A big city like Bucharest has many attractions to visit and not even one entire month could be enough to cover all of them. But if you’re on a short visit, you should focus on the most iconic places of Romania’s Capital. Some may say that those are the seven wonders of Bucharest, but I’ll just say that these are seven great places to visit on a short stay in Bucharest.
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1. Parliament Palace (House of the People) - the second largest administrative building in the world
Located on Dealul Arsenalului in central Bucharest, the Parliament Palace it is the second-largest administrative building in the world, after the Pentagon in the United States. It hosts the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, an international conference center and three museums: The National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism and the Museum of the Palace. It’s such a great and impressive place! And if you want to visit the capital of Romania, the Palace should be on your to-visit list. A guide will show you the most exquisite places and will tell you interesting facts about the building.
The Parliament Palace
Address: Strada Izvor 2-4, București
Price: from 10 RON (2.32 USD)
Opening Hours: All week 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Access: 1 minute walk from “Calea 13 Septembrie” Bus Station
Contact: + 40 733558102
Website: CDEP
2. The National Village Museum
If you are interested in the Romanian history, The Village Museum should be on your visiting list after The Parliament Palace. The Village Museum, located in the Herăstrău Park, it is a replica of the traditional Romanian village life. It’s an open-air ethnographic museum and it’s extended over 100,000 m2 (24 acres), containing 272 authentic peasant farms and houses from all over Romania. It’s a fine place to walk around and admire reminisces of other times.
The National Village Museum "Dimitrie Gusti"
Address: Kiselleff Avenue, 28-30, Bucharest 011347
Price: from 10 RON (2.32 USD)
Opening Hours: Mon - Sun 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Access: 5 min walk from “Piata Presei” Subway Station
Contact: +40 213179110
Website: Village Museum
3. Take a walk in the Herastrau Park
The Herastrau Park is a large park around Lake Herastrau on the northern side of Bucharest and it was opened in 1936. The park has an area of about 187 hectares (462 ac), of which the lake covers 74 ha (182 ac). The park is divided into two zones. One of them is a rustic and natural zone - The Village Museum. If you want to see more than the opened air museum, or if you are not such a big fan of ethnic history, then you can spend some time in the second zone of the park. This is a public and active place with open areas, ideal for recreational activities and home to restaurants.
Herastrau Park
Website: Herastrau Park (in Romanian)
4. Visit the old residence of Romania's communist dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu
If the history of communism is among your interests, you should visit the private residence of the last communist dictator of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu. The mansion’s name is Primaverii Palace because of its location in Bucharest’s Primaverii district. The villa was built between 1964 and 1965, and it has more than 80 rooms, including a cinema, a swimming pool, and an extraordinary dressing room. Elena and Nicolae Ceausescu lived the last 25 years of their lives in this mansion, together with their children Nicu, Zoe, and Valentin. The building was recently opened to the public, and you can visit it if you are near the area.
Primaverii Palace
Address: Bulevardul Primăverii 50, București 014192
Price: from 30 RON (7 USD)
Opening Hours: Wed - Sun 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Duration: around 1.5 hours required.
Access: 5 min walk from “Aviatorilor” Subway Station
Contact: +40 213180989
Website: Palatul Primaverii
Bucharest Tour Guide
Crinu Ivan
I have been a registered national guide since 2018 and I have provided over a hundred local tours in Bucharest. At least a dozen trips to different areas of Romania such as Transylvania, Dobrogea, or the seaside. Looking forward to going on tours with you!
5. The Romanian Atheneum
The Romanian Atheneum - a landmark of the Romanian capital city - is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city’s home of the George Enescu Philharmonic and the George Enescu annual international music festival. The overall style is neoclassical, with some more romantic touches. In front of the building, there is a small park where you can relax after visiting the building and admire the statue of Romanian poet, Mihai Eminescu. Also, if you are interested in more than the history of the place, and if you want to listen to the classical music sang in the Atheneum, you can buy tickets to one of the weekly concerts.
Romanian Atheneum
Address: Strada Benjamin Franklin 1-3, Bucharest 030167
Price: from 30 RON (7 USD)
Opening Hours: Tue - Fri 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Sat - Sun 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Access: 8 min walk from the “Piata Romana” Subway Station
Contact: +40 213156875
Website: FGE
6. Take a picture at the Triumphal Arch
The Triumphal Arch is located in the northern part of Bucharest, on Kiseleff Road. The first, wooden, triumph arch was built in a hurry after Romania gained its independence in 1878, so that the victorious troops could march under it. Another temporary arch was constructed on the same site, in 1922, after World War I, which was demolished in 1935 to make way for the current Triumphal Arch, which was inaugurated in September 1936. The height of the current arch is 27 meters (88 feet) and was built from the plans of the architect, Petre Antonescu. The facade decorations were created by the famous romanian sculptors: Ion Jalea and Dimitrie Paciurea. If you are in the area around December the first - the national holiday - don’t miss the military parades which pass beneath the arch.
Triumphal Arch
Address: Piata Arcul de Triumf, Kiseleff Road, Bucharest, Romania
7. Explore the streets of Bucharest's Old Town
Known to most locals as the Old Center, Bucharest’s Old Town is shaped with the Dambovita River to the South, Calea Victoriei to the West, Bulevardul Brătianu to the East and Elisabeta Queen to the North. It’s a beautiful place, full of history, old buildings and plenty of things to do. You can explore the streets, visit museums, dine at the finest restaurants, go shopping or anything else you feel like doing.
Old Town
Address: Central Bucharest
The gems of Bucharest
Those are just seven of Bucharest’s wonders, there are many more out there, but if you visit those you will shape a bright image about the capital of Romania and its most iconic attractions.
History
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