A city with a special belle epoque architecture, wide avenues, a medieval aura in the narrow streets of the old town, oversized buildings (remnants of the Ceausescu era), but at the same time a city with an intense nightlife, street art and a youthful mood, which counteracts the melancholy of previous years. Bucharest will always be a Balkan capital with captivating contrasts.

• It is obviously the largest city in Romania, as well as the cultural, commercial and economic center of the country. It was declared the capital in 1862. It is built on the banks of the Dîbovița River. According to the 2011 census, 1,883,425 people live within the city limits.
• Greece had a great influence on most of the city’s history. Elements of Greece are mentioned in Bucharest as early as 1561 and, after reaching its peak in the 18th century, it then began to decline.
• The Old Town is magnificent, as it was saved from the …mania of Ceaușescu, who destroyed and rebuilt with his own designs over 1/5 of Bucharest.
• The Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului) or House of Democracy or House of the People is the heaviest building in the world (4,098,500,000 kg).
• Part of the Old Town, churches and entire neighborhoods were razed by Ceausescu to build it.

• The beautiful Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român) in the city center (home to the philharmonic orchestra and concert hall) dates back to 1888 and is reminiscent of an ancient Greek temple.
• The Arch of Triumph (Arcul de Triumf) is dedicated to Romania’s victory in World War I and the coronation of King Ferdinand. The first Arch of Triumph in Bucharest was built in 1878 and was made of wood.
• A wonderful example of the grandeur of Bucharest in the 19th century is the Macca – Vilacrosse arcade, a two-entrance arcade that was once the financial center of the Romanian capital.
• In the center of Bucharest is the Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei) and in its center the Renaissance Monument, in memory of the victims of the 1989 revolution that overthrew Ceausescu.
• The former royal palace, on Revolution Square, houses the National Museum of Art of Romania (Muzeul Național de Artă al României). It houses more than 100,000 works, including works by Rubens and El Greco.
• The Stavropoleos Church (Biserica Stavropoleos) was built by the Greek archimandrite Ioannikios Stratonikeas in 1724 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  The National History Museum of Romania (Muzeul Național de Istorie a României) dates back to 1892, and its highlight is the giant replica of Trajan’s Column from the 2nd century.
• The Therme Bucuresti is located almost 20 minutes from the city center. Don’t hesitate to visit it. It is one of the largest thermal spas in Europe.
• It is worth taking a walk in the parks of Bucharest, which include wonderful … urban lakes. The Cismigiu Gardens and the Herăstrău Park, which joins the King Michael I Park, are the largest and most characteristic.

The ultra-modern National Arena

The National Arena (Arena Națională in Romanian) is undoubtedly one of the major attractions of Bucharest. The largest stadium in Romania is a state-of-the-art arena, home to FCSB, with a capacity of 55,634 spectators, featuring a retractable roof, which covers all the seats and the entire playing surface.

• It opened in 2011 on the site of the original National Stadium, which was built in 1953 and demolished in 2008. It also hosts the Romanian national football team, as well as the Romanian Cup finals.
• Its construction cost is estimated at 257 million euros.
• The Arena Națională has hosted concerts by Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Depeche Mode and Ed Sheeran.
• It features hybrid grass, underfloor heating and the dimensions of the playing field are 105 x 68 m.
• It was inaugurated on 6 September 2011, with a Euro 2012 qualifying match between Romania and France. The 0–0 draw meant that Romania lost any chance of qualifying for the finals, which were held in Ukraine and Poland.
• As a UEFA category 4 stadium, it hosted the 2012 Europa League final (Atlético Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3–0), as well as four EURO matches.
• A record attendance (54,967) was achieved in a match in honour of the golden generation of the Romanian national team.
• 3,600 VIP seats are available, with another 126 for the press (with a possible expansion to 548 seats).
• The stadium includes approximately 360 toilets and 2,100 parking spaces.