Despite its inhabitants’ being rather honest about their city’s good and bad (well, mostly the latter), Bucharest hides itself pretty well when it comes to going beyond the main avenues’ architecture and restaurants. You have seen the image of the Athenaeum or of the Palace of the Parliament. However, the soul of the city lies, in many ways, in the quarters hosting interwar houses, small and picturesque churches, unimpressive (in terms of decoration) restaurants and those filling pastry shops. The challenging story begins when even most people living in Bucharest will not be able to tell you where Mihai Vodă Church or Dumitru Minovici House lie. It is here that the Communists were successful, as people do not know (or refuse to know) about the places they pass by (or live by) on a daily basis. But let me go on with a few examples; I shall not list here the “obvious”, main sights you can anyway find here. First, the well known point of reference and then some places within a 5-15 minute walk, almost always after going past the concrete block row.
The Palace of the Parliament lies where a former hill (Spirea Hill) used to exist and which used to host one of the old quarters in the city, including Curtea Arsă Fortress. Mihai Vodă and Schitul Maicilor churches were translocated (i.e. cut off from the original foundations and moved away, then fenced with concrete buildings because Ceaușescu was allergic to churches), now they lie 5 minutes away from the North-Eastern corner of the palace. Antim Monastery and its beautiful Brâncoveanu style Synodical Library lie at a 5 minute walk from the main (i.e. Unirea Avenue) facade of the palace, also behind a row of concrete blocks.
Piața Victoriei and the area around it is slowly turning in the administrative and financial quarter of the city. The square has the typical ghostly atmosphere of Communist era. However, if one takes Calea Victoriei to the South, about 5 minutes later there is Cantacuzino Palace to the right, facing the former Italian Legation. Alternatively, if following a few side streets to the South-East, one can reach Storck House in about 10 minutes. Furthermore, the residential quarter to the North-East (the streets of which bear capital city and country names) hosts interesting houses, one of which hosts the worthy Old Books and Maps Museum. If following Kiseleff Avenue to the North, one can visit two fine Armenian houses, Zambaccian and Avakian.
Casa Presei Libere (En. The Free Press House, formerly known as Casa Scânteii / House of the Spark) is the typical Soviet 1950 birthday cake. However, some 15 minutes to the North along the Șoseaua București - Ploiești and just off it there are two great Bucharest houses, i.e. Dumitru and Mina Minovici houses.
University Square is impossible to miss, not necessarily for it being beautiful, but for its being central. However, take your time to discover the residential quarter to its North-East, all the way to the Armenian Church and even farther, to Calea Moșilor. What can you discover there? What about Dărvari Convent and Melic House? Then, should you get hungry, you are in the area of some of the city’s best local restaurants: La Berbecu’ and Nicorești.
Piața Unirii is a huge square bordered mostly by Communist era blocks and centered by a park where the Orthodox Church wanted to raise a gargantuan cathedral and thankfully did not succeed. Just 5 minutes to the East one can explore a small part of the former Jewish Quarter, including the fine Great Synagogue nowadays hosting the Romanian Holocaust Museum. Taking Calea Călărașilor farther East and then following side streets to the North after crossing with Mântuleasa Street, one can explore some interesting quiet streets bordered by interesting houses. Also starting in Unirea Square, if going to the South across the river and then taking the first street to the left, behind the first row of concrete blocks, there are two interesting religious sites: Bucur Church (linked to an interesting legend) and Radu Vodă Monastery; all in all, a 5 minute walk from Dâmbovița’s shore.
