Centrul Vechi

Bucharest’s Old Town: Two Very Different Daytimes

Centrul Vechi, Bucharest’s old town, occupies roughly 10 blocks south of Calea Victoriei. It is a compact area of 18th and 19th-century buildings, most of them now converted to restaurants, bars, and clubs. During the day it is a place of some architectural interest with relatively low visitor pressure; after 10pm on Thursday through Saturday it is a high-density bar district frequented primarily by Bucharest’s under-30 population, which transforms the same streets into something considerably louder.

The two identities are worth knowing if you are choosing when to visit and where to stay.

What to See

The most significant building is Carul cu Bere on Stavropoleos Street, a beer restaurant operating since 1879 in a building with ornate neo-Gothic interior woodwork and stained glass. The main hall has dark panelling, carved gallery railings, and a ceiling that takes a moment to absorb. A traditional Romanian meal here costs around RON 60-90 per person with beer. The building is worth entering for the room regardless of whether you eat.

Stavropoleos Monastery, directly behind Carul cu Bere, is a small 18th-century Orthodox church with an exceptional carved stone porch arcade and a courtyard with carved wooden gallery railings. Free to enter. Services are held morning and evening; the church is in active use as a monastery and deserves quiet.

Palatul Parlamentului (Palace of the Parliament), 1km south of the old town, is the second-largest administrative building in the world by floor space, after the Pentagon. Nicolae Ceausescu ordered its construction in 1984; building it required demolishing 25 percent of Bucharest’s historic city centre. The building has 1,100 rooms, 12 storeys above ground, and 8 underground. Guided tours run daily (RON 45 for foreign visitors) and visit the ceremonial halls, which are genuinely disproportionately vast.

The National History Museum on Calea Victoriei, 5 minutes north of the old town, contains the Treasury: a collection of Dacian and Roman gold artefacts including the Petreasa Hen with Chickens, a 4th-century gold sculpture. Entry costs RON 10. Most visitors miss this. It is a poor decision.

Where to Eat

Vatra in the Floreasca neighbourhood, 15 minutes by metro north of the centre, is the reference restaurant for modern Romanian cooking: whole roasted pork belly, cured fish from the Danube Delta, seasonal vegetables. Booking required; RON 250-350 for two people. In the old town itself, Lacrimi si Sfinti on Strada Ion Campineanu does updated Romanian dishes at mid-range prices. Hanul lui Manuc, a former Ottoman caravanserai converted to a restaurant, serves reliable traditional food in a courtyard; sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls, RON 35-45) is the dish to order.

Getting Around

Bucharest’s metro is reliable; a single journey costs RON 3. Centrul Vechi is a 10-minute walk from Universitate metro station (Blue Line). Uber is usually cheaper and more predictable than taxis. From Henri Coanda International Airport (16km north), the Henri Coanda Express train reaches Gara de Nord in 20 minutes for RON 8.