Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

ROMANIA 595

FESTIVALS

In June every year, Bucharest’s

Village Museum holds a

Traditional Crafts Fair with

participants from all over

the country. Bucharest of

Old, in July, is a cele bra tion

of the city as it was in the

19th century, involving a

street pro cession in tradi -

tional costume with horse-

drawn carriages.

The atmospheric Sighişoara

Medieval Festival, which

takes place in the last week

of July, is certainly worth

visiting. Local culture is

celebrated at folk festivals

throughout August – the

Romanian Folk Art Festival

is one of the biggest. Sibiu

hosts an International Jazz

Festival in May. If visiting

in late October, Halloween

in Transylvania, revolving

around Count Dracula, is

not to be missed.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

The country’s most popular

ski resort, Poiana Braşov, is

located 12 km (7 miles)

south of Braşov. Its runs

range from easy to medium

levels and ski equipment

can be hired on site. The

season lasts from December

until March.

Romania’s abundance

of mountainous terrain

offers endless possibilities

for hikers, who usually head

for the well-marked paths

in the Făgăraş range. Bird-

watchers should visit the

Danube Delta, which attracts

numer ous species of rare

birds; bird-watching boat

trips can be arranged through

various agencies in Tulcea.

Outdoor Holidays organizes

mountain biking, bird-

watching, hiking, horse

riding, caving and rafting

trips all over Romania.

THEATRE

Bucharest is home to
the country’s modern
National Theatre with regu-
lar plays in Romanian. Many
smaller thea tres are scattered
around the city and occa-
sion ally feature foreign-
language productions.

DIRECTORY

MALLS

Iulius Mall

Timişoara

Str Aristide Demetriade nr.

1, Timişoara.

Plaza Romania

Bulevardul Timişoara 26,

Bucharest.

Unirii Shopping

Centre

Piața Unirii 1,

Bucharest.

GIFTS AND

SOUVENIRS

Cellini

Bulevardul N Bălcescu 16,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 312 2202.

Curtea Sticlarilor

Str Selari 9–11,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 314 3228.

Romartizana

Calea Victoriei 16–20,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 313 1465.

BOOKS AND

MUSIC

Anthony Frost

English Bookshop

Calea Victoriei 45,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 311 5138.

http://www.librariaengleza.ro

Muzica

Calea Victoriei 41–43,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 313 9674.

Nautilus

Str Arh. Ion Mincu 17,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 222 5030.

http://www.nautilus.ro

LISTINGS

In Your Pocket

Bucharest

http://www.inyourpocket.com

Şapte Seri

http://www.sapteseri.ro

NIGHTLIFE

Arcade Café

Str Smardan 30,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 314 5066.

Club A

Str Blănari 14,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 313 5592.

THEATRE

National Theatre

Bulevardul Bălcescu 2,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 314 7171.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

AND OPERA

Bucharest National

Opera

Bulevardul Kogalniceanu

70, Bucharest.

Tel (021) 314 6980.

http://www.operanb.ro

Cluj-Napoca

National Opera

Piața Ştefan cel Mare 24,

Cluj-Napoca.

Tel (0264) 597 175.

http://www.operacluj.ro

Opera Braşov

Str Bisericii Romane Nr. 51,

Braşov.

Tel (0268) 415 990.

http://www.opera-brasov.ro

Romanian

Atheneum

Str Franklin 1–3,

Bucharest.

Tel (021) 315 2567.

http://www.fge.org.ro

FESTIVALS

Bucharest of Old

http://www.

festivaluidimuzicaveche

International

Jazz Festival

http://www.sibiujazz.ro

Sighişoara

Medieval

Festival

http://www.sighisoara-

medieval.ro

Traditional

Crafts Fair

http://www.muzeul-satului.ro

OUTDOOR

ACTIVITIES

Outdoor Holidays

4th, Aleea Rotunda, BL

H6; Apartment no 26,

032705, Bucharest.

Tel (021) 643 2402.

http://www.outdoor

holidays.com

Poiana Braşov

Tel (0268) 417 866.

http://www.poiana-brasov.com

CLASSICAL MUSIC
AND OPERA

The Romanian Atheneum
in Bucharest is the best place
to catch per formances by
the world class George
Enescu Philharmonic
Orchestra, which plays most
days of the week. Opera fans
should visit the Bucharest
National Opera, Opera Braşov
or Cluj-Napoca National
Opera, which stage both
opera and ballet. Timişoara
and Constanța also host
regular performances.