A caveat: if you ask us, the locals, 48 hours is way too little for a city like Bucharest. If you ask the tourists that we’ve hosted so far at New Era Hotel, they will tell you the same. But we know that most people book short stays here and then come back.

If you’ve been diligent enough to book a longer stay in Bucharest, you can enjoy all the activities below at a slower pace and combine them with lovely strolls and stops for gourmet coffee or exquisite cocktails.

Let’s take a look at the touristic attractions and the local delicacies of Bucharest.

 

Day 1

Morning

Start your day with the homemade breakfast at New Era Hotel. Enjoy fresh premium coffee, a great selection of teas, as well as 100% local savory and sweet treats.

No visit is complete without a tour of the Palace of Parliament, a colossal building erected at the orders of former communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. This is the heaviest building in the world, weighing 4,098,500,000 kilograms, and the world’s second largest administrative building (after the Pentagon).

We recommend you book your tour in advance. As suggested by the name, the Palace of Parliament now hosts the Chamber of Deputies, which makes it harder to visit in certain days. Lastly, make sure to include the underground tour, as well. We won’t spoil the surprises, but we’re sure you’ll thank us for this pro tip.

If you’re an art aficionado, don’t leave the building yet. The National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) is located in the Palace. Check out their website to find out what temporary exhibits they are hosting at the time of your visit, but don’t dismiss their permanent collection, either.

The Palace of Parliament is within walking distance from New Era Hotel (no more than 15 minutes on foot), so don’t worry about booking a cab.

 

Lunch

After the incursions into history and art, you have certainly worked up an appetite. Head back to the Old City Centre and try a hearty lunch at Caru’ cu Bere.

This is one of the oldest restaurants and breweries in the city. Yes, a lot of tourists come here, but so do locals – for the exquisite traditional food, the atmosphere and the delicious local drinks.

If we haven’t convinced you yet, we’ll add the fact that Caru’ is located in a stunning neo-gothic building classified as a monument. You could have lunch here:

By © Octav Vladu / www.flickr.com/photos/83205120@N07 / CC-BY-SA-2.0, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

Pro tip: try the beans soup served in bread or the Romanian “mici” (savory meatballs). Wet them with local beer and don’t forget to end the affair with a shot of “visinata” – a local liqueur made of sour cherries.

Caru’ cu Bere is one of our neighbors, located on a street adjacent to New Era Hotel. If you feel like you’ve overeaten (we know it’s hard to stop), you can always come back to your comfy room for an afternoon siesta.

 

Afternoon

After a hearty meal at Caru’ cu Bere, a stroll in the Cismigiu Gardens is the perfect way to walk it off. You can also rent a bike to pedal along the park’s stunning alleys and picturesque bridges.

The Cismigiu lake offers a lot of Instragramable views and so do the peacocks enclosures and the stone-made chess tables where the locals gather during the warm evenings. (If you are a photographer, blogger or really dedicated to your Instagram community, we wrote an article about five more Instagramable places in the city!)

By Gabriel from Bucharest, Romania – Cişmigiu Gardens, CC BY 2.0, Link

Stop for ice cream or cotton candy near the lake or, if the weather isn’t friendly enough, a warm cup of mulled wine at one of the lakeside kiosks. You can also rent a boat (in summer) or a pair of skates in winter (when the skating rink is all set) to enjoy the lake.

On your way back, make some time for another one of Bucharest’s most amazing treats. Did you know that Bucharest is quickly becoming a world-class coffee specialty city?

The hip people of Bucharest like to spend lazy afternoons enjoying a cold brew or a flat white prepared by some of Europe’s finest barista. We recommend trying Origo or Beans & Dots. They are both conveniently located – close to Cismigiu Gardens and the Old City Centre.

 

Evening

There is no other place to spend your evening than the Old City Centre, right where New Era Hotel is. You have your choice of high-end cocktail bars, tapas restaurants, fast foods and pubs and clubs. There is something for everyone, from the heavy metal fan to the oriental music aficionado.

You can start the evening with a quick bite at Corks, a cozy wine bar, where you can also sample some great Romanian wines. Or you can opt for Les Bourgeois for a delicious burger.

As we said, there is no shortage of clubs to end the evening. Bordello’s, Mojo and The Drunken Lords are just a few of the options.

 

Day 2

Morning + Lunch

Whenever you wake up, your amazing breakfast will be ready for you, along with a strong coffee or delicious cup of tea.

The Old City Centre hosts a myriad of amazing attractions that can be easily missed if you’re not familiar with the place. The Stavropoleos Church was built in the 18th century and is one of the city’s landmarks.

By fusion-of-horizons – stavropoleos, CC BY 2.0, Link

The same goes for the Old Princely Court. It was built in the 15th century by Vlad Tepes (the Romanian ruler who inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula, his most famous novel). In 2019, renovation works have been started, so expect a hectic opening schedule – but while there, you can admire Saint Anton’s Church, as it is located right there too!

By Nicubunu – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro, Link

Carturesti Carusel constantly appears in tourist guides as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It has been recently renovated (with great care to safeguarding its architectural heritage) and turned into the hippest library in town.

Don’t believe us? Just take a look at this staircase and keep in mind that the exterior is equally stunning.

 

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A post shared by CărtureștiCarusel (@carturesticarusel) on Mar 27, 2018 at 7:14am PDT

Right near the Old Princely Court, you will find Hanu’ lui Manuc (Manuc’s Inn), the oldest inn in Bucharest to survive to this day. The inn hosts a Romanian restaurant famous for its minced meat sausages (“mici” – remember? We mentioned them earlier.) You can stop for a visit or for lunch – your choice.

While you could spend weeks on end without leaving the Old Town and without getting bored, we suggest you also head on to other parts of the city for the remainder of the day.

 

Afternoon

Want to know how a dictator used to live? Then you have to check out Ceausescu’s Mansion, also known as the Spring Palace. Located on Primaverii Boulevard, the mansion offers a glimpse into the relatively luxurious life of former Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena.

By Andrei Stroe – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro, Link

You will get to learn what folk life meant for the Romanian peasant in the past and what it means now. The museum also hosts temporary folk exhibitions.

 

Evening

Come back to this century with a dinner you won’t forget too easily. Lacrimi si Sfinti (translation: Tears and Saints, named after an Emil Cioran book), our neighbor in the Old Town (on Sepcari Street) is, perhaps, THE restaurant to understand Romanian cuisine in.

It is owned by Mircea Dinescu, a Romanian poet and public personality with a huge crush on great food. He reinterprets 100-year old recipes and adds a modern twist – it’s what you would eat in hip Romanian households nowadays.

Pro tip: Lacrimi si Sfinti has an impressive wine list. Some of the wines come from the owner’s own vineyards in Southern Romania. Be sure to ask for those wines or, if you want to taste the best of what Romania has to offer while talking wines, read our article Best Romanian wines to try out.

Ready for another session of clubbing? Ask our friendly reception staff about the club in the Old Town that fits your socializing and music preferences.

Or turn in in your cozy room.

Two days in Bucharest isn’t nearly enough for all that you can see, taste and experience here. But we’re sure you’ll be back, just like most of our guests are after their first trip.

Book that first, second or third trip here (the best price guaranteed) https://www.newerahotel.ro/