Solo travel · Bucharest · Romania
Solo travel in Bucharest
How to enjoy Bucharest at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Radu Ana Maria, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Bucharest is easy for solo travellers on a budget, with lively hostels, cheap transport and ride-hailing, and a social bar scene in the Old Town. Many solo travellers base themselves in Old Town.
Key facts
- Base
- Old Town
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Language
- Romanian
Solo travel tips
- Join a free walking tour to understand the city's communist-era transformation.
- Stay near Universitate or Piața Romană for a central but less noisy base than the Old Town.
- Use the express bus or train from the airport and ride-hailing apps at night.
- Combine Bucharest with Brașov and Sibiu by train for a Transylvania loop.
- Eat at the bar or take a weekday lunch menu; both are normal for solo diners.
Where to stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Old Town
Centrul Vechi is the compact historic quarter between Piața Unirii and Universitate, with the ruins of the Old Princely Court, Manuc's Inn, Stavropoleos Monastery and the Cărturești Carusel bookshop. Its lanes are packed with restaurants, bars and clubs, so it is the most central and the loudest place to stay.
- Good
- Walk to the main sights; Dense choice of restaurants and bars; Metro at Universitate and Piața Unirii
- Watch out
- Very noisy on weekend nights; Restaurants on the main lanes target tourists
- Nearby
- Stavropoleos Monastery, Manuc's Inn, Cărturești Carusel, Old Princely Court
Great on your own
Architecture · Unirii and the Parliament
Palace of the Parliament
Bring the passport or ID card you used for booking; it is checked at the security entrance.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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
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Neighbourhood · Old Town
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
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Religious site · Old Town
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
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
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
Meeting people
- Beer-hall dinner — Large historic beer halls and restaurants in and around the Old Town serve sarmale, ciorbă and mici under painted ceilings, with long tables and brisk service.
- Market morning — Obor and Amzei markets sell seasonal produce, cheeses, honey and pickles; Obor's grill stands are famous for mici.
- Old Town — Dozens of bars, pubs and clubs in a few lanes around Lipscani and Strada Smârdan, busiest from Thursday to Saturday.
- Piața Romană and Amzei — Cocktail bars and student pubs in the side streets.
Sensible precautions
Bucharest is generally relaxed for visitors, but watch for pickpockets on crowded buses and in the Old Town, and use ride-hailing apps or the airport taxi kiosks to avoid overcharging. Traffic is fast, so cross at lights.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Staying connected
- EU roaming applies to European SIMs, mobile data is fast and inexpensive, and free Wi-Fi is common in cafés.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bucharest good for solo travellers?
Bucharest is easy for solo travellers on a budget, with lively hostels, cheap transport and ride-hailing, and a social bar scene in the Old Town.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Bucharest?
Old Town: Cobbled lanes around Lipscani with bars, restaurants and Stavropoleos.