Where, when and how to go shopping in Romania

If you are a fan of shopping, I agree. It is very nice sometimes going shopping, especially for the market chains having you as guest! It is a good opportunity to socialize, meeting the most unexpected people you already now, but not having seen then since a long time.

You might be familiar with such huge shopping malls (here from Bucharest), but we were not , until a few years ago they were totally unknown to most of us

Some experts, superstars and remarkable persons  speak all the time about a shopping therapy. I think it is already overexaggerated, to be honest, while the eco movement might say that shopping is simply wasting resources. For us, the most of the Romanians educated in the tough communist times, all the malls build across our country have been really a shock. Nowadays, a part of us are deeply disappointed, it is one of the few visible changes compared with Ceausescu regime (the other one could be the democratic party and Parliament life, which brought another big disappointment, about the honesty of the most Romanian politicians).

A huge mall from the province city of Iasi is not lacking on clients

But, supposing that you are a fan of shopping, are you aware about the excellent shopping conditions and articles from Romania?  I bet you aren't yet, as Romania, a travel paradise after all, is not very well known as a shopping destination. And that's why I would like to inform you thoroughly about some incredible shopping opportunities in Romania.

Fact is that, unfortunately for many people working in big factories, very few people invested in the Romanian heavy industry, while the investments in trade are much more important, coming mainly from Germany (Lidl, Kaufland, Real) or France(Carrefour). Yes, you can find all those giants here, and there are no major differences comparing with the huge shopping malls from your country or others, this is the unpleasant side of the globalization. We must say, we are not very happy about it! As a little compensation, some of the products could be not very familiar to you, coming from Romanian producers.

Try Bucharest first for shopping. It has some huge malls, really shopping factories (e.g. AFI Palace, Unirea) and besides has the wonderful boutiques from the Centre. In that area Bucharest is very close to Paris, but a little bit cheaper. Walking along Calea Victoriei, even in winter, is a fantastic experience. You can find some luxury products at bargain prices (e.g. old books, antiques, gifts etc). Please don't miss the Christmas promotions, they are just starting!

Second, you have leading malls in other Romanian major cities like Constanta, Iashi, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Craiova or Brasov. Totally amazing and surprising, in some of these cities the malls are bigger than in Bucharest, as the land is much cheaper. Please don't ask the second question, who goes shopping in these huge malls; you are only supposed to visit it and even make a profit from their lack of visitors.

And third, there are a few things that you can't find in the huge shopping malls: handicrafts, ceramics etc. Remember some important names for it: Marginea, Horezu, Corund etc. In these places the producers selves offer their products at good prices, and you can also discover the production process, making everything an fabulous experience.

Read more »

Most amazing palaces in Bucharest

Bucharest is an amazing overwhelming city, and has the huge advantage to have an excellent position between East and West. The strong trade always drove the city in the right way, and its supremacy against other important cities of Romania is obvious.

You can guess in Bucharest behind the civilized western buildings a strong vibration, coming from the opposite direction of the East full of myths, stories and unbelievable legends. But you need some training to feel this vibration, it is not easy, and totally impossible from the first sight!

Besides its old churches, its legendary fountains or its parks, the secret spirit of Bucharest still lives through its wonderful castles and palaces. There is no a clear regulation or systematization, these buildings are still in public use, many of them, after successive restaurations, and they could emerge in the middle of otherwise totally boring and insignificant streets.

The Justice palace strives to remain official

On Dambovita River, not far from the controversial Parliament Palace ( also knew as People House, or Ceausescu house) meat the nice Justice palace, a temple of the right things. It has been build in a record time, 5  years long ( please don't smile, between 1890 and 1895) according project of French architect Ballu, who build other famous Justice palaces in Paris and Brussels. The sculptures giving the building charm and refinement have been carved by an important Romanian artist, Carol Storck, and represent The Justice, The Law, The True, The Force and The Caution. The Architecture Style is New Renaissance, and the Room of lost steps covers a quarter of the building.

The ruins of the Old Royal Court can be visited in the very center of the modern Romanian capital

Very close, one of the oldest buildings of Bucharest, nowadays only ruins where you can visit a small museum, namely the Old Royal Court, where many ruling princes, e.g. Dracula, had their residence. Observe carefully the poor furniture, and imagine that they haven't smart phones or Internet, specially if you are computer addicted and need detox!

Next to The Old Royal Court, a very picturesque Inn, The Manuc's Inn, dating from a totally different period, the begin of the XIXth century. It is still one of the best restaurants in Bucharest, but the hotel is a
little obsolete. Manuc bey was a Turk and his grounder. The Manuc's Inn saw and hosted many important historical events, e.g The Peace talks and Treaty between Turkey and Russia from 1812. Make again the above mentioned fantastic effort of imagination, and figure out where were the horses, the camels or the best rooms.

The picturescque Manuc's Inn hosted  important crucial moments of the Romanian history

Only a few steps further a sort of mall from the XIXth century, Hanul cu Tei/ The linden Inn. Observe the wide inside court (patio), very similar to Manuc's  Inn. In the Linden Inn you have unique possibilities to buy hand made objects, all the former city guilds still have representatives here! Which doesn't happens very often in a city like Bucharest!

My tip: visit all these palaces and Inns during a Bucharest Architectural Tour, as they all are located in the Old town, inside a small circle, and you can see them all easily by walking or riding bikes.

