Bucharest is an old and gorgeous city.
Located in the southeast of Romania, the city has served as the country’s capital since the 1600s.
While you may picture only Dracula and Vlad Tepes when you think of Romania, the country contains so much more history than just those two figures.
When you visit Bucharest, you can walk down cool, calm streets, see castles, and end up having dinner and drinks in the latest fashionable restaurant, all in one day.
Traveling to Bucharest has become safer over the years, and the city has a good reputation.
But, like any Eastern European city, Bucharest still has its issues.
You can prepare for these so that you can enjoy your trip instead of worrying about what you might encounter.
Warnings & Dangers in Bucharest
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
But low in critical categories. Bucharest is generally good in the personal-safety department, even for women traveling alone. But the taxi scams, pickpocket risk, and nasty earthquake history make that "overall risk" score rise up. Pay attention to scam-safety advice and make yourself look like the worst target for a thief to pick so that your trip goes a lot more smoothly.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Lurk in online forums and you'll read complaint after complaint about scamming taxi drivers. Most people recomment taking Uber or a service called Bolt instead of taking a taxi. The taxi drivers have reputations for overcharging people, especially from the airport. If you do want to take a taxi, use licensed services that you pre-arrange. Ask your hotel's concierge or desk staff for help.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
Pickpockets are an unfortunate feature of many European cities, especially in tourist areas, and Bucharest is right up there with the rest of them. Try to avoid being stuck in crowded spaces -- you do want to stay in populated tourist zones, but try not to end up in crowds where you can't guard your pockets and bags. The situation is reportedly better now than it was a few years ago, but don't tempt fate; secure your money and valuables, wear bags so that you can see the compartments at all times (e.g., backpack in front instead of on your back), and generally try to make yourself a really frustrating target.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
The city is at risk of earthquakes, and many in the city aren't that confident that many buildings will hold up. In fact, many of the buildings that were damaged in the city's frightening 7.2-magnitude quake in 1977 were never thoroughly repaired. Bucharest is very prone to quakes. If one does happen while you're there, listen to the staff at the hotel, and try to contact the U.S. embassy. If you're signed up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), you may find it easier to get help. Bucharest can also have storms, like much of Eastern Europe, that have very strong winds and lead to localized flooding.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
But it's there. There is a risk of mugging, but it's low. Lock everything up, keep your valuables safe, don't wear flashy jewelry or designer clothes, and avoid deserted areas. Don't walk alone at night, if you can help it. If you're a solo traveler, stick to tourist centers at night, where there are people socializing. Crimes like this tend to be opportunistic, so you really want to stay in situations that don't offer criminals a lot of opportunity.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Bucharest itself doesn't have a specific terrorist threat, and the country as a whole has a Level 1 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State. However, the threat still exists simply because all of Europe is under that threat. So, stay alert and be cautious in general. If you see anything that sets off your internal warning bell, contact police.
SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
The usual tourist scams and pickpockets abound here. Taxis can overcharge and play around with the meter, so taking Uber or a service called Bolt may be safer. There are also fake tour guides that you have to avoid; if someone comes up to you and offers to guide you, say no. (If you feel like taking a tour on a whim, ask your hotel's front desk staff or concierge about reputable tours.) Never exchange money on the street -- stick to airport currency exchange offices and banks. Use ATMs at banks only. Watch out for restaurant overcharging and gift scams where someone tries to hand you something and then demand payment once you hold it. Sadly, fake police officers and transport officers can be an issue, albeit a rare one.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Bucharest has a good safety record overall, but women travelers, especially solo ones, should take Uber or a service called Bolt instead of taxis. Stay in tourist centers at night, and don't wander off, especially into deserted areas. Don't respond to catcalling, and watch out for pickpockets and people trying to sell you stuff outside of actual commercial businesses. The emergency service number is 112.
TAP WATER RISK: MEDIUM
Bucharest's tap water is generally safe, although many people choose bottled water because of the taste. Do be careful of older buildings that may have lead pipes; you won't want to drink tap water from those. Be careful of discolored water, too. You may want to opt for bottled water anyway, just because so many residents do.
Safest Places to Visit in Bucharest
Most of the city would count as “safest.”
However, the northern and northwestern areas tend to have better reputations.
Keep in mind that the relative safety of a neighborhood can change over time, so if you feel like wandering, double-check where you want to go with your hotel’s concierge.
