Pistol shooting is a shooting sport where the competitors are trying to unite the three principles of precision, power and speed, by using a firearm of a certain minimum power (caliber) to score as many points as possible during the shortest amount of time (or sometimes within a set maximum time).Pistol shooting is a modern martial art that focuses on the use of the handgun as a defensive weapon for self defence, or for military and police use. Like most martial arts, combat pistol shooting is practiced both for defence and for sport.
Pistol shooting and handgun shooting were developed as techniques for the police force. The most common types of pistol are the single shot, and semi-automatic. Instinct shooting requires the same eye, hand, and mind events as throwing a baseball or darts.The shooter must devote full attention on the smallest part of the target whilst drawing the weapon to fire.
Once the weapon is at the ready, the shooter must fire immediately, to avoid losing the intense focus and missing the target. This technique is most often practiced with a moving target, such as clay birds or shooting plates. The practical use of this drill is for life or death situations, in which the gun handler must instinctively and accurately shoot the target.
The shooter must almost simultaneously: see the target, decide to shoot, start moving the gun to position, focus on a small part of the target, pull the trigger the instant the weapon reaches position. The shooting is either on sunny, rainy or snowy weather.
Get to know this pretty capital city and see the sites that have shaped Bucharest. As the sixth biggest city in Europe, it’s safe to say you’ll find lots to get up to here!
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Take your taste buds on a history tour and get to know how Romania’s past has influenced its cuisine today
* Hear the stories of Old Town, from Ottoman rule to French aristocracy, from Communist ruin to a new capitalist (night) life
* Enjoy a three-course traditional Romanian meal in a most charming restaurant
Start off in Revolution Square, which plays an important role in Romanian history. Notably, Ceausescu made his ill-advised rallying speech to a crowd that quickly turned on him back in 1989 which then led to the Romanian revolution. Close by, there are lots of landmarks, such as the former Royal Palace, the Athenaeum concert hall and Athenee Palace which was the place on everyone’s lips back in the day. In such a historical spot, it only seems right to have a traditional treat. We’ll enjoy a covrig - a daily salty snack for most Romanians. The snack was likely brought to Romania by Hapsburg or German merchants back in medieval times.
Next up, Victory Street: named after the 1871 War of Independence. Although it took until 1918 for Romania to be fully united, hence each region has its own distinct character. This stretch is also home to a bunch of other iconic inter-war monuments, including the Kretzulescu Church, Telephone Palace, Military Circle and former National Theatre.
We head in to the old town - this is the heart of medieval Bucharest. Here you can witness the many diverse influences on Romanian food — the Balkan mici (skinless sausages), the Ottoman sarmale (stuffed cabbage leaves), Russian borscht and ciorba (sour soups) and Austro-Hungarian schnitzel. Cast your eyes over the lavishly lush interiors and princely courts, the never-seen-before tranquillity of an orthodox monastery and the great wooden inn of Hanul Lui Manuc.
En route to our final destination, we’ll get a look at People's Palace, the centre of Ceausescu’s megalomaniac attempts to re-shape the city and the second largest building in the world (only pipped to the post by the Pentagon!). Try some culinary specialties at a traditional hanu or inn. During the time of the ancient Romanians (the Dacians) so much wine was drunk by the people that their leader: Burebista completely banned its production. The inventive Dacians began brewing beer right away! Pick either fine Romanian wines and/or locally brewed beer, just like the Dacians would have wanted!
Discover Bucharest’s streets through the eyes of those that know them best: the people who live on them! Get to know the city in a whole different light whilst getting a raw yet real insight into the lives of others.
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Take in the city’s history while supporting an employment program for homeless, ex-homeless and vulnerably housed locals
* Learn the secrets of how homeless locals have learned to cope on the streets and gain insight into their daily lives
* Support a local NGO that secures training and employment for Romanians living on the streets
Start off in front of the National Theatre, a well sought out spot which opened back in 1852 and has shown an array of famous plays such as Macbeth, The Dinner Game and All My Sons. This area has been home to homeless kids for the last 25 years, sleeping on park benches, in the sewers or in the underground stations. Your guide will be more than willing shed light on the locals as you roam around the neighbourhood.
This Bucharest tour is run in partnership with the Parada Foundation which is a Romanian NGO and member of the Federation of Child Protection NGOs. The foundation supports homeless children, young people and families through its social and educational services. All of the guides have found their position through this collaboration with the foundation as a means to secure a regular income. They will paint a true and accurate picture of homeless life and demonstrate the skills they’ve built up in the field of tourism, whilst taking you along to Bucharest’s best attractions in an unusual yet unique way.
