Cotroceni

Cotroceni is perhaps the quietest and most coherent neighbourhood in Bucharest. Laid out in the early twentieth century as a residential area for the well-off middle class, it has preserved an urban fabric rare in the capital: small, shaded streets lined with interwar villas whose worked façades are often listed as monuments. It is a place for unhurried walks, with an eye for detail, and one of the few quarters where the original character has survived largely intact.

The district's major landmark is Cotroceni Palace, built in the 1890s on the site of a seventeenth-century monastery as a residence for the heir to the throne, the future King Ferdinand, and today the seat of the Presidency. The old wing houses the Cotroceni National Museum, opened to the public after 1991. Beside it lies the Dimitrie Brandza Botanical Garden, a pocket of nature with greenhouses, paths and plant collections, perfect for a green escape. The closeness of the university hospitals and faculties also gives the area a discreet academic character.

What to see

• Cotroceni Palace and its museum (book ahead and check the official visiting schedule)
• The Dimitrie Brandza Botanical Garden, with its historic greenhouses
• The streets of interwar villas, an open-air museum of architecture
• The churches and historic buildings scattered through the quarter

The vibe

This is a gentle Bucharest, almost provincial in the best sense, where the rustle of leaves is louder than the traffic. The neighbourhood has no real nightlife and no tourist crush; it is a place to live and to stroll, with a handful of neighbourhood cafés and quiet bistros that cater mostly to residents and students.

Getting there

The Eroilor and Politehnica metro stations serve the edges of the district; see the metro. The public transport lines along Splaiul Independenței bring you close to the palace and the garden. For sights to see check the attractions, and for a meal in the area see the restaurants.