Bucharest was once called ”Little Paris of the East” for its sophisticated Belle Époque elegance. But beneath the Romanian capital’s grand boulevards lies a more complex storey of defiance.

On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll discover how an Ottoman trading hub became a modern European city, surviving fascism and one of history’s most dramatic revolutions.

The tour starts at the historic CEC Bank on Calea Victoriei. You’ll see the Villacrosse Passage with its vintage charm, and then follow the city’s most prestigious boulevard past architecture that’s seen centuries of political upheaval.

Along the way, you’ll hear stories that reveal how ordinary Romanians lived, loved, and fought for their beliefs through some of Europe’s most turbulent decades. The tour ends at Victory Square, where history and modern politics meet, and where you’ll find the impressive headquarters of the Romanian government, Victoria Palace.