Read more »

The secret charm of Bucharest

The Romanian Capital stretches on a huge neverending plain, the Romanian plain. Neither spectacular rivers, nor hill or mountains are able to put the big city in good light, and thus it is so easy to dislike this balcanic capital, with its sufferings, traffic jams, with its buildings which never matches to the neighborhood. To discover the secret charm of Bucharest you need some patience, a good guide and the right weather! If all these preconditions are filled, Bucharest will seduce you, there is no chance to escape. The city's museums, monuments, fountains and exceptional churches, as also the neoclassic palaces are able to satisfy any art freak. The collector of living human canvas will be also a victim of Bucharest spell.

The many pubs and restaurants in Downtown/centrul vechi are very fashioned  and thus  overcrowded day and night

An area of Bucharest who will definitely fascinate is the historic centre of Bucharest, as described in the Architectural Tour of Bucharest. There are many hidden places in this area, and also some interesting places which you can simply go by, without noticing their mysterious charm.  This area stretches between dambovita, Calea Victoriei, University and the Boulevard Ion I.C. Bratianu. The modern Piata Unirii is a kind of City Center, and not far away, in the St George market is actually the Kilometer zero of Romania (all the road distances are measured starting from this point). The high sad blocks of flats on the Boulevard Ioan I.C. Bratianu are only hiding the Historical Centre, with its eclectic architecture. You will remark and recognize Bauhaus, rococo and baroque style, (no Gangnam style in the architecture, please). 

Since a few years the area is again in!. In fashion, I mean. It is covered with many clubs and pubs, where you can dance the Gangnam style. This area was populated a few centuries ago by skilled traders from Balkans, Central Europe and Armenia, which build houses in different styles. Then emerged the motels and businesses. One of the main streets in the area, Lipscani, has a name of a very interesting origin: Lipsca is in Romanian the German city of Leipzig , and the traders settled on this street. Gabroveni is another street in Bucharest downtown; here lived the fabrics traders from Gabrovo, Bulgaria.

Restaurant from Pasage Vilacross

Observe the old buildings, and think to their long history, starting at least in 1840 and to the many fires and earthquakes they got to face! On the street Hanu cu tei there is a nice art gallery, but also some fancy boutiques, and the street Sticlary means glass producers.

This downtown is an area of contrasts: old fashioned boutiques, street vendors, gipsies houses are next to fancy clubs, designed by vogue artists, resulting an unforgetable atractiv mix. 

Don't miss, please on Lipscani street the respectful building of Romanian National Bank, where you can borow some money if the locals seem to expensive to you. You may also not to miss the rounded building of Tehnoimport on Doamnei street (the name means Lady, and refers to the wife of the Prince Serban Cantacuzino, who build the Biserica Doamnei!)

Also important, The Stavropoleos Church, a typical orthodoxe one, maybe even a little too decorated and artficial. And the last hit is the picturesque glass-covered Pasaj Macca-Vilacross, offering at any day or night hour a strange atmosphere.

Read more »

Shopping travel in Romania

Very few people see Romania as a shopping destination, and I think this to be a little profuse and not correct. Romania is well known through its wine tours, Danube Delta, Carpathian Mountains, painted monasteries etc. There is something for sure, but we are very proud belonging to this people with such a long interesting history, and don't like to stay behind other capitals with big shopping malls and center, e.g Dubai, Paris or Rome.

Calea Victoriei in Bucharest hosts the most exquisite boutiques, and would be very proud welcoming you

Bucharest is sometimes spoiled with the name  Little Paris, or Eastern Paris, or the Balkan Paris, due to the rich influences in architecture, coming from Paris, who was a sort of inspirating model for the Romanian Capital. In the Civic Center, on Calea Victoriei street, there are lot of fancy exclusive boutiques, where you can find excellent articles at (still) acceptable prices, comparing to other capitals. Further, in Bucharest, you can find the malls, really citadel of shopping and fun (Cotroceni Plaza, Promenada etc). You can spend a wonderful time there, for instance start with skating, eat something afterwards and go shopping. If you are tired, go to a movie, and fall asleep there!

Cotroceni Plaza Mall is the biggest in the city, a must see and  a paradise for any shopping freak

An important chapter where Romania is unbeatable is the craftmanship. You can still find all those guilds of craftsmen, selling their works at festivals or in the vicinity of well knowned tourists' destinations, like the painted monasteries from Bucovina or the Dracula Castle in Bran.

I will spare you from my wine or cultural tours if you come for shopping, I promise. That's why I prepared this short shopping tour (two days long).

Downtown Bucharest, on Lipscani street, with many antiques  boutiques

Day 1. Arrival in Bucharest Airport. Welcome by the guide, hotel transfer (**** good hotel). Shopping on Calea Victoriei in the most exquisite and sophisticated boutiques of Romanian Capital up to 13 hours. On special demand, lunch in a good Romanian restaurant. Short walk in the old center of Bucharest in selected antiques boutiques. Short rest in hotel (1 hour long) and afterwards transfer at Cotroceni Plaza Mall, where you have to work  other few hours. Dinner on individual wish at mall. Transfer back to hotel.
Day 2. Breakfast in hotel . Short trip to Sinaia meeting the craftmen and their products. Possibilities for special organizing of lunch in Sinaia (extra price). Return to hotel and transfer to airport.
Basic package: hotel B+B, travel guide, transfers, trip to Sinaia at 120 Euros.
According to your concrete schedule (depanding on depart and arrivals) the above mentioned program is subject to change. Let me know where do you come from, and if I shall reserve also the flight.

You can also let me know if you are going to do only a City Break in Bucharest (only one day long).

Read more »