Bucharest

[crodonilson]

Anyone been??

Am looking at a long weekend in Spring of next year, just not sure how much there is to do there and is it somewhere I can take the better half??

 

[Mr Banana]

Very cheap, quite weird, lots of beautiful architecture and art. Be prepared to suffer a bit and possibly put on weight if your diet doesn't usually revolve around bread and cheese, unless you're a meaty.

 

[NS Herald]

Funnily enough I'm going on Wednesday for the night on a business trip - never been b4 but doubt I'll have much time for fun and games.

FYI I'm flying Aer Lingus from Gatwick who have very cheap fares at the moment

 

[crodonilson]

Funnily enough I'm going on Wednesday for the night on a business trip - never been b4 but doubt I'll have much time for fun and games.

FYI I'm flying Aer Lingus from Gatwick who have very cheap fares at the moment

How cheap??

Wizz Air fly from Luton and I can get that for about £50 return.

 

[NS Herald]

How cheap??

Wizz Air fly from Luton and I can get that for about £50 return.

The actual fare was less than £20 but once you add all the taxes was about £90

 

[Hornblower]

Don't go, wretched place full of crooks.

Went for a conference in March stayed in a 5 star hotel near the airport, couple of guys tried to nick my wallet from my jacket while I was having a drink in the bar. Food is poor, everyone at the conference was charged a different amount for taxi fares from the airport, anything from 2 x to 10 x what the fare should be, even at the airport I was charged 7 euros for 2 cans of coke. Centre of town is no better, Ugly austere buildings surrounded by an enormous construction site.

If you can, go to Prague or Budapest (beautiful) or even Warsaw - all much better former eastern bloc capitals.

Believe me, it really is a dump.

 

[jcdenton08]

Don't go, wretched place full of crooks.

Went for a conference in March stayed in a 5 star hotel near the airport, couple of guys tried to nick my wallet from my jacket while I was having a drink in the bar. Food is poor, everyone at the conference was charged a different amount for taxi fares from the airport, anything from 2 x to 10 x what the fare should be, even at the airport I was charged 7 euros for 2 cans of coke. Centre of town is no better, Ugly austere buildings surrounded by an enormous construction site.

If you can, go to Prague or Budapest (beautiful) or even Warsaw - all much better former eastern bloc capitals.

Believe me, it really is a dump.

Seconded. Absolute shit hole. They view tourists (especially the British) as scum and will do everything possible to rip you off. Avoid.

 

[Gwylan]

I haven't been to Bucharest but have been to Romania (Timisoara, Sibiu and Cluj Napoca) - it's a fascinating country and well worth a visit. The people are as hospitable as hell and insist on thrusting drink on you at all times of the day, normally intensely strong drink. I spent half the time pissed. I also lost my wallet in a cafe, containing what was about two years' average salary and was delighted to find that it had been handed in.

From the pictures I've seen of Bucharest, it's not the prettiest of cities but I'm sure that it will be an interesting trip.

 

[sparkie]

Seconded. Absolute shit hole. They view tourists (especially the British) as scum and will do everything possible to rip you off. Avoid.

Thirded !

Beer fairly cheap but that is ALL it's got going for it. Dull place, no more than half a day's worth of sightseeing. Dimly lit streets at night with an air of menace. Stray dogs wandering the city everywhere.

If you want to go to an east european city there are way better ones... Tallinn, and Budapest spring to mind from experience.

 

[jcdenton08]

Thirded !

Beer fairly cheap but that is ALL it's got going for it. Dull place, no more than half a day's worth of sightseeing. Dimly lit streets at night with an air of menace. Stray dogs wandering the city everywhere.

If you want to go to an east european city there are way better ones... Tallinn, and Budapest spring to mind from experience.

Tallinn is stunning

 

[ofco8]

Went a couple of years after Ceaucescu revolution. Plenty of bullet holes in buildings then. Very cheap but nothing to buy in shops.
Gypsy tried to take my brothers wrist watch off him in street.
Visit Peoples Palace. Incredible building with 400 sofas in hallway.
Been once, never again.

 

[chadbasher]

full of gypsies selling big issue

 

[daveinprague]

Never been to Bucharest...mainly because ive heard its grim.
I do live in Prague though...
Its quite funny seeing British folk getting excited by beer at 35-50kr in the city center pubs, but dont seem to notice the only Czechs in places are serving. Czech people wont pay those sort of prices. Some amazing places here outside the tourist trap areas.
Get a tram two or three (5 mins) stops in any direction and the prices drop dramatically. Beer in my local is 16kr...although I give 20 out of guilt..foods cheaper as well. Safe city, although pickpockets stalk the tourists in crowded areas like the old square and wenceslas square..

 

[brighton bluenose]

Anyone been??

Am looking at a long weekend in Spring of next year, just not sure how much there is to do there and is it somewhere I can take the better half??

Got back Thursday after seeing Rangers there in the Champions League.

The place is an absolute khazi - grey, drab and miserable and whilst cheap I would not recommed it for any type of trip let alone a romantic one.

 

[Teddy Maybank]

Worked there for a couple of months two years ago. Great people, shit city. Communist President raped the country for years. Bizarre palace, very impressive approach to palace, not much else. Don't try and drive there. It's like London in rush hour without the M25. Best go into the countryside