Romania’s capital sometimes gets a bad rap, but in fact, it’s dynamic, energetic, and lots of fun. Many travelers give the city just a night or two before heading off to Transylvania, but that’s not enough time. Allow at least a few days to take in the very good museums, stroll the parks, and hang out at trendy cafes and drinking gardens. While much of the center is modern and the buildings are in various stages of disrepair, you’ll find splendid 17th-and 18th-century Orthodox churches and graceful belle époque villas tucked away in quiet corners.
At the end of the 20th century, Communism changed the face of the city forever, and nowhere is this more evident than at the gargantuan Palace of Parliament, the grandest (and arguably crassest) tribute to dictatorial megalomania you’ll ever see.