More than a journey
More than a journey
City Tour, Walking Tour
7h
from €40
This Communist Bucharest Tour explores the history and the key landmarks of communism in Bucharest. It's a great choice if you love history and you'd like to find out more about one of the harshest dictatures in the world.
In fact, Romania's capital is one of the best places in Europe to understand the reality lived behind the Iron Curtain. The city almost doubled its size in this time, mainly because of Ceausescu’s megalomaniac plans. His regime is the focus of our tour which also includes visits to the world-record Palace of the Parliament and his private residence.
We'll walk across central Bucharest, from Revolution Square and the 21st of December Square to the Civic Center. Built after huge demolitions, the new center was only the start of Ceausescu's model city. The tall blocks hide an entire world, including the churches that escaped destruction. We'll visit two of these centuries-old monuments, saved at the last moment.
Plus, you'll find out how the communists gained complete power after WW2, how they could keep it, and which were the most important decisions that changed for good the history of Bucharest.
Optional visit to a communist-style apartment.
The Communist Bucharest Tour is available from Monday to Sunday.
Tour also suited for seniors.
This tour can be modified according to your time and points of interest.
The main attractions of the tour are presented below. Their order depends on your hotel's location.
Locally known as the ‘House of the People’, the Parliament is the most famous landmark of Romania’s communist period. It's also the second-largest administrative building in the world, a testimony of Ceausescu's out-of-proportion thinking.
Central to his vision of creating a new Bucharest, the construction has over 1,000 rooms. Its hand-made decorations are from the finest and most expensive materials, including one million cubic meters of marble and 3,5 tons of crystal.
This landmark is also part of our Bucharest City Tour.
We visit two of the eight churches that were saved from destruction. One of these monuments was moved 300 meters away from its original location over 30 years ago. They were hidden behind tall blocks as this was their only way to escape the communist bulldozers. Some of them were moved at temperatures of -20 or -25 degrees Celsius.
Massive demolitions disfigured the central part of Bucharest to make space for Unirii Square and the Civic Center. They represent the architectural vision of Ceausescu whose ambition was to build a new capital for the 'new man'.
This square was the center of the violent events of December 1989 and the early '90s. Groups of people occupied the square on December 21, 1989, protesting against the communist regime. They were arrested, beaten, or shot in the evening of the same day, but the Romanian Revolution had begun.
The protests continued in the same square just a few months after, this time against the newly installed government dominated by former communists.
Revolution Square is a key place in the history of Bucharest and Romania. Ceausescu held his last speech here on December 22, 1989, from the balcony of the omnipotent Central Committee of the Communist Party. It was the beginning of the end for the regime and the start of massive protests across the country.
This square is also part of our Historical Bucharest Tour.
The former residence of the Ceausescu family offers the rare chance of an incursion into the communist past. The house is conserved almost entirely in its original form as in the days when the ruling family lived there. You'll see the bedrooms, the offices, the gardens, and even the wardrobe and swimming pool of the dictatorial couple.
This attraction is only included in the tours that take place from Tuesday to Sunday.
Ferestroika
Discover a typical communist-style apartment from a working-class neighborhood. Each space of the apartment is a small exhibition of daily family life activities during the communist regime.
The Heroes' Mausoleum
Located in one of the oldest parks of Bucharest, the Mausoleum is one of the first monuments built by the communists. It commemorates the soldiers who died 'to free the country and install socialism', one of the first public lies of the regime. From the Mausoleum, you have a great view of the Parliament.
Back to topEasy: Easy short walks on flat terrain.
Moderate: Up to 5 km walking per day or/and optional cycling routes and easy hikes.
Intense: Up to 10 km walking per day with some inclines or/and optional cycling routes and more demanding hikes
Challenge: Hiking on uneven trails at altitudes above 1,000 meters. Longer optional cycling routes. Requires good health and physical condition.
Ultimate: Full day of hikes and/or demanding cycling tours. Requires excellent health and physical condition.
Basic: Limited interaction.
Moderate: At least two or three cultural sights included in the tour.
High: Cultural visits everyday of the tour.
Total: All about culture.
Basic: Limited interaction.
Moderate: At least two or three historical sights included in the tour.
High: Visits at historical monuments everyday of the tour.
Total: All about history.
Basic: Limited interaction.
Moderate: At least two hours per day spent in nature.
High: Most activities take place in nature.
Total: All about nature.
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6.2. You have the right to transfer the tour package to other parties who wish to participate in your place. In this case, the other party assumes the entire contractual rights and obligations, including a price increase if extra services are needed. The transfer cannot take place less than 7 days before the execution of the tour package.
6.3. You acknowledge that the type of travel products and/or services booked requires a certain flexibility and acknowledge that they will permit reasonable alterations to their booking. You also acknowledge that the routes, itineraries, accommodation, types of transportation, or schedules may be modified without prior notice due to various circumstances or events, such as sickness or mechanical breakdown, extreme natural phenomena in the location where the tour takes place, flight cancellations, strikes and other unpredictable or unforeseeable circumstances which are beyond the control of Uncover Romania Tours.
6.4. You have the rights to ask and receive a price discount if any changes in the execution of the tour have affected the services included in the contract except if the cause of these changes is provoked by your own actions if it's a consequence of unforeseen events and/or of the actions of a third party unrelated to the travel services included in the contract. The price discount cannot be greater than the costs of the services affected by the changes in the execution of the tour.
6.5. You are the only responsible party if you do not follow the tour program, if you lose your official ID documents and belongings or if your actions disrupt the execution of the tour.
