Darkside Tour of Bucharest - small group

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Enjoy the walk and stories inside the Bellu Cemetery, the first modern graveyard in the city and a place filled with love stories, unique architecture and even mysteries waiting to be resolved.

   1 h

2. Discover the starting point of the most important protests in our recent history. Learn about the victims that bravely fought during the Revolution of 1989, the ones who believed in an occidental future and fought the miners in the '90s, as well as the recent anticorruption battle. All of them started here.

   20 min

3. Next travel back in time in the beginning of the 20th century to find out all about the scandalous times that Bucharest had before the Communist Regime took power. In 1927, around 12.000 prostitutes and escorts were working in Romania. Among them, there were ladies of night such as the beautiful gypsy dancer, Zaraza.

   40 min

4. A very important and emotional spot that gives goosebumps to every Romanian. Learn about the Romanian gulag, the cruel dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and how difficult was the life in the '80s for the local people. Travel in time back to the 22nd December 1989 when shootings took place and many innocent people died facing Securitatea (the secret police). This place represents a symbolic end for the communist regime in Romania. Discover how it happened.

   20 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 154 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5A must-do if you love history.

  Alex was beyond amazing. So much history and information. He was exceptional with knowledge and was able to answer every question. He really knows the Romanian history and culture and shared with enthusiasm. We have done many tours in many countries and Alex has raised a high bar. He thought of everything and it was the perfect pace. He even made local recommendations. We couldn't be happier! I can't give this tour and Alex enough stars.

  jenniferlarson1September 2026via Viator

• 5A lighter touch on the dark side tour

  We wholeheartedly give top marks to Elena. She was much more than we had expected and gave freely of her charm, knowledge, enthusiasm, and sheer personality. The time we spent with her went by so quickly and the insight she gave us into Romanian culture history and life today was invaluable on our first day here in her country. Plus we had an added bonus in that we were the only three on the tour, making it even more of a special occasion. We thoroughly recommend both the tour and Elena.

  catherine_sSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Fantastic tour of Bucharest

  If you want an informative and gentle tour in order to learn more about Bucharest and Romania, you shouldn’t miss Elena’s tour. Elena had a wonderful sense of pacing, mixing must-see landmarks with quiet, lesser-known corners that most tourists never find. It was clear she genuinely cared about giving us an authentic experience, not just a checklist of sights. We were also impressed by Elena’s warmth and compassion for her fellow Romanians; she took time to help an older man with his bucket of water (the man was tending a grave). Elena also provided food and love to the stray animals we saw and explained how she is trying to remedy the problem of strays in Bucharest. By the end of the tour, we felt like we understood Bucharest’s soul, not just its streets. If you get the chance to explore the city with Elena, take it — you won’t just see Bucharest, you’ll fall in love with it. Highly, highly recommend!

  lucybH2736KBSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Love it

  He was so knowledgeable about the tour. We asked so many questions and he was able to answer. Got so much out of this tour.

  kirsten_sAugust 2026via Viator

• 5Fascinating experience with a great guide!

  I had an amazing tour with Alexia! Even though the other two people on the tour canceled and some rain was scheduled, I appreciated that the tour still continued. It was very well organized, with a great overview of some of the history of Romania including some of its famous people buried in Bellu Cemetery, and an overview of some places from the 1989 revolution. Alexia was well informed and a great guide, and everything was paced very well. If you're fascinated in visiting the cemetery and learning about these things, it's worth it for sure!

  Bobby_BAugust 2026via Viator

• 5Very good guide

  Very interesting, Mihaela is a good guide who can tell interesting stories and is definitely open for any questions. Only a lot of mosquitoes on the graveyard 🫣

  Stefan_VJuly 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Bucharest

• Its from-price is 79% below the median of the 1326 experiences we list in Bucharest.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 30 of 1326.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Bucharest

Belle-époque boulevards, Orthodox churches and communist-era monuments meet around a busy old town in Bucharest, Romania's capital.

The vast Palace of the Parliament, among the largest administrative buildings in the world, dominates the centre as a striking legacy of the Ceaușescu era. Calea Victoriei, the grand avenue, leads past the domed Romanian Athenaeum concert hall, the former Royal Palace that houses the National Museum of Art, and Revolution Square, where the events of 1989 unfolded.

Top-ranked sights in Bucharest: Palace of Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului), Revolution Square (Piata Revolutiei), Arcul de Triumf (Arch of Triumph).

See all 1326 experiences in Bucharest