4 days in Bucharest was just as delightful and beautiful as l had imagined. Having been to other parts of Eastern Europe such as Krakow and Budapest, two places that we both agreed were absolutely places we would consider living in. He, more than me, but only because l am leery of the extreme cold as l have stated so many times l’m sounding like a broken record.
While Bucharest lacks a little bit of the sophistication and in-your-face display of wealth that is present in Budapest, it has a special charm in an unpretentious way that we found welcome.
Is Bucharest cheap?
After a day, we found ourselves thinking once again that we could definitely live there. The fact that Bucharest is extremely affordable makes it even more enticing. With the dollar being worth roughly 4 times the Romanian Leu (3.93 as of today), you can live like a king. Here is a rough guide to this delightful city. Therefore the answer is that Bucharest is cheap, definitely cheaper than a lot of its counterparts in Europe.
4 Days in Beautiful Bucharest: A rough guide
Romania and Bucharest specifically had been on our radar for a while. I have an online blogger friend, Calin who l met some years back in the FIRE world. FIRE meaning Financial Independence Retire Early. He writes about all things Romania and you should definitely check out his site.
Of course, I’d wanted to meet him forever. Living in Valencia now, we were delirious to find out that we could, at last, take a direct flight to Bucharest. It was so cool having a local show us around and this made the trip even more enjoyable.
Getting to Bucharest:
Being the capital of Romania, there are many airlines flying to Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport which is located in Otopeni, about 15 miles from the city center. Major airlines include KLM and Qatar. Several low-cost airlines also serve Bucharest. Ryanair, Wizz, and the Romanian airline Blue Air (which we used) among others fly there on a regular basis.
Uber works just fine in Bucharest and l recommend it. We’d heard horror stories of getting fleeced by cab drivers (saying the meter is broken, then charging outrageous amounts). Our flight got in at midnight and we didn’t want to spend time haggling. The Uber driver picked us up in minutes and we were on our way.
If you insist on taking a cab, try and find out how much it should cost or take a cab with a working meter. Ask before getting in. During our stay, we used Uber mostly. The other times, we used the metro which was surprisingly easy. There are 2 lines and helpful attendants.
If you plan on using your phone to get directions and translate etc. as we did, it’s a good idea to carry your portable charger phone bank. We use an old one similar to the Anker . It definitely came in handy.
How to spend 4 days in Bucharest:
Where to stay in Bucharest:
There are plenty of modern hotels to stay in the city. Everything from luxury hotels to budget ones. We ended up staying at an AirBnB after mulling things over. We wanted someplace close to the metro station, but more importantly, close to a really nice Italian restaurant that Calin had told us about and we wanted to try. Hey..don’t judge us for letting food guide our decision :-).
It ended up being an amazing studio with the most gorgeous terrace. Even the brisk weather did not prevent us from hanging out there. If you’ve never used AirBnB and want to, feel free to use our link to get $30 off your first stay. The niceness of the hostess and the fact that she was willing to meet us late in the night sealed the deal.
Hotels close to Bucharest Old Town:
Along with my search for AirBnB, I also looked into staying at hotels in or close to the center. The Old town is actually in Sector 1, but l actually recommend a hotel near it as opposed to in it and you can read a bit further down my reason for this. Our first choice would have been the cool Rembrandt hotel.
This hotel is located within walking distance of the Old Town and Cismigiu Park. Our requirements in addition to the closeness to a tram station were that the price was affordable and amenities like free WiFi and a nice view were included. Nothing depresses me more than opening windows and seeing a parking lot. This hotel would have fulfilled our wishes nicely.
Click here to find current hotel prices in Bucharest.
Recommended Fun Things To Do In Bucharest in 4 days:
Since we felt comfortable in Bucharest, we were not in a huge rush to run around ticking things off the list. We chose to linger and enjoy the city. Here are just a few things to see and do in Bucharest.
