Last updated on December 18, 2023.

To the north of Bucharest’s city center is the beautiful Herăstrău Park (Parcul Herăstrău). This large city park surrounds a lake and part of the Colentina River.

Parcul Herăstrău in Bucharest, Romania
Herăstrău Park

The park has several trails for walking, running, and biking, boats on the lake, a sports club, an aquarium, a hotel, restaurants, snack bars, lounges, an open air theatre, and even a Hard Rock Café. It’s a great place to unwind.

Parcul Herăstrău in Bucharest, Romania
A path in Herăstrău Park
Parcul Herăstrău in Bucharest, Romania
Herăstrău Park

 

Sculptures

There are sculptures of several artists, writers, and composers scattered throughout the park. A more recent memorial honors Michael Jackson.

Bust of Victor Hugo at Parcul Herăstrău in Bucharest, Romania
Bust of Victor Hugo
Michael Jackson memorial at Parcul Herăstrău in Bucharest, Romania
Michael Jackson memorial

 

Charles de Gaulle Square

The entrance to Herăstrău Park is at Charles de Gaulle Square (Piața Charles de Gaulle). The square has had many names, including Adolf Hitler Square (Piața Adolf Hitler) from 1940 to 1944 while Romania was a member of the Axis Powers, and Stalin Square (Piața Stalin), complete with a statue of Joseph Stalin which was removed in 1962. It got its current name in the late 1990s and a statue of Charles de Gaulle was added in 2006. The Aviatorilor metro station is at Charles de Gaulle Square.

Piața Charles de Gaulle in Bucharest, Romania
Charles de Gaulle Square
Charles de Gaulle statue at Piața Charles de Gaulle in Bucharest, Romania
Charles de Gaulle statue

 

Triumphal Arch

In keeping up with Bucharest’s love of all things French, the Triumphal Arch (Arcul de Triumf), reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, is on the southwest corner of the park. The first arch was built of wood in 1878 for Romanian troops to march under it after Romania gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire. The current arch was built in 1936 to honor the heroes of World War I and stands 27m high.

Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Romania
Triumphal Arch
Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Romania
Triumphal Arch
Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Romania
Detail of the Triumphal Arch

 

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

On the west side of the park is the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum. If you don’t have a chance to visit rural Romania, this is a great place to come and see some authentic traditional structures from all over the country.

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum

Admission is 30 lei for adults, 15 lei for seniors, and 8 lei for students (as of August 2023). The museum is open daily but some parts of the exhibition may be closed for maintenance.

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
House
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Church

The museum, which opened in 1936, contains over 250 structures. They were brought from villages all over Romania and reassembled in Bucharest, including homes, churches, inns, and mills. Every structure on display is labeled with the location it was pulled from, approximate construction date, and a short description.

Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Restaurant
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Church
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
House
Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Windmill

 

Elisabeta Palace

Also on the grounds of the park is the Elisabeta Palace. It’s private property and the residence of the Romanian royal family. At the time of my visit, King Mihai I was living there. It was built in 1936 and named after Princess Elisabeta of Romania, the daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie. She married the future King George II of Greece but they divorced.

Elisabeta Palace in Bucharest, Romania
Elisabeta Palace
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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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