The Real tour of Communism
Description
The Real Tour of Communism will take you through all of the major aspects regarding the life under communist rule in Romania which lasted officially from 1948 to 1989. The Communism era was marked by the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu who ruled Romania for most of this period (1965-1989). We will discover the landmarks of the Communist era to understand how the city's architecture was influenced and changed for ever. But also the former locations of the Secret Police where Romanians were interrogated and tortured too. The tour ends in the Revolution Square where Nicolae Ceausescu had his last speech on Dec 21st 1989 few days before he was executed together with his wife.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Patriarchal Palace used to be the former headquarters of The Great National Assembly during the Communism period.
Find out the story of the second largest building in the world.
Find out how some churches from 16th and 17th were lucky to be literally moved/translated (and not demolished).
In the Old Town of Bucharest there were the favorite restaurants of the Communists leadership. We will discover the story behind them.
The revolution against the Romanian communist party was the only bloody one in the former Iron Curtain. You'll discover the last days of Nicolae Ceausescu in power and the first days of freedom after 40+ years of communism.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The tour operates in all weather conditions, please dress accordingly
Reviews(746)
Genuinely the highlight of my time in Bucharest. This tour is incredibly interesting and highly interactive. I can’t say enough positive words about our guide, Mihai, who is, in addition to being very knowledgeable has a clear interest and passion in his subject matter. Please do this tour, you will not regret it!
Highly recommend the tour and especially, Daniela as the guide. Daniela was informative, professional and yet, listened to our experienced stories and added to them. She presented the communist contrast without anger (which is rare in young people these days) and yet, conveyed the difficulties in Romania, and specifically, Bucharest, during Communism. And, a significant note of respect for Daniela is that her father escaped the Communist rule and has written an incredible book about his and others escapes. Daniela has a lot to offer and the tour was outstanding.
This is one of the best tours I’ve done in Romania. Elena was a great guide, very personable, and was very organized. She really made the history come alive and balanced the tour well with personal stories and the history of each place. Thank you for a great experience.
The tour is highly recommended. Mihai is very authentic and his explanations are very interesting. Unfortunately, there is little to learn in Bucharest about the political events of the last 50 years. That is why such offerings are all the more important.
Our tour guide was very detailed and passionate about sharing the Communism knowledge. I walked away with not only a better understanding of life under communism but got to see some cool things around the city—despite the heavy initial downpour the guide kept us safe and kept on with the tour. Tudor was AMAZING!!
John was an enthusiastic and well-versed guide
Fascinating tour with Andreea. Her passion for Romanian politics, history and her first-hand experience of living under Communism makes it a very moving tour.
Andrea was an excellent guide. One the best we have been guided by anywhere in our global travels. The entire tour was all the more meaningful and enlightening because Andrea populated the actual history with personal anecdotes and experiences about her and her family's lives growing up as a child and elders through the Caucescau regime. It's one thing to learn the facts, it's another to be able to relate them to a real person. The pace was relaxed and comfortable with plenty of Andrea selected shadey locations when we stopped for it to rain her knowledge on a very hot day. So you should not worry about the heat unduly. The half time coffee (and comfort) break in a pleasant coffee shop meant one was never in need of an urgent stop! All in all a well worth the fee and a good tip My only suggestion to make the tour easier would be to use What3words for directions/instructions as to precisely where to join at the start of the tour. WHY??? We wasted 10/15 minutes at the start waiting for a latecomer who didn't leave enough time to be able to cover all the bases. And to be fair our 5* concierge thought there were 2 or 3 possible points when we asked! Tip...arrive at the starting meeting point half an hour before schedule and spend 20 minutes visiting and in awe of the Patriarchal Cathedral interior where you join the group. Whatever your faith its beauty is mesmerising.
John was a great guide. I definitely recommend this tour in you're interested in the history of communism in Romania and Bucharest in particular. Extremely knowledgeable and spoke about personal experiences living under communism in the eighties.
Extremely interesting and exciting tour. Our guide John is very involved and knows everything about the history of Romania. He shared personal experience of himself and his family during Communist rule making history palpable and involving. We were all touched and excited. It was the best tour we have ever had in a city. Thank you very much! Maria and Tedson
