# Palace of Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului) 6 
With over a thousand rooms over twelve floors, this opulent and imposing palace is the ultimate symbol of the excesses of the communist period under the former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Renowned for being the world's third-largest administrative building (after the Pentagon and the Sappaya-Sapasathan in Thailand) it houses the national parliament (with the remarkable Senate Plenary Room) and several museums (the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism, and the Museum of the Palace).
Palace Opened: 1984–97, still not completed | Open to the Public: year-round | Rooms: 1,100 / ca. 50 accessible | Style: Socialist, realist, and modernist Neoclassical | Pre-booking: ⚠️ Highly advised
by Mihai Petre / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Village Museum (Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum) 6
Located in the breathtaking Herăstrău Park and the creation of the folklorist and sociologist Dimitrie Gusti, this beautiful open-air museum features 272 traditional Romanian buildings.
Open Air Museum Established: 1936 | Surface: 10 hectares / 24.7 acres / 0.1 km2 | Buildings: 272 | Visitors (2018): 800,000
# National Museum of Arts 6
Housed inside the splendid former Royal Palace, Romania’s largest and most impressive art collection features an interesting collection of European art, as well as works by the country's most celebrated artists. The museum's most famous painting is "The Adoration of the Shepherds" by El Greco.
Fine Arts Museum Gallery Space: ca. 5,000 m2 | Galleries: ca. 30 | Artworks on Display: ? | Established: 1948 | Visitors (2018): ca. 125,000
by Alexandru Panoiu / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Stavropoleos Church 6
This tiny, pretty Orthodox church is known for its unique Brâncovenesc architectural style and for its beautiful, carved doors.
Orthodox Church Built: 1724, partly rebuilt in the early 1900s | Style: Brâncovenesc
by Neoclassicism Enthusiast / CC BY-SA 4.0
# King Michael I Park (Herăstrău Park) 5.5 
Before 2017 known as Herăstrău Park, this massive, mostly well-kept park with its beautiful lake full of little boats, is a relaxing oasis within the city.
Park Land Area: 1.6 km2 / 400 Acres / 161 Hectares | Created: 1936
by CristianChirita / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Ceaușescu Mansion (Spring Palace) 5.5
Opened to the public in 2016 as a museum and known as the "Spring Palace", this opulent 80-room mansion was the private villa of the Communist Party leader Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife Elena.
Palace | Museum Rooms: 80 | Created: 1965 | Visit: Guided tour only | Pre-booking: ⚠️ 24 hours in advance advised
by Tim Adams / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Romanian Athenaeum 5.5
Home to the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, this iconic neoclassical concert hall features excellent acoustics and a stunning interior with a 75-by-3-meter (246.1 by 9.8 ft) fresco by Costin Petrescu.
Concert Hall Completed: 1888 | Capacity: 652 Spectators | Style: Neoclassical | Pre-booking: Advised for Concerts
by Mihai Petre / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Romanian Rural Museum (Romanian Peasant Museum)5.5
Housed in a neo-Romanian building, this highly regarded (designated "European Museum of the Year" in 1996) folk museum features a collection of textiles (especially costumes), icons, ceramics, and other artifacts of Romanian peasant life.
by Neoclassicism Enthusiast / CC BY-SA 4.0
# Old Town (Lipscani District) 5.5
Named after the German Town Leipzig, Bucharest’s very "new" Old City is an extraordinarily successful urban renewal project. Since 2011, a neglected "no-go zone" has been completely transformed into a lively charming neighborhood with vibrant nightlife, pedestrianized cobblestone streets, and attractive shops alongside bars, cafés, and restaurants.
City District Main Sights: Manuc's Inn, Macca-Villacrosse Passage, Covaci Street
by Neoclassicism Enthusiast / CC BY-SA 4.0
# Manuc's Inn (Hanul lui Manuc) 5.5
Located in the Lipscani district, Manuc’s Inn is an impressive, three-level structure and a beautiful cultural landmark. It houses a popular restaurant, several bars, a coffee-house, and (facing the street) several stores and an extensive bar.
by Britchi Mirel / CC BY-SA 3.0
-Piața Unirii (Union Square) 5.5
This central square is a big commercial and transportation hub and features a musical light show with illuminated fountains.
by Tiia Monto / CC BY-SA 3.0
Brașov 6
Located around a two-hour drive from Bucharest, charming Brașov with a population of 283,000 is one of Romania's most beautiful historical towns.
City 183 km from Bucharest
by Alessio Damato / CC BY-SA 4.0
Bran Castle 6
This medieval castle is famous for the legend of having once held Vlad Tepes Dracula, commonly known as “Vlad the Impaler”, as a prisoner.
Castle Distance from Bucharest: 186 km
by Dobre Cezar / CC BY-SA 3.0
Peleș Castle 6
This splendid Neo-Renaissance castle, dating from the second half of the nineteenth century, is more of a grand mansion than a castle.
Castle Distance from Bucharest: 140 km
by TiberiuSahlean / CC BY-SA 3.0
Mogosoaia Palace 5.5
Located only a short journey outside of Bucharest, this impressive former palatial home of the 18th century Wallachian prince features park-like public grounds with picnic areas, a restaurant, and an art museum.
Palace | Park | Restaurant Distance from Bucharest: 18 km
by Radu Ana Maria / CC BY-SA 3.0
