Must-see in Bucharest: a first-timer's guide

A brief history Bucharest is first mentioned in 1459 under Vlad the Impaler and became the capital of Romania in 1862. Belle-epoque building and French-trained architects earned it the nickname "Little Paris" before the Second World War. Ceausescu's demolition of whole districts for his civic centre, and the 1989 revolution that ended in his execution, left a city where baroque villas, orthodox churches and brutalist blocks stand side by side. 10 must-see attractions 1. Palace of the Parliament — the heaviest building in the world, built by Ceausescu; tours by passport. 2. Romanian Athenaeum — a domed 1888 concert hall with a circular fresco of national history. 3. Lipscani old town — the restored merchant quarter, now terraces, bars and bookshops. 4. Stavropoleos Monastery — a tiny 18th-century church with an exquisite carved stone porch. 5. Village Museum — nearly 300 relocated wooden houses and churches beside Herastrau lake. 6. Revolution Square — the balcony where Ceausescu's last speech was interrupted, plus memorials. 7. Carturesti Carusel — a white six-floor bookshop in a restored 19th-century building. 8. National Museum of Art of Romania — the former royal palace, with medieval and European collections. 9. King Michael I Park (Herastrau) — the city's biggest lake park, good for boats and summer terraces. 10. Therme Bucharest — an enormous palm-filled thermal spa just outside the city. Tip: metro plus ride-hailing beats driving; central traffic is heavy all day.