Enjoying a European capital includes diving into the day to day life of the city. The best free walking tours in Bucharest offers just that. An understanding of the life that goes on the streets beyond the usual landmarks. It’s the main reason to consider a free walking tour.
There are a number of them you can find, book online, and attend during your trip to Romania. Become part of a friendly group of tourists that want to learn more about this growing city.
If you’d like to visit Romania beyond the borders of the capital we can help you. TravelMaker offers paid tours that include some of the iconic landmarks that you should see for yourself while in this Balkanic area.
The Two Castles in One Day Tour is a great option to discover two beautiful Romanian castles (Peles Royal Castle & Bran Dracula’s Castle) and the charming city of Brasov in Transylvania. Book the tour today.
But now let’s find out more about the options you have when searching for free tours of Bucharest.
Unbelievable Bucharest
Behind this amazing experience that tourists can enjoy there is a family business. They have a growing passion for the city they live in and grew up in. It’s their wish to share their vision of the Romanian capital with as many tourists as possible.
The free walking tour in Bucharest idea came to life in 2018, after a lunch Catalina had with her parents. She realized then that she knew very few details about the city she grew up in.
She then researched and learned unique hidden facts that she rigorously checked. She collected stories from:
- Other tours
- Old newspaper
- Documentaries
- Memories from grandparents, family, and friends.
Their team believes in storytelling and presenting each monument anchored in its past and myths. They created an experience that conveys feelings not just facts about buildings.
In the main Unbelievable Bucharest tour, you’ll get a morning walk with a professional guide that tells you everything about the historic city center and the Parliament. As it’s a free walking tour your pets are allowed and welcomed.
Itinerary
The best part is that you don’t have to book it in advance for the English tour. If you wake up in Bucharest, then head to boulevard Unirii. Each day at 10:00 AM the tour starts there. The tour is offered in Spanish as well with a bit of a different schedule.
During the tour, you’ll find out more about the general history of Romania. It will all start with legends and stories about the Palace of Parliament. An amazing grand building that left an important mark in the communist era.
Tour continues over the Dâmbovița river next to the Palace of Justice. The neoclassical building was created between 1890 and 1895 from the joint work of two architects:
- Ion Mincu and
- Albert Ballu.
Then on the itinerary is the 300-year-old Stavropoleos Monastery. The building survived the big fire of 1847 that destroyed most of the structures from that period. Consider visiting the tranquil courtyard as well.
Further on, the free tour of Bucharest explores the street beauty of the french-inspired architecture and passages. You’ll get to:
- dive into the streets of the Old Town,
- hear the details of the Caru cu Bere restaurant’s past,
- walk along the famous Victoriei Avenue,
- wander through the Macca Villacrosse passage,
- sightsee the building that hosts the National Bank of Romania.
The tour also includes a stop at the Carturești Carusel, one of the most incredible bookstores in Bucharest. Next, the group will continue at Manuc’s Inn and Saint Anthony’s Church.
The walk ends with great stories about the legends of Dracula, the roman influences of the Romanian people, and many more topics. The last landmark you’ll get to enjoy is the Kilometer Zero.
The Unbelievable Bucharest team has even more themed free tours of the capital. Whether you are interested in ghouls and vampires or a communist background you’ll find an option that is perfectly suited to your taste.
They even have an option for those that are visiting during the Christmas season!
Even if the Tour is free it is customary for the attendees to leave a tip to the guide based on how much they enjoyed the tour.
Here’s what other tourists that have taken this unbelievable free tours of Bucharest had to say:
I really loved this free tour as I learned many facts about Bucharest but, at the same time, the guide Adrian made us have fun. Not only did we visit many places, but we were also told many advices about what to eat or what to visit during our stay in Romania. I highly recommend this tour. – Maria P.
Andrada was an amazing guide. I enjoyed and learned a lot during my tour around the city of Bucharest. – Masole12
Start Location: Social 1 Restaurant, Unirii boulevard number 1
Duration: 2.5 – 3 hours
Start Time: Every day at 10:00 for the English tour and from 12:00 am every half hour for the Spanish tour.
