The Ashes of Communism - Bucharest Private Tour

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Roman), Str. Franklin 1, Bucharest Romania

Bucharest – a city once called the Little Paris, a city that could have been much more if not for the communist era.

You will easily see this for yourself during this private walking tour, a tour marked by emotional visual contrasts. You will visit two areas that perfectly reflect these contrasts: the beautifully restored Old City with its Belle Époque perfume and the massive Communist Civic Center, an empty shell admired mostly by foreigners. Basically, these areas also show you the absolute oppositions of two historical periods: the Belle Époque vs the Communist Era. The tour is more than a visual experience – it’s a story that takes you through 45 years of communism, allowing you to see beyond the city’s colorful present.

The tour starts in front of the Romanian Athenaeum – a symbol of old Bucharest before the communist era. Here, you will learn about the tragic and brutal installment of communism (end of WW2), about Stalin and the enslavement of Eastern Europe, the genocide of the KGB’s Secret Police, the Siberian deportation of farmers who refused to “donate” their lands to the state, the eradication of culture, private property and free press.


Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei), Calea Victoriei Boulevard, Bucharest Romania

Our 2nd major stop is at Revolution Square - the place where Ceausescu, the last European dictator, gave his last speech. Before we get to the revolution though, we’ll follow the story chronologically. At this stop you’ll learn more about that drastic changes Romania went through after being occupied by the soviets, about the country’s first communist leader and also about the first half of Ceausescu’s reign (the good half)

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: University's Square, Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta 3, București 030167, Romania

The 3nd major stop is at University Square where most of the bloody events of the 1989 revolution took place. In this third chapter, you will learn about the second half of Ceausescu’s reign – specifically the period when he lost control and started doing regrettable things that ultimately lead to people rebelling against him. You’ll also learn about the revolution itself and its dual nature: the people’s protest against Ceausescu in parallel with KGB’s background machinations aimed at replacing the dictator with a puppet.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Old Town, Bucharest Romania

Our 4th chapter is a stop in the restored Old Town – a much smaller area than it used to be before communism. You’ll be charmed by the gorgeous architecture of old palaces, Byzantine churches, bohemian cafes or 19th century houses. However, all of these historical treasures had to be rebuilt or restored to hide the marks of bullets and scars that have not yet healed even though almost three decades have passed since the fall of communism.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Constitution Square, Bucharest Romania

The 5th and last major stop is at the very heart of the former Communist Civic Center, in front of Constitution Square. Yes, we’re talking about the Palace of Parliament – the world’s second largest building after the Pentagon. The dark story behind it will fascinate it you, but this is not a time for spoilers. Just as a few facts, know that it has 7 floors underground, atomic bunkers and a network of roads beneath everything. After we see the Palace exterior, the tour ends and the guide can drop you off at the hotel or in the Old Town for lunch. If instead you wish to visit the palace interior, you can do so on your own (they have guides inside). Just make sure to let us know beforehand so that we can make a reservation for you.

Duration: 30 minutes