What to expect

Communist Bucharest Tour by car is set up as an immersive full-day experience that will show you all aspects of this oppressive regime.
You will learn about Bucharest’s tumultuous history during World War II followed by the Communist Party takeover. In addition, find out shocking details about what life was like under communism for the Bucharest locals.
But most importantly, you will discover how one man – Nicolae Ceausescu – shaped the destiny of Romania throughout his rule.

The tour is intended not just as a historical account, but as a lively experience. That is why you will hear many personal stories, see communist memorabilia and go to the places built during communism.

On this Communist Bucharest tour you will see the main communist sights in Bucharest, such as:

Palace of the Parliament (inside visit) is the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon. It is also the most expensive administrative building. The interiors impress through their size and luxury: vast amounts of marble, crystal chandeliers, gold leaf details, heavy carpets and velvet curtains.

The Primaverii Palace or Ceausescu Residence (inside visit) is located in a posh Northern neighborhood of Bucharest. It served as the main residence of the Ceausescu family. Here you can experience extravagant interiors and understand how a communist dictator lived.

Communist neighborhoods surround all of Bucharest’s center because the city doubled in size and population during the communist regime. Since then, little has changed in the architecture of these places. That is why a stop here takes you back in time to the communist era.
The hidden churches of Bucharest are the few structures to survive the demolition frenzy from the communist days. For example, a visit in the beautiful Patriarchal Church is included. Besides this, the churches are a testimony of how Bucharest looked like in its earlier times.

Piata Unirii with splendid fountains designed during the Ceausescu regime. Furthermore, here is the former Victory of Socialism Boulevard, an imposing avenue considered the socialist version of the Champs Elysees in Paris.
Free Press House is a grandiose building in the Stalinist style of Socialist realism. This structure had housed Bucharest’s printing presses and newsrooms that used to serve the communist propaganda.
Revolution Square is where the communist regime began and ended. This is where Ceausescu had his last speech and fled the crowd during the Revolution of 1989.