Family life in Bucharest revolves around the city’s parks. The challenge is to find activities that suit you and your family, but once you have asked your friends and explored a little on your own, you will be ready to enjoy the parks all over the city. You will definitely see other expat mothers and families in most of the playgrounds. In Herastrau, the largest of Bucharest’s parks, enjoy the walk around the lake or rent a bike (you just need an ID to do that). You can also visit Insula Copiilor (Children’s Island). If you want a quieter place,  stroll over to the Charles de Gaulle area and visit Bordei Park, on the corner just across from Herastrau, or visit the smaller playground in the French Village. It may be smaller, but no dogs or skates are allowed. Floreasca Park is also worth a visit.

If you are new in town, join an expat network at Yahoo Groups: Bucharest Moms and Bucharest Babes are both worth a visit. Belonging to an extended network will offer local knowledge to help you set up in a new place. You can also try InterNations run by Volker Moser and Delia Burnham.

Bucharest is also a great place to explore culture and the arts. The bookstore Carturesti is a place for frequent visits, one of which is hosted in a calm place on the second floor of the Peasant Museum (Muzeul Taranului) near Kiseleff Park. Another option is a longer visit with the kids to the branch near Piata Romana on Magheru, with a nice children’s playarea and a good variety of books, food terrace at the back and tea area inside for the winter. But if you are just looking for books in English, there is a good assortment at Nautilus, just off Kiseleff Boulevard on Ion Mincu, or at Anthony Frost on Calea Victoriei.
Bucharest is a seasonal city, so during autumn you can visit The Opera as they also perform a wide variety of children’s stories adapted for the younger audience. Autumn is also a good time to start learning to play an instrument, either privately with personal tutors or at a music institute.

Summer is crammed full of art workshops: at the Village Museum (Muzeul Satului) near Herastrau, Muzeul Taranului Roman, or medieval costume and sword making at the History Museum. There are also private Kindermusik instructors, and art classes for kids.  In the Berceni area, traditional mosaic techniques are taught for both adults and kids. The Berceni community organizes a day visit which includes the mosaic class, materials and lunch.

One of the best things about being in Bucharest is the ease of access to fresh fruit and vegetables, a luxury compared to other countries in Europe. But every place has its challenges, and in Bucharest this is finding the closest market. If you are in Pipera, try the one in Otopeni town, while close to Herestrau you have Domenii, 1 Mai or Floreasca. In the centre you can try the one at Piata Amzei. There is a Market (Piata) in every neighborhood, often one the locals’ best-kept secrets – see if you can seek it out.  A fun trip is to Piata Obor, the largest market in Bucharest, where you can find a whole lot more than just fruit and vegetables! Remember, however, that most fruits are seasonal so if you see a good price and variety buy enough to freeze them or get started with your home made marmalade. Your kids will surely love the fresh fruits and the home-made sweets!

This is a great opportunity to get back to home-made food and teach your kids to enjoy vegetables. The countryside spirit is alive in the Market: farm eggs, peasant cheese and sausages, fresh herbs and excellent caviar are just a few of the great delights to find.
A great option for weekends is to explore the areas around Bucharest. In Snagov, only 30 minutes north of Bucharest, visit the monastery where Vlad Tepes, also known as the infamous vampire Dracula, is buried. This is an experience itself, as there are no signs to tell you how to get there, but kind and helpful residents will help you on your way. The rustic 14th-century monastery is situated on one of the many small islands nestled in a beautiful lake. A new bridge has been recently built so no need to hire a boat to go to the monastery in the island. However a boat tour can be arranged through any of the surrounding hotels.

Another weekend getaway, just 10km from Bucharest, is Mogosoaia Palace, a true gem from the Brancoveanu dynasty. The Palace has a Byzantine-influenced museum, a great view to the lake and lots of green areas for the kids to run around in, including a playground. Behind the church wall there is an extended green area with large toppled statues lying on the ground, including one of Lenin.

