Bucharest, Romania Photography

Photographing Bucharest

Bucharest pairs Belle Epoque grandeur with Communist-era scale, from the CEC Palace's gilded dome above the Old Town to the cavernous Palace of the Parliament, the world's heaviest building. Cobbled Lipscani streets fill with beer halls and terraces once the sun goes down.

Where to shoot

Palace of the Parliament — the world's heaviest building and Ceaușescu's unfinished monument, best photographed from Bulevardul Unirii's fountains.
CEC Palace — an 1900 Beaux-Arts former savings bank whose silver dome anchors the view down Calea Victoriei.
Stavropoleos Monastery — a small 18th-century Orthodox church tucked into the Old Town, covered in frescoes and stone carving.
Lipscani Old Town — cobbled pedestrian streets packed with historic beer halls, terraces, and Bucharest's liveliest nightlife.

When to go

April to June or September to October, for mild weather and long evenings on the Old Town's outdoor terraces.

What to eat

Try sarmale (cabbage rolls with pork and rice), mici (grilled minced-meat rolls) with mustard, and a bowl of ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup) at one of the Old Town's traditional beer halls.

Where to stay

Base yourself in or around the Old Town (Lipscani) for walking access to the beer halls, CEC Palace, and Calea Victoriei's museums and shops.

Palace of the Parliament tours require a passport and move faster booked in English online than at the walk-up ticket counter — reserve at least a day ahead to skip the line.