I knew Bucharest was going to be a wild city when I saw two “ladies of the evening” working the street by the front door of my hostel. The Romanian government is considering legalizing prostitution and marijuana in the near future, but apparently Bucharest has already taken it upon itself to be the case study.
Pushy sales ladies aside, the Romanian capital proved to be an exhilarating experience with its clash of beauty and decay. On one hand, Bucharest features a grand parliament building, the biggest in the world, and architecture that once earned it the nickname “The Little Paris.” Today, buildings are in disarray and modern structures are built next to medieval churches. Aesthetics aside, the streets themselves have a chaotic element with shady-looking dudes kickin’ it on corners and roaming packs of stray dogs. Even the popular Old Town area, where I enjoyed beer-doused fun in a (literally) underground club, has dug up streets in several areas.
Have I sold you yet? I know I haven’t painted the best picture, and I certainly wouldn’t bring along little Johnny or someone who summers in south France, but the more fearless traveler will enjoy the energized chaos of a metropolis in transition. There are more than 2 million people in Bucharest, making it one of the largest cities in Eastern Europe, which helps give it a thrilling touch of modest anarchy.
For those who didn’t stop reading at “ladies of the evening” or “packs of stray dogs,” Bucharest actually has lots to see. There’s the aforementioned Parliament Palace, a building second in size only to the Pentagon, and the cobblestone streets of the Old Center (set to be completely refurbished by 2012). There’s Revolution Square, site of the 1989 uprising to oust the Commies, and the open air Village Museum. Speaking of museums, the Natural History Museum has over 300,000 items, the Military Museum features weapons that predate history and the Jewish Community History Museum documents Jewish life from ancient times to the Holocaust. (Remember, while the Romanians eventually turned their guns on the Nazis, they were originally an Axis power.) Top religious sites include the 500-year-old Old Court Church, the Patriarhiei Church and Mitropoliei Palace and the Stavropoleos Church.
Like most Eastern European cities, you must be on your guard for pickpockets and other thievery crimes. Surprisingly, I was told violent crime is not common, partly because the city center is so closely packed, making it difficult for such attacks. You certainly need to use common sense, but you’re probably more at risk from a crazy driver than a violent mugging (apparently Romania would give Mr. Magoo a driver’s license). I personally walked all around downtown late at night and had no problems other than the throngs of pimps peddling all manner of vice.
Do you feel like Budapest and Prague are too touristy now? If you want that old school Eastern Europe edge, it still resides in Bucharest. I wouldn’t recommend taking a family vacation there, but for those with a sharp eye and good running shoes, the city is an adventure worth exploring.
