Known for the forests of Transylvania and its packed soviet history, Romania is a great place to explore. A few years ago, we were lucky enough to find €13 flights to Bucharest and adventured through the city for a few days. While these suggestions are probably quite touristy suggestions, all the ones I’ve included are spits I would recommend for first-time visitors. If you have a bit more time, I’ve heard the Carpathian Mountain areas are stunning too.
Attractions
Romanian Athenaeum
So this place is BEAUTIFUL. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to watch a show in the theatre, but we spoke to the security and he allowed us to walk around on our own (until I stood on the stage and got us kicked out – don’t do that). Also just a fun fact: for its construction, the Bucharest citizens gathered money for 28 years by using the slogan “give one leu [currency] for the Athenaeum!” – quite impressive to see a community come together like that.
Palace of Parliament
Situated in the midst of town, is the largest building in Europe: the Romanian parliament. (For context, after the Pentagon, this is the next largest administrative building in the world). From 84 meters up, to 92 meters below ground, the communist relic is seeped in history and controversy. We didn’t do a tour of the inside, but I’ve been told that, to do so, you’ll need your passport.
Parcul Cismigiu
These central gardens are really beautiful and a nice place to walk around, have a picnic or eat at one of the restaurants on the water. We opted to hire bicycles and cycle around the park through to the Arcul de Triumf – an emblematic monument for a European city, similar to Paris’.
Cărturești Carusel
I understand it might sound odd to recommend a bookshop as a place to visit – but Cărturești Carusel is a beautiful space and, for those that love books, there are some amazing novels.
Grand Cafe Van Gogh
We stumbled upon this cute cafe while walking through the old town – it’s very ‘instagrammable’ and for summer, it’s a nice spot to sit outside with a quick coffee.
Stavropoleos Monastery
Also hidden in the old town, is this Orthodox monastery. We were lucky enough to see a service take place in the old church, and so cool to see how welcoming the locals were – it’s one of my highlights from the trip.
Old Town
Although odd to mention as an activity, walking through the old town allows you to see parts of history and how its modernised. From the pre communist years, right through to the new developments, it’s amazing to see. There’s also lots of little boutiques and cafes to visit along the way too.
Linea / Closer To The Moon
This is a great spot for a pre-dinner drink; to watch the sunset over Bucharest. Our visit was in the peak of summer so the terrace was open and had incredible views – the posts below must be for the colder months, with the igloos making a cosier setting.
Caru’ cu bere
I had Caru’ cu bere on our list because I had seen photos of its beautiful interior- I had no idea that the 140 year old Romanian restaurant would also have traditional dancing and entertainment. I guess it is quite touristy, but for good reason – I’d suggest going to a dinner!
NOMAD Skybar
I’d recommend this bar for a post-dinner stop – also a higher rise location with views, and it has a nice energy.
Therme Bucuresti
Visit one of the biggest health and wellness centers in Europe – made up of different rooms, with saunas and infra-red treatments nestled between the botanical garden. The pools are iconic to @therme_bucuresti; choose between hot and cold options, mineral pools, waterslides, and even the largest wave pool in the country. This is closer to the airport, so we opted to visit on our last day in Bucharest, and then rushed to the airport.
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