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Darkside Tour – Bucharest has a very dark past. Discover it!

Tour Snapshot

There will be death, a glimpse into the depths of human vice and cruelty, and a pinch of supernatural – but that’s not actually the point.

Cheap thrills are best left to Hollywood professionals. What we’re really interested in is giving you an insight into the (often times tragic) history of the place we now call Romania. The tour will take you on a journey through both space and time, through the events of World War II, the communist regime and the Revolution in 1989, but also through the picturesque Bellu cemetery, and our local legends and superstitions. 

If this sounds good, then wait ’till you see the real deal. Until then, here are some highlights of this paticular tour:

  • find out about Romanian superstitions, burial traditions and evil creatures (vampires included)
  • visit the square where anti-communist protests were quenched in blood by miners in the 90s, and where anti-corruption protests happen to this day
  • visit Bellu Cemetery, our local Père-Lachaise
  • find out about prostitution in interwar Bucharest and about Ion Rîmaru, our version of Jack the Ripper
  • learn about the communist genocide and experience the place where the Revolution in 1989 started, putting an end to Ceaușescu’s dictatorship
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Language

English

Starting time

15:00

Duration

3 hours

Meeting place

in front of KFC Piata Romana

Group size

1 – 12

Distance

3.5 km

The Tour in Detail

The meeting point is in front of the KFC restaurant at Piața Romană (The Roman Square). From there, you will experience the city’s public transport system by taking the underground (metro) to Bellu Cemetery, our very own Père Lachaise, which has been declared a historical monument and is part of the European Cemeteries Route. Here you will see countless beautiful works of funerary art, hear stories of love, murder and mystery, and visit the resting grounds of many of Romania’s top personalities. You will also find out about local medieval torture methods, burial traditions, superstitions, and Romanian monsters (such as the world-famous vampires, but also the lesser-known strigoi). 

After you have taken in the peaceful, poetic and possibly eerie atmosphere of the cemetery, we will come back to civilization and travel to Piața Universității (The University Square), which is geographically and emotionally the center of Bucharest. This is where anti-communist protests were held in the 90s, leading to bloody clashes between students and miners. 

Ever since, it had become the place where citizens express their democratic right to protests. Venturing further into the historic heart of the city, going through one of the many passageways characteristic of Bucharest (some of which were used as places of prostitution), you will find out the story of Ion Rîmaru, dubbed The Vampire of Bucharest, responsible for the murder of many women between 1970-1971.

Coming onto Calea Victoriei (The Victory Way), you will see buildings affected by the bombings of World War 2 and hear about the horror and tortures of communist prisons. The tour ends in Piața Revoluției (The Revolution Square), the starting point of the Revolution in 1989 in Bucharest, which put an end to Ceaușescu’s reign of terror.

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Additional Information

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, a traditionally Romanian snack, transport.

Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide.

Child Policy: Children under 14 are not allowed on this tour.

Additional: We reserve the right to make changes to the route or the locations included in the tour in order to ensure the safety and quality of your experience.

Dietary Notes

We can adapt the snack to dietary needs, such as vegan, gluten intolerant or others. Also, please notify us in advance whether you have any allergies or sensitivities. You can do so in the “Additional Information” box at checkout.
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