shuttle to/from downtown Bucharest as it is situated just outside of the city. When the bus pulled up to the spa, we were both a bit overwhelmed by the crowd. Oh shit, this was a mistake we thought. But we were there, so we figured we would continue onto the pools. Fortunately, once we made it past check-in, the herd thinned out significantly. With multiple different areas, including the water slide park, the saunas, and large pools with swim-up bars it was no longer noticeable this was such a popular destination.
We quickly found ourselves standing under a giant mushroom dousing us with cold water but it didn’t take long to meander our way over to the first of our swim-up bars. Matt had his very first makeshift swim-up bar earlier this year in Croatia, but this was the real deal. You can order everything from wine, to cocktails, and milkshakes *gasp*. We just stuck to the cheap, cold beer while sitting in the thermal waters under the bright sun.
Bottom line? Therme Spa is a relatively inexpensive way to treat yourself to a little relaxation and fun. Do yourself a favor and get the full-day pass with access to all areas so you can switch between the slides and the adults-only pools and saunas.
Abel’s Wine Bar
Determined to drink something classier than our usual boxed wine, we stumbled upon Abel’s Wine Bar. Boasting a large collection of Romanian wines and knowledgeable staff to help us choose. As far as I know, this is also the only place in Bucharest offering wine flights, so that’s what we ordered. The flight came with several different pours as well as a meat and cheese plate. Be sure to save a little room for a beer too. Abel’s has a few interesting craft brews that caught our attention.
Pura Vida Sky Bar
Not quite satisfied to end our day out with just the wine flight and beer at Abel’s, we headed over to Pura Vida Sky Bar to catch the sunset. The booze here is a bit pricey, but it was quite enjoyable to kick back on the rooftop and watch the sun go down. Just make sure you are prepared for a long trek up the stairs to reach the bar – no elevator here.
Mikkeler Bucharest
If craft brews are more your scene, head to Mikkeler for a few pints. Matt was determined to stop here and check out these beers, which are actually produced in Copenhagen. There are quite a few craft beer bars dotting the city of Bucharest, but the beer here was some of our favorite.
While you’re in the area, make sure you check out the nearby Arcul De Triumf. Impressive in its own right? Sure. The best part, however, is the walk through the neighboring park. Bucharest is known for its green spaces and this is no exception. A skate park and multiple bars blasting music line the large path through the trees. Everybody and their mother (literally) seem to gather here in the evenings.
Street Foods!
We would be remiss to not mention the street food of Bucharest. With its affordability, easy accessibility, and ability to satiate any appetite, these carbo-loaded stands pose a major risk to your hips and thighs. Just around any corner, you can find a ready slice of pizza, a breaded hot dog, pretzels, and pastries of all kinds. We were guilty on multiple occasions of falling prey to the alluring smell of fresh baked bread. Our guide from the walking tour tipped us off to the best stands. They would be named after the apostles (Matthew, Mark & Luke)!
Final Thoughts
If the crazed train lunatic was our first and only encounter with the people of Bucharest, our opinion of the city might be different. But Bucharest was so much more than the grey blocks of its communistic past. It is burgeoning with craft bars, restaurants, and party people! One day we will shed our prematurely-aged personalities and stay up late with the best of them. Bucharest was somewhere we never expected to spend a week, but we are more than happy for the experience. That being said, Romania has SO much more to offer. Make sure you head north after your stay in the city. Just remember, if you take the train – beware of grumpy old ladies.
Cheers friends,
Megan & Matt
Comments
Mmmmmm you had me at “All the cheese”!
Great post