Bucharest

Bucharest (Bucure?ti) may not be a charming Eastern European city like Budapest or Prague, but it would be hard to find a more dynamic city in all of Eastern Europe at the moment. Bucharest’s streets, nightclubs, and restaurants pulsate with life and an infectious energy. Membership in the EU has greatly stoked investor interest, and property values are skyrocketing. Luxury hotels are going up and houses are being rehabbed. The Lipscani quarter—Bucharest's historic center—and some of the ancient Orthodox churches and villas are well worth checking out. The Bucharest National Opera and Ballet offer world-class performances. Tucked in and amid the chaos, you’ll see smart shops, gourmet cafés, and trendy clubs popping up everywhere, harbingers of a city on its way to being a modern, attractive European capital.