Tours & Day Trips in Bucharest

Bucharest has many attractions and sights that will surely keep its visitors busy for at least 3 days. Being Romania’s largest city, it’s also diverse with lots of things to do, events, places to hang out, coffee shops, bars & the like. Romania’s capital offers so many sightseeing options that all types of travellers will be pleased with. There are a number of Bucharest tours that will guide you through the Communist history & landmarks as well as French-inspired 19th century architecture. In Bucharest, you will find a talented local cultural scene along with street art & abandoned buildings, hip urban spots, green parks and hidden areas that will provide shelter from the bustling city. Here’s our choice for the top things to see on a Bucharest city break.

You can certainly go on a number of walking tours in Bucharest, or if you have limited time you may decide to explore parts of Bucharest on a bus tour. Though make sure to explore at least some of the city by foot!

Main tourist sights in Bucharest

Undoubtedly, the main highlights and tourist attractions in Bucharest are the Palace of Parliament, Romanian Village, the Peasant Museum, ancient Orthodox churches and the Old Town District of Lipscani. You will find that the majority of Bucharest city tours cover most of these. If you have just one day in Bucharest make sure to get in the highligts!

Discover the Palace of Parliament & Bucharest's communist history
Holding a rightfully-acquired first place is the famous Palace of Parliament also known as House of People, as former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu liked to call it. This massive building will surely impress tourists and visitors, whether from the outside or inside. With more than one thousand rooms and impressive amounts of marble, hardwood, glass crystals and gold, this outstanding attraction presents a unique glimpse into Romania’s history. Its construction started in the early 80s and was oversaw by the-then presidential couple Elena and Nicolae Ceausescu who played an essential role in lavishly decorating it, while the Romanian people were suffering from shortages of food and basic necessities. The Parliament House can be visited inside on our Essential Communism Tour which will also take you to visit Ceausescu’s private home Vila Primaverii, a ‘must-see’ for those interested in a communist Bucharest!

Catch a glimpse of rural life at the Romanian Village
Despite being in Romania’s busiest city, you can also get a glimpse of the beautiful Romanian village life and our rich rural traditions and customs. Tucked away from crowded boulevards you will find the outdoor Romanian Village Museum. It is located close to Herestrau Park, and contains life-sized replicas of village houses from traditional and representative regions of Romania.

Understand how our Romanian ancestors lived
You can also consider visiting the Romanian Peasant Museum to get a glimpse of how our resourceful, self-sustainable ancestors lived for hundreds of years in perfect harmony with nature. Finally, there is the National History Museum where you should not miss the collection of golden bracelets that belonged to our Dacian ancestors.

Admire the Ancient Orthodox churches
A Bucharest day trip is never complete without a chance to view some of the beautiful Orthodox churches in the city. There are lots of them and they are very impressive! If you only have the time to see one church during your Bucharest city tour, the Mihai Voda church is the one to visit. It is the oldest and also most well-preserved church in Bucharest and a rare example of medieval religious architecture. The church was constructed in 1594 by Mihai Viteazul, who was an important figure in Romanian history. If you are to do just one tour in Bucharest make sure that you have a guide to show you through this church. The Mihai Voda church has many stories to tell!

Eat, drink and have fun in Bucharest Old Town

One cannot visit Bucharest city without experiencing Bucharest Old Town, located in the centre of the city. The area has developed a very solid reputation for good restaurants, bars, clubs, and nightlife. Some of the favourites include Grand Café Van Gogh, Hanul lui Manuc, Caru’ cu Bere, The Gin Factory, Interbelic, Club A, Shoteria - just to name a few!

By day you can explore the cobbled streets and admire the beautiful Baroque-Renaissance architecture before stopping at one of the many cafes or restaurants. You certainly must try Romanian traditional cuisine. Cabbage rolls (sarmale) served with polenta are a popular dish for anyone visiting Bucharest, as are ciorba dishes (sour soups). Romanians also make great coffee!
In the evening, the Old Town transforms into party central and the music will be playing until the early hours of the morning. If you are looking for great nightlife, Bucharest is your city.

Things to do for 1-2 days in Bucharest

Walk along the wide boulevards: one of the things we recommend you do while in Bucharest is to go for a walk (or perhaps a bike tour) along the long promenades, the wide-boulevards crisscrossing the most important city of Romania. On your list should be Calea Victoriei (Victory Boulevard), Kisselef Road (Calea Kisselef) or Regina Elisabeta Boulevard (Queen Elizabeth Road).

The most famous and also historically significant street in Romania is surely Calea Victoriei. The best way to explore Romania’s most famous street is by foot, but be prepared for a long walk as the road is a full 3km in distance! On the street, you will find landmarks such as the Grigore Antipa Museum of Natural History and the Cantacuzino Palace. Not to mention some beautiful houses, churches and also shops! Not too far from Calea Victoriei is one of the most ‘Instagramable’ places in Bucharest; a passage filled with multi-coloured umbrellas. And of course, the travel bloggers flock there!

If you continue along Calea Victoriei it will lead you to Revolution Square, the place where Nicolae Ceausescu’s regime crumbled on the cold morning of December 21 1989, the start of the Romanian Revolution.

