Hotels near Old Town Lipscani

The historic centre, universally called Lipscani after its main street, is a 10-hectare grid of cobbled lanes that survived Ceausescu's demolition largely because it sat outside his master-plan axis. The name Lipscani comes from Leipzig, the 18th-century trade route that brought German-speaking merchants to Bucharest. Today the district is packed with restored 19th-century townhouses, hidden Orthodox chapels, terrace bars, and the country's grandest bookstore, Carturesti Carusel, occupying a restored bank building at Lipscani 55.

Key sights inside the district include Curtea Veche (the ruined 15th-century Princely Court where Vlad the Impaler once held court), Manuc's Inn (Hanul lui Manuc) from 1808 which is the oldest surviving caravanserai in the city, the neo-classical Stavropoleos Monastery, and the fully covered Villacrosse and Macca Passages with their yellow glass roofs. Wander during the day for coffee and architecture; return after 21:00 for the buzz along Selari and Smardan streets.

Pro Tip: For a proper Romanian lunch, book a table on the courtyard balcony at Caru' cu Bere at Stavropoleos 5 - the building is a listed 1899 neo-Gothic monument and the sarmale (cabbage rolls with polenta) at 45 RON is the cheapest way to eat inside a piece of Bucharest history.