23 Great Things to Do in Bucharest, Romania

In this article, you will find all the best things to do in Bucharest (Romania) – a vibrant and interesting city in the Balkans – as well as practical information about visiting Bucharest that will help you plan your trip to this amazing place.

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Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is often considered a boring city, good only for parties, but that’s actually so far from the truth. This is one of the best places to visit in Romania and one of the most underrated destinations in Europe. There are so many great and diverse things to do in Bucharest that there is no way you can get bored when visiting Bucharest.

I had a chance to visit Bucharest a few times and each time I’m really impressed with the potential this place has. Sure, it might take a bit of an open mind to appreciate its chaos (it is on so many levels) but once you approach this city with the right attitude, it’s so easy to enjoy it and fall for it. That’s exactly what happened to me and many people that I know, and hopefully, this will be your story with Bucharest too.

After yet another trip to Bucharest, I finally put together this guide with my favorite things to do in Bucharest. I hope this Bucharest guide will answer all your questions about this place and will help you plan your perfect trip. And if there are still things you would like to ask about visiting Bucharest, please join my Facebook group about traveling in Eastern Europe and talk to the members and fellow enthusiasts of this region.

Why visit Bucharest, Romania

If you travel to Bucharest with the thought that this is “the Paris of the east”, you might be slightly disappointed. While there are many beautiful buildings that resemble those from the capital of France, Bucharest is so much more than that.

This is such a diverse place, and you can clearly see it in the architecture where buildings of different styles stand next to each other. But the real gems are often hidden inside as there are so many stunning interiors all over the city.

Bucharest also has a great vibrant atmosphere, not only in the Old Town that is known for the nightlife but beyond as well. If only you give Bucharest a chance, I’m sure you will like the place.

How to get to Bucharest

If you are traveling from abroad (except for Bulgaria maybe), you will most likely fly to Bucharest. The Otopeni airport is located less than 20 km north of the center and serves both regular and low-cost airlines.

Getting to/from the airport is really easy, there is a train not far from the terminal with direct connections every 40 minutes to the main train station – Gara de Nord (from here you can use the metro to go to destinations all over the city). The tickets are sold before entering the platform, on the train, or online and cost around 5 lei one way.

When traveling from within Romania or from Bulgaria, trains seem to be the most popular option. You can check connections here. I recommend getting the tickets in advance as you might have problems when trying to buy the ticket shortly before the departure (that happened to me recently, twice).

The main train station in Bucharest is Gara de Nord, easily connected with the rest of the city with metro lines M1 (yellow) and M4 (green).

How to get around Bucharest

Getting around Bucharest is easy too. Many of the attractions in the center are located not far from each other so you can easily walk everywhere.

If you need to go to some places a bit further away, you can use the metro. The tickets are sold in the machine at the station, 6 lei for 2 trips. The metro is easy to navigate and fine to use. You can find the map of the Bucharest metro system here.

How many days for visiting Bucharest

Despite the popular opinion, there are actually quite many things to do in Bucharest, and checking them all can take a while. I think the optimal time for visiting Bucharest is 2 days (this is a perfect city for a weekend getaway). This way you can see all the best Bucharest attractions and feel the vibe of the city.

Of course, the more days the better! Add some extra time if you plan to go for some day trips from Bucharest.

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Would you like to take on your trip the ad-free PDF version of this guide? You can purchase it, together with the offline map, by clicking here or on the photo below.

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Things to do in Bucharest

And finally, let’s talk about the best things to do in Bucharest. You can find them all below, in no particular order.

Visit Palace of Parliament

This is probably the most impressive place you can visit in Bucharest. The Palace of Parliament (known also as the Republic’s House or People’s Palace) is the second largest administrative building in the world after Pentagon in the US, dominating the central part of Bucharest. In fact, to build this majestic structure a big part of the historical center (5% of the overall city’s area) had to be demolished and some 40.000 inhabitants were rehoused.

The works started in 1983 and were fully finished in 1997 (when communism ended in Romania in 1989, some 80% of the building was done). There are around 1000 rooms, 30 ballrooms, 4 restaurants, 3 libraries, 2 underground parking lots, 1 big concert room, and 1 unfinished pool inside. Today the building is home to the Parliament of Romania and is used for various state functions and conferences but still 70% of it remains empty.

It is possible to tour the interiors of the Palace of Parliament and I can definitely recommend that. No words can describe the glamor and splendor you can find there, with crystal chandeliers, huge marble columns and so many details it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

You can get the ticket for visiting the Palace of Parliament here.

Explore the Old Town

Even if Bucharest Old Town is a fairly small place, this is where you should start your exploration of the Romanian capital. The rest of the city is a mixture of architectonic styles but here, in the maze of narrow, pedestrian lanes, you will find the charm of the past times. This is in fact one of the very few areas of the city that was not destroyed during World War 2 or the Civic Centre project.

The Old Town is the oldest area of Bucharest when the city was founded in the 14th century and until World War 2 this was the main merchant district. Still today, when wandering around, you can find the numerous remnants of these golden times in beautiful neo-Baroque and neoclassical buildings that this part of Bucharest is full of.

The Old Town in Bucharest is also the main nightlife hub of the city. In the daytime, the streets are full of cafes and restaurants where you can sit down, relax, and observe the world around but once the evening comes this is where the best parties in the city take place.

The Old Town is jammed between some of the main streets of Bucharest: Calea Victoriei to the west, Bulevardul Brătianu to the east, Regina Elisabeta to the north, and the Dambovita river to the south. The nearest metro stations are Piața Unirii and Universitate.

Find the beautiful Macca – Vilacrosse Passage

One of the most stunning hidden (literally) gems of the Old Town in Bucharest is the Macca – Villacrosse Passage. You can get inside via two entrances from Calea Victoriei and one from Strada Eugeniu Carada and even if from the outside the place doesn’t look like something special, it is a truly marvelous spot.

The pedestrian passage date back to the 19th century when this part of Bucharest became an economic hub of the Romanian capital and numerous headquarters of various institutions found a home here. The passage was made to be a shortcut between two main streets in the Old Town. The name of the passage, Macca – Vilacrosse, comes from the names of two homeowners who decided to sell their properties so the city could make this shortcut.

In the past, the Macca – Vilacrosse Passage was home to the first Stock Exchange House of Bucharest, today you can find there a few cafes and restaurants. But the main reason to stop here is to see the incredible beauty of the place, a fine example of the 19th-century grandness of Bucharest.

Visit Stavropoleos Monastery

Another gem of Bucharest Old Town is Stavropoleos Monastery, originally built in 1724 although ruined and restored afterward. Among all the churches you can find in central Bucharest, this is definitely the most beautiful one.

The monastery’s architecture is a real mix of influences, with Romanian, Oriental, Byzantine, and late Italian Renaissance elements but the main one is the unique Brâncovenesc style typical for the region. The stunning frescoes you can admire today are partly original ones from the 18th-century monastery.

Stavropoleos Monastery is definitely one of the must-visit places in Bucharest so don’t miss it.

Eat at Caru’ cu Bere

Located literally across the street from Stavropoleos Monastery, Caru’ cu Bere is hands down the most beautiful restaurant in Bucharest. If you are looking to try fine local cuisine this is a good place to start, and the stunning interior will make your meal even more enjoyable.

The restaurant was opened in 1879 but was moved to the current historical building in 1899. The amazing interior which is a mix of art nouveau and neogothic, and richly decorated with paints, stained glass, mosaics, and carved panel