Best things to do in Bucharest
Find out more about those top places in Bucharest
Bucharest is a lovely, friendly and exciting city that offers historical buildings, beautiful people, fascinating museums and great cuisines.
It is the capital of Romania and also the nation's power house being the largest commercial center in the country. With a population of over 2 million people, Bucharest has embraced the world’s limelight and it is attracting thousands of tourists yearly.
When touring the “city that never sleeps” visit the Old Town of Lipscani for a dose of its great heritage, then stop by the Caru’cu Bere for a “taste” of the city. Bucharest is one of those towns you won’t leave rushing.
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Parliament Palace
Established in 1984, the Parliament Palace is a colossal piece of architecture that is also known as “House of the Republic”. It was designed by over 700 architects under the direction of chief architect Anca Petrescu. Located on Dealul Arsenalului, the building is known as the world’s largest civilian building with an administrative function, world’s heaviest building and also the world’s most expensive administrative building.
A major part of the Parliament Palace is still empty but despite that it contains several museums, receptions halls, government offices and the parliament hall. A visit to the Palace can be an all in one stop for tourists having a short period to stay in Bucharest.
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Lipscani (Old Town)
Take a trip down to Bucharest’s Old Center to get a feel of how the city was before the second world war. The city often called “Paris of the East” or “the little Paris” has been affected by earthquakes and wild fires in the past which has made it lose some of its old style, but a trip to Lipscani will certainly give you a glimpse of Bucharest’s old beauty.
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Caru' cu Bere
This is probably Bucharest most famous restaurants/bar. Located on Stavropoleos street in Lipscani, the building was designed by Austrian architect Siegfrid Kofczinsky and has been the home of Bucharest Oldest beer house since 1899. When you arrive at the Caru’ cu Bere you are first stunned by the gothic exterior before embracing the art nouveau interior, it is important to know that the food served at the restaurant is also of top quality.
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Cismigiu Gardens
If you are looking for an escape from the hectic city streets, then it is best to visit the Cismigiu Garden. Established in 1847, it is one of the largest, most beautiful and most popular public gardens in Bucharest. The gardens cover over 16 hectares of land and it is surrounded by artificial lakes. Also, doubling as a park it is an avenue to see other monuments like “The Monument of French Heroes” and “The Monument of American Heroes”.
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Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral
The Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in Bucharest, established in 1659 under the orders of the Wallachian prince, Serban Basarab. With its Brancovenesc style the cathedral serves several religious functions; it is the number one destination for pilgrimage on Palm Sunday. For tourists looking to visit, entry is free.
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Dracula’s Castle
Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle, was completed by 1388 built for defending Transylvania's border. The castle is now a museum dedicated to displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. Tourists can see the interior on their own or by a guided tour. At the bottom of the hill is a small open-air museum exhibiting traditional Romanian peasant structures from the Bran region.
