Tom Owen immerses himself in the culture and cuisine of Romania’s capital

09.00: Visit the People’s Palace, which stands as the monument to dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s stupidity, paranoia and bad taste. The greater part of old Bucharest was demolished to make way for this ghastly behemoth, reputedly the world’s second-largest building after the Pentagon. Although it remains unfinished, its vast marble halls accommodate, among other things, the Romanian Parliament and the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Bucharest’s otherworldly feel is in part a result of this edifice, which forms the centre of a megalomaniac network of imposing boulevards, ministry buildings and apartment blocks, originally designed for party members.

11.00: Take a short walk or taxi ride from the People’s Palace to the old quarter of Lipscani, which somehow escaped the bright socialist future of neighbouring districts. If it has survived, it is only just – Lipscani is a jumble of fascinating but dilapidated old buildings, some of which appear at risk of imminent collapse. The good news is that Lipscani has avoided the corporate uniformity of the smarter areas of this booming city. A stroll around its winding, cobbled pedestrian alleys reveals a wealth of antique and bric-abrac shops where you can buy mementoes from the communist era, and from Romania’s brief flowering between the two World Wars.

13.00: Go to the Dutch-owned Amsterdam Grand Café (www.amsterdam.ro), situated in the middle of Lipscani, at 6 Covaci Street – the perfect spot for lunch. There are big tables with leather armchairs to relax in, and the menu includes comfort foods such as gou-lash and coq au vin.

15.00: Make your way to the Village Museum on Lake Herastrau if you do not have time to venture outside the capital. Romania remains a largely agrarian country, with an astonishingly beautiful and varied landscape. Rural populations are equally diverse, with large communities of Hungarians, Szekelys, Serbians, Saxons, Roma and other groups. As you walk around the Village’s 300-odd houses, signposts guide you through the different regions of Romania. In just an hour you can visit such romantic spots as Transylvania, Moldova, Oltenia and Dobrogea. Be sure to try tuica, Romania’s very own firewater.

17.00: After so much bucolic activity, why not see the gritty reality of Bucharest’s suburbs? As in any metropolitan city, it might not be wise for visitors to explore the less salubrious neighbour-hoods unaccompanied. But a taxi tour of the city’s endless high-density apartment blocks, or blocuri, is an interesting experience. Moving back to the centre, the range and unexpected combinations of architecture are striking. Bucharest is like no other city in eastern Europe, and has its own exotic and largely accidental style.

20.00: Romanian food is a many splendoured thing, and arguably the best place to try it is Casa Doina at Sos Kiseleff 4 (www.casadoina.ro). The restaurant is in an old villa with beautiful gardens, so it is equally good to visit in summer or winter. To start, try the ciorba de vacuta (sour veal soup), particularly good with optional chilli pepper. Go on to the sarmale cu mamaliguta (stuffed cabbage with polenta), which is among the best you can find outside domestic kitchens. The wine list is extensive and the waiters are knowledgeable. It is worth asking their advice unless you are already au fait with Romanian wine: some can be excellent, some so-so, and much of it is semi-sweet – so emphasise dry if that is what you want.

22.00: Return to the Lake Herastrau area, which has a flourishing social life in the summer with its numerous bars, restaurants and clubs all jostling for water-front space. For a look at the city’s beau monde, try Cabaret, a bar right on the water. In winter, try the places around Mendeleev Street, such as The Office, Downtown or Planters.

00.00: Time to go clubbing at Bamboo (www.bamboosportingclub.ro), probably Bucharest’s most fashionable nightclub right now. But beware – there is a Moscow-style ‘face control’ door policy, so if you look like you trod on a rake, good luck. Once inside, you will discover an unprecedented gathering of pulchritude, along with thumping techno and stagger-ingly strong mixed drinks. To be frank, it is not a student hangout, but it is lots of fun. Bear in mind that it is considered rude to leave before the sun comes up.