Guide Languages: English and Spanish
Booking Information: Some tours don’t need booking for the rest you can reserve your spot on their Facebook Page, or by calling +40768837619
Free walking tour of BTrip Bucharest
BTrip Bucharest Tours is a non-governmental organization with guides that are volunteering to show tourists this incredible city. The organization was founded at the start of 2017.
They consider it their mission to help anyone that joins them to understand the rich packed history of the city in entertaining new ways.
As the guides are volunteers and the organization has been around for longer, there are more languages in which you can enjoy their tours. Just check with them in advance.
The team is young and is eager to show you the city but also offer pertinent advice for your journey.
They offer two main free tours of the Romanian capital. These are:
- Old Town Legends and Stories
- Monarchy vs Communism
We’ll tell you more about the Monarchy vs Communism walking tour. If you like to get a slow start to the day and enjoy your breakfast at your accommodation, this might be a better option for you.
The free walking tours of Bucharest start each day at 15:00 in front of the Romanian Athenaeum building. You’ll see your guide in front of the building columns and a group forming around him or her. For this option, you don’t have to book in advance, so you can decide to join at the very last minute.
The tour focuses on the iconic Belle Epoque architecture found on Victoriei Boulevard. The street still holds the same charm as 160 years ago, when it was the first street to be illuminated with kerosene lamps.
Itinerary
The tour will include sightseeing, not just the Romanian Atheneum but also:
- Equestrian Statue Of King Carol
- Revolution Square
- Victoria Avenue
- Casa Capsa
- Cismigiu Garden
- Dambovita River
- Communist neighborhoods and
- Parliament Palace
In understanding the shift in social-economic perspective from one political system to another this free tour of Bucharest will showcase the progress and modernization during the Monarchy period but also the economic growth of the country in the Communist period as well.
The confusion in the regency period and the brutal transformation in the Stalinist era are also part of the conversation. It all boils up with presenting the pains, sweat, and even deaths that were needed for building the second-largest administrative building in the world, the Palace of Parliament. This is where the tour also ends.
Here is the opinion of other visitors that enjoyed the experience.
While in Bucharest we took advantage of this free tour- which was great! We learned so much about the history and culture of the city and enjoyed every minute. Thanks, Christine for being a great tour guide that really knows her stuff! – Frances W
Whilst in Bucharest I did the free walking tour, Monarchy vs Communism and had a great morning. Our guide, Alice, was extremely welcoming and her local knowledge, not just on the subject of the tour but also the areas of Bucharest, were fantastic! It was a great introduction into such a fascinating city. Thank you! – Bethanh924
Start Location: The Romanian Athenaeum building, St. Benjamin Franklin nr. 1-3
Duration: 2 – 2.5 hours
Start Time: Every day at 15:00
Guide Languages: English (the organization also offers tours in German, Italian, French and Spanish)
Booking Information: This free tour doesn’t need booking. For other tours or details on languages available, you can contact them on the site, on their Facebook Page.
WalkAbout Free Tours of Bucharest
The company WalkAbout started with a group of friends enthusiastic about Romania and its fascinating travel attractions. They created the Cultour NGO and the WalkAbout project in 2011.
Bucharest and Brasov is where they focused on but they want to expand to other incredible cities in Romania.
They are committed to transforming each destination into a place to explore not just visit. From this point of view, their free walking tours in Bucharest have an interactive aspect. The idea is to feel like you are living in that place, not just a stranger looking in.
Each guide that presents the cities is a local immersed in the culture of the city. They want to spark curiosity in their guests. Use their tours as a starting point for your adventure in Romania.
Itinerary
Their tour “Story of Bucharest” focuses on more than 500 years of history. The starting point is the center of the city, in the Piața Unirii Park. You’ll easily recognize your guide by its orange outfit. Two daily English tours are starting at 10:30 and 15:00. On Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 10:30 Spanish tours also start.
The feel of the tour is like having a welcoming committee in the Romanian capital. With a short overview that will cover the main historical aspects including:
- Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration behind the Dracula character
- The “golden age” – the Romanian communist era
- The revolution of 1989
- The current political and social climate.
You’ll find out details that are hard to come by. Your friendly guide will also answer your more practical questions. It’s a great option to consider for the first days of your trip to Bucharest.