We’ll stroll past the University Passage as we head on over to the Russian Church and the National Bank of Romania. We’ll get to set our eyes on University Square, which back in the 15th century marked the spot of the northern limit of the city. In 1990 a prolific protest led by students and targeted at the government took place there.
After all of this gallivanting you’ll probably need to take 5. After we’ve made our way across the Old Town we’ll grab a coffee. We will move on to Unirii Square, where you’ll hear more terrific tales, such as the one about the private underground line that Ceau?escu wanted to build in case he ever needed to escape the wrath of the people.
Eating at a restaurant is just fine. But if you’re looking for more than ‘just fine’, if you want to meet some of the coolest locals, while they cook dinner for you, in an awesome location, then you are in the right place. Bucharest loves food in its own way. From the basic family lunch to the most sophisticated dining, every meal is a quest for satisfaction. Local habits will provide a lot of meat or hearty home cooked dishes based on traditional recipes.
Romanian cuisine is growing, bringing in a new funnier, crazier twist to old recipes and is reinterpreted in a modern manner.
All meals are prepared with high quality local ingredients, whenever possible organically sourced, by two creative cooks, Bucharest locals, with background in the communication business and a big passion for food and almost anything food related.
They love to share their passion and knowledge with their guest and maybe you can even steal some cooking tricks/ideas from them too.
You will usually be treated with a first course, which depending on the season can vary from hearty hot soup/ciorba during the colder months and lighter traditional assortment of salads and traditional appetisers, a main course and for sure a home-made delicious dessert.
Vegetarian/vegan, allergen free (gluten, lactose, nuts etc) dishes available on request.
Accompanied by our professional guides venture into the old neighborhoods of Bucharest where you will discover the history, the architecture and charm of places that most locals don’t even know exist.
The evolution of Bucharest shared many aspects with towns in the Ottoman Empire. One of these shared aspects was the division by Mahallas. Mahallas were small quarters of the town which arose around a religious building and which were often inhabited by a homogeneous community of people belonging to the same ethnic, social or religious groups.
As the town grew, mahallas fused with each other giving birth to wider neighborhoods that suffered through waves of modernization, earthquakes, wars and Ceausescu's demolition projects. This was the fate of neighborhoods like the Armenian Quarter, Mantuleasa, the Old Jewish Quarter & Batistei. Discover and learn about all the mixtures of architecture, cultures and cuisines. This tour includes: quaint neighborhoods full of history/landmark or strange buildings/belle époque and modernist architecture/the most romantic hang out places available in the city/the oldest house in Bucharest/art galleries and trendy local shops.
To top it all off, we have also included is some leisure time in Bucharest’s most beautiful summer gardens, in true balcanic style.
Bucharest is Romania’s vibrant capital city filled with a mishmash of grand historic buildings, brutal Communist apartment blocks and emerging 21st century designs.
Your tour will begin in the political center of the city, Revolution Square. Formerly known as Palace Square it has witnessed many of the most important events in Romanian history. It was from here in 1989 that dictator Ceaucescu made his ill-advised rallying speech to a crowd that quickly turned on him, instigating the Romanian revolution. Surrounding the square are several other notable landmarks, including the former Royal Palace, Atheneum Concert hall and Athenee Palace Hilton, the heart of espionage and intrigue in the years between the wars.
Leaving the square you will then head south along 'Victory Street' named after the spectacular victory of the new Romanian nation in the 1871 War of Independence, and one of the two main thoroughfares of the city. Here lies many spectacular landmarks of the inter-war period, including the 'Telephone Palace', Military Circle and former National Theatre, as well as the beautiful church of Kretulescu, one of the most famous in Bucharest.
After this you will head into an older part of Bucharest, exploring it's numerous streets, paths and passageways of The Old Town. This is the heart of medieval Bucharest, the literal crossroads between East and West, where Ottoman Pashas rubbed shoulders with Transylvanian Princes, and the city was a mosaic of different cultures and buildings: churches and mosques, princely courts and merchant's houses, marketplaces and ottoman seraglios. Among the many sights and stories of The Old Town are lavish dining, princely courts and opulent interiors, the exquisite calm of an orthodox monastery, and the great wooden inn of 'Hanul Lui Manuc', offering captivating glimpses into an earlier time.
Alternative Bucharest will explore the many different aspects of street art and urban culture alongside the history of the city.
Enjoy a journey in time as you witness the city and all it's magnificent landscapes and locations that tell a story about how it came to be and where it might be headed to.
Explore an indoor street-art exhibition, located inside a very modernist multi-story parking building. Experience the unique opportunity to visit the workshop of Pegas, a famous local vintage bike brand.
