Bucharest In Your Pocket

[ali bucharest]

Hi guys

 

Hibee coming in peace! Just found out about the game today so not much time to give you advice. I'm an annual visitor to Bucharest having married a Romanian a few years ago. This is the best free guide to the city. You can also download it as a PDF file. I couldn't really tell any more then is in the guide.

 

http://www.inyourpocket.com/romania/city/bucharest.html

 

Quick advice which will be in the guide anyway would be:

Take euros, dollars or very good quality ENGLISH notes (Scottish notes won't be taken). We usually exchange euros at a bank (you'll need your passport).

Check out the taxi advice in the guide for which companies to use. Keep an eye on the clock and just tell the guy to stop if you think your getting ripped off. Try not to get into an argument as most of them seem to carry a baseball bat in the car. Ask your hotel to try and find you an English speaking driver.

A lot of the younger people speak some English but speak slowly and cleary too them.

Lager (Ursus, Tuborg, Chuic etc) is about £1 - £1.20 for 500ml bottle or less for a 400ml glass. £3 for a Guiness if you can find it. You pay for your groups drinks at the end of a night like a restuarant. Fags are about £1.10 a packet and smoking is the national sport! The Dubliner is the best pub for Brits. About 15min walk from Piata Victoria subway station. Closing times vary from about 2am to 24hr.

Eating out is a good deal, roughly half the price of here including drinks.

Toilets are generally terrible apart from McDonalds so use it if you get the chance. You used to have to buy something and use the code at the bottom of the reciept.

Lots of public transport, buses, metro + trams. Hardly anyone seems to pay for the trams but if you get caught its about a £10 fine (unless you bribe the inspector ). Everything stops about 11pm.

I can't give you any advice on the more livelier parts of the night life as i'm always with the missus.

Take a small brolly. When it rains it really p1shes down and it's too hot for a rain coat.

Try and take some time to have a look round and experience the place. It's not touristy like Prague/Amsterdam but it'll give you a taste of how the eastern bloc used to be. It is one of the safest capitals in Europe for violent crime (a few of the gypsey areas are more dodgy) but is high on petty crime so watch your passport/money/purse.

Enjoy yourself and good luck.

[firparkloony]

Thanks for that I found it very useful, I am leaving from Edinburgh later today and have printed off your "notes"