Full Day Bucharest sightseeing tour

7-8 hours
Location
The city of Bucharest, Romania's capital, is situated in the south of the
country, in the center of Romanian Plain, at an average altitude of 70-80 m
and at about 60 km from the Danube, 100 km from the Carpathians and
250 km from the Black Sea.
Short description
288 kmp in surface and about 2.000.000 in population, Bucharest is
nowadays the first of the cities of Romania, both in size and importance
(political, economical, financial, commercial, cultural-scientific, touristic,
etc.).
The city is crossed by the Dambovita river (on a distance of 24 km) and its
tributary, Colentina river. The climate of Bucharest is continental-moderate,
with an average annual temperature of 10C.
A little history
According to the legend, a shepherd named Bucur, whose name has
evolved into Bucuresti, founded the town. The official document in which
the city is for the first time mentioned, dates from the 20th September
1459 and was issued by Vlad Tepes Dracula, the king of Valahia at that
time.
In 1859, Bucharest became the capital of the United Principalities.
During November 1916 - October 1918, the city was occupied by the
German army. After the Great National Meeting at Alba-Iulia, on 1st of
December 1918, Bucharest became the capital of Great Romania, having a
spectacular economical, banking and cultural flourishment.
Due to the many beautiful buildings in neoclassical style and to an elegant
and rich way of life until the beginning of the Second World War, the town
has truly deserved the nickname of "the little Paris of the East".
In December 1989, the city of Bucharest was one of the main centers of
the Revolution that ended in the crumbling of the communist system in
Romania.

Where we will stop

The Arch of Triumph - inaugurated on 1st December 1936, glorifies the
bravery of the Romanian soldiers who fought in the First World War,
celebrating at the same time the 1918 Union of Romanian provinces.
Designed by the architect Petre Antonescu, the monument is 27 m high.
The Village Museum - one of the world's most interesting ethnographical
parks in open air. Founded in 1936 by Dimitrie Gusti following a Royal
Decree, this museum illustrates the perpetual spring of surprising
originality. The house and house holding samples gathered from all regions
of the country are exhibited according to ethnographical areas. Here you
can see 50 complete homesteads, churches, windmills and even sunken
houses from rural Romania.
The Cotroceni Palace - the official residence of the President of Romania.
The palace was built in 1888 by french arhitect Paul Gottereau for King
Ferdinand I of Romania.
The Revolution Square - one of the most important square in the history
of the city. It is surrounded by emblematic buildings such as:

Hilton Hotel - the former Athenee Palace Hotel built in 1883 and the
highest building in Bucharest at that time.

The Romanian Athaeneum - this was the headquarters of

Romanian Athenaeum Society, seated up at 28 January 1965, which had
as purpose spreading cultural and scientific information. The land was the
Vacaresti familys property, where a church was built and then became the
property of Romanian Equestrian Society, who wanted to build a manege.
This seems to be explanations for the round shape of the building. The
projects of the building are made by Albert Galleron (France) helped by
C.Baicoianu and was inaugurated in February 1888.

The National Museum of Art - located in the building of the former

Royal Palace. After more than 10 years of restoration to the extensive
damage caused during the revolution in 1989, one can admires treasure
painted by Rembrandt, Veneziano, Monet, Sisley, El Greco, Breughel and

Rubens. During the fighting in December 1989, 448 works of art were
destroyed or went missing and another 716 were damaged. A total of 18
valuable paintings were generously restored and cleaned by museums in
the Netherlands, USA, Italy and France.

The Kretzulescu Church - a monument synthesizing in its

architecture, the art of the Brancoveanu epoch. It was built in 1720-1722,
through the care of great cancelor Iordache Kretzulescu and his wife,
Safta (one of the daughters of Constantin Brancoveanu). The interior wall
painting was realized (1859-1860) by Gheorghe Tattarescu - famous
Romanian painter.

The Memorial of Rebirth - commemorates the struggles and

victims of the Romanian Anticomunism Revolution of 1989. The
monument was inaugurated in August 2005 in front of the balcony where
the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu had his last speech.

The Central University Library - the first building was designed by

french arhitect Paul Gottereau and erected between 1891-1893. During
the Romanian Revolution in 1989, the building was destroyed and
reconstructed between 1990-1995.
Lunch in a local restaurant. You can choose Romanian traditional or
international cuisine.
The Palace of Parliament - also called the House of People or the House
of Ceausescu has been built between 1984-1989 and it represents the
grandest administrative construction in Europe. It has hundreds of offices,
halls for receptions or for other events (scientific, cultural, social-political),
dozens of conference rooms. It covers 265.000 sqm interior surface, being
the second biggest in the world after the Pentagon building in Washington.
It is also the third in the world considering its volume, after Cape Canaveral
building, USA (where the cosmic shuttles are assembled) and after the
Quetzalcoatl pyramid in Mexico.
Patriarchal Church - is the majestic centre of the Romanian Orthodox
faith. During the 15th century a small wooden church surrounded by
vineyards stood on the hill. The Cathedral consecrated the Metropolitan
Centre of Walachia in 1868, and was built between 1656 and 1658 by
Wallachian Prince Serban Basarab. None of the original interior paintings or
icons remains but a single icon (1665) depicting Constantin and Helen, the

Cathedral's patron Saints. The present day frescoes were painted by

Dimitrie Belizarie in 1923.
What else we will see
"Curtea veche" (The old court) Church - is one of the valuable
exemplary of religious architecture in the feudal epoch, the oldest in
Bucharest, preserved in its original form. It was built between 1545-1547,
by the King Mircea Ciobanul, for the needs of the Royal Court. There are
also preserved some frescos from the reign of Stefan Cantacuzino (who
made some repairing). It is declared historical monument.
The University Palace - erected between 1857 and 1869, according to
the plans of the architect Al. Orascu, who was helped in decorating the
exterior by Karol Storck. In this massive construction functions the oldest
institution of university education in Bucharest.
The Palace of Justice - erected in 1890-1895, in a French Rennaissance
style, following the plans of the architect A. Ballu. The construction was
finished by Ion Mincu. The statues that mark the entrance are the work of
Karol Storck and they symbolize the Law, the Righteousness, the Justice,
the Truth, the Force and the Prudence.

Prices do not include entrance fees to the places that will be visited (aprox.
15 Eur/pers.) and the lunch (aprox. 15 Eur/pers.).
The tour usually starts at 10 am in front of the hotel and ends at 6-7 pm in
the same place.
Price for licenced tour leader, tour guide : 40euro. (full day)