Leisure strolling in the Cotroceni district, Bucharest

Cotroceni is one of Bucharest's historic districts. It grew slowly around the Cotroceni monastery and the princely residence on precincts. Over time, it has managed to maintain its distinct air, apparently carefully selecting its inhabitants.

In Cotroceni, the boundaries between city life and private life somewhat overlap, allowing the prying eye to see beyond the fences, into people's yards, and through open windows, rare experiences in today's Bucharest.

Cotroceni has a uniform architecture, with elegant houses, most of them built at the end of the 19th century. It was around the time when the Romanian royal family was becoming powerful and visible. As soon as Prince Charles I demanded the construction of a residence worthy of a prince, about to become a king, to replace the old princely settlements within the monastery, the aristocracy swarming around the royal court also wanted to settle here. Most of their houses have survived: along with small-sized blocks, with visible Art Deco style influences.

After the "Carol Davila" Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy was set in the district (a building adding to the fin de siècle style in Bucharest), most of the streets in the neighborhood were named after doctors who worked in Romania.

The Botanical Garden, less spectacular than the one in Cluj, is a place where you can relax at any time of day. Few people come here. 

Other walks to delve into old Bucharest: Old Town.