Revolution Square
Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei) is the central square where the 1989 Romanian Revolution played out, toppling the Ceausescu regime. Free.
Walk in Bucharest
Bucharest Contrasts Walk
The Bucharest Contrasts Walk is a self-guided route through the city’s layered history, from the revolution to the old town to the dictator’s palace. Free. Start at Revolution Square (where Ceausescu fell), walk south along Calea Victoriei past the Athenaeum and the belle-epoque buildings, cut through the Old Town for cheap food and Stavropoleos Church, and continue south to the Palace of the Parliament to see the absurd scale of Ceausescu’s vanity. Budget travelers walk from democracy to dictatorship in two hours and see why Bucharest is the most complicated capital in Europe.
The route
Where it stops
Each stop is free to stand in front of, whatever the tour costs.
Bucharest Old Town
Bucharest's Old Town (Lipscani) is a compact grid of pedestrian streets between Calea Victoriei and the Dambovita River. Free to walk.
Calea Victoriei
Calea Victoriei is Bucharest's most historic boulevard, running from the Dambovita River to Piata Victoriei. Free to walk.
Palace of the Parliament
The Palace of the Parliament is the heaviest building in the world and the second largest administrative building after the Pentagon. Guided tours are paid at a modest price and must be booked in advance.
Everything else Bucharest costs.
Bucharest