Things to do in Bucharest this December
December, the month of gifts and many smiles, is also coming with a long list of events, most dedicated to the celebration of Christmas.
The Christmas fairs are definitely the events to go to in December in Bucharest, but there are also season concerts taking place this month, as well as musicals and even a symphonic rock concert. Check the list below and add your favorites to the calendar:
- Check the Christmas fairs in the city
The main thing to do in December is get ready for and celebrate Christmas, and that also means buying gifts for family and friends. The Christmas fairs are usually the main places to go to find the best gifts, especially as the bigger ones also come with entertainment options for their visitors.
The biggest fair in the capital is, of course, the Bucharest Christmas Market in Constitutiei Square. The market, which is open between November 28 and December 26, features more than 130 stalls with traditional food products, mulled wine, hand-crafted items, season decorations, traditional clothing items, toys and other items, as well as an ice rink and Santa’s special house. Concerts and special programs will also be available for Romania’s National Day, on December 1, and for Christmas. More details about the event are available here.
The Romanian Peasant Museum also hosts a traditional Christmas fair between December 13 and December 15, but there are other similar events to try in the city this month, such as the Christmas Story Fair at Opera Comica pentru Copii, a fair of handmade products at Impact Hub Universitate on December 15, and the Christmas Concept fair at Palatul Telefoanelor on December 7-8 and December 14-15. Plus, Casa Universitarilor will host VegFair between December 19 and December 21, a special Christmas fair for those who have adopted a vegetarian diet.
- Enjoy a special Christmas concert
There are many season events happening in Bucharest in December, and the list also includes special concerts.
Johann Strauss Ensemble and master conductor Russell McGregor will bring the Vienna Crystal Christmas show at the Bucharest National Opera on December 18, the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra will hold its Extraordinary Christmas Concert at Cinema PRO on December 17, and Stefan Banica will have his traditional series of extraordinary Christmas concerts at Sala Palatului on December 13-15. Also at Sala Palatului, the special Christmas concert of the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra Vienna is scheduled for December 17, and the Vienna Classic Christmas performance will be organized on December 20. In addition, a special concert of Romanian carols, performed by Stefan Hrusca, is scheduled to take place at the National Theater in Bucharest on December 23.
- Go to a symphonic rock concert
Rock the Opera, a special show that combines the symphonic sound with rock music, will come for the first time in Romania in December. The performance is scheduled to take place at Sala Palatului in Bucharest on Monday, December 2.
The show’s special guest is Joe Lynn Turner, the legendary classic rock voice and former frontman of Deep Purple and Rainbow. During the show, the audience will have the chance to hear classic hits from top bands such as Queen, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and U2 in a very different way. Tickets can be purchased online at Iabilet.ro or Eventim.ro. Further details are available here.
- Go to a musical
Going to see a musical could be a good way to relax after Christmas. An option is the My Fair Lady production, which comes to Sala Palatului in a version that includes over 70 actors, musicians and dancers, 200 costumes, and an impressive stage setting. The cast includes soprano Irina Baianț, singer Horia Brenciu and actress/singer Anca Turcasiu. Further information about the show and tickets can be found here and here.
The special musical Mamma Mia! will also return to Sala Palatului in December. Loredana, Horia Brenciu, Anca Turcasiu, Ana Munteanu, Ecaterina Ladin, Sebastian Seredinschi, Cornel Ilie and Adrian Nour are just some of the top Romanian artists who play main roles in the famous production. The performance is scheduled for December 29. Find out more here.
- Lend a helping hand
In addition to celebrating Christmas, December is also about making other people happy, especially those in need. And, besides the many charity campaigns running in the country throughout the year, there are also dedicated events happening this month.
On December 14, donations for children living in disadvantaged communities will be gathered at a dedicated event organized at Expirat club. Those interested can donate whatever they think can be useful for children, such as clothes, books or sweets. Further details are available here.
A charitable winter fair will be organized at Maison 13 on December 8. In this case, the money visitors spend on buying gifts for their loved ones are turned into donations that will be used to organize trips for children from orphanages. Find out more here.
A popular campaign around Christmas is Shoe Box, offering a box of small gifts and useful things to children in need. Information about how this campaign works and when is the 2019 edition starting are available here.
- Go to the cinema
Going to the cinema is a popular activity throughout the year, but in December you can choose the cinema for the moments when you need to relax after a long session of Christmas shopping. The list of movies arriving in local cinemas this month includes the action/fantasy production Jumanji: The Next Level, the animated comedy Arctic Dogs, and the long-awaited movie Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
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