Parliament House:
After the Pentagon, this is the second-largest administrative building in the world. A palace of parliament Bucharest tour should definitely be one of the things to do in the city. We were lucky to visit this gigantic place that was originally meant to be a palatial residence of the last communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. I am going to do a separate post on this beautiful but cold building, suffice to say that it needs to be seen. I am always amazed at how these politicians live grandiose lives while their people starve.
He never got to see the building completed as he was executed along with his wife. I still remember seeing that on television. The rooms are very impressive and there is a chandelier that weighs 2 tons! It was absolutely beautiful. Read about our Parliament House Tour.
Tip: Make sure to call and book ahead for tickets as they are limited and ask if there is anything happening. For instance, we were there on a Friday just as a NATO conference was starting so we did not have the full tour. The palace tours were canceled for the following week that the conference took place.
As it was we only saw about 3% of the building and it took just over an hour and covered just 2 floors. Prepare for a lot of steps. You’d think they’d have elevators for the guests, but nope! We did see 2 small elevators but they were only for staff according to the guide so it’s something to think about if you have mobility problems.
The entrance fee is roughly 9 dollars (35 Lei) . Cell phone pictures are permitted. If you intend to use a professional camera, there is an additional fee of 30 Lei. The full tour is $13. Money well spent though. It is a fascinating building with wonderful, first-rate artwork and furnishings. The tours are led in several languages, including English and German.
Cismigiu Gardens:
In the central area of Bucharest is this really beautiful English-style collection of gardens. It was completed in 1860 with the plans laid out by German architect Carl Meyer. There are lots of monuments, rowboats, and fountains scattered over the 16-hectare grounds.
It is the oldest and largest park in the city and we enjoyed walking and people watching with C and his wife. The City Hall sits right across from it, along with some really cool pre-communist buildings on the grand boulevard. I can imagine how nice it would be on a warm and sunny day.
Muzeul National al Satului : Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum
An open-air museum set on 25 acres in the northwestern area of Bucharest, I think this was the true highlight of our visit. It is located very close to the beautiful Herastrau park. There are over 270 authentic peasant farms depicting how Romanian people lived over the last 3 centuries.
The houses were brought in from different areas of the country and we were fascinated by early life. We were lucky to explore on a sunny and dry day. We had intended to spend about 3 hours but ended up spending more like 8 hours, including a leisure lunch at one of the two restaurants.
Some of the houses were no more than one room shacks with really small doors. Either people were really short back then or they did that to cut down on the cold coming in (I think the second). The churches were exceptionally decorated, tiny, one could barely fit 5 people side by side, but they were beautiful. You can find out more information on the Dimitrie Gusti village museum here.
There is a small but very interesting art gallery in the lobby by the entrance. The venue also hosts cultural events and is definitely worth checking out. The entrance fee is roughly $3 and is a bargain at that price. The grounds make for a lovely backdrop for photoshoots and we saw two wedding parties having their receptions and bridal shoots which was pretty cool.
Stavropoleos Church: Quaint and a must-visit during your 4 days in Romania
This tiny but very ornate church also known as Stavropoleos Monastery was built in 1724. It is an Eastern Orthodox church for nuns in central Bucharest. Over the years, the inn and annexes were demolished and it, unfortunately, suffered through a series of earthquakes. The church is the only thing that remains, along with a library and objects of art recovered from other churches over the year. The architectural style is Romanian Renaissance and it’s gorgeous. Ioanichie, the first Metropolitan of Stavropole is buried in the church. There are some really old headstones on the grounds.
Entry to the monastery is free.
Old Town Bucharest: (Centru Vechi)
The old center in Bucharest is definitely the best place to see and be seen in the buzzing city of Bucharest. This area is what’s left of the city pre-World War II. In the 17th century, it was a merchant district. It remained so till the end of the war when communist leaders seized the properties, jailed the owners, and left the area to decay. After years of neglect, it is enjoying new life as the “youngest Old Town” that’s only about 3 years old and is now a hip destination filled with sidewalk cafes, trendy restaurants, pubs, and even a few risque dance venues.