Continue your journey to the Street Delivery Festival, a symbolic gathering of civil society activists. One of their main mission is to transform the city into a better living space for humans, rather than cars and also to promote the street art movement in a country where it's still largely frowned upon.
Discover one of Bucharest's untouched areas, where it feels as if time stood still. It is also a location where you will explore the history of the city and its urban development: from its humble beginnings to its avant-garde architecture of the inter-war period.
We continue on a public bus from East to West, where you will witness more spectacular street-art as well as enjoy a walk through the oldest park of the city and its very interesting surroundings. Conclude the tour in one of Bucharest's secret gardens.
We’ll explore the depths reached by human beings in hurting one another. Cheap thrills are best left to Hollywood professionals. We’re interested in giving you a bit of a context, a broader sense of events unfolding through history in Bucharest. Start your adventure in the city center and visit The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance, a reminder of the cruel events that unfolded between 1950-1977. Learn about the Communist tourture methods that were used in the hundreds of deportation camps and prison across the country.
Next, leave the Golden Age behind and travel back in time in the begining of the 20th century to find out all about the sexy times that Bucharest had before the Communist Regime took power. In 1927, around 12.000 prostitutes and escorts were working in Romania. Hear the stories and legends of Mita Biciclista (the biker) and the beautiful gypsy dancer, Zaraza, that stole the hearts of many men.
Inside a former brothel you'll hear the story of ""The Vampire of Bucharest"", who would use a hammer to attack waitresses who were alone and returning from work. He struck after midnight during unusual weather conditions such as snowstorms, driving rain, high winds, freezing cold or fog. It was Romania's most notorious serial killer that terrorized Bucharest between 1970-1971.
After a short stop to rest,if rest is needed , we'll walk even further back in time, during the Dark Ages. We'll stop by the Saint George's Church, one of the oldest churches in Bucharest, where you'll hear all about the bloody feuds between the Muslim world and the Christian rulers of Romania. Beheadings, ambushes, treachery, martyrs and false gods, our Dark Ages have seen them all.
Finish grand inside the Bellu Cemetery (Bucharest's answer to Pere Lachaise), the first modern graveyard in the city and a place filled with love stories, unique architecture and sometimes even mysteries waiting to be resolved. We will only travel by public transport.
After 50 years of Communism and 20 odd years of transition, Bucharest has never been short of abandoned urban beauty. The renovation of the 19th and 20th century historical buildings was never considered a priority by the governments of the post-communist era.
The tour starts strong as we get to visit an old decaying house built at the turn of the 20th by a famous couple in Bucharest. Afterwards, you'll hear the story of the former German Ambassador's Residence and then we'll check out an old royal palace turned into a cozy hangout place - the Garden of Eden.
Our next stop is an indoor street-art exhibition, located in a 1923, multi-story parking building. Next we'll take the subway from the city center to the outskirts of Bucharest where we'll explore a decaying industrial area - the former Gun Powder Factory. We'll finish grand enjoying the sunset on top of a building in the area and then we'll get back to the city center.
With an original concept, combining fine steak dinning with a jazz and blues musical experience, Red Angus Steakhouse is THE casual dining American Restaurant located in the most picturesque and relaxed area of the Old Town Bucharest, viewing the Old Court Museum and Vlad The Impeller’s Statue, next to the very well-known St. Anton Church.
We invite you to taste the legendary tender steaks, made of certified Australian and South American beef, with an authentic and creative décor emphasized by classical American symbols, and a professional, but friendly service.
The variety of products is based on delicious dishes, such as grilled beef steaks, roasted marrow bones, fresh salads, traditional BBQ pork spare ribs, burger collection and homemade desserts.
Come on in, and enjoy an environment location, a personalized product dedicated to those people who appreciate natural and simple things. Every single element was carefully chosen by our designer team and has a story behind it. We recreated a barn build up from reused materials, enriched with classic American symbols. The bricks and wood are recovered from old houses dating back to XIX century, unique bar seats which are original saddles, bought from cowboys in the USA. Authentic American pinball, limited Harley Davidson edition of Stern producer, lighting bulbs made of Vespa and tractor headlights.
To all these, we add the best live jazz & blues in town, provided by Ellie Haddad from Lebanon, singing at The Red Angus every Wednesday to Saturday night.
Herastrau Park, Bucharest's central park and one of the largest city parks in Europe, is where you'll find the Hard Rock Cafe. A favorite of locals and tourists, the restaurant makes its home on the shores of the lake, just a few short steps from the landmark Triumph Arch where the main avenues of Bucharest's trendy entertainment district begin.
