Shopping in Bucharest – malls & markets

The Red Dragon

A vast bargain-hunting complex

Dragonul Roșu ("The Red Dragon") is one of the largest and best-known wholesale trading complexes around Bucharest. It sits in the Fundeni area, outside the city centre, and holds thousands of retail units spread across separate pavilions and shopping zones.

This is not a regular mall. It is a huge complex of shops, warehouses and stalls selling goods across a very wide range of categories.

What can you buy?

• Women's, men's and kids' clothing
• Shoes and sandals
• Bags, wallets and suitcases
• Toys and games
• Kitchenware and home goods
• Bedding, blankets and towels
• Curtains and rugs
• Cosmetics and fashion accessories
• Decorations and gifts

Zones worth knowing

• Dragonul Roșu 3 – A pavilion dedicated to footwear.
• Dragonul Roșu 9 – Casa Design – A pavilion for the home: furniture, curtains, rugs and décor.
• Lumea Copiilor – A pavilion for kids: toys, clothing, shoes and gear.

Tips for Dragonul Roșu

• The complex is very large. Come with a shopping list and set aside a few hours.
• Terms differ from shop to shop. Some traders sell wholesale only, others also sell to private customers.
• Compare prices between shops, check quality and ask about exchange and return terms before you pay.

Doraly

A world of goods for the home and for business

Doraly is a large trading complex in Afumați, north-east of Bucharest. It brings together shops and suppliers from many fields and suits anyone looking for home goods, practical supplies and products to buy in quantity.

Alongside wholesale stores for resellers and businesses, the complex also has cash-and-carry outlets and retail shops for everyday shopping. What's on offer varies by shop, so check the store map on the official website before you go.

What can you buy?

• Household and kitchen goods
• Cleaning and home-care products
• Textiles
• Cosmetics and personal care
• Toys and games
• Stationery
• Electronics
• Food and drinks

Who is it for?

• Shoppers who want a huge range, business owners, anyone furnishing an apartment and travellers who enjoy big trading complexes.

A paradise for fabric and textile lovers

If you're after fabrics, sewing supplies or textile raw materials, Sam Expo is worth knowing. It is a trading complex on the edge of Colentina, known for fabrics, curtains, rugs and related accessories, and many shops stock up here.

It is about a kilometre from Dragonul Roșu, so you can combine both in the same morning.

What can you buy?

• Dress and home fabrics
• Curtains and curtain hardware
• Rugs
• Sewing supplies and haberdashery
• Home and décor textiles

Who is it for?

• Dressmakers and designers, craft lovers, anyone looking for dress fabrics, textile businesses and buyers of raw materials in bulk.

• Ask each shop whether it sells retail, what the minimum order is and the price per metre.

Bucharest's long-established shopping centre

Bucur Obor is one of Bucharest's best-known and oldest shopping centres. It opened in 1975 and stands next to Obor metro station and the famous food market.

It is an indoor complex with many shops, ideal if you want to shop without heading out to the big complexes outside the city. A big plus: it's an easy metro ride, and you can combine it with Obor market.

Around the neighbouring Obor market you'll also find plenty of housewares stalls: wicker baskets and woodenware, ceramics and china, plastic goods, pots, jars and preserving supplies, and artificial flowers.

What can you buy?

• Clothing and footwear
• Bags and leather goods
• Jewellery and watches
• Fabrics and sewing supplies
• Household goods
• Appliances and electronics
• Everyday essentials

For lovers of the unexpected find

Bazarul cu Amintiri ("The Bazaar of Memories"), also known as the Valea Cascadelor market, is one of Bucharest's best-known flea markets. Unlike the wholesale complexes, the fun here is browsing simple stalls of old and new goods.

You may come across kitchenware, pots, tools, ornaments, collectibles, records and clothes. You never quite know what you'll find, and that's part of the charm. It's worth a stroll for the atmosphere even if you buy nothing.

What can you buy?

• Kitchenware and pots
• Tools
• Ornaments and collectibles
• Records and cassettes
• Clothing
• Vintage items

• Come early in the morning and bring cash and bags.

A second-hand market with local character

In the Vitan area there is a trading ground best known for its car market, and next to it runs a flea market of second-hand items and assorted goods. Prices are open to haggling.

Sundays are the main day, when stalls offer an ever-changing mix. It suits anyone who loves down-to-earth flea markets and doesn't mind spending time digging.

What can you buy?

• Second-hand items
• Tools
• Household items
• Used electronics
• Car accessories
• Collectibles and finds