Palace of Parliament
The megalomaniac megastructure tour.
RomaniaIShowSpeed streamed here
Bucharest
Little Paris gone wild — the world's heaviest building, a buzzing old town of bars, and the gateway to Dracula's castles.
- Metro population
- 2,300,000
- Country
- Romania
- Region
- Europe
Overview
Why visit Bucharest
Bucharest earned the name 'Little Paris' for its belle-époque boulevards — then communism bulldozed a quarter of the centre for the Palace of the Parliament, the world's heaviest building and second-largest administrative building after the Pentagon.
Today's city is a layered mix: Lipscani old town's cobbled lanes now thrum with bars and cafés, the Romanian Athenaeum hosts world-class concerts under a frescoed dome, and parks like Herăstrău wrap the city's lakes.
Speed's 2024 tour streamed from Bucharest. It's also the natural launchpad for Transylvania — Bran (the 'Dracula' castle), Brașov's medieval square and Peleș Castle's carved fantasy are all reachable day trips.
Things to do
Top things to book in Bucharest
Popular tours and tickets. Compare prices and book ahead to skip the lines.
Dracula & Transylvania
Bran and Peleș castles in one day.
Old Town Walk
Lipscani's lanes and hidden churches.
Old Town Night Out
The bar quarter after dark.
Plan your trip
Compare prices for Bucharest
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Side by side in Bucharest
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Fun facts
Things you didn't know about Bucharest
- 01
World'S Heaviest Building
The Palace of the Parliament weighs ~4 million tonnes — and reportedly sinks a few millimetres yearly.
- 02
Little Paris
Interwar Bucharest copied Parisian boulevards — its own Arcul de Triumf still stands.
- 03
A Quarter Demolished
Ceaușescu's Civic Centre razed thousands of homes, churches and synagogues for the palace.
- 04
The Athenaeum
The 1888 concert hall's dome fresco tells Romanian history in a circle.
- 05
Dracula'S Gateway
Bran Castle — the tourist 'Dracula castle' — is a 3-hour day trip.
- 06
Village Museum
Herăstrău Park hosts 270 relocated historic peasant houses and churches.
- 07
Revolution Square
Ceaușescu's final speech, interrupted by the crowd, happened here in December 1989.
- 08
Carturesti Carusel
A restored 19th-century building became Instagram's favourite bookstore.
- 09
Migration Churches
Communist planners famously moved entire churches on rails to hide them.
- 10
Palinka & Mititei
Plum brandy and skinless grilled sausages fuel the night scene.
Random Bucharest fact
Tap the button for a random fact about Bucharest.
FAQ
Quick answers about Bucharest
Where is Bucharest located?
Bucharest is in Romania, in Europe.
What is the population of Bucharest?
The greater Bucharest area is home to about 2,300,000 people.
What is Bucharest famous for?
Bucharest is famous for the world's heaviest building (Palace of the Parliament), a reborn Old Town, and the gateway to Transylvania.
Did IShowSpeed stream from Bucharest?
Yes — IShowSpeed streamed from Bucharest on his 2024 Europe tour. See his full world tour map.
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