Things to Do in Bucharest/Romania
A short guide for guests who have a few days to explore.
Important Tips for Getting Around
- Take the train from the airport and back. It is cheap and reliable. It goes between the train station and airport. Uber or Bolt work too
- Use the subway as much as possible. It is cheap and efficient
- You can usually pay by card directly at the subway gates
- Expect crowds at rush hour
- Uber and Bolt are both good and affordable
- Never use normal street taxis
- Pay in Romanian currency using your card whenever possible
Tipping
- Around 10% maximum in restaurants
- They usually ask when bringing the bill
- Rounding up is common
- Tipping is not mandatory
Restaurants
Burgers
- Very good burgers and beers
- Not fancy, but central and reliable
- Well reviewed burger place
- Central to semi central
- We have not personally been
- A favourite among friends
- Nice pub garden and good lemonade
- A bit further away
- Personally preferred Mario’s Osteria
Traditional Romanian Food
- Very touristy but genuinely good
- Historic interior
- Recommended
- Booking advised/needed if going for dinner
- Try Romanian spirits here
- They only serve ‘mici’ (traditional romanian small sausages, you might’ve had them before), it’s a very very popular destination for both locals and tourists
- Part of a big local market
- Traditional food but more modern
Ciorbarie
- Multiple locations, traditional soups
- Massive hall
- Traditional food and beer
- Located next to a large park
Kebabs and Shaorma
Shaorma is maybe the most popular food in Romania at the moment
- Central
- Not the most classic one but it’s really good, probably our favorite
Dristor Kebap
- Multiple locations
- Safe and consistent
- Slightly more expensive
- The most classic one
Socului Kebap
- Multiple locations
- Generally further away
- Big portions, cheap, and good
Other Good Food
- Very good Turkish food
- Fancy
- High quality food
- Arguably the best sushi
- Multiple locations
- Near the main train station
- Good stop when arriving or leaving
- Grill food and burgers
- Free peanuts, shells on the floor
- Tapas style menu with dishes from different cuisines
- Recently visited and highly recommended
- Book if possible
- Fine-dining romanian food
- Expensive but very good and also traditional if you’re into fine dining
- Good pizza and well located
Dessert
Bucharest has a lot of french-style cake shops (called ‘cofetarie’). There are lots of them, some of the most popular ones are:
- Cofetaria Alice
- Cofetaria Maria/Constance (I think they have three locations, link is for one of them) — link
Honestly most of them are good if you just walk past them, maybe check Google reviews to make sure
- Excellent éclairs
- Good stop while walking around
Bucha
Bars and Pubs
- Very popular cocktail bar
- Negroni themed
- Same location as Mario’s Osteria
- Brewery
- Brewery
- Cocktail bar
- They have no menu, you just describe what you’d like. It’s pretty cool but small, you should try and book before going
- Large beer selection
- Night club, but I think it turns into a cocktail bar during the day. There is Detroit Pizza bar in the same building and it’s always open. It’s a very good club, but it costs £10 to go in and there might be a queue.
There are many good pubs in the city centre. Google ratings are generally reliable.
Places to See in Bucharest
- We think you can visit this, not sure. It’s massive and it looks pretty cool
- Close to Calea Victoriei
- Area is great for walking, bars, and cafes
- Location of Ceaușescu’s last speech
- We have not visited personally
- This is where the former dictator used to live, we heard really good things about it
- Open air traditional houses
- More interesting for visitors than locals
- Close to Herăstrău Park and Berăria H
Day Trips and Getaways
- Large modern thermal spa and water park
- Not expensive and very clean
- Very popular online, especially on TikTok
- Not far from the city, but quite far from the centre, you’d have to Uber or Bolt there, or take a bus organised by them
- Best done as at least half day trip
- Mountain resort town
- Easy train ride from Bucharest
- Works well as a relaxed day trip, but sleeping there could also work. There are a few hikes you can do, and a very nice castle
Main attraction: Castelul Peleș
- One of the most beautiful castles in Romania and very much worth visiting if you are in Sinaia.
Brașov and Surroundings (Recommended for Multiple Days)
Brașov is a mountain city and a very good option if you want to leave Bucharest for more than one day.
- Very nice old town
- Good food, cafes, and bars
- Easy base for exploring the surrounding area
From Brașov you can:
- Go hiking in the nearby mountains
- Visit nearby towns and villages
- Take day trips to castles and viewpoints
- Just enjoy the city itself, which is lovely
Important hiking note: Hiking in Romania is genuinely very good, but you should do proper research before going. We personally have not done a lot of hiking here ourselves. Bears are a real thing in some areas and this should be taken seriously. Stick to well known trails, check recent local advice, and do not go unprepared.
Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle)
- Often combined with Brașov or Sinaia
- Further away than Peleș Castle
- More touristy and arguably less impressive architecturally
- Still very iconic and fun to visit
- There are organized day trips from Bucharest or Brașov that combine Bran Castle with other stops (like the Peleș Castle above). This is easiest if you stay overnight in Brașov or Sinaia.