Our recommendations for Bucharest

To Visit

Calea Victoriei is one of Bucharest's major avenues and a good central location to find a hotel. Most of the places below are <15 minutes walk from Victoriei, which itself runs from Piata Victoriei in the north to the Old Town in the south (a 45-minute walk in its entirety). 

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• Old Town – the historic center is a great spot for a walking tour along cobblestone streets with landmarks, cafes, and terraces

  • Stavropoleos Monastery – a lovely church

  • Cărturești Carusel – a cozy bookstore with a cafe

  • Caru' cu Bere – a beautifully decorated restaurant with traditional food and beer

  • Gioelia – great deserts (try the tiramisu in a cup!)

• Romanian Athenaeum – landmark and concert hall

• Cărturești Verona – another branch of the Cărturești bookstore with a cafe in the garden outside

• Palace of the Parliament – one of the world's largest man-made structures and project of former dictator Ceaușescu (for a tour inside, tickets must be reserved 24h in advance by phone, or possibly easier by third-party tour)

• Ceausescu's House* – closed on Mondays

• "Dimitrie Gusti" National Village Museum* – an open-air museum featuring traditional buildings, decorations, and furniture from many Romanian villages

• Therme Bucharest* – a nice spa & wellness center

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To Eat

For Romanian food, we recommend the sour soups known as ciorbă (pronounced chore-ba) which come in different styles (such as "ciorba de perisoare" with meatballs, or "ciorba radauteana" with chicken and cream).

 

We also recommend mici (pronounced meech) which are like mince meat kebabs served with bread and mustard, or sarmale (pronounced sar-ma-leh) which are meat/veggie rolls wraped in cabbage or vine leaves. For desert, we love papanași (pronounced papa-nash) which are like doughnuts made with a  ricotta-type cheese and served with cream & jam.

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• Energiea – laid back with a mixed modern menu; near the old town but not too busy

• Caju by Joseph Hadad – mediterranean-themed fusion

• Friddi – delicious ice cream

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To Drink

• La Mița Biciclista – a cocktail bar and terrace in a beautifully restored building

• Aria TNB – a sky bar on top of the national theater (access is via the theater entrance and elevator)

• Green Hours Jazz Cafe – a laid back pub with occasional live music

• Zăganu – good spot for craft beers

• Sera Eden – an outdoor cafe

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*>30 mins walk, better by Uber/Bolt

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Huge thanks to Andrei for the recommendations in Bucharest!