Bucharest tours allow you to discover a blend of tradition, modernity, and contemporary internationalism while visiting the must-see attractions. With so many competing influences, one would suspect that the natural culture of Bucharest would be stifled.
Bucharest has a unique culture that must be experienced to be fully appreciated.
Practical information for a first-time visitor
Currency
Romania’s currency is Leu, the abbreviation that you will find everywhere is RON. You can find very easily exchange at banks or authorized exchange offices.
Another thing to consider while planning your trip is the weather conditions, read this article to choose the best time to visit Bucharest.
Transportation
Being the capital of Romania, Bucharest is quite a busy city, especially during the weekdays when the local people are going to work.
There are many options to choose for transportation while you are visiting the city, but the most useful one is the metro. The attractions in Bucharest are not very close to each other but in every part of the city, you want to travel to, choosing the metro is always the fastest one.
We have put together an article with all the information you need to travel by metro in Bucharest.
Top 5 sights in Bucharest
1. Old Town
A lively and colorful carousel of shops, restaurants, bars, and historic buildings spread on narrow streets that emerged around the beginning of the last century.
Discover here the top sites in the Old Town.
2. The Romanian Athenaeum
The landmark of the city and the main classical music concert hall of Bucharest, home to the Philharmonic and host of the annual George Enescu international music festival, Str. Benjamin Franklin, 1-3.
Find out the story of this iconic building.
3. The Arch of Triumph
The iconic monument of Bucharest was erected to celebrate the country’s victory in the First World War and as a symbol of the country’s unity. It represents one of the reasons why Bucharest was called the “little Paris” between the two World Wars.
Why you should add it to your travel list? Find out here.
4. Revolution Square
This is considered to be the place where the anti-communist revolution started in December 1989 while the former dictator was giving his last speech from the balcony of the building hosting the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party.
5. University Square
Ground zero of Bucharest, the meeting point for locals and visitors alike, took the name from the prestigious University of Bucharest located on one side. Check also the impressive buildings: Intercontinental hotel built in the sixties, the National Theatre, Coltea Hospital – the oldest hospital in Bucharest, and the Museum of Bucharest.
Top 5 Museums in Bucharest
1. Village Museum “Dimitrie Gusti”
A massive open-air museum that offers a picturesque look of traditional Romanian village life. There are over 300 old houses brought piece by piece from different areas of Romania like Transylvania, Oltenia, Dobrogea, Bucovina, and Maramures. The oldest house in the museum is more than 300 years old.
2. Spring Palace (Ceausescu Residence)
The former private residence of the Romanian dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, the communist head of state. The Spring Palace was built in 1960 and it has 80 rooms, a swimming pool, and even a cinema. The interior is decorated with silk wallpaper, wood paneling, and paintings signed by famous Romanian painters.
3. Palace of Parliament
The most visited museum in the city and the second-largest building in the world after the Pentagon. It was built during the communist regime and turned into an administrative building during the mid-nineties.
Read also: 5 interesting things you must know about the people house
4. Cotroceni Museum (Presidential Palace)
A stunning baroque palace from the late 19th century which used to be the residence of the second Royal couple of Romania, King Ferdinand and Queen Marie. The building is now the official residence of the Romanian president.
5. Museum of the Romanian Peasant
It houses an impressive collection of peasant objects, the largest in Romania. These traditional items are divided into the following categories: ceramics, peasant costumes, agricultural tools, traditional furniture, icons, wooden and religious objects which helps you better understand the culture of the village.
What parks you should visit in Bucharest?
There are many amazing parks in the city, actually, every neighborhood of Bucharest has a park nearby. In this way, you can explore parks and stroll around the neighborhood to admire the architecture of some houses.
Another great part is that while visiting a park you can also choose to have an activity such as riding a bicycle, joining a boat trip or playing all sorts of sports.
From all parks, we have chosen 4 of the most interesting parks you should visit.
Where to buy souvenirs?
Souvenirs…yes, this is a very serious topic, and Bucharest has a lot to offer. From handmade traditional jewelry, mugs, Romanian traditional “ie” too many homemade products such as honey, Romanian Wine, tuica/palinka, fruit jam.
Choosing the best souvenir for your loved ones might be hard but no worries, we’ve got you covered, we have a complete guide of what souvenirs you can buy from Bucharest.
To make sure you get to enjoy Bucharest at its full potential feel free to contact us and we can help you plan your activities to enrich your experience. Just send us an email at reservations@travelmaker.ro or give us a call at +40 735 525 710.