Places to Avoid in Bucharest
Areas in Bucharest that people often advise against going to (or at least being extremely careful in, if you still go) are the north train station, Old Town, Ferentari, Giulesti Sarbi, and Rahova.
Bucharest is divided into six sectors that radiate out from the center, and District 5 in the southwest (where Ferentari and Rahova are) often is the scene of many a complaint about Bucharest crime.
However, travelers and residents report that even those spots aren’t as bad as they used to be.
However, be cautious, and try avoiding those spots anyway.
Safety Tips for Traveling to Bucharest
- Sign up for STEP! This program from the U.S. Department of State makes it so much easier for the embassy to contact you if there’s an emergency. You also get up-to-date advisories for the country you’re visiting.
- Watch out for tap water from older buildings to avoid potential lead ingestion.
- Don’t wander away into dark, unfamiliar neighborhoods, no matter how nice and safe they look. While Bucharest has a good safety record now, you only increase the risk of something happening.
- Don’t exchange money on the street. That’s just asking to get scammed. (Don’t change money at the airport, either, if you can avoid it, but that’s because the rates are supposed to be bad.)
- Be cool and low-key. No flashy jewelry, don’t look rich, etc. If you wear anything like that, you’re making yourself look like a wealthy target for thieves.
- Secure valuables, and don’t leave your wallet in your back pocket. Pickpockets like it when you do that.
- Pay attention to weather reports to avoid summer storms.
- Try to avoid going into buildings that look damaged. This may be old quake damage that was never fixed and that could become worse if another quake hits.
- Did someone just ask you if you wanted a special tour with them as your guide? Say no. This is a common scam.
- Watch your bags and drinks in bars.
So... How Safe Is Bucharest Really?
Bucharest isn’t as dicey as a lot of those “medium risk” labels make it sound.
Yes, risks and danger do exist in the city.
But with common sense and good personal security/awareness, you can avoid a lot of trouble.
There will always be a small risk of something going wrong, but that’s why you research and prepare, so you can avoid as much risk as possible.
The country as a whole is rated pretty low on the risk scale by the State Department.
Cautions for things like terrorism are general, the sort of thing you’d expect in most countries.
People often report feeling safer in Romania than in countries like France.
Surveys show high safety ratings for activities like walking around town, even at night.
The only prominent worries tend to be the issue of old buildings in quakes, and corruption/bribery.
How Does Bucharest Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
 Bucharest |
70 |
| Iasi |
73 |
| Timisoara |
87 |
| Cluj-Napoca |
90 |
| Brasov |
80 |
 Quinault | 82 |
| Bend | 87 |
| La Crosse | 87 |
| Charlottesville | 68 |
 Leipzig | 78 |
| Carlyle | 86 |
Useful Information
Visas
U.S. citizens don't need visas to visit Bucharest or other parts of Romania for fewer than 90 days. If you want to visit for 90 days and come back later, you need to wait another 90 days before you can re-enter Romania without a long-term visa. If you're traveling to other countries in the Schengen zone, however, those days you spend in the zone all count toward the 90 days. So, if you're planning to visit several Schengen countries, you have to condense all the travel into 90 days. Once those are done, you have to wait another 90 days before you can re-enter the zone as a visa-free tourist. You also have to ensure that your passport has at least three months left before its expiration date whenever you enter a Schengen country.
Currency
The Romanian leu and bani (1 leu = 100 bani) are the currency in use; not the euro. The symbol for the leu is L, and the plural is "lei." As of late January 20206, US$1 = L4.30. While you can exchange money at the airport, the rates are reportedly terrible. Banks and exchange houses (or booths in malls) may have better rates.
Weather
Bucharest definitely has seasons. January is the coldest month, with highs (using Fahrenheit here, although Romania uses Celsius) averaging in the mid to upper 30s and lows in the low to mid 20s. Winters can be snowy and icy, too. You've got to bring adequate protection like gloves and hats. July and August are the hottest months, with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the lower 60s. Humidity in Bucharest in summer is relatively high. Bring layers, with light sweaters or jackets for nighttime.
