Bucharest is the Paris of the East. Well, kind of
Having spent a fair amount of time in Bucharest, Romania, I have read and heard it described as the Paris of the East somewhere in the neighborhood of six thousand times. This expression is a popular one for tourist bureaus and travel writers to use since someone coined it many, many years ago. If only that person would get a pound for every time it is used. They’d be able to buy up both Bucharest and Paris!
The fact of the matter is that if you go to Bucharest expecting to see Parisian cafes, narrow streets, cool museums and tall phallic monuments, you will likely be greatly disappointed. Modern day Bucharest is much different than the one that existed when it earned the Paris of the East label. Much of the city’s quaintness and charm has been replaced by long avenues that are a monument to communist architecture. The very heart of the city was gutted to make way for a grand palace that resembles a wedding cake.
This isn’t to say that a trip to Bucharest isn’t warranted and that it is entirely different than Paris. Both cities have a lot of people, both have some excellent places to dine, both are the cultural and commercial capitals of their respective countries, and both Bucharest and Paris have distinctive feels that you won’t find anywhere else.
Just like Paris, Bucharest is becoming increasingly accessible to budget travelers. Wizz Air has cheap flights to Bucharest, Romania that can’t be beat. While in Bucharest, you can stay at a youth hostel for next to nothing. Think of it as a trip to Paris without the Parisian prices.