For fascinating outdoor activities, visit the Ferma Animalelor in Pantelimon, a farm where children can feed the animals, go on pony rides and bottle-feed the calves. Children will feel comfortable around the animals at this well-kept farm, which has areas for family picnics and, best of all, a dairy farm next door where kids can get fresh milk from a dispenser to take home.
For older kids the Laser Max or the Go Kart Racing, which are both at AFI Palace, Cotroceni, have been highly rated by our readers.

Now there is no excuse not to get out to the city and make the best of it. There is plenty to do, and your adventure is just beginning!

Antipa Museum of Natural History
Address: 1 Kiselleff St., Bucharest
Phone: +021 312 88 26
Web: www.antipa.ro
The newly-opened Antipa Museum is the perfect place to take your kids while in Bucharest, especially during weekends. The museum looks amazing and it offers audio guidance in English and French.
Some other museums in Bucharest organize workshops for kids and or families: The National Art Museum, the Romanian Peasant’s Museum, the Geology Museum, the Operetta theater. Check our Culture and arts section for the exact locations of these museums.

If your kids have a costumes party coming up or a school recital and they need tailored costumes, try this:

Kid’s Style
Address: 18 Frunzei St., Bucharest
Phone: +40 745 510 309,
+40 21 320 49 84
Web: www.kidstyle.ro
Doina Constantinescu and her team design and create beautiful clothes for kids, all on special orders, starting from baptism clothing, costumes for Halloween, animal costumes and any other kinds of special orders you might have.

Boat rides on Floreasca lake
A ride will take 30 minutes and will depart from the boat house close to the Herastrau-Floreasca flood gate, access from Aviatorilor Boulevard or from Soseaua Nordului. Visitors will be able to admire the entire area stretching over 53 hectares.

Playgroups

• Playgroups at host’s homes on Friday morning 10h to 12h (mainly in Pipera) contact meca3470@hotmail.com

• Free parent and baby/toddler group on Tuesday mornings and/or Wednesday afternoons. It takes place at the InSPE (International School for Primary Education).  http://www.inspe.ro/contact

• There is also a play group at the British school in Pipera. http://www.britishschool.ro/

www.miciicampioni.ro
They accept kids up to 6 years’ old, cost: 40 euro/lesson (with individual trainer).
www.babyspa.ro

Globus Circus
Address: 15 Aleea Circului
Phone: +40 21 210 41 95
+40 740 GLOBUS
Web: www.circulglobus.ro

Children’s Comic Opera House
Address: 14 Batistei St.
Opposite the former US Embassy. They do not seem to have a website so I guess you just go there for infos and bookings.

Tandarica puppet theater
Address: 24 Eremia Grigorescu St.
Phone: +40 21 316 30 06
Web: www.en.teatrultandarica.ro
Quite popular, tickets on sale only for the week which go very quickly.

In the AFI Palace Cotroceni mall there is a playground, activities for teenagers, an ice rink and an Imax movie theater
Web: www.aficotroceni.ro

FunLand
Address: Unirea Shopping Center, last floor – Unirii Square
Phone: +40 74 FUNLAND
+40 21 303 04 60
Web: www.funlandromania.ro

Balonul copiilor (in Herastrau, http://www.balonulcopiilor.ro/ ), soft play, cold in winter and quite dirty, but young kids have a lot of fun and exercises

Kids planet
Address: 2 Alba Iulia Square
Phone: +40 21 326 60 46
Web: www.kidsplanet.ro
3 locations in town

Bambini
Address: 60 Branduselor St.
Web: www.bambini.ro

For those in Baneasa, you can drop your little ones for free in the pit ball at IKEA for 1 hour, but they must be above 90 cm and below 130 cm tall (if I remember correctly)

BucaKids
Address: 100 Sos. Nordului,
Every Monday  9,00 to 14,30 hours
Phone: +40 740 706 174
You can buy clothes, books and toys from 0 to 14 years. You can also donate your books, clothes, toys and baby things which will be either given to Valentina directly or resold to raise money for them.

