During this 3-hour walking tour you'll discover the major landmarks and events of Bucharest’s communist past, including the brutal beginnings of the regime, plus the nationalization and forced demolition of thousands of houses.

About this activity

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Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
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Duration 3 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English

Highlights

Learn about the rise and fall of the Romanian dictator Ceausescu
Visit communist-era landmarks to see the regime's distinctive architectural style
Hear stories about daily life under communist rule
Visit political memorials and sites that played a key role in the 1989 revolution

Full description

This 3-hour tour reveals the conflict between two worlds: Bucharest under the communist regime and the relatively peaceful and prosperous Bucharest of the inter-war period. You’ll learn why Bucharest is such a striking mix of different architectural styles, how each regime left its mark on the city, how the city looked during the communist period and what it was like for people living in communist Romania. Your guide will help to bring to life the anti-communist revolution and the fall of the Iron Curtain. Learn about the violent beginnings of the communist regime and the nationalization and forced demolition of homes. See the impressive Palace of Parliament and hear all about the Ceausescu family and the bloody anti-communist revolution of 1989. You’ll visit lesser-known, charming inter-war neighborhoods saved from communist urban re-modelling, and see the remains of the Uranus neighborhood as well. The tour includes a short break at a café, where you can enjoy drinks or snacks (at your own expense).

Includes

Guided tour
Small snacks

Drinks and snacks in the cafe
Fees for any museums you may want to visit
Visit inside the Palace of the Parliament

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Traveler requirements

You are required to bring and wear a mask

Meeting point

Near the red-brick bell tower of the Patriarchy (within walking distance from Piata Unirii), Aleea Dealul Mitropoliei 19, București 030167, Romania

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Important information

What to bring

Comfortable shoes

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 171 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.9/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Service
4.7/5
Organization
4.6/5

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Andreea, or should I say the best tour guide in Europe instead? I never expected a tour guide to be so much fun and with so much passion and knowledge. I would say that this tour with Andreea is a MUST, if you are visiting Bucharest. Absolutely recommended… absolutely brilliant. Thank you for the flexibility, good times, and everything. 10/10

July 11, 2021

This was an excellent experience for us. Cristina went out of her way to accomodate our needs, was flexible and even "made the clouds dissapear". Joke aside, she is knowledgeable beyond the scope of the tour and will make it interesting for you no matter the background (we were 3 Romanians and 1 foreign, 2 of which lived through communism and still found the tour interesting and engaging.

June 4, 2021

Andreea was very knowledgable and friendly. The tour it's totally worth it because you'll cover some of the most important sites in a reasonable period of time. The fact that she also talked about her personal experiences during this period of time, makes it very interesting. We had a little break to have a drink. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who would like to understand the story of what makes Bucarest the city it is today. I'm grateful I choose to do it!

March 11, 2021

3-Hour Guided Tour of Communist Bucharest

3-Hour Guided Tour of Communist Bucharest

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