The locals also call the area Lipscani after the boulevard that borders it. There is plenty of shopping in the area too if that’s your thing. You can get your souvenir items here and shop at big-name department stores. This is also what to do in Bucharest at night. Visit Old Town pubs and have cheap beer and spirits. While l’m sure it is a nice place to visit, I don’t think l would like to sleep there. It would be way too noisy and some parts are still pretty run down.
If you want to thoroughly relax while in Bucharest, you definitely want to visit one of the best thermal baths in Bucharest for the ultimate day of self-care. Pools, massages, saunas, and even a family area. What’s not to love?
Best Day Trip From Bucharest: Pele’s Castle
This is definitely one of the best things to do in Bucharest. We were lucky enough to make the journey with Calin. Peles Castle is a Neo-Renaissance castle situated in the Carpathian Mountains close to Sinaia. It is about 70 miles from Bucharest and 30 miles from Brasov so just a train ride from either place.
How to get to Peles Castle from Bucharest:
The train is the best way to get to Peles castle. There are several daily trains leaving from the Bucharest North Railway station (Gara de Nord) going towards Brasov, Sibiu or Tagu Mures. The stop for Peles Castle is Sinaia. The journey takes 2 hours. The trains are pretty comfortable and the scenery is amazing.
You can buy the tickets on the day of travel and you have assigned seats. Return tickets will cost you roughly $13 converted. The castle is 2 km from the station. You can walk it, but it is mostly uphill. No use in arriving too tired to enjoy the grounds. We took a taxi which cost about $5.
There are actually three main parts of the complex. Peles castle, Pelisor Castle, and the Foisor Hunting Lodge. The castle was built for King Carol I who was the reigning king when the country gained independence. This deserves a pictorial post thanks to its beauty. We only visited Peles. There was a separate admission to visit the other castle and we couldn’t imagine it being any more extravagant than the bigger Peles so we skipped it. I would definitely recommend visiting Peles castle over Dracula’s castle from what l’ve heard from other travelers. If it’s one or the other, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Related Reading: Peles Castle Rocks! 🙂
Food. Glorious Food in Bucharest:
We absolutely love eating good food and we had plenty of it in Bucharest. I was amazed at the variety too. In addition to traditional food such as Sarmale (cabbage rolls stuffed with ground meat and served with a sour cream side which l loved), Mamaliga which is their version of polenta cornmeal which Federico loved, Bean soup served in bread, Sweetbread, not to mention potato goulash soup and incredible sausages (my mouth is literally watering as l write), we also had amazing Italian and Turkish food.
I am plotting a comeback trip in my head :-). There are some iconic restaurants that are famous in Bucharest and we went to a couple that l would highly recommend. The one thing l noticed in the city was that there were no off-the-beaten-path restaurants. Basically, everyone ate everywhere. It didn’t seem like people go out for dinner like in the U.S. They cook at home.
Where to eat in Bucharest:
Caru cu bere Bucharest:
Located in Old Town, this restaurant is huge. On three levels and packed to the gills all the time. The space is absolutely gorgeous. We had hoped to seat on the main floor, but they only had space in the basement. No worries though, you can gawk all you want and take pictures, no one cares. It is worth the hype. The bean soup was amazing. Service is a bit slow, but that seems to be par for the course in Europe.
Trattoria il Calco Bucharest: (where to eat in Bucharest)
Mouthwatering food, fresh and delicious desserts, what else could we ask for? Built on a football theme, Federico really enjoyed checking out the old pictures. The service was fantastic. We actually went back the next night with Calin and his lovely wife and it was great once again, so thumbs up.
Had l taken more care, l would have remembered more places :-). I will keep that in mind next time.
How many days in Bucharest is enough?
Our 4 days were good to visit Bucharest. I think the perfect length of stay would be a week to fully enjoy the city. Visit more historic places and see the museums as well as eat amazing and hearty food. A visit to these other places in addition to where we visited would have been welcome too.
