The first time I visited Bucharest I think I left with the views of it being one of the worst capital cities I’ve been to and “never going back!”. Perhaps that is a little harsh as, on second time visiting, and wandering through the Historic Centre I saw there are actually some impressive historic buildings and taking a tour to understand the history of Romania post WW2 is quite interesting. It also comes down to if you go mid-week or at the weekends – the Historic Centre seemed to come to life at the weekends as the entire area was pedestrianised and had more of a party atmosphere.
That being said, I think you only really need a day in Bucharest and I’ve listed some top tips below for how to make sure your experience is like my second visit rather than my first! Big one is, if in Romania, use Bucharest as the entry point for exploring the highlights such as Transylvania’s Fortified Saxon villages and exploring Bran Castle and driving the wonderful Driving the Transfagarasan Highway of the Transylvanian Alps.