Dracula's Guide to Romania

Time passes and things change. We know that communist architecture is not the most stilish, but it is worth mentioning that it is part of our past and still shapes the way people live their lives today.

Nufarul

Nufarul, back in the day, used to be a state owned laundry service for the people. Nowadays it partially still is, but with the added benefit of being able to buy cleaning products. Going inside just hits a high degree of nostalgia. In Bucharest you can find them scattered all across the city.

Pro tip: Go to Pamela Cafe Bar a communist chic bar that is sharing a space with Nufarul.

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Ice cream

There is a shawarma place that has old school ice cream from a machine, and that is the old school flavour of ice cream.

@m1.kebap

Ce spuneti? Fortam vara cu o inghetata?🤩🍦 #m1kebap #foodstation #donerkebab #kebap #foodtiktok #unirii #foodporn #kebab #viral #hate #icecream #foryou #fyp #fy

♬ sunet original – M1 Kebap

Design of neighbourhoods

At Unirii Square you get the fancy communism. If you want the version with less details and more functional, you need to head to working class areas like Piata Iancului, Obor or Titan.

Pro tip: Go to Obor Market for the communist vibes and eat some mici at Terasa Obor (best mici in town).

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Hairdressers (it is a barber shop but the translation is more like hairdressers)

Few places take you back to the past like Frizebad. I don’t know of they kept the design on purpose or didn’t want to complicate themselves with the process of change, but it doesn’t matter. This place screams communism, starting with the “modern haricut” to the decor.

Dinamo Stadium

Once a very popular football team, today it is not doing very well and due to the lack of investments in its stadium it is virtually unchaged. Called “The Hole”, it is a stadium dug out in a hole that, during communism was the police football team. Maybe worth a short look at Dinamo Stadium.

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The Radio House – An unfinished building

The Radio House was part of our dictator’s plan to build monumental buildings in Bucahrest to showcase the might of Romanian communism. This building complex was supposed to be the main radio hub of Romania and the Museum of Communism in Romania. The building remains unfinished as the revolution came, and we still haven’t finished the building.

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Museums and places to visit that are open on a Monday in Bucharest

Rock Music during Communism in Romania