Bucharest is one of the world’s best-kept travel secrets. The capital of Romania is not the most obvious choice for a traveller looking for a good time, but look hard enough and you’ll find some hidden jewels in the once war-torn city. The city is a strange mongrel of different architecture; there are the remains of medieval churches next to ugly grey apartment blocks, and baroque palaces jammed alongside state-of-the-art office buildings. The city offers large range of museums, as well as open-air bars, theatre and parks. It’s a rough-and-ready destination. Despite its charms, Bucharest does have a crime problem, and it’s best to be on your guard whilst you explore.

There is a wide range of things to do and see in Bucharest in terms of general entertainment. You could give the Opera House a visit for some high culture, all reasonably priced, or visit one of the capital’s many cinemas such as Pro, Scala or Eforie. There is a thriving indie/punk scene, fuelled by the city’s large student population, and you can catch cheap live band performances at the Fire Club or Club A. For jazz lovers, there is live jazz at the Amsterdam Grand Café or Green Hours 22. Gay bars are few and far between in Bucharest. Many are set up and shut down or relocate quickly, but the best known are the Queen’s Club and Purple (which is, as the name suggests, entirely purple inside). Both are classic gay clubs, although Queen’s has a more mixed gay/lesbian clientele, and both play camp-tastic music with reasonable entry prices. There is a gay sauna, the first in the country, on Grigore Alexandrescu Street, which provides a bar, gym equipment, videos, cruising areas, lounges and a dark room. Aside from these, however, there isn’t a massive gay scene in the city.

There is a long way to go in terms of gay rights in Bucharest. The age of consent for all, regardless of sexuality, is 15, but this does not indicate the general state of equality. 2008’s gay pride parade was surrounded by controversy, with armed police protecting gay rights activists from the crowds. Homosexuality was not decriminalised until 2001, and the country’s powerful Orthodox church views homosexuality as a disease. So, caution is advised when travelling in Bucharest, and keeping public displays of affection discreet is a good idea.

Most international flights to Bucharest land at the Henri Coanda Airport, 16km north of the city, but some budget airlines land at Baneasa, 8km north of the centre. You can also reach Bucharest by bus from most surrounding European countries.