9 cool things to do in Bucharest

Bucharest is a mix of a Parisian centre and communist areas. It is one of the bigger cities in Eastern Europe and has multiple sights to offer. Although you would not need too many days to visit, it suits both a nice long weekend city trip and the beginning, end, and middle of an amazing journey through Romania. Here are 8 great things to do in the capital.

Visiting the huge Palace of the Parlement

The big eye-catcher of the city is the giant Palace of the Parliament. This is, after the Pentagon, the biggest building in the world. Besides, it is also the heaviest building on Earth. The building was built when Ceaușescu had power in Romania. Many buildings had to be destroyed and removed to build the palace. The Romanian parlement is in the building, but most of the rooms in general are not used.

The best thing to do is make the walk (about an hour if you do it slowly) and see it from all sides. Also, book a tour so you can see the impressive inside of the palace. The tour will take about an hour and show several rooms and views. You can book a tour online or walk by. We had to come back a day later because it was fully booked, so we had to be on time.

Price: 60 lei for a tour

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 3-4 hours

Visit the beautiful Lipscani

Lipscani is a fantastic part of the city to visit in Bucharest. This is where most tourists will be because it looks fantastic, has the most bars and restaurants, and is great to walk around. In the evening, it can be too crowded in some areas, but overall, it is great to wander around. The Parisian atmosphere is interesting and makes it worth visiting.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 day

Revolution square

Revolution Square is a gigantic square in the middle of the city. It has several beautiful and impressive buildings around it, and walking there is great. It is also the square where Ceaușescu had his last speech, when the people of Romania wanted him to step down. The speech meant the end of the time of the dictator, and a couple of days later, he got the death sentence. There were man casualties in 1989 during the speech, and around 1000 people died. This is a very historical place to visit.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

Find the Macca – Vilacrosse Passage

This is a hidden gem in the city, although in the middle of Lipscani is the Macca-Vilacrosse Passage, where restaurants and bars are present. It is fun to walk around, have a drink, and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere of the place.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

Enjoy a great beer and bite at Caru’ cu Bere

Caru’ cu Bere is a fantastic place to visit for lunch, a drink, or dinner. The interior is very cool, with a brown and authentic atmosphere. They serve their own beer and have great traditional Romanian dishes to try. This experience is a must-do because you will feel the true Romanian culture and food.

It is located in Lipscani, and it can be convenient to book in advance because the place can be very crowded.

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Enjoy the beauty of The Romanian Athenaeum

The beauty of the theatre is impressive. The entrance hall in the beginning is already great, but when you enter the theatre it is even more imposing. The ticket fee for the place was a couple of euros, and it was totally worth visiting. You do not need to take a tour to enjoy the building.

Price: 10 lei

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

Umbrella street 

Umbrella Street is the most Instagrammable location in Bucharest. There are hundreds of colourful umbrellas, giving off a very happy vibe! There may be many people making photos, so be patient to get a good picture.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 15 minutes

Walk around Cișmigiu Gardens

If you need a relaxed stroll away from the (not too heavy) crowds, Cișmigiu Gardens is the perfect place to go in Bucharest. It is a great park to visit to see statues, flowers (not when I was there in winter), and water. There are many sofas to have a seat on. This is a great escape from the city centre.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

Visit a match of FCSB

If you are a football lover, it is great to visit the most successful club in Romania. The tickets are very cheap, and it is perfect to watch. Tickets can be bought online or at the stadium (check this again). You cannot have beers in and around the stadium, and in winter it can be very cold, but it is worth visiting the match. The stadium is very big and impressive.

Price: Depending on match and seats, but relatively cheap.

Tourist occurrence: Very Low

How much time needed: 2-3 hours

Things I have not done, but can be interesting

• Arcul de Triumf -  the Arc de Triomph of Bucharest
• Visit Ceaușescu's house

• Visit Cărturești Carusel - A lovely book store

Final thoughts

Bucharest is a surprising city and absolutely worth a visit. Enjoy the beauty of Lipscani and the rough parts of the city. People are very kind and will help you. This is the perfect destination to go! You can go on a weekend city trip, but I will recommend you visit different parts of this beautiful country.

If you want to know what to do, check this out: