Bucharest

Whoever stays at the Piccolo Mondo is sure to feel the world is their oyster at this cosy hotel in one of Bucharest's attractive residential districts. This world includes a restaurant with terrace, where one can sample Lebanese specialties. The restaurant has been in business since 1993; the hotel followed ten years later. It sports just two stars, but it doen't let on, except for the prices which are embarrassingly reasonable.Guests wont for nothing?the staff is at your service 24 hours a day. Otherwise you will enjoy the peace and quiet. And it's easy to avoid running into other guests: the hotel has just 20 rooms on four floors.One night's accommodations in a double room start at 60 euro including breakfast.

You like your hotels big? Then this is the place for you. Others might be tempted to take flight at the sight of the two enormous buildings in which the Hotel Alexander is located. The four-star Alexander, which is about to open, occupies one building, whilst the five-star version?an apartment hotel?offers guests every conceivable luxury. Obviously such a big hotel isn't in the heart of town, but it's just 10-15 minutes away.To compensate for not being able to stroll downtown, you enjoy superb service, timeless luxury, serene surroundings, an array of dining options, and amenities like spa, massage studio, fitness room, whirlpool, and sauna. If you want to spread out a bit, then book one of the apartments that measure 56-60 square metres.One night in a double room runs from 99 euro.

The communist touch cannot be denied - from the outer view. However, there's only little left of it inside Central Hotel - which is located right next to the town hall and the university. Since its refurbishment in 2009 aesthetics and electronics set the tone in the city hotel. The latter can be found in terms of TVs and computers in almost every second wall niche. Next to it: designer pieces, prominently placed and showcased. For example the white leather sofa and the red wood ensemble: almost impossible to just pass by.   Some might consider this cold, in turn the Romanian state opera and the historic museum can be reached in the wink of an eye. Like the Cismigiu garden, the oldest publicly accessible park of the city. If you prefer to stay at the hotel you can relax in one of the 56 rooms or one of the three suites. The in-house bar provides for entertainment.

How sweet! A small café where you can also take a piece of your favourite treat home with you. A charming, small chocolate shop where you can find what you've craved all day, and have a coffee as well. The selection of chocolates, pralines, tarts, cakes and other sinful delights is immense: you will feel yourself transported to somewhere between France with its crème brûlée, éclairs, and Forêt noire, and Italy with its profiteroles and tiramisu. Need a starter before devoting yourself to the sweets? Chocolat also serves delectable light lunches featuring soups, pasta dishes and salads made of the very freshest ingredients.   The selection of baked goods is equally tempting: bread-rolls, white, dark, and whole-grain breads, brioche and panini, both filled and not. This is a whole new dimension to being spoilt for choice.

Under Canadian head chef, Henrik Sebok, the Avalon has advanced to become one of the city's most celebrated gourmet restaurants. First, your eyes are in for a treat with the presentation of the freshest, most exquisite ingredients. Then it's the taste-buds' turn, even the most jaded. Sebok's creativity is uninhibited and can't be pigeon-holed. Fusion is fusion, but above all, it has to taste good.   The Avalon's atmosphere is unrivalled. The elegant ambiance is conjured up principally by indirect lighting. The interior is minimalist using much white and even more cream, because it's even posher and more restrained. If you don't feel like dinner, then you must try the fantastic breakfast for an incomparable start to the day.

Here you will be served authentic Indian cuisine. Be careful: if order your food hot, it comes hot! But if you prefer not to give your taste-buds a good singe, no problem: the chef will prove that Indian cuisine can be spicy but doesn't have to be. It is all about an alluring mix of spices that can be mild as well.   The restaurant won't win any design awards but it's inviting and comfortable nonetheless. The rooftop terrace in particular is a great place to meet for those who favour a modern and southern ambiance. Three chefs stand watchfully over the pots and seem to be competing in a contest. Where else will you find ten different lamb dishes? Vegetarians will also feel right at home. They may like to choose one of the home-baked breads from among eight variations as an accompaniment to an exotic vegetable-based speciality.

