Nested Fall 2019

Bucharest is probably not a city for first time travelers, and we recommend having a few nests under your belt before coming to Bucharest. While it’s not difficult, it can be a little intimidating. The city can be gritty, at times people can be a little gruff, and things don’t always work as they should. But if you go with the flow, there’s an incredibly rich culture and a lot to enjoy here. We had a great time.

Currency

Romania uses the Lei, or as you will sometimes see it written, the RON. An interesting fact about the Lei is that the bills are made of plastic. The exchange rate is here; at the time of our nest, it was about 4 Lei to the US dollar.

When to Go

We came in the fall, and we couldn’t have had better weather. I think it was unusually warm, but we had days in the 70’s in November. A consideration for nesting in the fall – if you are interested in driving the famous Transfargarasan Highway, it is only open from July 1 to October 31, so if that’s on your list, it will have to be a fall nest.

How to Get There

Bucharest has an international airport north of the city. A taxi ride to center city will cost you about $20. The 783 bus is an express bus line from the airport to the city.

Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is easy. There are plenty of stores all around the city. The two most common brands are Carrefour and Mega Image, a subsidiary of Food Lion, which ironically is the closest grocery store to my Virginia house.

Other Shopping

The best things to bring home from Romania are handcrafted items, especially textile goods, pottery and decorated eggs. There are workshops for skilled crafters in the countryside, and their goods are sold in the cities. Looking for the labels for worker consortiums on the embroidered blouses will ensure that you’re not being ripped off for goods that are machine made or made in China or India.

I learned that one of the best places to buy crafts are at the national museum shops. The prices are set by the government and they are quite reasonable. The People’s Palace and the Cotroceni Palace were the best, with the biggest selections and great prices. Note though, that neither place was particularly large. The Village Museum was an exception to this – the prices were quite high there, although there is a woman who sells the most beautiful eggs you will find in Romania in the museum park by the large church. She sets up her table outside and if you’re lucky enough to be there when she’s there, you’ll come home with exquisite work. She told me that all the women in her family make the eggs and she sells them. She charges 15 Lei per egg (about $3.75) and they are stunning.

I found better prices and selections in Brasov for blouses and linens, so if you’re planning on travelling up there, perhaps save your purchases for then. The Ethological Museum in Brasov is a fantastic place to shop.

Something else to consider buying here are shoes. Seriously, they have the cutest shoes ever. They make them here, and they’re not expensive.

Connecting with the Local Community

Internations is quite active here, with several events a week. We had a great time with the group, going to several dinners and a really nice wine tasting.

Public Transportation

Bucharest has a good metro system that’s very inexpensive. It can be very crowded during rush hour, but is quite comfortable other times and really is the quickest way to get around the city, as the roads are usually clogged. The bus line is easy to use, and also very inexpensive. The trolleys can be crowded and our one time trying to use one, it broke down, so we’re probably not the best recommendation for it, but they seem to be generally pretty reliable. You can buy bus and trolley cards at kiosks near the larger stops, and metro cards down in the station.

Discount Cards

It’s kind of crazy to worry about discount cards because prices are so inexpensive, but if you go on the Walkabout walking tours (which I recommend highly) they will give you a card that has discounts at some coffee shops, restaurants and even museums. You will be able to save a few Lei here and there with it.

Favorite Restaurants

We lived near the Old Town, so most of our favorites are near there. The best thing was not specific restaurants but the time – lots of places have a businessman’s lunch special from 12-3 and sometimes even until 5pm. You can get multi-course meals for about 25 Lei (under $6). Makes sense to eat lunch out while you’re out touring.

It’s so touristy it’s a stop on the walking tours, but Caru cu Bere is not only beautiful but has the best businessman’s lunch deal going. It’s only in Romanian on an otherwise translated menu, so get out your Google translate and order from there – a 4 course meal for 25 Lei for the small portions and 27 for the large (and small is plenty!) Tasty food, too, and the historic tavern inside is gorgeous.

There’s no lunch special, but Vatra is a wonderful place for traditional Romanian food. The portions are big, the food is delicious, and for a change in most of Bucharest, the service is good. It’s also near to the downtown music venues so it’s a great place to have dinner before a show.

I like Romanian food, but most of the traditional menus are the same few things. It’s really nice to have some variety, and Bistro La Etja in the Cismigiu Hotel is a wonderful choice. It’s food with a French flair – try the duck with chocolate. It’s amazing.

For something a bit more casual, Sinbad in the Old Town is a nice Lebanese place. We really liked the meat pie stater and the portions were large.

Two great places for dessert – the best ice cream in Bucharest – and I’ve been told this by many, many people – is Cremeria Emilia. I had to check it out and I’m in full agreement. Also, celebrate Romania’s Ottoman influence at Emre Baklava, on the edge of the Old Town. They’ve got more different kinds of baklava than I’ve ever seen, and it’s all delicious.

Weather

We had an unusually warm fall in Bucharest, with temperatures in the 70’s even into November. Also very little rain. Falls are generally better than springs here, and the added benefit is that you get the really good end of the summer produce if you come in the fall. Average weather for Bucharest is here.

Health Care

For the first time ever on a nest, we have first hand experience about the health care. Not to worry, it was just a small problem. Al had something get into his eye and it was very irritating, so he went to a doctor.

Festivals and Events

Every odd year, Bucharest hosts a world class classical music festival in September, the George Enescu music festival. It’s nearly a month of classical music from all over the world in venues all over the city. If you’re a fan of classical music, it’s a great reason to schedule a nest in Bucharest during that time.

It can be challenging to find out about events in Bucharest. Things are generally poorly publicized and you’ve got to be aware of posters and signs. In Piata Unirii, there is an electric billboard that often has events advertised. There are a few English websites, too, but they generally advertise little known musicians or business events.

When Packing for Budapest, Make Sure you Bring…

A bag for shopping – they charge for shopping bags.

Extra room in your suitcase for crafts.

A bathing suit and flip flops for the Therme. (check out “secrets of Bucharest”)