Vertical Spirit
Address: 80 Baicului St.
Phone: +40 740 245 368
Contact person: Andreea Copaescu
E-mail: andreea@verticalspirit.ro
Web: www.verticalspirit.ro
For climbing and hiking sports with the whole family, check out this club. The climbing hall listed is not the only one they run, but it’s bigger than the one on 46 Tudor Arghezi St. (close to Universitate square downtown). They also organize parties for kids.

Yoga for Children
Phone: +40 752 178 855
Web: (Soon!) www.yogaforchildren.ro
This new program for children in Bucharest focuses on teaches little ones the basic principles of Yoga in a fun environment. If you do go, let us know what you think of it!

Party accessories

Jolly Club
Phone:+40 751 194 407
Web: www.jollyclub.ro
It offers various accessories for parties and helium balloons.

No Surprises Agency
Address: 14, G-ral Grigore Ipatescu Blvd.
Phone: +40 722 922 423
Web: www.nosurprises.ro
Event management and wedding planning.

Kiddy Land
Address: 243-245, Splaiul Unirii
Phone: +40 21 346 57 91
Web: www.kiddyland.ro

This is just a selection of parks in Bucharest – there are more for you to discover.

Herastrau
Herastrau park spreads over 110 hectares in the Northern area of Bucharest, being one of the largest parks in Bucharest. It has a lake where you can take boat rides during the summer. It is also very popular among runners.

Tineretului
Tineretului park is in the South of the city. It covers 80 hectares and includes areas for sports and is home to the Polivalenta Hall, where events ( like concerts, conferences) sometimes take part. It also includes a fair ground but it is rather old and needs renovation.

Carol
Carol park, on just 29 hectares, is close to downtown. You will recognize it easily by its Mausoleum erected in memory of soldiers who fought the Second World War.

Gradina Icoanei
This is a small park hidden in one of the little streets behind Romana Square. It is close to the Anglican church and another park – Ioanid.

Cismigiu
This is one of the best known parks in Bucharest, which also enjoys a very downtown location, very close to Universitate Square, on Regina Elisabeta Blvd. It is the oldest public garden in Bucharest. It has a brass band area where concerts are organized sometimes during week-ends. A small playground for kids has also been included. The park also features a lake where you can book small boat rides.

Floreasca
There is a nice playground in this park and boat rides on the Floreasca lake are also organized during the summer.

Moghioros
This is the main park for those who live in the Drumul Taberei area of Bucharest.

Circului
Also with a playground, this is a very quiet park close to the Circus.

IOR
The IOR Park is in the Center – East part of Bucharest and serves the Titan, Dristor and Balta Alba neighborhoods. It covers 85 hectares and hosts a Maramures – style wooden church that is visible from one of its sides. Titan lake rests in the middle of this park.

Botanical Garden
This is not a park in itself, but a great place to take your kids. It is located on a hilly area in Cotroceni, just across the street from the Presidential Cotroceni Palace. It can be quite busy during week-ends.

If you need consulting about wines and bars in Bucharest, contact City Compass contributor and bar consultant Richard Fox! He is an expert when it comes to lifestyle with wine and more in Bucharest.

Ethic Wine
Address: 55, Banu Antonache St.
Phone: +40 722 633 789
Web: www.ethicwine.ro

Gala Wine Bar and Tapas
Address: 32, Icoanei St.
Phone: +40 21 210 40 39
Web: www.galafood.ro

Bruno Wine bar & shop
Address: 3, Covaci St.
Phone: +40 21 317 17 41
Web: www.brunowine.ro

More wine shops in the Shopping section of this guide.

St. Patrick Irish Pub
Address: 23-25, Smardan St.
Phone: +40 21 313 03 36
Web: www.stpatrick.ro
This is a great pub with lots of expats in Lipscani area. During every major football match you can expect it to be full of chanting fans and with Guinness flowing. A decent size as pubs go, but if you plan to be there for a match, call for a table.

