Bucharest, Suitable for Erasmus Students or Not?

Maybe you’re wondering: Why someone would choose Romania, especially Bucharest, as an Erasmus Destination for studies, considering that there are other well known destinations for students around Eastern Europe, such as Hungary, Poland or Czech Republic? What is it so special about this country known for vampires and diverse nature? Is anything you can do between the studying breaks? Let’s find out together!

Well, before we go deeper into our mini travel guide, I should mention that Bucharest is among the safest and most affordable places to visit in Europe, as the majority of the most well known attractions are either free, either very convenient, suitable for almost any type of traveler out there, especially those on a tight budget who want to live their student life to the fullest.

 

ARCHITECTURE

For those keen on architectural wonders, you’re very lucky, as there are plenty of buildings. One visit you should definitely not miss is The Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world. Entrance here, with the student discount, is around 4 euros. Quite cheap, isn’t it? Other fascinating buildings in Bucharest, worth of Instagram Stories, are Romanian Athenaeum or Bragadiru Palace.

 

MUSEUMS

Of course, what is a European capital without some really cool museums? You can choose from National Museum of Romanian History, National Mueum of Art or Art Safari. If you want to find out more about Romanian culture you can visit The Village Museum, which includes houses and rural buildings representative of each ethnographic area of the country, including from Transylvania, Maramures, Oltenia, Moldova, Dobrogea, Muntenia and Banati.

 

RELAX

Or maybe you just want to take a break? You know, after all those university assignments and getting used to our learning system...Well, you should probably have a resting day. But where?

Therme is a one of the largest wellness and relaxation centers, where you can find pools with thermal water, massage rooms and steam sauna. A ticket here is around 15-20 euros, depending on the discount. To reach Therme, which is 20 km  from Bucharest, you have a shuttle every two hours from Piata Romana.

Opera Nationala is another great option if you want something entertaining yet cultural. You can see La Traviata, Phantom of the Opera or Swan Lake, to name a few.

 

PUBS

Nightlife in Bucharest is very diverse, having plenty of clubs and pubs from where you can choose from, especially in the Old Town. The ones that we recommend are The One, Beluga, Control or Apollo, the last one being LGBTQ+ friendly.

 

PARKS

There are also a lot of parks, such as Tineretului, Izvor, where you can take a leisurely stroll through the beautiful gardens, or Herastrau, where you can rent a paddleboat on the lake or have a picnic.

 

 Oh, and I almost forgot…shopping! Cotroceni, Baneasa, Promenada, Mega Mall, all these are the biggest shopping centers in Bucharest, so if you need to buy something, you will most probably find it in one of these.

 

Even if you never considered before Bucharest as an Erasmus destination, I hope this article helped you find out more about things you can do if you end up studying here. And if you decide so, never forget that we, those in Erasmus Student Network ASE-CMP Bucharest, are looking forward to meeting you and helping you discover all the wonders in this city. See ya!

 

Author: Antonia Ghencea