CUT THIS OUT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU
SLEEPING
THE URBAN EDIT
ILLUSTRATION: STELLA ISAAC
MAP KEY
S I G H T S
C h o r a lTe m p l e
H e r a ̆ s t r a ̆ uPa r k
Stavropoleos Church
EATING
A r t i s t
M a i z e
M o d e l i e r
DRINKING
F a b r i c ad eB e r eB u n a ̆
F I X
L i n e a /C l o s e rt o t h eM o o n
ENTERTAINMENT
Po i n t
SLEEPING
H o t e lO p e r a
V i l a 11
V i l a A r t e
LIKEA LOCAL
I startmyweekendwith
a coffeeat Origo,Orygyns
SpecialtyCoffee,
or Troficwhichalsoserves
amazinghealthyfood.
Sundaysaregreatfor
brunchat Simbioand
art-galleryhopping.More
recently,I’vestarted
goingto lesser-known
museumsliketheFrederic
andCeciliaCut,escu-
StorckArtMuseumand
watchingindependent
moviesat CinemaElvire
Popesco,housedin the
beautifulFrench
Institute.
BYBUCHAREST
RESIDENT
MONICA SUMA
FAUX PAS
Celebritiessuch
as MichaelJacksonand
Iron Maidenhave greeted
audienceswith ‘Hello
Budapest!’(the Hungarian
capital).Therehave even
been casesof sports
fansand tourists
flyingto the
wrong city.
BUDGET
VILA 11
Vila11bucharest.com
Runby a welcomingexpatfamily,
thispensiuneis ona backstreet
a fewminutes’walkfromthemain
trainstation.Therearegood-
valuesix-beddormsas wellas
privatesinglesanddoubles
- somewithen suitebaths.Ask
fora top-floorroom,withpretty
viewsandair-conditioning,but
watchthenarrowstairways.
MID-RANGE
VILAARTE
vilaarte.ro
A renovatedvillatransformed
intoanexcellent-valueboutique
hotelstu edwithoriginalartthat
pushestheenvelopeondesign
andcolourat thispricepoint.
The services are top drawer and
thehelpfulreceptionmakes
everyguestfeelspecial.The
‘Ottoman’roomis donein an
updatedTurkishstyle,with
deep-redspreadsandfabrics,
andorientalcarpets.
TOPEND
HOTELOPERA
hotelopera.ro
Setona backstreetcorner,this
33-room,faintlyArtDecohotel
playsontheearly-20th-century
themewithhistoricartworkon
thewallsandporcelainand
brassdecorativeobjectsin the
rooms.Roomscomein ‘standard’
andslightlymore-expensive
‘executive’flavours,thoughin
practicethere’slittledi erence
betweenthetwo.Askabout
lowerweekendratesavailable
most weeks throughout the year.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
DOventureto Hera ̆stra ̆u
Lakeforboatridesand
to seetheNational
VillageMuseum.
WATCHart-house
moviesin Cinemateca
Eforieor livemusicat
undergroundClubA.
AFTERDARKheadto a
balletperformanceat
theOperaHouseor the
edgy nightclub Control.
MORE INFO...Romania & Bulgaria (£14 .9 9) // D ow n l o a d a b l e P D F (£ 2.3 9) // l o n e ly p l a n e t .c o m/r o m a n i a / b u c h a r e s t
STARRING ROLE
)ChildrenUnderground( 2 0 01)
)Blood& Chocolate(2007)
)Closer to the Moon(2014)