Visit Romania > Bucharest

According to legend, Bucharest was founded by a shepherd boy named 'Bucur' whose name meant joy. He spread joy all around the place by playing his flute and the local traders were impressed with his wine and therefore Bucharest was named after Bucur.

Also known as "Little Paris" due to its boulevards filled with trees and beautiful buildings with many 18th and 19th century palaces and mansions now home to elegant casinos. The city has a reputation for high life, so tourists are bound to dine on a sumptuous dinner and dance all night to live music.

Bucharest sits on the banks of the Dambovita River and contains many lakes, including the small, man-made lake called Lake Cismigiu at the center of the capital. Near the lake are the Cismigiu Gardens, which opened in 1847 and have been visited by many famous poets and authors. The gardens are the main recreational facility in the city's center.