Airports
Bucharest has two airports that you can fly into. One is Bucharest Băneasa Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, located to the north of the city. Tram and bus lines stop at this airport, and you can rent a car, too. Your hotel may offer a shuttle service, so ask when you book your rooms. Be careful taking pictures inside the airport as some areas are restricted. The other airport is Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport, located a few miles north of Bucharest in the town of Otopeni. Buses and a train connect this airport with Bucharest. You also have other options like renting a car or seeing if your hotel has a shuttle.
Travel Insurance
Because U.S. citizens don't need a visa to visit Bucharest for fewer than 90 days, travel insurance isn't required. If you're from a country that normally needs a Schengen visa, then you're required to have travel insurance. However, even U.S. citizens should strongly consider getting travel insurance to cover the possibility of canceled trips or plans, and to cover medical costs. If you get sick or injured, medical costs can be very high. The medical services in Bucharest don't accept regular U.S. health insurance, so you'll either need a travel policy or be prepared to pay cash. And remember just because Romania doesn't have the astronomically high medical bills that the U.S. does, doesn't mean the bills are cheap. You really should get travel insurance. If you plan to rent a car and drive, you'll need Romanian auto insurance, too. You should be able to purchase some through the rental car agency.
Bucharest Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C |
22 | 4 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 17 | 10 | 3 |
| Low °C |
-5 | -3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 2 | -3 |
| High °F |
72 | 39 | 52 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 86 | 86 | 75 | 63 | 50 | 37 |
| Low °F |
23 | 27 | 34 | 43 | 52 | 59 | 63 | 61 | 54 | 45 | 36 | 27 |
Romania - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Brasov | 80 |
| Bucharest | 70 |
| Cluj-Napoca | 90 |
| Iasi | 73 |
| Timisoara | 87 |
Seems really nice!
Bucharest never came off as unsafe. Having never been there though, I wanted to do some research. Most places I had read are saying similar things to this page which is a relief. I was worried my first trip over there might not be so good. My husband and I are going in October. I think it will be an amazing trip!
BUCHAREST IN COVID TIMES
Hello! Indeed, Bucharest is just like it is written in the article. Of course, this should be added: this year, the pandemics covid 19 has changed everything. Yet, it is still safe to visit the town and you can find safe pubs to have a drink or something to eat, and I say it as a local travel guide. As for the rest, Bucharest is the same. Maybe not so crowded like it used to be, but this may be a chance for foreign tourists to have a good city-break or short vacation. Cheers!
Can't wait to travel there again! <3
Visited the Romanian capital city of Bucharest August of 2019 for a metal concert. We were skeptical due to the things we’ve heard about the state of the country due to poverty and other sad situations. We were so wrong. We stayed in Bucharest for 4 days, crossed on foot almost the whole city center(avoided the slums area of course) and we were mesmerized from the city vibes, day and night, as well the beautiful mixed architecture(art nouveau, soviet era, modern-current era). The only times we felt a bit unsafe was the on foot return from the concert(National Arena Stadium) to the centre due to low light and low traffic small roads. The other occasion was on some narrow roads in the center due to a teenager that was following us from a distance for some reason, we arrived in the Unirii boulevard and everything was good from this point on. Use Uber to avoid taxi scams, apply basic sense travel safety measures and you will be alright, trust me. Places to visit are of course the amazing old town and the lovely cafes inside it, the beautiful Carturesti bookstore, the city center and the outskirts of it and the huge Herastrau Park with the village museum inside it.
I enjoyed so much the time in Bucharest that i can’t wait to travel there again. Greetings from Greece!
It's way HOTTER in summer
Very good article and fairly accurate. Good job!
Though I really need to mention that in summer temperatures are way higher than you mentioned here. You said a max of 28 degrees Celsius in July and August. In reality, July hits often 32 degrees C and August hits at least 2 days 40 degrees C, with an average of 32.
So a 28 degrees C high temp would have been a dream for us in summer :))
And I’ve lived my whole life in Bucharest, so I know.
I stayed in Bucharest for 3 days. I did not encounter any danger or any form of fraud anywhere. I walked around the city at night and felt safe.
So, should we just ignore the fact that Bucharest is basically a playground for modern buildings now while its old soul is just sitting there, waiting for someone to give it a hug?
Did you also get that warm, slightly sleepy buzz sitting on a bench by Cismigiu Lake after wandering the paths, or was that just me?
Has anyone else felt both at ease and a little on guard walking those cool, calm streets and spotting a castle before ending up in a fashionable restaurant for dinner?