How many days do you need in Bucharest?

The top 8 places in the centre take about 2 days at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 4 days for the top 20 places within walking distance.

What are the top things to do in Bucharest?

Highlights: Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, Palace of the Parliament, National Cathedral, National Museum of Art of Romania and Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral. The map has 31 things to do in total.

How do you get from the airport to Bucharest city centre?

Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP): Train ≈ 25 min

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Bucharest Things to do and walking itinerary

Romania

Bucharest travel guide

31 things to do in Bucharest, where to stay, airport transfers. Pick places on the map and get a day-by-day walking route from your hotel with steps, kilometres and minutes.

Top things to do in Bucharest

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum — Open-air museum on Lake Herăstrău with wooden houses, churches and mills brought from all over Romania. (visit ≈ 90 min)
Palace of the Parliament — multi-purpose building in Romania (visit ≈ 90 min)
National Cathedral — cathedral in Bucharest (visit ≈ 35 min)
National Museum of Art of Romania — major art museum in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 120 min)
Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral — heritage site in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 35 min)
Romanian Peasant Museum — ethnographic and historic museum in Bucharest (visit ≈ 120 min)
Stavropoleos Monastery — heritage site in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 30 min)
National Museum of Romanian History — national museum (visit ≈ 120 min)
University Square — public square in downtown Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 15 min)
Revolution Square, Bucharest — square in central Bucharest (visit ≈ 15 min)
Kretzulescu Church — heritage site in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 30 min)
Bucharest Botanical Garden — botanical garden in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 45 min)
Cișmigiu Gardens — park in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 45 min)
National Theatre Bucharest "Ion Luca Caragiale" — theatre in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 20 min)
Cathedral of St Joseph — Roman Catholic Romanesque Revival cathedral in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 35 min)
Carol Park — park in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 45 min)
Piața Unirii — square in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 15 min)
Cantacuzino palace — Beaux Arts palace in Bucharest, Romania, where George Enescu has lived (visit ≈ 90 min)
Great Synagogue — synagogue in Bucharest (visit ≈ 30 min)
Templul Coral — heritage site in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 30 min)
Victory Square — square in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 15 min)
piața Constituției — square in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 15 min)
Crețulescu Palace — heritage site in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 90 min)
Cathedral Saint Basil the Great — romanian-catholic Cathedral in Bucharest (visit ≈ 35 min)
National Military Museum — museum in Romania (visit ≈ 120 min)
Mihai Vodă Monastery — monastery in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 40 min)
“Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History — natural history museum in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 120 min)
Yeshua Tova Synagogue — synagogue in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 30 min)
Tineretului Park — park in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 45 min)
Piața Romană — important square in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 15 min)
Saint Nicholas Church - Ghica — orthodox church in Bucharest, Romania (visit ≈ 30 min)

2-day Bucharest walking itinerary

Starting point: Old Town (Lipscani). The top 8 places at a normal pace (up to ~10 km of walking a day), in this order. Change places or your hotel on the map and the route is recalculated; distances are estimates with a street allowance.

Day 1 (≈ 7.9 km · 10,610 steps · 1 h 45 min on the way): University Square → National Museum of Art of Romania → Romanian Peasant Museum
Day 2 (≈ 5.2 km · 7,060 steps · 1 h 9 min on the way): National Cathedral → Palace of the Parliament → Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral → National Museum of Romanian History → Stavropoleos Monastery

Where to stay in Bucharest

Old Town (Lipscani): Packed with bars and restaurants; very lively at night.
Piața Unirii: Main metro interchange; walkable to the Old Town.
Piața Romană: Central, close to the metro, with good-value hotels.
Gara de Nord: Airport train and intercity trains; cheap stays.
Cotroceni: Quiet, leafy area with historic villas.
Dorobanți / Floreasca: Quiet, upscale area with smart restaurants and parks.

Getting from the airport to Bucharest

Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP): Train ≈ 25 min

Getting around

The Old Town and centre are walkable; the metro is fastest for longer trips. Metro and STB buses accept contactless cards.

Classic places to eat

Caru' cu Bere: Gothic beer hall since 1879; mici and sarmale.
Hanu' lui Manuc: Romanian food in a historic inn from 1808.
Lacrimi și Sfinți: Modern take on Romanian village recipes.
Casa Doina: Refined Romanian food in a historic villa on Kiseleff.
Beraria H: Huge beer hall in Herăstrău Park.
Origo: The city's best-known specialty coffee bar.
Cărturești Carusel: Bookshop in a restored building with a top-floor café.

Romantic views

Cișmigiu Gardens (Afternoon): An old park with a lake where you can take a rowing boat.
Herăstrău Park (Sunset): A sunset walk along the shore of a large lake.
Macca-Vilacrosse Passage (Evening): A glass-roofed old arcade filled with warm light in the evening.
Carol Park (Sunset): Wide steps up to a monument on a hill, with tree-lined paths.

Football stadiums in Bucharest

National Arena: Home of FCSB, FC Dinamo Bucharest
Stadionul Dinamo: Home of FC Dinamo Bucharest
Stadionul Regie: Home of FC Rapid București, FC Sportul Studențesc București
Stadionul Rapid-Giulești: Home of FC Rapid București

Good to know before visiting Bucharest

Fine: In Bucharest validate your ticket or card on boarding.
Fine: Zero tolerance for drink-driving; roads require a vignette (rovinietă).
Fine: Smoking indoors is banned.
Warning: Use apps or official ranks for taxis; beware of touts at airports.
Warning: Watch out for stray dogs in some cities.
The currency is the leu; euros aren't generally accepted.

Emergency: 112
Plugs: C/F, 230V
Tap water: Prefer bottled water.
Tipping: About 10% is customary.

Sources: UK FCDO — Foreign travel advice: Romania, Wikivoyage — Romania, T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı — Türk vatandaşlarının tabi olduğu vize uygulamaları · For information only; rules change, check official sources before you go. Last checked: 2026-10

Bucharest travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Bucharest?: The top 8 places in the centre take about 2 days at a normal pace on a walking route from your hotel. Allow 4 days for the top 20 places within walking distance.
What are the top things to do in Bucharest?: Highlights: Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum, Palace of the Parliament, National Cathedral, National Museum of Art of Romania and Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral. The map has 31 things to do in total.
Where to stay in Bucharest?: Old Town (Lipscani): Packed with bars and restaurants; very lively at night. Other options: Piața Unirii, Piața Romană, Gara de Nord, Cotroceni and Dorobanți / Floreasca.
How do you get from the airport to Bucharest city centre?: Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP): Train ≈ 25 min
How do you get around Bucharest?: The Old Town and centre are walkable; the metro is fastest for longer trips. Metro and STB buses accept contactless cards.
What is the emergency number in Bucharest?: Emergency: 112.
Do you tip in Bucharest?: About 10% is customary.

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