Old Town and The Parliament Walking Tour

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Biserica Sfantul Gheorghe Nou

  Step inside the last church founded by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu before his execution in Constantinople in 1714. Travelers will see the ornate Brâncovenesc architectural style, view the prince's final resting place, and hear the story of how his remains were secretly smuggled back to Bucharest. You'll also see the symbolic "Kilometre Zero" monument of Romania located in the church courtyard.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 2
  Manuc's Inn (Hanul lui Manuc)

  Enter the courtyard of southeastern Europe’s oldest continuously operating operating inn, built in 1808 by the wealthy merchant Manuc Bei. Travelers will admire the two-tier wooden galleries, learn about the caravanserais of the Ottoman trade route, and hear how this historic inn hosted the secret peace talks ending the Russo-Turkish War in 1812.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• Biserica Sfantul Anton - Curtea Veche (Pass by)

  Explore the birthplace of Bucharest at the medieval palatial complex founded in the 15th century by Vlad the Impaler (the historical Dracula). Travelers will view the excavated stone walls and brick arches of the Old Princely Court alongside the adjacent Church of St. Anthony—the oldest standing religious building in the city. Here, guests will hear the real history behind Vlad Țepeș, including the chilling tale of the 1462 "Forest of the Impaled" outside Târgoviște that broke the morale of Sultan Mehmed II's Ottoman army, separating Hollywood vampire mythology from the ruthless realities of Wallachian warfare.

  Admission ticket free
• Lipscani (Pass by)

  Stroll through the cobblestone backbone of the merchant quarter, named after the German traders of Leipzig who brought European goods here in the 17th and 18th centuries. Travelers will observe the preserved blend of Art Nouveau, Baroque, and Neoclassical commercial facades, discover how the Great Fire of 1847 reshaped the area, and receive local recommendations on Bucharest’s best cafés and historic spots.

  Admission ticket free
• Museum of the National Bank of Romania (Pass by)

  Admire the monumental French Neoclassical facade of Romania’s central bank, designed by French architects Cassien Bernard and Albert Galleron in the late 19th century. Guests will discover the site's transformation from an Ottoman-era inn into the financial engine of the Kingdom of Romania, and learn about the legendary Romanian gold treasury saga during World War I.

  Admission ticket free
• Macca Villacrosse Passage (Pass by)

  Walk through this fork-shaped, yellow-tinted glass arcade that earned Bucharest its nickname "Little Paris" in the late 19th century. Travelers will admire the Parisian-inspired iron-and-glass vaulting, discover its original purpose as a luxury shopping arcade linking Calea Victoriei to the National Bank, and experience its modern atmosphere lined with bohemian cafés and shisha lounges.

  Admission ticket free
• Palatul CEC (Pass by)

  View one of Bucharest’s grandest architectural landmarks, built between 1897 and 1900 as the headquarters for the state savings bank. Travelers will inspect its composite dome of glass and metal, Renaissance arches, and grand entrance facade designed by architect Paul Gottereau, learning how this fortress-like palace miraculously survived both the 1977 earthquake and Ceaușescu’s urban demolitions.

  Admission ticket free
• National Museum Of Romanian History (Pass by)

  Stand before the imposing former Central Post Office, a late 19th-century masterpiece spanning an entire city block. Travelers will see the grand colonnade, hear about the Romanian national treasures preserved inside, including Trajan’s Column replicas and the Royal Crown Jewels, and learn how Calea Victoriei evolved into the premier aristocratic promenade of the capital.

  Admission ticket free
• Caru' cu bere (Pass by)

  Stop outside Bucharest’s most iconic neo-Gothic beer hall, open since 1879. Travelers will admire the elaborate Bavarian-style exterior woodwork, arched stained-glass windows, and frescoed entry, while discovering its heritage as the historic meeting place for Romania’s great writers, artists, and bohemian elite.

  Admission ticket free
• 3
  Stavropoleos Monastery

  Step into the quiet courtyard and church of this 1724 Eastern Orthodox nunnery, widely regarded as the ultimate gem of Brâncovenesc architecture. Travelers will examine intricate stone carvings, carved oak doors, Byzantine-style exterior frescoes, and fragments of ancient tombstones rescued from historic churches razed during the communist era.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• Palace of Parliament (Pass by)

  View Nicolae Ceaușescu’s colossal administrative monument from a key vantage point in the historic core. Travelers will learn the staggering scale of the world’s second-largest administrative building, understand the human and architectural cost of flattening an entire historic neighborhood (Uranus) to construct the "Civic Center," and discuss the lasting legacy of communism on Bucharest's urban landscape.

  Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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