- Romanian Athenaeum
- King Michael Park
- Cotroceni Palace
- National Museum of Art
- Pasajul Macca
Our overall impression of our 4 days in Bucharest?
Our 4 days in Bucharest allowed us to get a feel for the city. These are just some of the best places to visit in Bucharest. We didn’t get to see any museums which would have been awesome. I suppose it means we have to come back for another visit. Bucharest is a beautiful city. I didn’t feel out of place there like l did in Warsaw.
It’s obvious that it’s still a city trying to find its feet. Go discover it for yourself. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. We intend to visit again and l for one can’t wait. We love the affordability and especially the food. Go visit!
Pin it for later:
Have you been to Bucharest or anywhere in Romania? What do you think? If not, have l peaked your interest?
While I thoroughly dislike Bucharest (used to live there), this is a great write up. lol. One suggestion. Skip Caru Cu Bere. Service is slow because every single guide book recommends it and they’ve gotten extremely lazy in the last few years. Not only in service but quality of food. About 5 minutes walk from here, in the center of Old Town is a place that’s far better and cheaper. Taverna Covaci. Excellent restaurant with great service and value. Also, if you’re in the mood for Pizza, there’s a place on the edge of Old Town called Latin Pizza. They sell pizza slices by the 100g. Around 15-20 different kinds at any given time.
I f you want to relax, check out Therme. An indoor thermal spa. Excellent.
Thanks for that compliment Prince. I had no idea you used to live in Bucharest. If memory serves me right, you are a big fan of Budapest and lived there too..or is it Prague. What do you dislike about Bucharest? I wish l could somehow figure out how to do 6 months there and six months in a sunny place but we have accumulated stuff and have the dogs too that it’s not really feasible, at least not right now. Car Cu Bere was definitely crowded but the food was really, really good and the interior is amazing to me. Perhaps because we got traditional food, it was good. Now l want to go back and try the Taverna and the pizzeria. Federico loves his pizza and we have been discovering some great ones in Valencia. Thanks also for telling me about the Therme. We really intend to go back again and want to check out other parts like Timisoara. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks so much for this. I’m considering Bucharest in the summer. This was a great read and helped a lot!
Thank you so much for reading and for the comment. I’m also glad that it will help with your planning. You’ll love it and l hope you have a fun and safe trip.
Bucharest sounds wonderful. I want to see all the places you’ve highlighted. Beautiful and interesting.
Very much so. I knew l would like it and l am so glad it was true. Federico still wants to move there, even with the cold 🙂
I’ve never been to Romania but I see that you compare Bucharest to Krakow and Budapest – both places that I’ve been to and loved. And your pictures make it look lovely… perhaps I’ll get there soon.
Bucharest does indeed remind me of Budapest and Krakow, and like you, I really loved both places. We now need to visit some other parts of Eastern Europe for comparison and l have a feeling l will really like places like Bulgaria too. Let’s hope so. Thanks for reading and l hope you get there soon.
Looks like a fascinating city….I almost wish i had seen this before we booked our holiday next month, it will go on the list for our next European jaunt,
I definitely think it is :-). I’m glad it’s going on your list. It’s an underrated place but being discovered more and more by bloggers and businesses alike. The internet speeds are ridiculously fast and cheap which makes it even more attractive. Poor cousin of Budapest is a good way to put it.
Such an interesting write up. We have never visited Bucharest, but you give such a compelling description that we may need to add it to our list. It would be interesting to tour, and learn more about the history of this place and its people.
I’m leaning towards a month for our next visit to Romania. I also would like to know more about the history and eat the delicious food. I know a lot of bloggers are discovering and moving there. We still have a couple of museums we wanted to visit among other things. Thanks for reading.
