There are many suppositions regarding the etymology of Bucharest name. Among them, we like three: in 1781, the Swiss historian Franz Josef Sulzer considered that its name came from "joy, glad, to fill with joy". Historian Adrian Majuru specifies that in Albanian "bukureshti" means "it is beautiful". Via popular etymology, Phannariot rulers translated this toponym as Hilariopolis which, in Greek, means "the city of joy".

No matter where the truth is to be found, it is certain that Bucharest is a real attraction for any foreigner that visits Romania. Built on seven hills, similar to the seven hills of Rome, "the beautiful city of joy", today, the European capital gives its visitors the occasion to discover places with real heritage background, but also modern urban landscapes, similar to any others from any other European metropole. Once arrived, the tourist has the opportunity to see old buildings, two centuries old, along modern constructions, made from steel and glass. Quiet places can also be found - the famous parks of the city, true tranquility and greenery oasis, as long as night clubs or overcrowded boulevards. All these come along perfectly in a whole, called Bucharest -"the city of one hundred cities".

Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, is the most important trade and industrial center of Romania. Located on the shore of Dambovita river, the city lays on 228 km2 and has a population of almost 2 000 000 inhabitants, thus leading Bucharest up to the tenth position in European Union regarding population. In fact, in Bucharest there are lots of residents and visiting people, getting to double the number of people here. Today`s city - the South-East European metropolis with both busy day life and a fabulous night rhythm, has its first historical mention back in 1459. Since then, the city suffered deep and profound changes, becoming the center of Romanian art, political and economic scene.

Also called "The little Paris", during Belle Epoque, between 1871 and 1914, Bucharest still preserves some traces of those glamorous times. These can be found in the historical area, where one can still see parts of the old buildings. Along those buildings, the city landscape is marked everywhere by modern buildings, educational institutions, cultural places (theatres, museums, opera house), trade places, malls, recreational areas (horse riding, archery, karting, pools, helicopter tours), casinos, restaurants, bars, night clubs.

Must - see places in Bucharest:

The Palace of Parliament, also known as People`s house, inherited from the Golden Era, the building that strikes with opulence due to its massive proportions, represents one of the most interesting places tourist must visit when in Bucharest. Due to its impressive sizes, it the second biggest man made construction, after Pentagon. The Palace of the Parliament was built by 20 000 workers guided by 200 architects in a record short time, between 1983 and 1989, on a place where there were some monasteries, demolished for this purpose, on Uranus Hill.

The magnificent building with 1000 rooms is a real architectural gem where Baroque, Renaissance, Germanic and Brancovenesc stiles are to be found. The luxury and extravaganza of this touristic destination - marble columns, plain wood furniture, huge crystal chandeliers, manually carved doors, huge carpets and curtains made from the finest silk are fascinating the tourists for hours. The Romanian Peasant Museum (Muzeul taranului roman) is the place where those tourists interested in discovering the evolution of Romanian popular art will find a real source of information. So, The Romanian Peasant Museum shows its visitors an exhibition of the biggest collection of traditional Romanian crafts: old furniture, popular costumes from all over Romania, clay pottery, objects carved in wood and icons. Basically, it hosts almost everything related to the Romanian people traditions but, unlike other similar museums, each room has its own profile, a living space where one can feel and experience the old Romanian village existence: the house fire place, the church, the house rooms and so on. The museum also has a cinema, a book shop, but also The Romanian Peasant Club, the bohemian gathering place of Bucharest. The Romanian Peasant Museum became a real European symbol in 1996, when it was designated The European Museum of the Year by European Museum Forum. National Village Museum is one of the first museums built in open air from the entire world. The National Village Museum from Bucharest is one of the main attractions of the capital, and it could be also named "an entire country in just a museum ", as it hosts no less than 70 complete Romanian households, brought from all the areas of the country: Dobrogea, Muntenia, Bucovina, Transylvania, Moldavia, Maramures and Oltenia. Besides the picturesque houses, specific to each area of the country, The National Village Museum gives its visitors access to Romanian people`s hundreds of years traditions and customs, but also to some old tools and objects of those old times: very old icons, hand made popular costumes, woven rugs, tools, old Romanian furniture and so on. Each year, the National Village Museum hosts numerous traditional Romanian items fairs. Cosmigiu Park, known as the oldest public garden, is a real symbol of Bucharest. It is beloved not only by capital`s inhabitants, but also by those who spend here short periods of time. It is the place of love stories that lasted. Finished in 1854 and designed with an English garden pattern, having a romantic air, this park is tranquility oasis for all those looking for the charm of Little Paris. The main attractions of the park are: Mihai Eminescu's spring, known as "living water ", numerous statues, the magnificent rose garden, the lake and the pier, where one can rent paddle boats and small boats. Old Princely Court represent a place filled with history and, at the same time, one of the main attractions of Bucharest. The historians' studies say the Old Princely Court was built by Micea cel Batran, also being the oldest princely court in Bucharest. It has a palace, areas for servants, a church and many gardens having flowers displays and various plant species. Even if it was opened in 1972 as a museum of representative ruler old artefacts from XVI-XIX centuries, one can still notice the plain rock walls and old foundations of the fortress. Nowadays, the Old Princely Court has become an open air museum, hosting many Medieval art fairs and cultural events.
Among all the above touristic places, tourist that visit the capital or Romania should be aware that the places that should be seen are much more, so they can visit and fully enjoy also the Romanian Athenaeum, Hanul lui Manuc (Manuc's Inn), Herastrau Park, the Botanical Garden "Dimitrie Brandza".

Weather in Bucharest

BUCHAREST WEATHER
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