That history has not been kind to Romania is in fact the visitor's luck. Few other cities in Europe have seen as much trouble as Bucharest in over the past three decades or so, and if it's revolutionary sights you are after, then you have come to the right place (Piata Revolutiei, to be precise). But there is also a panoply of excellent Bucharest museums, art galleries and not a few oddities in Bucharest. In short: there is far more to see in Bucharest than immediately meets the eye. The Peasant Museum is one of the most enjoyable in Bucharest, and one of the best in the country. Housed in a wonderful red brick building designed by Nicolae Ghica-Budeşti, dating from 1912, the museum offers a range of exhibitions showing you all you need to know about the diverse and fascinating history of life around the Romanian countryside over the past four centuries. There are exhibitions covering all aspects of Romanian peasant life, from handpainted Easter eggs to terracotta pottery, from colourful religious icons to a huge range of traditional clothing. Replicas of some of what is on display can be bought in the excellent museum shop.
Fittingly for the building that from 1948-89 was home to the Museum of the Communist Party and Romanian Revolutionary Workers Movement, there is a collectivisation exhibition in the basement. The Peasant Museum hosts excellent craft, gift and antique fairs in its courtyard almost every weekend. It also has a good café and bistro, with an open yet heated terrace. Construction of Romania’s most famous building, Palatul Parlamentului (known universally as Casa Poporului) began in 1984, and continued through what were the darkest days of the Nicolae Ceausescu regime. Standing 84m above ground level on 12 floors, the building has long been shrouded in mystery, rumour and hyperbole. Originally designed (by a young architect: Anca Petrescu, who was just 28 at the time) to house almost all of the apparatus of the communist state, it today plays host to the Romanian parliament, a conference centre and Romania’s National Museum of Contemporary Art. Much of the building, however, remains unused. The public tour of the building is thoroughly recommended (it is the only way to see the building, in fact) though the commentary often consists of little more than a guide reeling off endless superlative statistics. You’ll see plenty of grand staircases, marble-plated halls and conference rooms, while - if you pay the extra - you may also have the chance to go on the roof, which offers perhaps the best view of central Bucharest. You can even now take a trip into the bowels of the building down below, though again this costs extra. To join one of the tours, you should make reservations a day in advance as parliamentary business means the official opening hours are subject to change. You will also need to bring your passport, driving license or other form of internationally-accepted ID. Use the entrance on the right-hand side of the palace (if you’re looking at it front-on). Izvor is probably the nearest metro station, but you’ll get a better view from Piata Unirii. See more...http://www.inyourpocket.com/bucharest/Casa-Poporului_14744v
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