3 days in Bucharest, Romania: a fun itinerary

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3 days in Bucharest, Romania, is a good amount of time to get a feel for this unusual and cool city. A lot of people seem to just use Bucharest as somewhere to fly into and immediately leave to head for the Romanian countryside. But it’s very much a city worth spending a few days in in its own right, so I thought I’d put together a little Bucharest itinerary so that you can get to know it and hopefully enjoy it as much as I do.

Often heralded as ‘the new Berlin’, Bucharest full of gritty architecture, surprising green spaces, and hip places to eat and drink. It has a real ‘alternative’ vibe to it. It isn’t particularly pretty and appealing on the surface, but there’s something glorious about its decrepit grandeur. Bucharest has grand Parisian-style architecture lining wide boulevards, a thriving café culture, and a fascinating, unique history. Quirky museums, incredible food and hidden gems mean that it’s definitely worth spending some time in Romania’s capital.

So here’s my itinerary to help you make the most of your 3 days in Bucharest, Romania…

3 days in Bucharest: day 1

Go on the Bucharest free walking tour

There’s no better way to get a quick overview of a new city than with a free walking tour – and you’re only obliged to give a tip.

The Walkabout free walking tour meets at Unirii Square Park at 10:30am and 6pm. It lasts about 2 hours 30 mins. It covers Dracula (obvs), communism, the revolution, and the protests in Romania today.

If you’re after a colourful umbrella shot, you can find this little display in Pasajul Victoria.

Have a vegan lunch at Aubergine

I thought finding vegan food in Bucharest might be a challenge, tbh. But after a brief bit of research, I realised you’ll be spoilt for choice.

I hugely recommend having lunch at Aubergine.

It’s in a really quite horrible bit of the old town, basically a street lined with touristy restaurants that all have people trying to lure you in. The kind of area I’d normally avoid with a serious barge pole. But Aubergine had been so well rated by people on TripAdvisor and other travel bloggers I’d checked with that I decided to hunt it down and see what it was like.

It was immediately obvious that it was a little oasis for locals in a sea of tack. Inside is stunning, with loads of reclaimed doors painted up and secured to the walls above gorgeous tiled floors and indoor olive trees. The food is superb.

See the Palace of Parliament: the world’s second-largest administrative building

Head to the ginormous Palace of Parliament.

It’s the world’s second-largest administrative building apparently, which makes me question everything about the word ‘largest’. Does it mean how much land it covers? Width? Length? Mass? Who knows.

It was built as a palace for Nicolae Ceauşescu (the dictator with terrible taste in bathrooms who they killed live on TV, but more on him later). But he was overthrown and shot before it was completed. It’s now an international conference centre, naturally.

You can book a tour, but unless you’re more than 10 people (who has that many friends?!), you can only do it by phone. I think you can also see some of its insides as part of a communism-themed walking tour, so check TripAdvisor if you’re desperate to see inside.

I’d say seeing it from outside is enough to grasp how bloody whopping it is.

See Bucharest’s own Arcul de Triumf

Yes, Bucharest has its own Arc de Triumph. Why?

Well, mainly so that troops could march through it after Romania gained its independence, but also because why the hell not?

I told you Bucharest was like a grittier Paris. But with better food.

Visit the local beerhall: Caru’ cu bere

If you’re a long-term reader of this blog (and if you are, you need to get out more), you’ll know that I LOVE a good German beerhall. Augustiner Braustuben in Munich is one of my favourite places on earth.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Caru’ cu bere was in some quaint Bavarian town. It’s got the long tables, the massive candelabras, and the wooden interiors. Oh and it’s also got the beer being chucked around and people tackling massive servings of meat. But it’s very much got its own Romanian vibe that’s absolutely not Bavarian. It’s way less rowdy, and there’s a man playing the violin at the front. Naturally.

