Bucharest has entered a new stage in terms of Christmas decorations, dictated mainly by private initiative and less by the town halls. Many restaurants, hotels and event buildings in historic areas have become attractions this time of year due to their increasingly elaborate holiday decorations. Ana Rubeli, the founder of the Cultural Association “Aici a Stat” and an active promoter of heritage, analyzes this phenomenon for “Adevărul”. She sees the festive “makeover” as an opportunity to bring the city’s history to the attention of the general public, but warns of the danger of hiding structural problems under string lights.
The year 2025 confirms a clear trend. Entrepreneurs in the HORECA area and owners of historic buildings invest considerable sums to create a fairy tale atmosphere. From Casa Mița Biciclista in Piața Amzei, to the luxury hotels in the Old Center such as Marmorosch or Corinthia, the facades have become real tourist attractions thanks to the decorations for the winter holidays. But beyond the impact on social media, this phenomenon has a beneficial side effect on the city’s memory.
Ornaments as a factor of cultural attraction
Ana Rubeli, the founder of the Cultural Association “Aici a Stat” and an active voice in the promotion of Bucharest’s heritage, believes that these aesthetic interventions, even if temporary, bring a gain to the public space. In his opinion, any method that makes passers-by look up from the ground and admire the architecture is welcome.
“There are some buildings that look much better and are well enhanced by these decorations, and they certainly become a topic of discussion for the Bucharest public. I think it’s important to find various ways to attract the public around historic buildings, and if Christmas decorations become an attraction, I agree with it.”explains Ana Rubeli for “Adevărul”.
She points out that cultural dialogue only benefits when it focuses on history and architecture, at the expense of other controversial topics that dominate the public agenda.
From opulence to sophistication
If in the past years the competition seemed to be for the most loaded decoration, Ana Rubeli observes a maturation of style in the flagship buildings of the Capital. The gaudy opulence begins to give way to somewhat more subtle concepts.
“Here, we really noticed this year a much larger load compared to other years. There were a few buildings that anticipated the Bucharest trend a bit and that, this year, became more casually decorated”remarks Ana Rubeli.
She offers the example of Casa Mița Biciclista, which abandoned the massive decorations of the past for a neutral tone, centered on the symbol of the star. The Hotel Marmorosch also adopted a more discreet line, replacing excessive figurative elements with crystalline decorations.
“Mița Biciclista has been extremely busy over the years, and this year has taken a more neutral tone, using the symbol of the star, or, finally, of the Magi, the Star that guides the Magi. Corinthia continues the tradition of last year, with a richly decorated facade. This year, the apartments on the corner are decorated as a kind of curtain. Marmorosch seems to me to have become a bit more discreet again. So we see that, in previous years, they were very busy those two flagship buildings, such as Mita Biciclista and Marmorosch, and this year, again, it seems a little more discreet”, stated the founder of the Association “Aici a Stat”.
The danger of “make-up” over cracks
However, enthusiasm for lights must not blind us to reality. The founder of “Aici a Stat” raises an important alarm signal. Festive decor is not allowed to mask structural decay. In a city with a high seismic risk, the priority must remain consolidation, not beautification.
“I think we have much bigger problems with the seismic risk or the structure of the buildings or the incorrect renovations (…) I don’t agree with Christmas decorations hiding major structural problems of the building. That’s where I have a big, big problem”says Ana Rubeli firmly.
Although she does not support a strict regulation of Christmas decorations, which she considers a secondary problem to the chromatic chaos of permanent facades (thermal panels, inappropriate materials), she suggests the need for good practice guidelines.
“It’s clear that it’s a fashion that we’re following one, two, three years out, both in terms of the use of plastic, flashy colors, flashy and out-of-the-ordinary elements. I think each owner can decide for themselves, but I think they need to be guided by some guidelines of good practice, both in terms of correct restorations and Christmas designs, but less so.” says Ana Rubeli.
Bucharest, a Christmas destination? We still have to wait
Despite the visual effervescence, the Capital has not yet become an established city-break destination for the winter holidays, as are Vienna or, more recently, Craiova. According to Ana Rubeli, travel agencies notice a lull in visitors during this period in Bucharest, with tourists preferring traditional areas such as Bucovina or Maramureș.
“I know it’s already a city break destination, but not necessarily for the Christmas holidays. I think we still have a long way to go before we get there. I have acquaintances who have travel agencies and who notice a lull in tourism during this period in Bucharest. We have areas such as Bucovina, Maramureșul, which are a little bit ahead of Bucharest, but with some concentrated efforts, but not only from the private area or NGOs that decorate a facade, but through a public-private effort, I think it would be the most useful”. pointed out Ana Rubeli.
