Bucharest

Bucharest is the largest city and capital of Romania, and is the cultural, commercial and tourist centre. Located on the southeastern side of the country, it is built on the bank of the river Dambovita, which flows into the river Hodges, a tributary of the Danube. It was formerly known as "Little Paris" due to its elegant architecture, which distinguished the city. Now it is a bustling city with a special character.

The prevailing interpretation of the name of the city is that it comes from the shepherd "Bukur" which means "joy" in Romanian. Bucharest is distinguished by a long and turbulent history and the first settlements in the area are from the Paleolithic period. Crucial for the development of the city has been the recent history, as the city was affected by the Russo-Turkish wars, the Greek revolution, the epidemics of cholera and plague, the 3 fascist regimes that passed through the country and, of course, the Communist leadership of Nicolae Ceausescu. The latter demolished a large part of the old city in order to build huge buildings of an Urban Centre, thus altering forever the face of the Bucharest.

The main attraction of the city is without a doubt the Palatul Parlamentului, or Palace of the People. It is the second biggest building in the world and was built in the 1980s, under the leadership of Ceausescu. Another recognizable monument of the city is the Arc de Triomphe, which is located in the centre of the city and is a copy of the famous Arch of Paris. The first arch was built in 1878 for the celebrations of the independence of the Romanians and it was wooden. The construction of the current arch, of height of 27 meters, took place in 1935. In the same park with the arch, the Herăstrău park, which is the largest in the city, is the Museum – Village, this is an interesting, outdoor miniature version of the traditional Romanian life. Other cultural areas of the country is the National Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History "Grigore Antipa", the National History Museum and the Military Museum.

The conquerors that passed from Romania have left their mark on the cuisine and flavors of the country. So you will find Greek, Roman, Turkish and Austro-Hungarian influences in the food you choose, while you try and dishes that are reminiscent of France, Italy, Poland and Russia. A couple of traditional, Romanian dishes are considered to be the Musk Tsiobanesk, a rich dish with pork and cheese, the small meatballs, called căpușă, the sarmale, a variation of cabbage rolls while the country is also famous for its specialities for hunting, and green peppers stuffed with cheese. Of the most common sidedished is the Mamaliga, a kind of bread-based on cornmeal. The local beer can accompany all of your meals and it's economic and delicious. The "tsouika" and "pálinka", also, are strong beverages prepared from plums or apples, and are the favorite drinks of the locals.

In Bucharest, the options for your night out are endless, since the town stands out for its intense night life, as well as the well-dressed patrons circulating in the various bars. There are many options covering all forms of entertainment, from shops where you can enjoy a relaxing glass of wine, as well as elegant cocktail bars and pubs. You will find them in the triangle formed by the squares of Piata Universitatii, Piata Romana and Piata Unirii, while in the area of Hotel you will also find interesting nightclubs.

The time zone of Romania is (GMT+2), is located in the same time zone with Greece.

The country's currency is the Leu.

The phone country code is +40.

The airports that serve the city of Bucharest is Bucharest Băneasa - Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, code-BBU, which is located 8.5 miles north from the centre of the city, and the Henri Coanda International Airport / Otopeni Airport code OTP, which is located at a distance of 16.5 km north from the centre of the city.