It’s one of those places you’d assume it’d be impossible to avoid eating meat in. But n! You can make up a proper cosy, homely meal made up of lots of vegetarian side dishes, including traditional beans and a mushroom casserole-type thing.

One thing I really love about it is that although it could easily be too touristy, it’s usually full of locals as well as tourists, so clearly a well-loved beast rather than a gimmick.

3 days in Bucharest itinerary: day 2

The National Village Museum

The National Village Museum is an open-air museum that takes you on a tour of Romanian peasant life, showcasing the vastly different types of housing used – some of it to this day.

I found it really interesting how towns fairly geographically close could have such different houses, from ones sunken into the ground to Swedish-looking wooden villas. This is typical of mountainous countries apparently. Having some giant mountains to cross to get to your neighbours would kind of put you off visiting, so people end up doing their own (vastly different) things.

See the Michael Jackson pretend grave…

Yes, really.

It’s a monument to Michael Jackson, who was hugely popular in Bucharest. It’s on a lane called Michael Jackson Alley (yes, really) and it looks like a marble grave. You can find it in Herăstrău Park.

I really have no words.

Have lunch at M69

Next, head to M60. That’s M60 the very hip Bucharest café, not the UK motorway.

Everything is made fresh. This does mean you have to wait, but it’s worth it.

Be completely baffled at the Ceaușescu mansion (Primăverii Palace)

Right. I don’t know what to say about Ceaușescu’s house. You have to go, but it’s not exactly an enjoyable experience. Weird, tasteless, baffling, uncomfortable, impressive, insane. All of these things. But an important piece of history nonetheless. You can book on their website, if you’re visiting at a busy time. It’s 30 RON to get in.

Ceaușescu, if you didn’t know, was a totalitarian dictator – with horrific taste in interior decor.

He lived with his family in this palace, complete with gold toilets, an insanely tiled swimming pool, peacocks wandering around, an indoor garden, and marble floors, while the majority of Romanians lived in terrible poverty. Everything in the palace is kept how it was, right down to their pyjamas being laid out on the beds.

The ostentation is awful. It’s like a gaudy version of Versailles, with pillars and marble and gold everywhere. And then you see a relatively modern TV, which just doesn’t go with the seventeenth-century look, and you’re horribly aware that this was how they lived not all that long ago, in the 80s.

The Ceaușescus were executed by firing squad live on TV on Christmas Day 1989.

Have some Scandi beers at Mikkeller

After the madness of that, you may need a drink. And sorry-not-sorry, the place for that drink should be Mikkeler. If there’s a Mikkeller bar in any given city, I cannot say no to it.

Bucharest’s Mikkeller is a particularly good one. You can sit on the balcony upstairs and watch the world go by.

I really enjoy looking at locals’ outfits. I can confirm that Bucharest ladies are very well dressed and also that many of them have GORGEOUS dogs, including one lady riding her bike and being half towed along by an enthusiastic husky.

Gorge on kimchi at Rocca by the Jar

Rocca by The Jar‘s menu is full of Asian-inspired dishes, especially Korean and Thai. I’m obsessed with kimchi so could have eaten their spicy kimchi bowl twice over. AMAZING. It’s also a proper locals’ place. 

Don’t miss the amazing quotes decorating their menu, including this utterly baffling one that had me laughing for a solid five minutes:

‘After eating one of our hamburgers, you will easily imagine village people performing live at Royal Albert Hall.’

No, I don’t understand either. But if that isn’t now exactly how you want every burger you ever eat to make you feel, there’s something wrong with you.

Have drinks in a magical forest bar, Gradina Eden

Gradina Eden is possibly my new favourite bar in the world. And I do not say that lightly.

You’ll find it hidden away (there’s no sign outside) in what looks like an overgrown park near some derelict houses in an otherwise unremarkable area of the city.

Once you’re through the gates, you’ll see a series of bars and food stalls, set in a gorgeous little forest in the middle of Bucharest, lit by thousands of fairy lights. And there are hammocks between the trees. It’s a completely magical oasis.

