Are you looking for the best places to take Instagram-worthy photos in the capital of Romania? Look no further! Having grown up in this city and become an avid urban explorer, I can now show you the best 43 Instagrammable places in Bucharest that will make your followers jealous.
We have it all in this mix of a city: old buildings, some elegant French-style palaces, industrial vibes, cobbled stone streets, murals, and eye-candy interiors!
Bucharest was known as The Little Paris at the turn of the century because our intellectuals studied in France and brought home many influences, from architecture to cakes!
Communism destroyed much of that spirit, that’s why you’ll see such a strange mix of styles everywhere, but we still have so many gorgeous buildings built in an eclectic French-like style, plus the street signs are identical to the Parisian ones!
BOOK one of these highly recommended guided tours to check out some of these spots!
I’ll leave Google maps links for each place, and I suggest you save your favorite spots on Google maps. This way, you can’t miss them when you’re walking around. Creating a collection on Instagram with your favorites is also a good idea.
And follow me on Instagram if you like my posts!
Where to stay in Bucharest
Are you looking for the best hotels in Bucharest but don’t have the time to browse hundreds of reviews? I researched for you! I’m quite passionate about travel-related research, so I enjoy this. 😊
I recommend you stay close to the city center, the sights are prettier, there are many restaurants and pubs, the evenings are lively, and the nightlife is strong. Otherwise, choose a place with a metro (subway) station nearby. It’s useful to get around quickly.
Apartments or hotels in Bucharest city center that look amazing and have very good reviews:
UPSCALE: The Marmorosch Bucharest. Easily the most impressive hotel in the city, it’s also on my list of Instagrammable places in Bucharest!
The Marmorosch Bucharest – (Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
✔️ Indoor swimming pool
✔️ Spa and wellness centre
✔️ Fitness centre
✔️ Superb breakfast included
✔️ Private parking, costs €1 per hour
📍2-6 Doamnei street, 030053 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
MID-RANGE: The Mansion Boutique Hotel. It is an artsy hotel with themed rooms and a great breakfast; it’s very well-rated, and the location is excellent, close to the Unirii metro station.
The Mansion Boutique Hotel (Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐)
✔️ Airport shuttle
✔️ Restaurand and bar
✔️ Very good breakfast included
✔️ Room service
📍Strada Franceza 11, 030102 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
MID-RANGE: Vilacrosse Boutique Inn. A 3-star hotel with quirky, colorful rooms that are sure to make your day brighter! It also has a superb breakfast included.
MID-RANGE: CHANTTAL Luxury – UNIVERSITY. If you prefer an apartment, this is your go-to choice! I simply love the cozy Scandinavian design, and the reviews are raving.
CHANTTAL Luxury – UNIVERSITY (One-Bedroom Apartment)
✔️ Free cancellation
✔️ Very close to the subway
📍 Strada Academiei 4, 030167 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
🚫 No parking available
BUDGET: DeGoya Studios Bucharest Old Town. This aparthotel offers small apartments right at the heart of the old town. I also found some very nice highly rated apartments: Central Old Town Studio, Tonitza Studio, Come and sleep Studio Old City.
DeGoya Studios Bucharest Old Town (Aparthotel)
✔️ Free cancellation
✔️ No prepayment needed
✔️ Airport shuttle
📍 Strada Smardan 7, 030071 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
🚫 No parking available
Instagrammable places in Bucharest – Old Town
1. Streets of the Old Town
The cobbled stone streets of the old town of Bucharest are ever so charming! The area is a local favorite for summer evenings, packed with restaurants and nice terraces.
2. Pasajul Macca Villacrosse
The Macca Villacrosse passage is such a cozy, intimate place! The yellow glass cover gives a soft light all day long. There are cafes and bars all along the two sides of the passage, and it’s a popular place for smoking shisha.
3. Cărturești Carusel
Cărturești Carusel must be the most beautiful library in town and the perfect Instagram spot in Bucharest!
The beautiful 19th-century building was rehabilitated and transformed by a talented local architects group and reopened in 2015 as a library. It brings a bright, contemporary charm to the old vibes of the area. The all-white design and the spiral staircases are an Instagram dream!
4. Mănăstirea Stavropoleos – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
You’ll find a beautiful sight at Stavropoleos Monastery, right in the heart of the old town of Bucharest! The small church was built in 1724 in the Brâncovenesc style (a mix of Byzantine, Ottoman, late Reinassance, and Baroque architecture).
Next to the church, there’s a wonderful little garden, surrounded by columns with accolade arches that give the place an Oriental feel. It’s such a quiet spot in the hustle and bustle of the city center and outrageously beautiful! Just make sure to keep quiet because there are nuns that live there.
