Romania - Eastern Europe - page 490

where security officers protect Government building. The square is also close to the main
train station, Gara de Nord, and near the important Museum of the Romanian Peasant.
From Pia $ a Victoriei, Calea Victoriei leads southeast into the heart of downtown
Bucharest with its heady urban feel; monuments and historic buildings stand cheek-
by-jowl with more modern edifices and there's a constant surge of energy.
Downtown has two notable centers. The first is Pia $ a Revolutiei, bisected by Calea
Victoriei; this where you'll find the Royal Palace (now the National Art Museum), and
the Romanian Athenaeum, as well as smaller streets leading to all manner of restau-
rants, bars, and terraces. Southeast of here is Pia $ a Universitatii, identifiable by the
monstrous Intercontinental Hotel and the austere National Theater building, both on
one side of the busy intersection. Bulevard Regina Elisabeta becomes Bulevard Carol
I as it slices through this point from west to east, while Bulevard Nicolae B â lcescu cuts
through from the north. Farther south, Strada Lipscani is the main (now pedestrian)
road of the city's historic district, known simply as Lipscani. To the east of Pia $ a Uni-
versitatii are the lovely Ci @ migiu Gardens, a small oasis in the middle of the big city.
South of the gardens is the notorious Palace of Parliament and the Centru Civic,
where Ceau @ escu demolished one-sixth of the old city to make way for a curtain of
concrete blocks and pencil-straight boulevards. Principal among these is long, fat
Champs-Élysées-style Unirii Boulevard, linking the parliamentary palace with Pia $ a
Unirii and studded with fountains, one for each county in Romania.
GETTING AROUND
BY TAXI Renowned for their unflinching rip-off tactics, Bucharest's taxis are actu-
ally a very affordable way of getting around the city. The onus is on you, however, to
check that the fare is clearly displayed on the side of the vehicle (generally, L1-L3/
35¢/20p-$1.10/60p is acceptable; although some charge up to L5/$1.80/£1 for an
air-conditioned ride); then make sure the driver uses the meter. A rated taxi company
is Grant ( & 021/9433 ), upfront and honest; it's a good idea to call them well ahead
of any important trips you need to make. Also reliable are Prof Taxi ( & 021/9422 ) ,
Meridian ( & 021/9444 ), CrisTaxi ( & 021/9461 or 021/9466), and Perrozzi ( & 021/
9631 ).
BY METRO Completely underutilized by locals, the Metro can be a rather dull way
to get around the city. Nevertheless, it is cheap and the network is simple enough to
figure out with a brief glance at one of the maps posted in the underground stations.
Buy tickets (each one is valid for two trips) at the booths adjacent to the passenger
gates. Trains run between 5:30am and 11:30pm, arriving every 5 minutes at busy
times, but only three times an hour in slow periods.
ON FOOT In summer it's a punishing walk from one end of the city to the other
but if you're energetic, you'll get a much better sense of the city and its people by
strolling the sidewalks. This is also a great way to make architectural discoveries and
find back-street neighborhoods that nobody ever mentions.
BY TRAM, BUS & TROLLEYBUS Public transport operates between 5am and
11:30pm, with shorter hours on Sunday, but you really need to know where you're
going and get to grips with the network to make the trams and trolleybuses work for
you. Bucharest's buses are cramped, hot, and stuffy, and you'll be more likely to fall
prey to pickpockets on one of them than anywhere else. Tickets for all services can be
purchased at any of the many RATB kiosks around the city (look for BILETE signs),
where you can also pick up a timetable (purchase Amco's Public Ground Transport