The largest Hard Rock Cafe in Europe, built on over 1500 sqm, HRC Bucharest has inside seating for 300 guests plus an outside terrace with a view of the lake and additional seating for 150. A menu consisting of Hard Rock's classic American fare interspersed with local favorites and our signature cocktails waits to tempt and satisfy your wildest cravings. But that's not all! You'll find the latest in technology while getting up close and personal with rock star memorabilia from around the globe: John Lennon, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Metallica, etc. And more if you catch up with our events and live acts. It’s all about the music, it’s all about emotions. Rock on!
Bucharest had in the past one of the most prosperous Jewish Community. In the Inter-War period, almost 11% of Bucharest's population was represented by Jews. The events of the Second World War, but also the migration to Israel transformed the community. Today, in Bucharest there are almost 3000 Jews. The community is very well organized, even if the Jewish neighborhood was destroyed in the 80s, during Ceausescu’s regime.
During this tour you will discover the most important Jewish monuments that survived, you will have the chance to see The Great Polish Synagogue, built in the second half of 19th century by the Polish- Jewish community, The Holy Union Temple that hosts the History Museum of the Romanian Jews, The Jewish State Theater, one of the first professional Jewish theaters in the world and the only Jewish grocery. You will also discover the Choral Temple that was just renovated and re-opened for the public this year. For the architecture enthusiasts, you will discover modern buildings built between the wars by famous Romanian-Jewish architects such as Marcel Iancu or Jean Monda.
On Saturday the synagogues are closed !!
Bucharest today is a nice city to live in, yet until the late 1980's, Romania was a communist state and Bucharest was a troubled place. Anything related to the west was forbidden to the extent that even talking to a westerner on the street could mean a trip to a Police station for an interview with a Securitate (secret police) officer. That era left its marks on Bucharest, a city once known as 'Little Paris'.
Your tour starts at Revolution Square, the place where the fight for liberation started. Then, you will continue your trip towards the Archives, a building that still bears the bullet marks of its bloody history.
From there you will head to Constitution Square and to the top of the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. Nicolae Ceau?escu, the General Secretary of the Communist Party, who's regime it was built under, called it 'the People's Palace'. Next the tour will move towards a neighborhood in the north of Bucharest, where you can see examples of the true socialist architecture, and some of the “bedroom quarters”. You will also get to see one of the famous 'Hunger Circles' - an ex-canteen from the communist era, so called because of the severe food shortages at the time.
On your way, you will stop at the Romanian Television HQ (TVR), the Romanian public television station. Due to the ""energy saving program"", the TVR schedule was severely limited to only about two hours per day during the communist era, between 8pm and 10pm, most of which was dedicated to the cult of personalities of Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena. The two hours of programming were half propaganda and half general entertainment.
You'll then go to the Primaverii neighborhood, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city and home to many politicians and local celebrities, where you'll see Ceausescu's house. Nicolae Ceausescu actually occupied a whole block of villas, including one for his security guards and one for domestic servants, and so, this place has remained an exclusive district since then.
Your tour ends at Victory Square, where you'll see Victoria Palace, headquarters of the Prime Minister of Romania and his cabinet.
Whether you are an enthusiast, a professional, or someone who is ready to explore the full potential of their new DSLR camera and move beyond the realm of point and click, we invite you to discover the real magic of the city through the lens. We already scouted Bucharest for the most unique vantage points. During the tour, we’ll share these privileged corners with you, along with various, must-have techniques so you can shoot your own stunning photos.
Explore the architecture, walk through the parks and feel the pulse of the city on this photo walking tour designed to bring an impressive blend of history and modern culture in front of your eyes.
By the end of this tour you should: identify the different architectural styles of the city, know the history of Bucharest: from its past to its western present, know all about image composition, know all about exposure / shutter speed / aperture control / ISO / lens selection and have gotten post processing tips.
Graffiti, Street-Art, Urban-Art; with nearly 20,000 years of cultural evolution behind it, it’s still art by any other name and nothing seems able to slow its phenomenal popularity. We’ve come a long way from the simple cave-paintings of our ancient past, and the amazing diversity of today’s graffiti has has shown incredible resilience and adaptability.
The once-simple idea of drawing on a nearby public wall has become something truly extraordinary in a world increasingly walled-off and walled-in.
Draw, spray, cut and create original pieces of art on a family-friendly street art workshop. This workshop will give you the opportunity to paint and receive instructions on how to create street art as well as graffiti techniques from local artists. Under the close watch of your workshop leader, you will get to make your very own canvas and stencil to take home as a memento of your time in Bucharest.