I could rave about it for another page or two, or I could just tell you to go. So, go. Have an Aperol Spritz for me (I had four).

3 days in Bucharest itinerary: day 3

Visit the National Museum of Art of Romania

Kick off the day in the National Museum of Art of Romania.

Just a warning if you’re there in August like me, it’s a very hot building and your hair will not thank you. BUT you get to see a whole host of art that you’d never be familiar with from most European galleries.

Opening times and ticket prices are here.

The modern art here is great (although it’s not that modern: up to the 70s). I’ll admit I skipped a lot of the medieval art because it’s not my cup of tea. Seen one ornate gold icon, seen them all.

Wander around Stavropoleos Monastery

The Stavropoleos Monastery is a lovely little spot to pop into in the old town to round off your third morning. It’s a bit of a hidden gem and you may have it to yourself.

Have a vegan lunch at Arome

Arome was somewhere I’d been recommended before my trip. A great recco!

It’s in an old house, with a lovely little garden. It has plenty of veggie/vegan options. We only had a wrap and salad because I had my eye on something far more unhealthy for a mid-afternoon treat, but both were really good quality.

Have a game-changing eclair at French Revolution

So this is my aforementioned treat.

French Revolution eclairs are an absolute game-changer. Try the lemon meringue one and a pecan one (the ones with the mousse balls on in the picture below). Unreal.

I hardly ever allow myself to eat cream-filled pastry goods because it just opens the door to me eating everything in sight. Well worth it though.

Visit the Romanian Kitsch Museum

Next up is the Kitsch Museum. It makes me think of a car boot sale gone horribly wrong, yet so right.

Essentially, it showcases some of Romania’s most garish, ridiculous and tacky objects. I’ve been in some unusual museums (especially in Zagreb, Croatia, if you’re interested), but this is the hardest to describe. You’ll just have to go and see for yourself. It only takes about 30 minutes to see the lot, so it’s a good thing to do if you’re pushed for time and want to be amused/entertained.

Aside from all the kitsch madness, something that stuck in my mind was a little hidden-away area upstairs entitled ‘things Romanians don’t want you to see’ (or something along those lines). It featured photos of people queuing to get their papers to leave the country and the not-so-fun fact that a Romanian leaves every nine minutes. I’m not sure how true that stat is so don’t go mad in the comments. But we’ve all read about how many people are living out of their home country due to corruption and poverty, especially young people whose skills and creativity are then used abroad. I really hope things work out for Romania.

Go into the world’s most beautiful bookshop, Cărturești Carusel

On a less serious note, this is unbelievable and will surely be a highlight of your 3 days in Bucharest…

Cărturești Carusel is one of the most stunning buildings I’ve ever been in.

You can imagine how many people will be hovering around to take Instagram photos, but once you’ve elbowed them out of the way it’s worth going up to the top floor to have a look at the small art exhibition. Some of the pieces are simply brilliant.

There are also loads of cute gifts to buy as well as books (including in English).

Evening meal: coming soon…

Sorry to ruin this Bucharest itinerary, but the restaurant I normally include here for your last meal has closed down.

Running this blog and recommending restaurants is an ongoing challenge because sadly so many have shut down in recent years. I don’t want to randomly pick something to replace those that have closed, so I am slowly and painstakingly going through all the ‘gaps’ in my travel guides and adding in new, excellent recommendations.

Please watch this space, check Google reviews for something nice to eat in the meantime, and apologies again.

Useful information: 3 days in Bucharest, Romania: things to do, see and eat

Where to stay

I recommend Le Boutique Hotel Moxa, for under 80€ a night (at the time of writing).

How to get around

Romania as a whole is car-heavy, but Bucharest is walkable and the public transport is functional (if a bit of a state!). Trains, trolley buses and the metro are all very affordable.

When to go

Like most city breaks, spring or early autumn are ideal for exploring.

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