Free things to do · Bucharest · Romania
9 free things to do in Bucharest
Bucharest without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Neoclassicism Enthusiast, Public domain
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Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Bucharest without paying an entry fee: Old Town and Lipscani, Stavropoleos Monastery, Cărturești Carusel and Calea Victoriei are all free. Use the express bus or train from the airport rather than an unbooked taxi.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 9
- Low-cost extras
- 6
- Cost level
- Affordable
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February
Free sights and experiences
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Neighbourhood · Old Town
1.Old Town and Lipscani
Explore in the morning when the lanes are quiet, then return at night for the very different atmosphere.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- After dark
- Food
Religious site · Old Town
2.Stavropoleos Monastery
Step into the courtyard behind the church to see the collection of carved stone crosses.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Old Town
3.Cărturești Carusel
Go early on a weekday for photos without crowds, and look down from the top floor.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Street · Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square
4.Calea Victoriei
Walk it north from the CEC Palace and duck into the curved Macca-Villacrosse Passage for coffee.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Shopping
Historic site · Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square
5.Revolution Square
Find the bullet-marked facades on nearby buildings, still visible reminders of the 1989 revolution.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
Park · Dorobanți and Floreasca
6.King Michael I Park (Herăstrău)
Rent a pedal boat or take the small passenger boat across the lake, then eat at a lakeside terrace.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
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Garden · Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square
7.Cișmigiu Gardens
Rent a rowing boat on a summer afternoon; it is a classic Bucharest pastime.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Kids
- Outdoors
Landmark · Dorobanți and Floreasca
8.Arcul de Triumf
Walk to it from Piața Victoriei along Kiseleff Road, a grand avenue lined with villas and the Peasant Museum.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Nature · Văcărești
9.Văcărești Nature Park
Bring binoculars and visit early in the morning, when birds are most active.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
- Free
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | Old Town and Lipscani, Stavropoleos Monastery and Cărturești Carusel | 2 hours + 30 minutes + 45 minutes |
| Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square | Calea Victoriei, Revolution Square and Cișmigiu Gardens | 1.5 hours + 30 minutes + 1 hour |
| Dorobanți and Floreasca | King Michael I Park (Herăstrău) and Arcul de Triumf | 2 hours + 20 minutes |
| Văcărești | Văcărești Nature Park | 1.5–2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Architecture · Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square
Romanian Athenaeum
The best way inside is to attend a concert; tickets are often inexpensive compared with Western Europe.
- Time needed
- 1 hour, or an evening concert
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Couples
- After dark
- Art
Museum · Calea Victoriei and Revolution Square
National Museum of Art of Romania
Start with the medieval art galleries, which are the collection's strongest and least known.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
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Museum · King Michael I Park
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum
Allow at least two hours and combine it with a walk or boat ride in King Michael I Park next door.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
- Architecture
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Museum · Piața Romană and Amzei
National Museum of the Romanian Peasant
Look out for craft fairs in the courtyard on some weekends, where village artisans sell directly.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Piața Romană and Amzei
Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum
Pair it with the Peasant Museum and the Arcul de Triumf on the same walk along Kiseleff Road.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Palace · Mogoșoaia
Mogoșoaia Palace
Go on a weekday morning; the grounds fill with families and wedding photographers at weekends.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Couples
- Outdoors
- History
More ways to save
- Use the express bus or train from the airport rather than an unbooked taxi.
- Ride-hailing apps are inexpensive and avoid taxi disputes.
- Weekday lunch menus cost far less than dinner.
- Many central sights, from Stavropoleos to Calea Victoriei and the parks, are free.
- Pay by card where possible and decline dynamic currency conversion, paying in lei.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bucharest expensive to visit?
Bucharest is affordable for most visitors, but 9 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Bucharest?
Old Town and Lipscani: Explore in the morning when the lanes are quiet, then return at night for the very different atmosphere.