Step into a world of enchantment as you roam royal gardens and oriental arcades in Bucharest.

Discover Local in Bucharest

As you make your way through Pasajul Macca-Vilacrosse, you’ll notice the yellow glass roof above you so that you can enjoy the local delicacies offered by the vendors in any weather. This beautiful arcade is the perfect place for a walk or just to relax with a coffee at one of the many cafés. Look up and admire the glass roof which allows natural light to penetrate the gorgeous street and step back in time. In the old days the passage was filled with a myriad of stores, but today its more hospitality and a few stores left, such as a luxury jewellery store and an old coin shop. The rest is quite diverse. From coffee bars and a bistro to a Chinese restaurant, wine bar and even an Egyptian-themed bar/restaurant.

Have a coffee at Macca-Vilacrosse

Centrul Vechi is the most sought-after area in the city. And for good reason, because nowadays many of the old buildings are being renovated and transformed into restaurants and shops. It’s one of the liveliest districts too, with a myriad of coffee places and bars. While it may feel touristic at first, locals prefer this area for entertainment too, so you are guaranteed to mingle with residents and tourists alike. And they all love to wander around the ancient streets, chatting with each other, admiring the surroundings steeped in houses built in neoclassical and neo-baroque style. Sit down for a coffee or have a beer at one of the cafés, or visit the Curtea Veche Museum where you can learn all about the rise of Bucharest.

Go back in time at Centrul Vechi

The Palace of the Parliament is an astonishing example of great architecture and building skills, as it is the world's heaviest structure weighing more than four billion kilograms. It consists of twelve above-ground storeys and eight underground levels. It’s too big to explore on your own, so we advise you to book a guided tour. Take a glimpse of rose marble finishes, crystal chandeliers, parquet and wainscoting made of precious woods, velvet curtains and silver and gold haberdashery while you’re strolling through the hallways. Maybe one of the house ghosts will say hello. Urban legends say that they show up once in a while, breaking seals, whistling or making security systems go off. Based on the stories of the night staff of the building, these ghosts started to make their presence felt about ten years ago.

Visit the impressive Palace of the Parliament

A must-see while in Bucharest is the quirky and interesting Revolution Square. It was on this very square that Ceausescu addressed the Romanian people for the last time. It was initially known as Palace Square, but it was renamed because this is where the anti-communist revolution of 1989 started. Nowadays, a monument - which locals candidly refer to as “potato on a stick” - remembers their actions. If you look closely, you will notice a red splatter on the monument. During the revolution a street art rebel threw a balloon filled with red paint onto the monument. It now looks as if the souls of the heroes trying to get to the top are bleeding. The splatter was never removed and it is now considered to add significance to the monument.

Experience the Revolution Square

Cismigiu Gardens is often used as a meeting place for locals and tourists who wants to break away from the hustle and bustle of the city, especially on warm, sunny days. In fact, during the summer months, you'll often find open-air street entertainers and different activities taking place for everyone to enjoy. Hire a rowboat or put on your ice skates in winter as the lake freezes up. The garden has a couple of cafes, refreshment kiosks and terraces, as well as some good, large children's playgrounds, so no matter whether you’re travelling alone or with family and friends, you’ll find something to do here.

A green heaven: the Cismigiu Gardens

Stavropoleos Monastery is a beautiful little Eastern Orthodox monastery for nuns, right in the centre of Bucharest. It is built in the Brâncovenesc style and dates back to 1724. Brâncovenesc is also known as the Romanian Renaissance and is an artistic style that evolved during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The Stavropoleos Monastery is well worth a visit, with its   beautiful exteriors and rich collection of rare icons and old religious books, you’ll leave feeling inspired. Its stone decoration, furniture, interior and exterior murals make it the epitome of an important period in the history of Romanian art. Although small in size, by its sculpted decorative and ornamental motifs, the church expresses both a Baroque sensibility and an oriental taste.

Cișmigiu Gardens