Bordello’s Pub
Address: 9-11, Selari St.
Phone: +40 748 881 085
Web: www.bordellos.ro

Mojo Music
Address: 14, Gabroveni St.
Phone: +40 760 263 496
Web: www.mojomusic.ro
Mojo Music club is British-owned, and has a great ‘pub’ feel. They have live music, karaoke nights, and people go there just to have fun, not to show off their funds!

Curtea Berarilor
Address: 9-11, Selari St. (Sticlarilor Yard)
Phone: +40 21 313 75 32
Web: www.curteaberarilor.com

Oktoberfest
Address: 9-11, Selari St. (Sticlarilor Yard)
Phone: +40 724 333 233
Web: www.oktoberfest-pub.ro

Old City Lipscani Beer Garden
Address: 45, Lipscani St.
Phone: +40 729 377 774
Web: www.oldcity-lipscani.ro
For a selection of pubs and cafes in the Lipscani area, read our special section on the Old Town.

Raymond’s Irish Pub
Address: 1-3, Piata Valter Maracineanu
Phone: +40 21 316 14 34
Cafe, pub and bar in a great little location on the edge of Cismigiu Garden. Inside is a loveable jumble of paraphernalia, decent staff and reasonably priced liquid refreshment.

Dreamer’s
Address: 111, Gral Berthelot St.
Phone: +40 723 112 200
Web: www.dreamers.ro

Mihaela Fratilescu
Singing Lessons
Phone: +40 723 380 832
She also teaches at Lipatti High School.

Alec Sandor
Guitar lessons for kids and adults
Phone: +40 721 090 313
Web: www.alecsandor.voce.ro
Reader recommended! Lessons are good and reasonably priced. Speaks English.

D’Arte – M. Eminescu Library
Address: 1, Carol Blvd.
Phone: +40 21 311 92 93

Hollywood
Address: 298, Calea Mosilor, Building 48
Phone: +40 31 405 76 41

Music Shop (Batiste)
Address: 3-5, Batistei St.
Phone: +40 21 314 40 77
Web: www.shopmusic.ro
They have several more shops in town, check out their website!

The Corner Club
Address: 25, Visarion St.
Phone: +40 724 832 458
Web: www.thecornerclub.ro
According to insiders, this is the best Goth/Gay friendly club in the city.

SOHO
Address: 3, Bacani St. (Old City)
Phone: +40 733 748 502
Web: www.sohobar.ro
Very straight-friendly, and full of artsy people.

As you may be aware, renting a DVD is not as common here as in other countries where there are big DVD rental stores. The common explanation given for this is that many people download films online (legally or illegally). However, you can always try branches of Diverta which carries a lot of DVDs for sale. Hint! You can order from both www.amazon.com  and www.dvd.co.uk , both of which have verified service in Romania from their websites and from our readers.

Cinebank
Address: 4-8, Nicolae Titulescu Blvd., America House Building, 7 th floor,
Phone: +40 21 311 63 24
Web: www.cinebank.ro
Cinebank offers an automatic DVD rental, but to rent a DVD, you first have to register and then use your member card, which can be refilled.

If you are looking for a costume that is especially ornate, you can always go to the Opera and ask them about their costume rentals. You can find the full details for the Opera in the Culture and the Arts section. Other than that the following is a fancy dress/costume shop, they serve both kids and adults!

(P) Tudor. Personal Tailor.   
Creates tailor made suits and shirts for gentleman.
Address: 95 Cuza Voda Street, Bucharest
Phone: +40 722 278 679
E-mail: marius@tudor-tailor.com
Web: www.tudor-tailor.com

Molly Fashion
Address: 22, Latina St.
Phone: +40 766 103 162
Web: www.carnavalfiesta.com

Fabrica de Magie
Phone: +40 31 426 63 05
Web: www.fabricademagie.ro
They are not in Bucharest, but if you need a costume, it might be worth asking them!