A Day in Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

The capital city of Romania may not have the draw of other European capitals, but with its revitalized Old Town, maybe that will change. Filled with grand 19th century buildings, Old Bucharest has its own charm and we were easily able to fill our day exploring this vibrant neighbourhood.

Originally founded in the 15th century by Vlad Țepeș, otherwise known as Vlad Dracul and Vlad the Impaler, Bucharest was declared capital of the newly formed Romania in 1862. From the 18th to 19th centuries, the city’s downtown was a busy place filled with boutique shops and concert halls. It was often visited by wealthy Europeans and was known at the time as ‘Little Paris’.

The area was severely neglected during communist rule. After the overthrow of Ceaușescu’s government it took awhile for the country to begin repairing the years of damage. Old Town was apparently quite rundown before revitalization began in 2010. Today, many of the grand historic buildings have been restored to their glory days. Others though, are still in much need of some TLC. Intermixed with these historic buildings are rather plain communist ones and modern high-rises so you have to pick and choose your view. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).