Colentina & Tei

Colentina and Tei form a residential strip in the city's north-east, stretched along the chain of Colentina lakes. It's not a tourist area but a lived-in one — apartment blocks, houses, corner shops — yet it has something many other quarters don't: water. The lakes here are not natural in the strict sense but a string of reservoirs on the Colentina river, and they give this whole side of Bucharest a softer, more open feel than the dense central districts.

What to see

The Tei, Plumbuita and Fundeni lakes give the area its character, with banks landscaped here and there for walking. The hidden gem is Plumbuita Monastery, an old, quiet foundation whose construction was begun in 1560 by Petru cel Tânăr (son of Mircea Ciobanul and Lady Chiajna) and completed by his successors. It holds a remarkable claim: in 1573 the first printing house in Bucharest was set up here, and by 1582 the first books printed in the city — two Gospel books and a Psalter — came off its presses. The church was rebuilt from its foundations in 1647 on the orders of Matei Basarab, to mark the 1632 victory against the Turks. Behind thick walls and a calm courtyard, it is an unexpected pocket of history and peace in a district of apartment blocks. The lakeside parks are good for a green break.

The vibe

Everyday neighbourhood life, no pretensions. Here you see how Bucharest actually lives: people out walking, anglers on the bank, modest terraces, children on bikes after school. It's the kind of area to explore if you want to step off the classic routes and catch the city in its ordinary register — the Bucharest of weekday afternoons rather than postcards. The water keeps the air a little fresher and the pace a little slower than downtown.

Getting there

Colentina is crossed by tram and bus lines linking it to the centre and to the metro via nearby hubs. Check public transport for routes, since the lakes spread over a large area and walking between them can take a while. For context, see the neighbourhoods page, and if you want a meal nearby, the restaurants here are local rather than touristy.