Five Bucharest Tours Ideas for a Local Experience

Check our Bucharest tours on www.uncover-romania-tours.com

Bucharest will surprise you, you can be sure of that. Whether you’re just passing by on your way to Transylvania, you’re in town for a business trip or the capital is your main destination, you have plenty of Bucharest tour options to discover an intriguing and authentic city.

We grouped the most interesting options in five Bucharest tour ideas that focus on the local experience, beyond tourist traps and commercial attractions.

We invite you to discover Bucharest at your own pace.

1. Historical Bucharest Tour: from medieval to communist time

Few capitals in Europe have witnessed so much drama as Bucharest. A small fortified village on the route to medieval capitals like Targoviste and Curtea de Arges centuries ago, Bucharest developed as a commercial city. It was, nonetheless, located on the front line of Ottoman attacks for hundreds of years.

Devastating wars, fires, and earthquakes marked the history of Bucharest until the second part of the 19th-century when the capital entered an ample modernization process.

The former headquarters of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party

Monumental palaces and French-style edifices appeared on the newly created large boulevards of the city that became the Paris of the East until WW1 when it was by the German army. Freedom and modernization followed until the Second World War when Bucharest was massively bombed. The worst came later with the terror and destruction brought by the communist regime.

The history of the city is overwhelming and fascinating. Take your time to uncover it. Don’t miss the Parliament Palace, Ceausescu’s Mansion, and the Choral Temple.

Try our Historical Bucharest Tour or our Communist Bucharest Tour

2. Tour the museums

One day is the minimum duration for a tour of Bucharest’s must-visit museums. From major national museums that will keep you captivated for hours to smaller museums, often set in memorial houses, you’ll feel like you’ll have more options than time.

To make your travel planning a bit easier, we combined the museums in pairs based on the average visit duration and their main theme.

Jewel from the collections of the National History Museum

Art

The National Museum of Art, located in the former Royal Palace from the Revolution Square, and the Art Collections Museums are the must-see when it comes to art. Both museums are located on Victoriei Avenue, and you can buy a joint ticket valid for the entire day.

Smaller art museums we absolutely recommend are Stork, Theodor Aman, and Zambaccian.

Ethnography

The Village Museum and the Peasant Museum are unmissable if you’re interested in peasant architecture and rural folklore. Plus, walking from one to another is a pleasant stroll in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Bucharest.

House from Apuseni Mountains, the Village Museum

Continue reading more about must-visit museums in Romania.

History

The National Museum of History, located in the former Palace of the Post, and the Museum of Bucharest, located in the former Sutu Palace, are the best options. You’ll find both museums in the Old Town.

Statue of Roman Emperor Trajan, the National Museum of History

Be sure to check the schedule of each museum beforehand. Some of them are closed on Monday and Tuesday, the History Museum for example, but others are opened all week long (the Village Museum).

There are many more museums in the capital for you to visit, but we suggest you start with these ones if it’s your first time in Bucharest.

Check also our Best Things to Do in Bucharest for the First-Time Visitor

3. Tour the parks of Bucharest

Locals love their parks, especially on warm sunny days when these green enclaves become the main attraction point of the capital. Spread all over the city, topped by the Vacaresti Delta, the parks of Bucharest are the perfect option to snooze the noisy rhythm of Bucharest.

Carol Park

Our favorites are Carol Park, Cismigiu Park, King Michael Park (the former Herastrau), IOR Park, and Tineretului Park.

4. Take a food tour to eat like the locals

Locals love to eat. You can easily tell that by the number of pastry shops, one every corner, restaurants, and street food venues. They also enjoy their coffee and glass of wine. Discover their favorite restaurants and taste mouth-watering dishes and desserts during your time in Bucharest. In the end, it’s one of the best ways to truly experience the local culture.

5. Bucharest beyond the Old Town

There’s more to Bucharest than the Old Town and the famous landmarks in your travel guide. Old villas, small streets, neighborhoods from a past time, small shops and coffee places, a different universe close enough to discover on foot if you simply walk beyond the Old Town.

Our favorites are the small streets that intersect Dacia Boulevard, Dumbrava Rosie Street, the romantic streets that take us to Icoanei Garden, the old Mantuleasa neighborhood area, and General Berthelot Street.

A former aristocratic mansion, Negustori Street

These are five ideas of Bucharest tours you can take to uncover one of the most authentic capitals of Europe. Reserve at least two days to explore as much as possible. There’s much more to it than you imagined before coming to Bucharest.

Where to stay in Bucharest

Don’t forget to book your accommodation in time to be sure you get the best deals. You can find below a hand-picked selection of our favorite places. If you prefer a central hotel, our recommendations are Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest, Mansion Boutique Hotel, Grand Boutique Hotel, and Grand Hotel Continental. Check also Epoque Hotel, Cismigiu Hotel, and Marmorosch Hotel.

Booking an apartment is also a popular and more budget-friendly option. While there are hundreds of choices, we can help narrow down your list. Our suggestions are Vila Cotroceni Boutique, University Central, Bucharest Residence, Diana’s Flat, Cismigiu Orchid Garden, and Studio Old Town.

If hostels are your thing, try Umbrella Hostel, Podstel Bucharest, or First Hostel Bucharest.