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ARRIVAL
The International Bucharest-Otopeni Airport is located 16 km North of Bucharest. On your arrival, information will be available at the UIA welcome desk (October 27-29, 2008).
TRANSFERS FROM THE AIRPORT
UIA will not be providing any transfers from the airport. It takes around 40 minutes to reach Bucharest city centre from the airport. You can obtain of preferential transfer rates to Bucharest city centre by using the company “Fly taxi”, which has been approved by UIA.
In order to do so, the amount payable for the journey has to be submitted at the UIA welcome desk, in cash only (Euros, Dollars or Lei). The amount for the journey is 35 Euros.
CURRENCY
The national currency is the Romanian New Leu (Lei in the plural).
Exchange rate on 13/05/08:
1 RON= 0,27174 €
1 EURO = 3,68002 RON
BANKS/FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Banks are generally open from Monday to Friday, between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.
However, each establishment determines its own working hours. Most banks are closed on the weekend.
International credit cards are accepted by most hotels, restaurants, shops, car rental agencies and companies offering tourism related services (A word of caution though: American Express cards are not accepted everywhere).
ATMs can be found throughout the capital city.
You can exchange currencies in banks, some hotels, stations, the airport, major shopping complexes or foreign exchange bureaus (you will have to show your passport or other valid identification). Avoid exchanging money at places other than those mentioned above. Lei cannot be exchanged abroad. Hence, you must ask for a receipt when you buy Lei so that you can exchange them back into the original currency before your departure.
LANGUAGE
Romanian is the national language. In the big cities, English and French are spoken at hotels, travel agencies, airports and at major tourist sites.
POWER SUPPLY
In major cities, department stores are open throughout the week, weekends included.
Smaller shops are normally open during the week between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm and are closed on Sundays.
A Single Number for all Emergency Services – 112
CLOTHING
Romania is blessed with a temperate continental climate with seasonal variations. At the time of year when the Congress is to be held, the weather can be quite variable (with temperatures oscillating between 10° and 17°C). It is best to carry mid-season clothing.
Dress code for the various social events:
Opening ceremony and welcome cocktail party: Suit (the cocktail will be held in the House of Parliament)
Informal party and dinner cocktail: Casual wear but bring along something warm (the informal party will be held partially outdoors)
Gala dinner: Full evening dress (the reception will take place indoors)
General excursion: Casual wear (visits and meals partly outdoors).
TOURISM IN BUCHAREST
A strange mix of oriental hustle and bustle and occidental refinement, Bucharest will surprise you with the ease with which it adopts all its contrasts.
Ever since it became the capital of Romania in 1862, the city has been evolving continuously, becoming the country’s artistic and cultural hub. The city’s architecture, a harmonious blend of the neoclassical with the rococo and the French Renaissance styles, and also the literary and artistic activity here in the early 20th century earned it the name of “The Little Paris”.
BUCHAREST, THE CITY OF CULTURE
Like every true European metropolitan city, Bucharest offers visitors an intense cultural experience, with numerous theatres staging the most varied types of shows, art galleries hosting painting, photography and sculpture exhibitions, book exhibitions, not to forget the inviting bookshops in which you can take refuge from the hustle and bustle on the street outside and even order a cup of tea – all very charming, a charm which experienced once will give you a taste of this unique metropolis.
HISTORY AND CULTURE OF ROMANIA
Once a Roman province, Romania even today, bears the stamp of this civilization. Located at the junction of the large empires that have dominated European history, the Romanian provinces have successively been subjected to Byzantine, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian domination. In Transylvania, the influence of Western cultures, particularly German but also Italian and French, is very perceptible – as can be experienced in the old medieval cities of Sibiu or Sighișoara. To the south and east of the Carpathian mountains, oriental influences have been stronger as can be seen in the
religion, the painting, the architecture and also in the music of these regions. In Bucovina, located in the north-east of the country, one can admire the famous 15th century monasteries with their external frescos. These monuments are classified as world heritage sites by UNESCO since 1989.
Over the years, Romanian culture has contributed to the enrichment of the world’s cultural heritage with outstanding contributions in very varied areas: George Enescu, a brilliant musician, created musical works with an obvious popular, national or realist quality. Constantin Brâncuși, a visionary artist, left a mark on modern sculpture, and then there were the works of the famous writers: Eugene Ionesco, Emil Cioran and Mircea Eliade. The medieval city of Sibiu was designated the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2007: www.sibiu.ro
ARRIVA 
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