5. Caru’ cu bere
Caru’ cu bere is a traditional Romanian restaurant set in a wonderful 1898 neogothic building.
I am always in awe of its beautiful interiors, which remind me of Bucharest’s olden days, when noblemen would gather and party in such elegant establishments, most around the old city center. The food is also great here, so one more reason to visit it.
6. The Marmorosch Bucharest
The Marmorosch Bucharest is easily one of the most impressive hotels in the city and one of the most Instagrammable places in Bucharest! I find it jaw-dropping with its La Belle Epoque vibes and rich Art-Deco architecture!
It’s housed in the former Marmorosch Blank Bank, the most influential Romanian bank in the 19th century, and it was renovated and opened as a hotel recently. They even built a bar in the old bank vault. It looks exquisite! You can stay at the hotel for an authentic experience! Or just visit the vault bar, or have tea in the elegant lobby.
The Marmorosch Bucharest – (Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
✔️ Indoor swimming pool
✔️ Spa and wellness centre
✔️ Fitness centre
✔️ Superb breakfast included
✔️ Private parking, costs €1 per hour
📍2-6 Doamnei street, 030053 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
7. Muzeul Național de Istorie – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
The National History Museum is right around the corner. Although you could visit the exhibitions, I recommend it for one of the best Instagram spots in Bucharest, the portico in front of the building. For maximum effect, stay on one end and zoom in to take the shot 😉.
8. Palatul CEC
Ohhh, the CEC Palace is the most amazing building!! It’s the headquarters of CEC Bank, the oldest bank in Romania, built in 1900 in an eclectic style, with a magnificent glass and metal dome on top.
Unfortunately, you can’t visit the inside; they rarely open up to the public. Fortunately, I was there on such an occasion and can share some photos 😄.
9. Linea – Closer to the Moon
Linea is a rooftop terrace very close to the CEC Palace. The view is nice, but I put it on the most Instagramable places in Bucharest list for the domes they put up when the weather is getting cold. They look amazing, and you can catch quite the sunset shot up here.
10. Banca Națională a României
The Museum of the National Bank of Romania is a real gem in the old city center! One of Romania’s greatest architects, Ion Mincu, declared it “the most beautiful building in Bucharest” at the end of the 19th century. The Old Palace (there are two buildings) was built in 1890 in an eclectic style with some neo-classical elements.
Besides the impressive coin and money collections (with coins dating back from the Roman times), the new Gold exhibition (with gold coins, bars, and even ore), and an original Nicolae Grigorescu painting (one of the greatest Romanian painters), you’ll find here some truly amazing architecture!
You can visit the museum with free guided tours in English from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 5 pm. Book a tour in advance by email; you can find more info here.⠀
Instagrammable places in Bucharest – North of Old Town
11. Epoque Hotel
Hotel Epoque is a hotel next to Cismigiu Park. It’s a new building, but it was built in the Belle Epoque style as a tribute to the city’s Petit Paris age. I kind of like how it looks and find it very Instagrammable ☺.
12. Palatul Crețulescu – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Palatul Cretulescu is one of the most elegant palaces in Bucharest, and you’ll find it in Cișmigiu Park. It was built in 1904 in a French Renaissance style for one of the country’s wealthiest families.
13. Cișmigiu – Bistro la Etaj
This bistro is an Instagram heaven. You just have to get creative! It’s on the top floor of Hotel Cișmigiu, a gorgeous building built in 1912 in an eclectic style with neoclassical and Art Nouveau elements. It was called Palace Hotel, one of the most impressive hotels in Bucharest then.
14. Teatrul de vară Capitol
Capitol was a Cinema and Summer Theatre that opened in 1912. It was a local favorite between the wars, people loved spending their free time here, and many famous plays were acted on this stage. Today it’s closed and forgotten. But I love the grandiose entrance, and a well-known local artist, Pisica Patrata, painted the mural.
15. Pasajul Victoria – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
One of the many Instagrammable places in Bucharest is our umbrella passage, Pasajul Victoria. You’ll find that many locals don’t know where it is since it’s hidden, although very central.
16. Pasajul Englez
Check the passage next door, the English Passage, for industrial, urban decay vibes. This building was built in 1855 and soon became a hotel, The English Hotel. But its rooms were too small, and it couldn’t compete with the larger hotels appearing then, so it was converted into a luxury brothel. The working girls were displayed on the balconies above for the clients who went through the passage. It served as a brothel until 1947 when communists shut it down, and now people live there. So make sure to be quiet if you visit.
17. Twenty-Eight Cafe
I love the oriental vibes at Twenty-Eight. It looks like something straight out of Arabian Nights! And I hear they have amazing hot chocolate during wintertime.
