New York Times Journeys - Bucharest: Shaking Off The Past
Bucharest, Romania
From EUR 100.00
Office phone number: +40 722 629 540
New York Times Journeys - Bucharest: Shaking Off The Past
Bucharest, Romania
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
Walk through the changes in Bucharest on a tour inspired by The New York Times’s 36 Hours and led by a local guide. See how the Romanian capital is shaking off years of dictatorship and corruption, and see the places and people making the change happen. On a tour with unique access to people and places, see, taste and experience the charm of Bucharest. Hear how the revolution of 1989 led to a revolution in both society and culture, and see how grassroots organizations are seeking to remedy past ills.
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Highlights
- Walk through quaint neighborhoods away from the city center
- Discover local initiatives that promote the arts and crafts of Romanian minorities
- Learn how young people and new organizations are helping Bucharest overcome its troubled past
- See how the Italian influence lives on in Bucharest’s coffee culture
- Experience Bucharest through the eyes of a local, on a tour like no other
New York Times Exclusives
- Behind-the-Scenes Access: Tour “’80s east apartment,” a recreation of a typical apartment of the period, and talk to people from the nonprofit that created it for educational purposes
- Hands-on Element: Learn how to prepare a cup of coffee like a true barista
- Local Interactions: Haggle in the market to procure vegetables and cheese for lunch
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Schedule details
- Duration: 5 Hours
- Meeting point:
On the stairs of the National Theatre in front of the main entrance.
View on Google Maps
Exact GPS Coordinates of the meeting point: 44°26'11.3"N 26°06'11.2"E
Find the exact meeting point with what3words:///firmly.pint.vertical
- Starting time: 10.00 AM
- Ending point:
Craft Beer Bar, Victory Street
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, 1 bottle of water (recyclable glass), one pretzel, 2 skinless sausages, cheese, vegetables, 1 beer, 1 flight of beer, 1 coffee, 1 biscuit, bus tickets, coffee brewing workshop.
Exclusions: Gratuity
Meet your guide for a savory Romanian street snack in University Square. Learn about the 1989 revolution that threw off years of communist dictatorship and opened the door to a new future. Then, venture into a charming Armenian neighborhood.
In Obor market, the oldest and biggest in the city, take a shopping list and a few Romanian lei and haggle with a vendor for vegetables and cheese, which you can savor with traditional Romanian food: two mici (skinless sausages), bread and a beer.
The Funky Citizens seeks to fight corruption in Romania. With members of the nonprofit, tour one of its projects, the “80s east apartment,” a re-creation of a typical communist apartment, usually reserved for academics.
Take the trolley to University Square and see a social enterprise that brings together high-end designers and Roma craftspeople. Here, the Roma, among the most persecuted during the war and beyond, practice traditional crafts like pounding copper. Then stop for a quick, exclusive look at some of the most impressive street art in the city, hidden on the terrace of the University of Architecture.
The Italian influence in Bucharest is showing up in its emerging coffee scene. Attend an exclusive coffee brewing workshop led by some of Bucharest’s most skilled baristas.
Stroll in Cismigiu Gardens, the oldest in the city. Exit the park toward Victory Avenue, the epicenter of Bucharest in the interwar period and the heart of Little Paris. Stop at the Good Beer Factory, the first craft beer bar in the city, for a sampler of four local brews. Before leaving, ask your guide for some recommendations about what else to do in Bucharest.
The New York Times Reading List
- On the Rug Route in Romania, Kilims and an Enduring Culture
- ‘God Was on Vacation’: A Visit With a Long-Lost Cousin in Romania Is a Holocaust Lesson
- A Big Cathedral, a Big Bill, and a Big Debate in Romania
- A Stolen Picasso Buried in the Woods? Not So Fast
- Cobblestones? Check. Castles? Check. Budget? Check. Why Romania Is Worth the Trip. (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/24/travel/romania-europe-bargain-family-travel.html)
- Keeping Alive a Haven for Yiddish Culture in Modern Romania
- At Ceausescu’s Villa, Focus Is on Décor, Not Dictatorship (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/07/world/europe/romania-bucharet-ceausescu-villa.html)
- Pope Francis Apologizes to Roma for Mistreatment and Urges European Unity
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, 1 bottle of water (recyclable glass), one pretzel, 2 skinless sausages, cheese, vegetables, 1 beer, 1 flight of beer, 1 coffee, 1 biscuit, bus tickets, coffee brewing workshop.
Exclusions: Gratuity
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We’ll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Closure of sites: Some of the venues might not be accessible due to vacation of the staff. On these occasions we will find alternate solutions for similar points of interest.
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select “child” above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
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Dietary Notes
We can accommodate vegetarians and other dietary restrictions. Please notify us in advance if you have any dietary requests. You can do so in the ‘Additional information” box at checkout, or by emailing us at info@bucharesturbanadventures.com
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Local contact
Office phone number: +40 722 629 540
Email address: info@bucharesturbanadventures.com
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