Hotels in Bucharest

Bucharest earned the nickname "Little Paris" for its interwar boulevards, Belle Époque mansions and its own Arcul de Triumf, and traces of that elegance still line Calea Victoriei. Then Ceaușescu bulldozed a large swath of the historic centre to build the Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world, and the city has lived with that collision of grandeur and concrete ever since.

The result is a capital that rewards curiosity more than first impressions: crumbling villas beside glass offices, Orthodox churches tucked behind apartment blocks, and a cobbled Old Town around Lipscani packed with bars and late-night crowds. Be honest: traffic is notoriously bad, many streets look neglected, and the Old Town can feel like a stag-party circuit on weekends. Most international flights arrive at Henri Coandă (OTP), north of the city, with the smaller Băneasa airport closer in. Stay near Piața Romană or along Calea Victoriei for walkable access to the Old Town, museums and metro without sleeping above the nightlife.