Experience in Bucharest, Romania by Simona

What is it like to live in Bucharest? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I love living in Bucharest, it is all you can ever want (except pollution). Bucharest has a lot of assets: it's a huge city so there's a lot of hustle and bustle in the center, in malls, in cafes, but you can also find peace in parks, in some restaurant, or in some neighborhoods, etc. It is a city where everything is possible. It is the "occident door" of Romania, you will find anything you want here.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bucharest?

It depends on where you are studying. I'm studying International Relationships and European Studies on the Political Science university in SNSPA. There's a little bit chaotic but it's easy to communicate with teachers and with other students even if they're older or if they are studying another subject.

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How much does it cost to live in Bucharest?

It depends, honestly I have no idea. I guess you can spend as much money as you want, there's no limit on the top but on the bottom... it depends on the cost of your accommodation (whether it includes charges or not), on your lifestyle, on your outings... To sum up it depends on you, I guess the minimum price would be around 200-300 euros (just guessing).

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Bucharest? Is there any advice you can give?

It depends on what you are looking for but there are a lot of studios or apartments for rent. I guess it can be difficult if you don't speak Romanian at all. My advice: when you're looking for an apartment, focus on what you really want: the location, utilities, the price..., because if you don't really know what you want, it will be difficult to fulfill your task.

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What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The food in Romania is great, more natural and healthy. I recommend tasting shaorma, sarmale, BBQ..., in short, traditional dishes (although I don't like "ciorba de burta" a kind of tripe soup which is very popular). I think the difference between Romanian food and another country's food is the taste: it is a richer flavour, so how it is made doesn't matter because it is going to taste great.

What places would you recommend visiting in Bucharest?

Bucharest has numerous places to visit and most of them are cheaper for students. There's the art museum (it's huge, put some confortable shoes on), history museum, Village Museum (it is actually a village), the observatory, the zoo, the botanical garden, the militar museum, the parliament (an incredible place), etc. I could keep writing but there are too many places and everything is worth it.

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Is it good to eat out in Bucharest? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Eating out is good but can be also expensive. One place that you can't miss is Caru' cu Bere: they have cheap menus and not so cheap a la carte, it's really worth it. Anyway, you can eat good food even on a street stall.

Is the nightlife good in Bucharest? Where is good to go?

Nightlife is rich. The city center is the place where you have to go, no matter if you are looking for an exciting or a quiet place, you'll find them both.

What advice would you give future students heading to Bucharest?

My advice: do not fall in love with the city because you probably won't go back home. Don't worry, the city is really worth it, as well as the people, I think it could be a great experience, so go ahead and come to Bucharest.