Bucharest also has an artistic side!
For those interested in the cultural and artistic side of Bucharest, tourists will be happy to hear that there are many art galleries in town. If you want it to, you could spend your whole Bucharest day trip just browsing though. The most prestigious with renowned painters and collections include Zorzini Gallery, H'art Gallery, Anaid and Artmark. A particular spot belongs to Galateca Gallery which specializes in avant-garde design. Of course, the National Art Museum located in the former Royal Palace building and the National Museum of Contemporary Art hosted by a wing of the Palace of Parliament are a must of art-lovers.

Observe Bucharest's architecture and city landscapes

Observe and admire the superb and sometimes peculiar architecture of the various buildings and important edifices you will see on your way, such as the Romanian Athenaeum, considered to be the most beautiful buildings in Bucharest.

Constructed in 1888 as a concert hall, the Romanian Athenaeum is an architectural combination of neoclassic and eclectic elements. Unfortunately, you can only enter during concerts and events but you may be able to view the foyer if you are lucky! Some Bucharest tours can also guarantee entry. If you happen to venture into the gardens of the Athenaeum for a spot of sightseeing, you will find there numerous statues of important cultural and political Romanian personalities.

Did you know that Bucharest was also known as ‘Little Paris’ during the interwar period? Bucharest has its very own Arc de Triomphe, which resembles its more famous Parisian brother! The Arcul de Triumf (in Romanian) is also host to a small museum where visitors view exhibitions such as: The Great War of Reunification of the Nation, Heraldry of the Great Boyar Families (bronze effigies, photographs), The Arch of Triumph in Images (photographs, all the historical models), and The Great Union of 1918 (crowns and royal scepter reproduced).

Enjoy a day in Bucharest's massive parks:
A leisurely stroll (or bike ride) in the magnificent parks of Bucharest is an experience not to be missed. You will certainly return to your home city feeling very jealous! Bucharest has a great number of parks and green spaces, but Herestrau Park stands out as the best among them! The park boasts a huge lake and also it’s very own island, Rose Island. There are lots for pathways for running, cycling and also playgrounds for children. Once you reach the northern section of the lake you’ll find a large number of cafes, restaurants, and clubs. Most likely the widest range of dining choices that you will ever find in a park!

Not exactly a park, but a protected reserve that you can only visit with a guide. The Vacaresti Delta has been declared the biggest urban biosphere in Europe! The reserve stretches over 190 hectares and is home to various species of birds and small mammals, such as foxes, otters and more. The intriguing thing about this biopark is that is was not intended to be a natural reserve at all. In communist Bucharest, several infrastructure projects were planned for the area, including an artificial basin. After the anti-communist revolution in 1989, all plans were abandoned and nature eventually reclaimed the land as its own.

Day Trips from Bucharest

For those looking to get outside of the city and visit its surroundings, there are some very excellent options to consider. Bucharest tours are a good introduction to Romania but if you want to really understand Romanian culture and people you need to venture a bit further away from the capital. This may mean that you will need to join a Bucharest city tour bus.

Bucharest locals’ favourite getaway
A trip to Mogosoaia and Snagov will take you to the locals’ favourite weekend getaway spots, with plenty of nature and history, too! Mogosoaia Palace is representative for Romania’s 17-18th century feudal lords and displays a unique architectural style. And beyond dense forests lies Snagov Lake, with the 15th century Snagov Monastery in the middle of it where Vlad the Impaler (the real-life inspiration for Dracula) is supposedly buried.

Bran Castle tours from Bucharest
Speaking of Dracula and castles, Romania’s most famous Peles Castle and Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle) can be visited on a day trip from Bucharest, which will also take you to the charming medieval town of Brasov. We highly recommend choosing one of our guided Translyvania tours from Bucharest if you want to see all three sights in one day, otherwise it might be a bit challenging for a do-it-yourself tour. You can also choose tours from Bucharest with other sights in the area, such as Cantacuzino Castle, 7 Stairs Canyon or even a hiking trip in Piatra Craiului Natural Park!

Tours from Bucharest to Transylvania
Another major tourist attraction in Romania which can be visited on a day trip from Bucharest is the famous Transfagarasan Road – the ‘best road in the world’ according to Top Gear. Located 250 km away from Bucharest on winding roads leading deep in the Carpathian Mountains, the road is open only from June until September and is accessible only by car. On your way there, don’t miss Curtea de Arges Monastery, a major Orthodox and historic sight. The Transfagarasan Road is one of the best Transylvania tours from Bucharest.

The Black Sea and Constanta: fun by the beach
You may have heard about Romania’s Black Sea – yes, just 220 km away from Bucharest is the city of Constanta and the golden fine sands of Mamaia the most famous beach resort in Romania. So if you’re longing to see the sea, hear and feel its breeze and find out how the ancient port of Tomis helped spread multiculturalism, tolerance and commerce in the region – consider this Bucharest day trip.

The Danube Delta: nature's wonderland
How about a tour from Bucharest to the Danube Delta? The second largest river delta in Europe! The UNESCO biosphere Danube Delta is further away from Bucharest and harder to access so you will need at least 2 days to learn about its wonders and sights. We certainly wouldn’t consider it a day trip from Bucharest but instead a guided bus tour for those who have more time to spend in Romania.

If you want a custom tour or have any questions - don't hesitate to contact us, we're happy to help!