Romania > Wandering through the Lipscani District

On the ground floor, a generous breakfast buffet is ready. I take a bread roll, a croissant, and some muesli. While we have breakfast, we plan out today’s route. First, we’ll walk to the old town and then possibly take the metro to King Mihai Park. When we leave the hotel, the weather is beautiful outside. The sun is shining, and the sky is a clear blue. We turn left and walk to the Cismigiu city park. It’s Saturday morning, and a few families are enjoying the grass while people jog through the park. On the other side, we arrive at the Kretzulescu Church. A service is in progress inside. I admire the richly decorated Orthodox church from the doorway.Behind the church lies the Calea Victoriei, a three-kilometer-wide boulevard running from the old town to Mihai Park in the north. Today, the road is closed off to car traffic with barriers. Still, there aren’t many people out on the streets. We cross the street and reach Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei).

Romania - The Orthodox Kretzulescu Church in Bucharest

Just north of here is the University Library, with a statue of Carol I on horseback. Carol I was the second ruler of united Romania, reigning from 1866 until his death in 1914. Opposite the statue is the National Museum. We continue walking towards the old town. When we pass a bakery, we take a seat on the terrace for coffee and pastries.The Lipscani district, the old town, consists of a network of narrow streets. From the historic and striking CEC Bank building, we walk to the Stavropoleos Monastery. The church and monastery were founded in 1724 by Greek Orthodox monks. This church is also impressively beautiful. We continue walking past bars and restaurants. This is clearly the hospitality street. Now, around noon, the terraces are still quiet. This is probably the place to be in the evening.On the other side of the old town, we arrive at Unirii Square. Here we take the metro. It takes a moment to figure out how the ticket machine works. It only offers tickets for two or ten rides—no option for three. In the end, we buy three tickets at the counter.

Romania - The Orthodox monastery was founded by Greek monks

We take the metro to Aviatorilor station. This stop is located right at the southern edge of King Mihai Park, the largest park in the city of Bucharest. Many people use Saturday afternoon to relax here. Still, the hospitality scene seems deserted. Several kiosks are empty and abandoned. Fortunately, a bit further on we find an open restaurant. On the spacious terrace, we order lunch and something to drink. It's wonderful to relax in the shade under the trees.In the late afternoon, we take the metro back to Universitatii station. It’s clear that the temperature has risen—now around thirty degrees Celsius. We walk back to the hotel in the shade of the buildings and trees.In the evening, we go for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Earlier today, near the park, we spotted a nice place with the fitting name Park View. There’s still a table available on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. I order a pork chop with fries. A tasty choice, but maybe just a little too much.