18. Muzeul Național de Artă
The staircase at the National Museum of Art is out of this world! You should also visit the art collection. The ticket is 15-30 RON (3-6€).
19. Ateneul Român
The gorgeous Romanian Athenaeum was built in 1888 in a neoclassical style with Greek inspirations. It’s a concert hall, and its outside is one of the most popular Instagram spots in Bucharest for photoshoots, but you can also visit the interiors, which are quite fascinating! The cost is 10 RON (about 2€), but they don’t have an exact visit schedule. You have to go when they finish rehearsals, usually after 2 pm on weekdays and even earlier on weekends. It’s best to call beforehand; you can find the number on their website.
20. Nicolae Golescu Street – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
The street behind the Ateneu is one of my favorites in the city, it’s quiet, and it has beautiful buildings, cobbled stones, and pretty restaurants.
21. Casa Macca – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Casa Macca is another favorite of mine. It’s in an advanced state of decay, and unfortunately, there are no funds to restore it… You can’t visit officially, I was lucky enough to see it during a #cronicaridigitali event, but the Institute of Archeology is set up here, so if you go on a weekday, you’ll find the courtyard open. And if you ask nicely, they might just let you in to take a shot of the gorgeous staircase!
22. Casa Oamenilor de Știință
Casa Oamenilor de Știință is one of my favorite Instagram spots in Bucharest! The staircase in the back is phenomenal, making you feel you’ve landed in romantic 19th-century Paris! It was built in 1904-1905 in an eclectic style with Beaux-Arts elements and is now a restaurant. You can go to the back of the building and take a photo without eating here, but if you go during summer, you might find some ugly umbrellas blocking the view.
23. Street Delivery (Strada Arthur Verona) – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Arthur Verona Street is well known for the Street Delivery festival that takes place annually here. On this occasion, all the walls on the street get repainted by local artists. So it’s always a pretty sight and also a powerful social message. For 20+ great murals in Bucharest, check out Ella’s post. It’s in Romanian, but you should be able to distinguish the locations.
24. Casa Universitarilor
Casa Universitarilor looks like a medieval castle and is in the middle of the city! It’s a restaurant, so you can visit whenever you prefer.
25. Biserica Italiană – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
An Italian church in the middle of flat grey buildings is not a sight you see every day. The church has such a strong Italian/Tuscan feel, and I find the contrast with its background very interesting.
It was built in 1916 according to the plans of the architects Giuseppe Tirabosch and Mario Stoppa, inspired by the Milanese church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The style is that of the churches in northern Italy, old Lombard.
26. Hong Kong or Bucharest?
You don’t have to travel to Hong Kong to have your “high buildings around you” shot. Just go across the street from the Thailand Embassy in Bucharest.
27. Muzeul Frederik și Cecilia Cuțescu Stork
I visited this museum during a #cronicaridigitali event but somehow missed this amazing view. I think it has such a fairytale look to it. A half-timbered house with a pretty garden in the front takes me to Grimm Brothers’ childhood stories.
28. Calea Victoriei – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Calea Victoriei is a lovely avenue in downtown Bucharest, oozing history, dance balls, elegant evenings and chic outfits, kings and queens, politics, and so many secrets and stories. It’s where people met at the turn of the century, be they royalty, politicians, intellectuals, or artists!
It was first paved in 1692, so its history is closely tied to the city’s history. The avenue stretches from Piata Victoriei to the city center, winding through old palaces, villas, and charming hotels. It makes for a nice 3 km walk and some cool photos.
29. Muzeul George Enescu
The Cantacuzino Palace, which now hosts the George Enescu Museum, is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Built in 1903 in the Beaux-Arts style by the wealthy Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, mayor of Bucharest and prime minister, it has a fabulous Art Nouveau entrance.
In the back of the palace is a smaller house where George Enescu, one of Romania’s greatest musicians, used to live. This house has a lovely stairway that’s also very Instagrammable!
You can enter the courtyard to shoot these two buildings without paying a ticket. Make sure you go during visiting hours.
30. Hotel Union – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Hotel Union was built in the 1930s as a luxury hotel, and its Art Deco style reminds a lot of the buildings in New York, don’t you think? That’s why I included it on the list of the most Instagrammable places in Bucharest!
31. Maison Dadoo l’Atelier – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Maison Dadoo l’Atelier is a chic flower shop in the fancy Dorobanți neighborhood that ravished Instagram with its amazing decor, which changes every season or on special occasions.
Instagrammable places in Bucharest – South of Old Town
32. Dealul Mitropoliei
Up on Dealul Mitropoliei, you can get some nice views of Bucharest’s rooftops and Casa Poporului.
