how to spend a day in Bucharest, Romania: a complete travel itinerary
1 day in Bucharest is just enough to scratch the surface of the Romanian city. In 24 hours, you can try some of the city’s food, join a walking tour, and explore the city’s offbeat art.
Are you looking for a unique European destination that's off the beaten track? Look no further than Bucharest, Romania's charming capital city. From picturesque villages and stunning landscapes to intriguing vampire legends and traditional horse-drawn carriages, Bucharest has it all. Join me as I take you through a comprehensive travel itinerary for exploring the city in just one day. Whether you're a history buff, a foodie, or simply in search of adventure, this guide will help you make the most of your time in Romania's captivating capital. Get ready to fall in love with the beauty and charm of Bucharest!
how to get AROUND BUCHAREST ↴
Knowing how to get from place to place makes a single day in any destination run smoother. For Bucharest, it’s easiest and cheapest to walk around the Old Town and central part of the city. However, to get to the Arc de Triomphe, and for those staying on the outskirts of Bucharest, the metro is an affordable and easy-to-navigate alternative. You can buy tickets for public transportation in the city at ticket booths like the one pictured above. You can also buy metro tickets inside the metro station. Cash is typically the only form of payment accepted at the ticket booths on the street {though there are exceptions}, while the metro ticket machines accept cards.
Psst…there is also a map at the end of this blog to help you find your way.
8:30am - Visit the Basilica Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony is the patron saint of lost things. Locals often come here to pray to Saint Anthony for help in finding items they might have lost, including everything from lovers to their car keys. Start your morning by praying to Saint Anthony to find anything you might have lost on your travels at the basilica. From here, you’re only a 2-minute walk to your next stop of the day.
9AM - coffee at The Urbanist
The Urbanist is located in the Old Town of Bucharest, making it an ideal place to start your day in the city. Despite the hours listed on Google, the café doesn’t really open until closer to 9AM. The chai latte I had was the perfect kickstart to a day on my feet exploring. The Urbanist not only has a gorgeous aesthetic, it doubles as a menswear store. If you feel like picking up something for a man in your life, this is the coolest place in town to grab a t-shirt or a hoodies.
10AM - pop into Cărturești Carusel
Cărturești Carusel is a modern bookstore set in the heart of Old Town Bucharest. The building which currently houses it was originally built by a family of wealthy bankers. After the Communist era of the 1990s, the bank, which was used as a general store for a time, began to fall into a dilapidated state. It wasn’t until 2015 that the building was restored to its original glory and transformed into a bookstore.
The Instagram-famous bookstore, which is named one of the most beautiful in the world time and again, opens at 10AM. If you want to snap a photo without crowds of people or enjoy a new read without being in the background of other peoples’ photos, get there at opening. I arrived at 10AM on the dot and my travel companion and I were the only ones there.
There are a large selection of English books, and most are at a very reasonable price, so support the local store by grabbing something to read if you can spare the cash and the space in your suitcase.
10:30AM - see Bucharest with free Walkabout tour
One thing that I’ve slowly gotten into during my latest jaunt around Europe is the free walking tour. Most cities offer some kind of free tour, where a local guide gives you information and, at the end of the tour, you can thank them with a tip.
The Bucharest tour starts at 10:30AM and lasts around 2.5 hours. You’ll meet the guide by the fountains in Unirii Square Park. Among other things, you’ll get to learn all about Bucharest’s communist era, hear true stories that inspired the tale of Dracula, and giggle at a major Michael Jackson mix-up. It’s definitely worth spending a few hours gathering some context for the city.
1PM - try local cuisine + the national desert at La Mama
After a long tour on your feet, you’re going to want to grab a bite to eat. Most restaurants in Bucharest have lunch specials! They look a little different everywhere, but they are definitely the best bang for your buck and the most cost effective way to try the local cuisine. At La Mama, you can have a starter and a main course for 25 RON {approx. USD $5.81} or a main and a dessert for 35 RON (approx. USD$8). I had the vegetarian halloumi burger for my main and the national dessert, papanasi, to finish my meal. It was definitely one of my more expensive meals in Eastern Europe, but it was a steal to eat in that setting.
2PM - visit the Instagram-famous umbrella lane
Truth be told, the umbrella lane in Bucharest is not the most impressive I’ve seen, especially after Istanbul and Sofia each had their own takes on the photo-worthy alley decor. However, the umbrella lane in Bucharest is on your way {if you’re walking} to…
2:15PM - peep the city’s street art
Strada Arthur Verona is an area of the city that is easy to access and covered with beautiful murals in an attempt to liven up Bucharest. The vibrant walls in this part of the city, away from Old Town, are part of a community art project.
4PM - gaze upon the heaviest, largest, + most expensive parliament building in Europe
Wandering around Bucharest, you’ll slowly make your way to the Parliament building, often referred to as the Palace of Parliament. Why the fancy name? Romania looked to France as an example of sophisticated society and architecture {more on this below}. The parliament building in Bucharest sets quite a few records thanks to the last “president” from the communist era who had Napoleon syndrome.
You can actually take a tour inside parliament, but you have to book in advance so that the Romanian government can give you a background check, etc. I didn’t know about this until too late, so I can’t in good conscious recommend this. However, I be very keen to check out the inside to see where the €8 billion that went into its construction went.
6:30PM - sunset picnic at the arc de triomphe
You read that correctly. In between the two World Wars, Bucharest became the “Little Paris of the East”. Basically, the people in charge at the time were a bit obsessed with all things French and so they decided to imitate Paris, to the point that not only is the general architecture but also exact landmarks, like the Arc de Triomphe. The Bucharest version sits near an open park with plenty of benches that makes for a lovely {and a bit of a romantic} spot for sunset.
MAP ↴
Find everything you need to plan the perfect day in Bucharest, Romania on the map below.