6.6. You are responsible for securing travel and health insurance as well as applying and obtaining entrance visas to Romania if necessary.
Citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area, or the United States of America do not need a visa to stay in Romania for a period of maximum of 90 days. Citizens with simple passports from other 58 countries are exempted from the Romanian visa requirement. Check the 58 countries here.
The list of countries whose citizens require a Romanian visa is available here.
The procedures for obtaining the visa are available here.
6.7. You acknowledge that the decisions of the tour guide are final on all aspects likely to affect the safety or well-being of any person participating in the tour. If you fail to comply with a decision made by the tour guide or affect the well-being or mobility of the group, you may be asked to leave the trip immediately, with no right to refund. You must comply with the laws and customs of Romania.
6.8. You acknowledge all tours involve a certain amount of personal risk and that it is also your responsibility to acquaint yourselves with all relevant travel information and the nature of their itinerary.
6.9. You must notify us in writing if the present contract was not fulfilled properly a maximum of 10 days after the end of the tour.
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7.3. If during or before the tour, Uncover Romania Tours acknowledges it is not possible to completely respect the tour itinerary because of major changes that could not be anticipated, it is obligated to inform the clients as soon as possible. If Uncover Romania Tours cannot fix the situation that created the major changes, it has to offer the clients alternative or financial compensations if any fees already paid by them were part of the services not offered. This compensation cannot be greater than the costs of the services affected by the changes.
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7.5. Uncover Romania Tours will offer immediate assistance if you are affected by unforeseen circumstances during the execution of the tour. We will provide information regarding health services, local authorities, or embassy services if needed, and will assist you in identifying the best services needed. If you are responsible for the circumstances that created the difficulties, Uncover Romania Tours has the right to charge a reasonable commission that cannot be greater than the actual cost of these assistance services.
7.6. Uncover Romania Tours is not responsible for any damages, expenses, losses, or claims which are attributable to the fault of the clients, the unforeseeable or unavoidable act, or omission of a third party unconnected with the provision of any travel products and/or services or a force major event.
7.7. Uncover Romania Tours must respond in 10 days to any notification sent by you regarding the improper execution of the tour package, mentioning the compensations that apply, if the case, and identifying the responsible parties.
7.8. Uncover Romania Tours reserves the right to unilaterally modify this contract after it was signed and agreed by both parties in the event of unforeseen changes that affect the execution of the tour package. The CLIENTS will be informed immediately in this respect.
8.1. The clients are insured against the risk of bankruptcy of the Uncover Romania Tours by the Insurance Policy number 29315 from 10/10/2018 issued by OMNIASIG VIENNA INSURANCE GROUP SA. Address: 51 Aleea Alexandru, Bucharest, Romania. Phone: +40214057420. Email: office@omniasig.ro.
9.1. In the case of major force, both parties are exempted from any responsibility. This refers to any unpredictable events that may occur after the signing of this contract that escape the control of any of the two parties and that make it impossible for any of them to fulfill partially or totally any of their responsibilities. Major force events refer to natural disasters, riots, protests, schedule change of public or private transportation schedule, government decisions that may affect the tourism activity. The party or parties affected by major force are exempted from any responsibility linked to this contract. Both parties agree to limit as much as possible any damages caused. The party invoking major force is obligated to notify in writing the other party at the beginning (maximum 5 days) and end of a situation of force majeure. In the absence of this written notification, the situation of major force cannot be invocated. If this situation lasts for more than 15 days, the contract is canceled.
10.1. The laws of Romania govern the booking conditions and contracts to the fullest extent allowable. Any disputes in connection with it must be initiated in the courts of Romania if the parties haven’t reached an amicable solution.
11.1. Uncover Romania Tours reserves the right to update and/or alter these terms and conditions at any time, and it is the clients' responsibility to be familiar with them. The latest terms and conditions can always be found on www.uncover-romania-tours.com and will supersede any previous versions.
One person: €115
Group of 2 persons: €65 per person
Group of 3 persons: €50 per person
Group of 4 persons: €45 per person
Group of 5-6 persons: €40 per person
Extra 25 Eur/per person if you wish to include Ferestroika
Extra 5 Eur/per person if you wish to include the Heroes' Mausoleum
Discount rates for children.
tour guide services and planning costs
transportation costs (a maximum of three car rides) for up to three people.
entrance fees
meals
payment-related fees (1% for credit card, 4.5% for PayPal, variable for bank transfers)
Credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, cash (only for certain tours). The fees related to the payment methods are not included in the price.
Contact us if you’d like to get a price quotation for larger or smaller groups or a shorter/longer version of this tour.
Your hotel or other central location
Your hotel or other central location
No
Walking tour, partly by car
the Parliament, the Civic Center, old churches, the Revolution and the 21st of December Squares, Primaverii Palace
PRICE from
We were in Brasov as part of a motorcycle tour from the UK. On our 'rest' day we wanted to do a walking tour of Bucharest's Old Town and visit the Palace of Parliament. Diana made it very easy to do business with Uncover Romania. She quic...
Read moreDiana took me out to the Bear Sanctuary and on a walking tour of Brasov. She knew heaps of info and was great to spend the day with. This was my first day in Romania and was a awesome start to my holiday. Thanks so much Diana!
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Discover the history behind the Palace of the Parliament, a world-record construction and a major symbol of communism.
Visit Sighet Memorial, a former communist prison where Romania’s elites were sent to die during the first years of communism.
