A free, healthy and environmental – friendly way to get around or explore Bucharest, walking is a good option if you want to beat the traffic, enjoy the view and feel the city’s pulse!
This city is very much alive, thriving, and if you are an adventurer, it is filled with surprises!
With an old city center, small streets, large squares, and parks, Bucharest is an interesting city to walk in. Read my tips here, walk the city and discover the capital city of Romania!
What to see in Bucharest by foot
If you plan a visit here and you want to see the most important sights, then you should also plan a day for a walking tour of Bucharest. Nothing is as relaxing as breathing the fresh air, admiring beautiful views and appreciating the fascinating architecture in Bucharest.
But keep in mind that you should walk at your own pace and according to the plans you made before. On the day of your walk, you should wear comfortable clothing and shoes, bring a bottle of water and some snacks, and plan a route in advance.
Walking in Bucharest is an activity that also provides access to some otherwise unreachable areas like the “Văcărești Delta”, the Bellu cemetery or the narrow streets of the Old Town. Plus, getting around on foot in the capital city of Romania can actually save you some time, as several landmark locations are close to each other. (In our opinion this is the best way to visit any city in the world, whenever time and weather allows it).
In addition to getting around, walking can be an excellent way to see the sights, either independently or as part of an organized, guided tour of the capital of Romania. If you are here only for a couple of days , than taking a free walking tour in Bucharest will help you to get your bearings in the city’s center and understand a bit about the towns’ history.
Some of the free tours you can find here can be as short as 2 hour tours that can present you lots of interesting facts about Bucharest and the Old Town buildings. You will be taken around places like :
- Stavropoleos Church (Monastery) – one of Bucharest’s oldest church with a beautiful interior, with fresco paintings, old icons and sculptures.
- Manuc’s Inn (almost hidden in the ‘Old Town”).
- Palace of Parliament – This imposing building is in walking distance from the “Old town” area, and both are great places to explore on foot.
- The Revolution’s Square
- The Victory’s Path (boulevard)
Of course, finding your way in Bucharest is easier with a pocket map book, you can buy from any decent bookshop or Tourist Information Center. One of these will make Bucharest’s intricate road arrangement much more navigable.
Mobile applications, for example, Google Maps are useful tools for finding your way around Bucharest, but remember to watch out for where you’re going and keep an eye out for traffic and other footpath users!
It’s generally a good idea to know where you’re heading and to take precautions as you would in any major city.
Also, bear in mind that the city’s center is a place where only 8% of the city’s population lives, and you are more likely to discover less touristy things to do and more authentic people, somewhere outside this area.
How to choose which parks to visit?
Bucharest has a lot of parks in the city and walking in them is a wonderful way of spending some leisure time as well as learning about the local culture .
Parks that are close to the center are Cismigiu Park, Carol Park, and Tineretului park. Some other places, further from the center, yet worth visiting include the Botanical Garden, IOR park, and Herastrau park.
What about monuments and landmarks?
Romania is a country that has experienced a lot of change. In fact, many people would say it’s one of the most transformed countries in Europe today, especially with regard to its political system and standard of living.
However, there’s still some communist architecture remaining in Bucharest, that is worth including the Nicolae Ceauşescu ‘s house.
Other landmarks worth mentioning:
- The National Museum of Art – This prestigious museum is home to a number of impressive artworks and exhibitions.
- The Romanian Athenaeum: The Romanian Athenaeum is an impressive neoclassical building from 1883. Designed by architect Ion Mincu, it was used as the seat of Romanian Athenaeum Society. Today, the building houses the National Library, the Romanian Athenaeum National Gallery, and the George Enescu National Concert Hall.
- The Museum of the National Bank of Romania (Bucharest).
Possible self-guided walking tour in Bucharest examples
Itinerary one- Romanian Athenaeum to Palace of the Parliament, and then Carol Park
This is a tour that I do from time to time, with friends or acquaintances that plan their visit to the city for the first time.
Living here, I don’t necessarily plan a lot ahead, going for a walk in the city. I just grab the camera or just the phone and go to the city center looking for interesting places or views. However, when friends from abroad are visiting, I leave the camera at home, try to discover the best path that matches their interests. If if they are not necessarily looking for something special, and want to see as much as they can, this is (roughly) the path I am are taking:
We start from The Romanian Athenaeum, and after seeing it we go to The National Art Museum, then to the to Revolutiei square. From there we walk around Calea Victoriei. Sometimes we go down to Cismigiu Park, other times to University’s square. After that we usually walk around the Old Town, famous for the nightlife but beautiful in the day time also. For sure we are visiting places like Carturesti Carousel building, Satvropoleos church, Curtea Veche, Manuc’s Inn, and perhaps stop for a while on one of the pubs. After recharging, as we cross Dambovita River we head down to the Izvor Park to the Palace of the Parliament (the second-largest administrative building in the world) and the further down to Carol Park.
This is quite a long walk, but it covers plenty of landmarks and gives an good idea of the city’s flavor to someone visiting for a short period. Of course, if time allows it, it can be split into several smaller chunks.
Itinerary two – Old city to Herastrau – full day
The Old City is the perfect place to start your tour. It’s full of monuments, museums, and cobbled streets, as well as great restaurants, bars, and cafes. After you wander around the Lipscani Area, you can head down on to the more modern part of Bucharest , to the University Square, and from there the Revolution Square, the Arch of Triumph, and the Herastrau Park. House.
There are several sights along the route, including the Romanian Athenaeum, the National Museum of Art of Romania, and the Romanian Athenaeum. This is a very long walk , basically it takes a full day if you include everything.
Once you reach the Arch of triumph, you can go and visit the Village Museum(this takes a couple of hours) , as well as Europe’s largest beer Hall – Beraria H and Hard Rock café Bucharest, all located within the Herastrau Park.
This self guided walking tour can be split into several parts, and you can bypass some of the areas if you are not that into communist-era buildings, or interested in seeing the private residence of Nicolae Ceauşescu or you just don’t want to visit museums.
Either way, make sure to plan enough time in your schedule for the entire tour, and don’t forget your comfy walking shoes!
Walking is the best way to explore the city’s many attractions, such as its many squares, parks, and unspoiled old center.
Of course, if you are planning the trip here for the future, it would be useful to find out when is the best time to visit this beautiful city.
I hope this article helped inspire you to walk Bucharest!
