At the beginning of twentieth century, Bucharest was a cosmopolitan city with a unique and outlandish architecture and intense cultural life. At that time this city was nicknamed the little Paris and artists and intellectuals strolled through the streets. Then, unfortunately, came the Second World War and the dictatorship of Ceaucescu, and this cultural and modern environment becoming an inhospitable place: much of its traditional architectural heritage was lost and turned into a gray and functional concrete cubes.

However, as a result of the entry of Romania into the European Union and the subsequent reopening to Europe, Bucharest is experiencing a new splendor period.

It's a city with great tree-lined avenues, numerous cafes and restaurants with terraces, many spacious green areas and parks (some of them with lakes and boats) and a vibrant culture and nightlife.

Among its current architecture stands the Palace of Parliament, a colossal building constructed under the dictatorship and the second largest in the world after the Pentagon.

Another important figure is Vlad Tepes, the founder of the city. The ruins of his palace (XV century) can be visited and the legend of his cruelty inspired the figure of Count Dracula.

There are also other important places as the Heritage Church, the Stavropoleos Church, the National Gallery of Art, National Museum of History and the Curtea Veche. In Herastrau park, near the Arc of the Triumph, there is the splendid Village Museum with samples of popular architecture and craftwork from all over Romania.

Bucharest is surrounded by forests and lakes and, in such picturesque places, there are ancient palaces and monasteries that are worth visiting. Some examples are the monastery of Snagou (1408) and the Mogosoaia Palace of XVIII century.