The Royal Palace merits more than a cursory look from outside: The palace, which dates from the early 19th century, has been the residence of kings, a communist government office, and today houses the Romanian National Art Museum. Exhibited are paintings, prints, and other artworks both Romanian and European from a variety of periods. Taken together the collections are quite extensive, so if you would like to see them all make sure you have enough time and energy.   You can also spread your visit over several days. Tickets are sold for each part of the museum separately, so you can do the museum in stages with no damage to your pocketbook. For those stuck on the big names, the museum has several works by Rubens and Rembrandt. Like many other of the city's sights, a visit to the Royal Palace can be combined with an enjoyable stroll.

In and around Bucharest there are many parks that beckon you to take a stroll, unwind and relax. These landscaped gardens are given their distinctive character by long and winding lakes. A glance at the map shows that Bucharest is studded with green areas and bodies of water. The biggest such leisure area is Her?str?u Park. It impresses by sheer size?187 hectares. In relation to the city's area it is thus a good deal larger than New York's famous Central Park with its 349 hectares.   The lake gracing the park's centre is so long and narrow that it looks more like a river, whose banks make the perfect setting for a picnic. When the weather is warm, the Her?str?u Park is great for people-watching and soaking up the city's flair.

From Piata Unirii it is just a short walk up the small hill where the patriarch's residence is located. For fans of religious architecture, this excursion is a must. But even those who are less interesting in churches should wander up here.   A few moments earlier you were surrounded by the hectic traffic crowding the broad boulevards, now you find yourself in a peaceful courtyard. If you crave even more quiet, enter the patriarch's church. The floor is covered with thick carpets, and the sanctuary's interior is suffused by gentle light shining through the stained glass windows.   If you come at the right time, you can experience the rituals and chants of the faithful. Just a few hundred metres from the turbulent activity of the big city, you have seemingly been transported to a remote rural monastery. This is the place to kiss icons, and perhaps yourself be kissed by the muse.

At first glance you might not suspect that Romania has a good deal to boast of in the world of fashion. Nichi Cristina Nichita is a Bucharest girl made good. The fashion designer has presented her creations on many a catwalk and invariably earned ecstatic kudos.   In the shop on Piata Unirii slip into one of the designer's latest creations; you're sure to be won over. Elegant businesswear with that certain something extra, lovely handbags, and clothes for that special event. Too bad Nichi Cristina Nichita only designs for women, but she really knows how to pamper them. The designer plays with classic looks that are never dull because they all have a dash of contemporary spirit. Pick out your favourite dress and reserve a table at a chic bar to show it off.

Victims of fashion and chic freaks must stop by L'Armoire Concept Store. Forget Versace and Gaultier?here Romania's young designers rule. There are a great many of them and they are ever more frequently the stars of international fashion shows. Are the names Ludmila Carlateanu, ana alexe, DADA or Roxana Davidescu familiar? What about Elena Perseil, Eugenia Enciu, Stephan Pelger, Zasha oder Dorin Negrau? No? Reason enough to have a look at their latest collections.   As numerous the designers are, so too is the variety of their creations. Evening gowns, business outfits, smart casual wear. What all of the clothes have in common though is an elegance that highlights and complements the wearer's femininity, Have browse around for yourself.

The Rozalb de Mura label was launched in 2006 and ever since customers have wondered about the name that combines the words for ?rose' and ?blackberry'. That is meant to signal an scintillating and creative mix. Designer Olah Gyarfas is himself a mix of equal parts Hungarian and Romanian. He takes an interest not only in fashion but promotes an exchange between artists, musicians, and other creative people from all over the world. The concept works: Rozalb de Mura is a lively showcase with a wealth of fresh, imaginative creativity that you will try hard to find elsewhere. Shop, showroom, and exhibition space all rolled into one?no limits here as long as the line is aesthetically pure and the artistic claim ambitious.   The outfits are made for today's yuppy. And especially if you are among those who absolutely reject this distinction, then you should have a look inside. Here you find fashion of the day after tomorrow. Just the thing for exhibition openings, graphic artists, writers, artists, club nights-out, or DJs. Most of it is in black and?at last!?there is men's wear too.