OMG – the Stavropoleos Manastery is knock-your-socks-off gorgeous and the food looks like the comfort-food you wish your mama had made! (Can you tell that Bucharest just climbed up to the top of our must-see list, Kemi?) How great to have a local blogger to show you around and give you some tips, too. We’ll definitely be talking to you when we plan a trip to Bucharest. I’ve long been fascinated by Romania and Bucharest looks like a place you could easily set up a base for a month, enjoy the city and travel elsewhere too. I imagine the big downside to planning a visit is scheduling it around the cold weather months! 🙂 Anita
I know right? The little monastery kicks ass. I can just imagine if the rest of it hadn’t been destroyed. The chapel was simply amazing. It was wonderful having C guide us. He is such a wonderful guy and l hugged him when we met, just like l did you :-). He’s like a little brother and his wife is so sweet and funny. The food is really, really good. Lots of meat :-). Yep..a base for a month would be nice.
Kemkem, Great commentary and accompanying photographs. I pinned this one for future reference. We too loved Budapest and imagine Bucharest would be similar. The taxis in Budapest were sketchy and we were told to stay clear. Must be an “Eastern European” thing. The hotel made sure we got a “reputable” driver when needed. Food looks amazing and just what we would go for.
You will definitely not be disappointed. It is a very nice country that is still rough around the edges but quite unpretentious which is refreshing to say the least. Haha! Yep..those taxis can really take you for a ride. Best to ask if the meter is working before getting in, and if they say no…negotiate a price before. I do think it’s a world thing, same happened in Thailand. They see dollar signs. The food is definitely amazing and l was drooling when posting :-).
I am really happy to read this article and even more so to find out that you really enjoyed Bucharest and Peles and you weren’t just polite. It’s been wonderful to be able to explore the city a little bit with you and Federico and I can’t wait to do this again. We still have a few things to see in the city and even more restaurants to try out. Hopefully the service won’t be as slow as it was at Caru cu Bere 🙂
Oh no..definitely not being polite and even if l was, you know Federico is not..haha! We really enjoyed ourselves and Peles castle is just insane. Right up there with many of the finer ones we’ve seen. I think next time, we will try for a month so we can eat more food, food, food! and explore some more places by train :-). We’re used to slow service..haha!
My visit to Bucharest was an abbreviated version at the end of a Viking River Cruise. I would love to return and make some of the same discoveries you made!! Fascinating!
I really have to do one of those cruises :-), and what a way to end it too. We are looking forward to returning as well as we really had a great time. Thanks for the comment.
Nice summary of things to do in Bucharest. I have not been there and would use this as my basic guide when I visit.
Thanks :-). You can’t go wrong for sure. It is a great place and l hope you get to visit soon.
I grew up in Romania and have not been there in over 40 years. Have seen lots of nice write ups about visits there, including yours, but I have a hard time getting over the memories of growing up during the communist era. Will have to get over it at some point and visit.
I don’t blame you one bit for feeling ambivalent about visiting. Needless to say, I think l would probably feel the same way. It had to have been a tough time in that country under the oppressive rule. I remember seeing the images on television when the people revolted and the capture and l just saw the video of their death and sentencing recently. I hope you get to the point where you are okay with revisiting. They are making some great strides.
Bucharest is simply astonishing and a great place to explore, KemKem! This is one of the best guides I’ve read for there. 😉
Thanks Agness. We really had a good time and can’t wait to go back. I wouldn’t be surprised if we stay there at least 6 months out of the year once we divest ourselves of “stuff”..haha!
We haven’t spent time in Bucharest, just transiting through a few times. But we did go to Peles Castle which is one of the most impressive castles anywhere.
Bucharest looks interesting though and your food choices, hmm, interesting 🙂
It definitely surpassed our expectation and we both immediately felt we could stay there for a while. Too complicated with dogs for now as well as the weather. I agree Peles castle is awesome and l am so glad we made it there. The food was awesome. Comfort food all the way :-).
The more I read, the more I want to go to Romania 😉
As well you should :-). We spent an amazing weekend in Brasov that l haven’t written about. What a gorgeous little town.