Passionate and intriguing suggestions will help you add activities to your vacation. You’ll find out where to buy the best souvenirs, what traditional foods you should try, the best places to hang out, and current cool events.
During your walk you’ll pass by:
- Stavropoleos Convent
- Manuc’s Inn
- Revolution Spots
- Palace of Parliament
- Victoriei Boulevard.
The free tours in Bucharest are possible because many tourists donate to the organization. It’s what helps them keep the experience alive.
Their passion is best understood from the reviews they’ve received.
It was my first time with free walking tour. Our tour guide Mara was absolutely brilliant, with great knowledge about the city. Highly recommend! – Anetkayeah
We did the free walking tour with Tina. She was a wonderful guide. Her history lesson and stories were clear, concise, and easy to understand. Now we finally understand this history of Vlad/Dracula. Her speech about communism was excellent. Her English is great. She also gave us lots of good food/bar recommendations. – Eathereplease
Start Location: In Piata Unirii Park, next to the clock, on the alley
Duration: around 2.5 hours
Start Time:
- Every day at 10:30 and 15:00 for the English tours
- Friday to Sunday from 10:30 for the Spanish tour
Guide Languages: English and Spanish
Booking Information: For small groups and individual tourists, you don’t have to book in advance. For groups larger than 10 people you should contact them before attending either on the site, on their Facebook Page.
Your Options for Learning More about Bucharest
Beyond a free walking tour, TravelMaker can offer you a full experience.
To understand the emotions that sparked the revolution, you need to see the interiors of the Palace of Parliament as well as hearing the hardships the population when through so it could be built.
For this reason, we recommend you book the “Last Days of Communism” Tour. You’ll also get to enter the Primaverii Palace, the home of the former dictator.
Our guide will present you the historical facts but also showcase other landmarks of the tour including:
- Free Press Square
- The Arch of Triumph
- Victoriei Square
- Calea Victoriei
- Revolution Square with the Romanian Atheneum and the Revolution’s Memorial
- Union Square
- University Square
- Romana Square
- Charles de Gaulle Square
Some of our last guests had a great time on the tour. Here’s what they had to say:
We were picked up on time at our hotel. Valentin our guide was dynamic and very knowledgeable about Bucharest and the communist era. The tour itself was very interesting. We learned a lot of things and we saw the most important communism-related sites. The visit to the Palace of Parliament was very interesting as well. We recommend this tour. – Dan
We did know what to expect, but we wanted to learn more about Communism since we have studied it at university for many years. Our guide Valentin Paun was excellent – very informative, who gave us the fact and let us decide if good or bad! It was a fantastic tour, where it was possible to exchange and share comments. Congratulations! – Francois
Start Location: Pick and drop off from your accommodation is available. We’ll need to know the address with one day prior to the departure.
Duration: 4 hours
Start Time: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM
Guide Language: English
Contact: For more information, you can contact us directly either on the site, on our Facebook Page, or by calling or WhatApp on +40 735 525 710.
We also offer other alternatives of tours in Bucharest that include food tours like the Bucharest city tour and Wine Tasting Tour or Evening Tour, and Traditional Dinner. It all depends on the topics you are curious about and the activities you’d like to experience or taste.
Or if you prefer self-guided walking tours we have some suggestions!
The Full Romanian Journey
To have an incredible experience on your Romanian holiday besides free tours of Bucharest you should consider exploring other destinations starting from Bucharest. We recommend seeing some of the most memorable monuments.
We can help you plan a private tour that will include activities and stops that fit your taste.
You can also take a look at some of the most popular shared tours we offer. They include destinations that are close to Bucharest or further away depending on your level of adventure. Here are the top suggestions:
- Two Castles in One Day
- Mogosoaia Palace, Snagov & Caldarusani Monasteries Tour
- Transylvania Break – 2 days tour including Sighisoara
- Medieval Transylvania 3 days tour
Whatever you choose we’ll be here to offer you an authentic and complete experience. You won’t have to worry about transportation, the history of the places, or the times you need to reach a destination.
We’d love to meet you here in our favorite city. Come and visit Bucharest! We’ll be waiting for you.