Also, there’s a nice mural with two Romanian singers/actresses from the 80s. It’s not a mural, they are merely posters, but I always liked the look of this almost hidden spot. You can find it here on Google Maps. You have to go down some stairs.
33. Palatul Parlamentului (Casa Poporului)
The People’s House, or Palace of Parliament, is the heaviest building in the world (at 4 million tons 😳) and the largest administrative one. It’s a statement of communist leader Ceaușescu’s megalomania.
34. Parcul Carol – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Carol Park is named after Romania’s first King, Carol (Charles) the 1st. I confess it’s one of my favorite parks in the city because my grandma used to live nearby, so I practically grew up here. There are a few spots in this park worthy of the most Instagrammable places in Bucharest list!
The first one is the George Cantacuzino fountain, a fairytale setting if you ask me ♥.
The charming Vila Bosianu is the second one. Another gorgeous building in Bucharest that looks just like a castle!
It was built in 1856 in a Neogothic style, and it’s so rich in history, here they secretly planned the Union of two Romanian Principalities in 1859, and here they kept Alexandru I. Cuza, the first ruler of the United Principalities, safe from assassins.
It now holds the largest astronomy library in the country, and they only allow group visits, so if you’re interested, go to their website and send them an email request.
35. Deschis Gastrobar
Deschis Gastrobar is such an eye-candy place, don’t you think?
Instagrammable places in Bucharest – West part of the city
36. Cartierul Cotroceni
Cotroceni must be my favorite neighborhood in Bucharest! Its quiet streets, filled with gorgeous houses built at the turn of the century, are a wonderful escape from the busy city.
Time seems to have stopped here (if it weren’t for all the cars…) because the neighborhood wasn’t touched by the communist bulldozers that destroyed so much of this city, and new buildings were built in respect of the chic spirit here. It’s a place that still holds the charm of old Bucharest!
Do yourself a favor and walk around the winding streets, searching for the most beautiful house. It’s quite a challenge!
37. Ceainăria Infinitea
Other than just walking on the streets, there are some pretty Instagrammable places you shouldn’t miss! Infinitea teahouse is one of them! The garden is incredibly lovely, with many tea flavors and homemade cookies!
38. Colored Staircase – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Right next to Infinitea, you can find our very own colored staircase! It’s called the Happiness Staircase, and in 2020 it got a colorful makeover.
39. Râul Dâmbovița
Dâmbovița River flows very close to Cotroceni. You can take a nice stroll on it, making for some cute photos.
Instagrammable places in Bucharest – The north part of the city
40. Arcul de Triumf – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
Did you know that Bucharest has its very own Arch of Triumph?
It resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, although smaller, and was built in 1936 in a neoclassical style. You can also climb on top for a pretty view.
41. Muzeul de Artă Veche Apuseană Casa Minovici
The beautiful building of the museum looks like a castle! It was built in 1942 in Tudor style, with Flemish and Venetian elements.
To see the view in the first post, you must enter the courtyard and head to the back (although its front is very nice too). You don’t have to pay a ticket to enter the courtyard. Make sure you go during visiting hours. The interiors are also ever so beautiful, and this museum is worth visiting!
Instagrammable places in Bucharest – Outside the city (North)
42. Capela de la Știrbei – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
The Holy Trinity Chapel in Știrbei Park is amazing! One of my best friends married here, it was very romantic! And hot, there’s no shade whatsoever 😂
Știrbei Park is about 25 km north of the city center, outside Bucharest. Besides the chapel, you can also visit a palace and water tower. I wasn’t there recently, but there should be a cost of 50 Ron to enter, which you can spend at the restaurant on-site.
43. Palatul Mogoșoaia – Instagrammable places in Bucharest
The Mogoșoaia Palace is about 10 km north of the city. It was built in 1702 in the Brâncovenesc style (the same style as the Stavropoleos Monastery).
It’s beautiful, and the huge park makes for a wonderful afternoon stroll. It’s free to enter the park.
With these 43 Instagrammable places in Bucharest, you’re sure to impress your followers and capture the beauty of this vibrant city.
Now I’d like to hear from you! Which place are you going to visit first? Which is the most surprising?
Leave a comment and share this post if you found it helpful!
Where to stay in Bucharest
The Marmorosch Bucharest – (Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
✔️ Indoor swimming pool
✔️ Spa and wellness centre
✔️ Fitness centre
✔️ Superb breakfast included
✔️ Private parking, costs €1 per hour
📍2-6 Doamnei street, 030053 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
The Mansion Boutique Hotel (Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐)
✔️ Airport shuttle
✔️ Restaurand and bar
✔️ Very good breakfast included
✔️ Room service
📍Strada Franceza 11, 030102 Bucharest, Romania – Excellent location – show map
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